How To Improve Your Padel Play

Padel is one of the many racquet games sports out there. And just like any of those sports, it is very technical in gameplay. From holding the racquet to your footwork and agility, there are so many aspects of the gameplay you need to pay attention to. Improving on all these helps your overall gameplay improve.
Padel, though being a different sport, has several similarities with tennis. In this light, several of the activities aimed at improving your padel play are of the Tennis origin. As stated earlier, there are different aspects you need to work on. The following are the various areas and the corresponding process of improving on them.

 

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Footwork and Agility

The game is not just about holding your racquet correctly. Your footwork and how agile you are playing a decisive role. If you are looking to improve on these, you need to focus on some things. These include; stability, resistance, speed, and the coordination of your mind and body.
To improve agility, perform the agility ladders. You should also perform the speed ladder drills, which helps in improving the quality of your agility. Both of these drills are recommended, as they don’t necessarily run you out of breath.
The following are things you should keep in mind as you work on your agility.
Pushing off should be from the balls of your feet and not your toes.
You should always pump your hands from shoulder height to hips.
Ensure that your elbows remain at 90 degrees always
Your arms, hands, and shoulders should be relaxed.
Make your head as still as possible.

Grip

Your grip certainly needs to be perfect. As expected of beginners, mistakes occur, commonly, with the grip. You should know that the best way to grip the racquet is the continental way. The continental grip can also be called the chopper grip or the hammer grip. In this type of grip, the index finger’s base knuckle should right on bevel number 2. You can quickly get this when you hold the racquet as if you are holding an ax.
When you can master the continental grip, you will be able to add spins to your serve. You also get more power behind your serve. This makes mastery of the grip essential. Once you get it right, your gameplay will surely improve.

Positioning

You need to work on your positioning and awareness on the court diligently. It is common for amateurs to be seen playing all the shots from the bottom of the court. Some also stand behind the service line, playing totally from the defensive area. To improve, you need to realize and execute moving towards the net and back. Achieving this fluidity in movement can help you a great deal.
Though the confidence to do this may take some time to come, but it is the best thing you can do for yourself.

Conclusion
Improving your padel play is not going to be a comfortable ride. Just like every other sport, you need consistency. Also, there are several other things you’d need to master as you journey through the game. However, working diligently on the aforementioned will improve your padel gameplay as a beginner.