How to play padel forehands & backhands
Your groundstrokes are one of the key shots for any padel player and help you keep in rallies and ultimately, win points.
In padel you have groundstrokes off both your right and left side, known as forehands and backhands, depending on your dominant hand (forehand on your dominant side, backhand on your non-dominant).
In this essential guide to padel groundstrokes, LTA expert coaches take you through the four most important elements to perfecting your technique, which will help you the next time you’re on court.
Early padel racket preparation
When hitting a groundstroke in padel, it’s vital that you get yourself prepared and in position early.
This gives you time to read the ball, get your racket ready and ultimately, make it easier for you to get the right connection on the ball.
The most important part of your preparation is getting the racket back as soon as you recognise that the ball is coming to your forehand or backhand. In padel because you have a short swing and don’t need as much power, you can prepare really early and give yourself the best chance to play an effective shot.
Push the ball
The biggest difference between padel and a sport like tennis is the way you contact the ball.
In padel you’re looking for a short backswing as you don’t need much power. This will also help you react quicker and get more control on the ball.
Then, rather than a full big swing that you see in tennis, you just want to push through the back of the ball – keeping your racket face in line with your target.
Top tip: You’re looking to make contact with the ball out in front of your body.
Depth and speed on groundstrokes
In padel, you will either play a groundstroke straight from one bounce on your side of the court or after it has bounced and then come off the back or side walls.
Deciding whether to hit it straight from the bounce or off the wall will depend on some of the ball characteristics – the two most important for beginners being depth and speed.
When you’re starting out in padel, it's helpful to think about the services line as a ‘decision line’. You can use it as an indicator for when you should use the glass or not.
How to respond to padel ball depth and speed:
- If the ball bounces before the decision line, you should try to play the ball without hitting the glass
- If it bounces after the line, let it hit the glass before you return it
- If the ball comes over the net slow, you have more time to hit it straight from the bounce
- If it’s fast you can let it hit the wall to give you more time
Padel coaching drill: Yellow card, red card
One game you can play to practice your preparations on groundstrokes is to play a game called ‘Yellow card, red card’.
In this game, play points as normal, however, if the ball bounces beyond the decision line and you don’t let it hit the glass, you get a yellow card. If it happens again in the rally, you get a red card and lose the point.
This encourages you to not only practice with the glass but also make the right decision about when to play your shots.
Padel backhand & forehand FAQs
The forehand position in padel requires a sideways stance, with feet shoulder-width apart and weight shifting forward to generate power and control.
Good padel forehand technique involves early preparation, using your non-dominant hand for balance, striking the ball in front of your body, and pushing the ball with a short swing.
The backhand position in padel requires turning the shoulders, stepping forward with the opposite foot, and striking the ball slightly in front of the body for control.
Yes, you can serve backhand in padel. While most players serve forehand, the backhand serve in padel can add variety and surprise your opponents.
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