Have we never dreamed of making spectacular smashes like a real pro? If you want to become like Juan Lebron, here is the detail of what you will need to work on.

A dream that could come true if you fill all the boxes and especially if you work hard. It is quite easy to smash at the padel, as much to realize it as Juan Lebron is much less.

In order to fully understand the difficulty, we are going to compare amateur players to Juan Lebron as we would with a car.

A set of parameters

For a smash to be 100% effective, all the elements must be super aligned. Imagine a car that has four different sized wheels, not aligned, with new tires on one side and worn tires on the other, a low power engine, different brand shocks and heights and you want to run a race. formula 1. Difficult, isn't it?

The best to have a chance of winning the race is to have a powerful engine, aligned wheels, good tires adapted to the required output etc, etc ...

We can say that Lebron is a Formula 1 and that we poor mortals are still at the level of pedal cars.

A physique at the top

Performing such a smash first requires excellent foot speed to be able to quickly get under the ball. It is therefore important to work well on your supports. It then takes power and explosiveness in the legs to generate the movement, this parameter can be worked with power exercises of the Bulgarian type.

To properly transmit the strength of the lower body, you need excellent sheathing. These points are needed for more or less all smashes. Precisely in the case of this smash, it is essential to know how to contract your abdominals powerfully, Juan Lebrón is also a fan of crunches. Finally, you also need good flexibility in the lumbar region. Before even talking about technique, there are essential prerequisites for the successful achievement of the “Lebrón” smash!

Lebron's technique

The Positioning

First of all, for a good smash, Juan Lebron is perfectly positioned under the ball which arrives in the bell. There is no question of making such a smash if the ball does not have enough height. This way Juan can position himself in the best possible way to hit the ball close to the net or behind the baseline.

The preparation

Above all, snowshoeing. It is very low to allow flexibility of the wrist for more effect. During his run to prepare for the smash, Juan opens his arms like the wings of a bird. A very wide movement that allows him to climb his arms to the sky, the left hand pointing the ball, and the right hand also high.

The lower part of the body is also preparing. Feet together to cause an imbalance which will be compensated by an upward extension. The arch of the back then allows a spring effect at the time of impact.

Acceleration

Before hitting the ball, note two speeds. Slow in preparation and then fast in making the decision to go for the strike. The right arm will descend in the back to come up very quickly, the legs will make the effort to push upwards, and the arch of the back will allow more acceleration speed. Finally, the wrist will give additional speed at the moment of impact, a characteristic effect in this topspin player that will make the ball bounce very high.

The point of impact

Juan Lebron is a fairly tall player, with great arms, and who, in addition to his momentum, can hit the ball more than 3 meters high. The higher the ball is hit, the more effective the smash will be. Juan always tries to stretch as much as possible to find that impact very, very high. The left arm will help with this stretch, as will the gaze on the ball. If your eye leaves the ball too early, your smash will be less effective.

The end of gesture

Completing the gesture amply allows for better efficiency. Juan Lebron is looking for a lot of spin in his ball, so the end of the gesture will be towards the outside, to his right. The right arm will end its stroke on the right of its body and not on its left as a lambda player who is purely and simply looking for power could do. To give the ball even more “kick”, Juan lifts his right leg which gives a better balance to the body, and a better balance brings more precision.

The precision

Here is another theme that Juan masters to perfection. Knowing how to drop the ball accurately is the key to an effective smash. A rebound close to the back glass or more or less far from the net, with a very particular angle will allow the ball either to return to its court or to leave the track.

Equipment

Juan uses the Babolat Viper, a very powerful pala that fits him like a glove. It doesn't mean that if you buy this pala you're going to hit like him, but this pala works a bit like a free electron, it wants to do everything on its own. This pala, to have had it in the hands, requires a perfect placement to be formidable. She is demanding with you by asking you to put her in good conditions so that at the time of the strike she can express herself. And Juan Lebron is perfect in this area. Each smash is prepared perfectly, and the pala “sings” with each impact.

So how?

Let’s be sincere. It will be difficult to smash like Lebron. But the advice would be to start building confidence by understanding your pala first, and then trying to be specific. Having control in your smashes will make you feel good, and if you are comfortable, the kick will be done in a relaxed way, for a very effective end result.

On the other hand, if you want everything right away, expect to have big muscle pain and a very average result.

Do you say that Juan Lebron, 25, already has more than 15 years of experience in this sport and certainly more than 10 years of intensive preparation, and especially that among all the players of the World Padel Tour, few are those who master this gesture so well. So to each his own culture, his history, his framework, his technique, his way of being. Create your own padel.

Julien Bondia

Julien Bondia is a teacher of padel in Tenerife (Spain). Columnist and advisor, he helps you play better through his tutorials and tactical/technical articles padel.

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