Is it only possible to play at padel without moving ? Stay totally motionless, of course not, but do only very few trips, Yes it's possible.

Le padel is accessible to everyone. Young, less young, women, men, people in wheelchairs, deaf, overweight people, people with a disability… In the end, it is perhaps the most affordable sport for a large majority of the population.

So of course, when we look at the professionals, everything is very fast and they are mostly very mobile, but can we play padel without actually moving? The answer is yes.

First of all, you have to be aware of your abilities. If you have breathing problems or heart problems, consider taking care of yourself to reach the end of the match. If you are handicapped in the legs, you will not be able to defend all the balls. So that's the basis. Know what you can and cannot do.

The positions

This is where we wanted to come from. the padel is played in an enclosed space, small enough to reach most areas quickly. The windows also help us, with the rebound of the balls, to take the time. So if we focus on positioning on the track, we should be able to play most balls, at our own pace, and have a good time.

At the bottom of the track

We talked about it, the comfort zone is at the level of the joint between the first and the second bottom window and slightly set back from the joint between the first and the second side window. From this area, if you and the opponents decide to play diagonally, you will hit over 80% of the balls.

What if the diagonal changes? Sliding to the center when your partner gets closer to their side window and back to you when they get closer to the center. This way, you will always keep the same space between the two of you.

When the opponents have to play a high ball and you are at the back of the lane, it could be that the rebound on the back glass is fast and causes the ball to go away from you. Since we don't want to run, the idea will be to place ourselves on the line, or even slightly in front of this line, either to block the ball played high, or to reach the window exit more easily and with more time.

And in the net?

This is the problem. If at the bottom, we can play all the balls, it is by getting closer to the net that we win the majority of points. If you can't move forward, no worries, stay in the back and enjoy. On the other hand, if you can cross the line, go for it. No need to stick to the net, but just by crossing the service line, you can already play volleys and even smashes. Everyone has their own area. Find your position so you can play volleys and high balls without getting lobbed easily. The lob is a sign of running backwards, so if you find yourself in a safe place, which allows you to attack without taking the risk of being lobbed, it will be positive.

Anticipation is the key

Take the lead, anticipate so that you always have the best possible position to play your opponents' balls. Playing deep is the base. Be comfortable in your comfort zone, move with your partner, move forward when the ball comes faster and as soon as you can attack, take the initiative without putting yourself in danger. You have the keys in hand, now all you have to do is play, gain experience to understand where the balls played by your opponents will go. Playing without moving is possible, as long as you slow down the pace. Let's go! 

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.