Be well physically, a Good shape physical, is always important whatever your activity. If your only sport is paddle, here are some ideas that might help you help to be more performant on trail.

Eat well

If you haven't heard yet, eat healthy, Practice sports on a regular basis and have a good sleep pattern allows you to be healthy and improve your performance. If this basis is respected, it will then be necessary, to achieve performance, to work with more load, more intensity and to eat appropriately.

GOOD. So first and foremost, take care of your plate. Try to only eat foods that are not pre-prepared, packaged, or have preservatives. If you eat fresh produce, it will only be beneficial. Then, and this depends on each person of course, don't exaggerate. One ration is enough most of the time. If you eat more, or if you take a second slice of bread, you will not be going on the right path. 

So we are not dietitians, but if you take this as a basis, your ability to perform physical effort and recover after exercise will be increased.

The bottom

If your goal is to play better, you will have to endure the effort over time. So you have to go running or walking, even cycling, several times a week. The goal is not to complete 20km once a week but rather, several times a week, to start with 2km then 5km, to exceed 45 minutes of uninterrupted physical activity. Once this first objective is achieved, you simply have to maintain it, which is much simpler. You can even reduce the frequency of your training sessions since you will compensate with matches, training sessions or even tournaments. And you will see that over time, for the same running time, you will increase the distance.

On the track

Now let's get on the track. Start by practicing the shots you are comfortable with and aim to put more intensity into your movements and be more active between shots. Since these are “natural” shots for you, it won’t be very difficult to make them more dynamic. Finally comes the time for moves that are more complicated for you. You will see that by approaching these shots calmly, they should now enter the track or be more effective.

Off road

To be stronger, faster, have better reflexes, jump higher, defend better, you'll have to work off-piste. For those who can afford it, professionals are there to support you and make you work safely while meeting your expectations.

Otherwise, try starting without load, only with your body weight, and working all the muscles related to the movements of padel: the abdominals for rotations, the thighs and glutes for flexions, the pectorals and shoulders for high balls, and your forearm to avoid or prevent the tennis elbow.

Léa Godallier HIIT physical training Padel

All in good time

Having a reasonable physical condition does not take years. Of course, if you start from scratch, it will take longer, but tell yourself that having a “correct” base can be obtained in less than a month with the help of good nutrition. So do things in order. Of course you can play padel during your physical preparation, but do not gain too much muscle volume without having a base, because otherwise you will not last very long on the court. Too bad… 

Julien Bondia

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