At the microphone  el4Set ,  Gustavo Pratto , trainer of  Coello , shared a clear vision of amateur padel. For him, progress comes through a better understanding of the game, particularly on an often-neglected point: the  parallel game .

 Stop always playing on the same player 

Pratto questions a very widespread habit:

“Is it really productive to always direct your volleys towards the same player?”

For him, the objective lies elsewhere:

“Ideally, you want to get him moving, right? Try to bring him to the center, get him to come, move him.”

The goal is not to repeat, but to create imbalance.

 The deceptive comfort of the diagonal 

It highlights a reality of amateur padel:

“How many times have you played simultaneously with a friend? Zero. And diagonally? A thousand.”

The diagonal is mastered, the parallel is forgotten.
Result: an incomplete game.

 The parallel, a huge lever 

For Pratto, the gain is obvious:

“If I improve your side game, you become 50% better.”

But he adds a caveat:

“If I tell you to play at a parallel level with your current skill level, it will overwhelm you.”

It's more difficult, more demanding, less natural.

 A more complex tactical choice 

Why? Because the parallel requires more reading:

“It’s more difficult strategically because, at the same time, we can’t see the spaces.”

Unlike the diagonal, where the angles are obvious, here everything hinges on precision and intention.

 A long-term project 

Pratto has a clear understanding of learning:

“You have to train for several months in parallel.”

No shortcuts.
It's a long-term project.

 Objective: to be comprehensive 

His philosophy is simple:

“What I want is for you to be well-rounded, not good in one area and weak in another.”

A player who is only comfortable playing diagonally becomes predictable.
A player who can vary their game becomes dangerous.

 Get out of your comfort zone 

With this approach,  Pratto  pushes players to evolve.
Less comfort, more demands… but a richer, smarter and more efficient padel.

Benjamin Dupouy

I discovered padel directly during a tournament, and frankly, I didn't really like it at first. But the second time, it was love at first sight, and since then, I haven't missed a single match. I'm even ready to stay up until 3am to watch a final of Premier Padel !

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