Who has never wished to have the backhand volley byAle Galán or topspin volley de Coello ? For the moment, we do not offer you such excellence, but simply to be able use your backhand volley as you see fit.

La backhand volley is a blow compulsory au padel. From location to the net, it is certainly one of the most used moves. Starting from balls on the body to those further away, this shot should not be neglected, on the contrary, it must be mastered by everyone.

It's not a winning move, definitive

This is perhaps the first mistake players realize. The backhand volley cannot be as powerful as the forehand volley. It's mechanical: we find it easier and stronger to bring our arm from the outside to the inside of the body by contracting our pecs than in the opposite direction, by working our back muscles. 

If you understand this, you will understand that winning a point brilliantly in the backhand volley will be a difficult and rare thing. So think about working on the point, placing the balls in complicated areas to defend, looking for depth, with more or less effect, angle, etc. Just be aware that the backhand volley can make a difference on the track by its variations and not by its power.

Arm work

Knowing how to place your arms correctly will allow you to use the backhand volley however you see fit. The very first thing to understand is that your non-dominant hand must help place the pala and then must act as a tensioner, a rubber band, to allow you to give more speed to the ball if necessary.

Working without using the non-dominant hand may work early in the game, but as fatigue sets in, it will make your volleys less effective.

The dominant hand of course has its say. First of all, she must present the pala to the incoming ball. It is useless to make too much preparation, the fact of showing the pala to the adversary who has just struck will suffice. Pala head above wrist level, always, with an elbow close to the body when setting up, and you're ready for impact.

This impact can be either flat by pushing forward like a direct boxer, or by “caressing” the ball, that is to say that you will try to keep it as long as possible in your pala. This is surely the most complicated technique to understand but certainly the most effective for earning points.

The idea is really to absorb the ball and then accompany it to the desired area, ending with the screen facing the sky above the level of the net. Short preparation, end of gesture towards the net, perfect movement. Up to the legs to do the rest!

Leg work 

As in forehand volley, the work of the legs, the supports, and the balance of the body, is very important. If you can apply at least two of the three techniques that we are going to present to you, your volleys will become pure wonders.

Support 100% check

After your resumption of support you come forward with your dominant leg to impact the ball. If your foot hits the ground before impact, you are in control so don't hit the ball, drop it, otherwise you risk making the mistake.

50/50 support

It can be used from the net but is more effective in the transition zone. The technique consists of placing the dominant foot on the ground at the moment of impact with the ball. You offer a shot that has as much control as power: a great help because you have not yet reached the net. This technique is really interesting because after impact you just need to let yourself go to reach your attack position.

Support 100% attacks

It is certainly the best technique for all shots to be negotiated above the level of the net in a comfortable position. Unlike the two previous supports, this time you will stay on your non-dominant leg at the moment of impact and then put the dominant foot on the ground, in the desired direction. This allows you to put your body weight into the ball, which increases speed but also spin. A backhand volley worthy of the greatest.

A nice backhand volley is really beautiful to watch. But before reaching the top level, let's try with all these techniques to create our own backhand volley, the one that will disturb the defense of our opponents and that will allow us to set up our offensive tactics. Remember: the backhand volley can be aggressive, but not powerful. 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.

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