Stroke attack as to the defense, vibora is both offensive and poisonous, even deadly. Knowing how to master and control it will make your master an artist on the track.

La vibora (viper) is an aerial hit not given to everyone, but when overpowered it can do a lot of damage in the opponent's camp. Let us try to give you the keys to this incredible coup.

Why this name of vibora ?

La vibora is a variant of the bandeja, this defensive shot impacted high, above the shoulder, which allows attackers not to lose their offensive position at the net. The name of the snake which has been attributed to it is for the resemblance of the body of the animal to the trajectory of the bullet, which is absolutely not straight, and above all unpredictable. Finally, the viper is a rather calm snake, discreet, but which can become aggressive or even deadly. So watch out for her.

Who can control it?

The first advice to give would be not to try to achieve a vibora pure and hard when we are a beginner. It is a fairly technical move and therefore complicated to achieve. So try first to hit the high defensive ball correctly, not to lose the net, and with time and practice you will find out if you are more bandeja or rather vibora. Nothing requires you to master the 2 shots so focus on one effective shot rather than two medium shots.

In “general”, tennis players have an easier time performing a vibora because technically, it could consist in impacting a lifted service at a lower height, on the side.

Pablo Lijo vibora

Finally, the vibora is used a lot by right-handed players on the left on the track or by left-handed players posted to the right. Why ? For the effect given to the ball which will tend to always come closer to the side window after bouncing off the bottom window. So even at slow speed, the vibora will move opponents out of their comfort zone (home).

Technically

As the bandeja, vibora will start from the net with the 3-in-1 technique. Profile position, dominant arm placed and non-dominant hand towards the side grid. When we detailed the bandeja, we said that the pala was placed on a plateau, that we had to get the ball high and that the abdominals and all the muscles of the pelvic girdle allowed by their contraction, to achieve the rotation of the body for the strike.

In the case of vibora it's different.

First of all, the pala will be placed behind our head, with the top of the pala if possible touching the back of our skull. Then we will not try to get the ball as high as possible, but we will wait for it at the best hitting height. And finally, it is the arm and the relaxation of the wrist that will do the strike.

Paquito Navarro vibora

So we have the base: profile position with the non-dominant hand pointing the side grid and the pala placed behind our head. The objective will be to impact the ball in a brushed way at eye level. Therein lies the difficulty. If we manage to find this point of impact slightly in front of us, at eye level, and relaxed, the vibora will be more poisonous than ever.

Small advice: to find this point of impact which is different for each player, you can imagine yourself throwing a stone in a body of water to make ricochets there. Focus on when you are going to drop that pebble: it will be your place of impact with the ball because your arm will be straight and outstretched, acting like a whip.

The end of the gesture should follow the movement, ending with the arm wrapped in a sling around the neck. For slower strokes, the gesture will be shorter.

Do you understand why, today the vibora comes off the bandeja to create your own identity? A blow to the base of defense which can be converted into an attack blow, devastating, loaded with venom, which will bewitch your opponents with its trajectories! This shot is unique, and to be used without moderation.

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.