Welcome dear friends on the slopes of padel. A game magnificent, resulting and especially addictive. During the next few weeks we will offer you an overview of the most used shots, the basic, in order to better understand your next game. Let's start with the forehand.

The forehand is certainly “the” basic stroke par excellence. Right-handed or left-handed, this is the shot that we will achieve from the side of which we grab the pala. It is from this moment that the love story between the padel and U.S !

At the bottom of the track

When we are positioned behind the baseline, the forehand will offer us several possibilities. First put the ball in play with the service (which we will discuss shortly), but also achieve the return of service, organize our defense during opponents' attacks and finally, it will help us to try to push our opponents to the back of the track in order to take the offensive in our turn. .

The forehand is therefore not a stroke to be left to chance, on the contrary. Get off to a good start with this essential move, don't skip the steps, learn to master it, make it your own, and your game will only get better.

In detail

The forehand can be approached in two different ways; either in a traditional way by listening and repeating what is written in all the training manuals, or by appropriating it with your sporting experience. Up to you.

The traditional method

School of padel, pure and hard, the perfect technique that you can find on most of the tutorials available online.

The grip must be continental, neutral, it is the base to access all the shots of the padel.

The waiting position will be with the pala placed in front of us, held with both hands at navel level.

When the opponents impact the ball, we will perform a small jump called “resumption of downforce” or “split step” which will allow us to have more time to access the preparation of the stroke.

The preparation will be carried out in a grouped way, that is to say that we will hit our ball with a concern for positioning. Our legs will have to find the best position to make the ball hit in front of us. During this adjustment run, we will prepare our pala at the right height so that the stroke is as effective as possible.

Impact in front of our body and support after the strike to give direction.

This forehand style is quite often used in school for padel because it allows to standardize the game among young players. It allows you to be aggressive when typing and above all to become a metronome from the back of the track.

The “case by case” method

This is the most difficult method for instructors to practice, but certainly the most effective for players who already have a sporting history.

The idea is to give the keys to understand the game, to learn to read the trajectories in order to have control of the ball and thus, over time, to let the person develop a game of their own.

It begins first with a neutral waiting position, in the “house”, this place slightly behind the baseline, pala positioned in front of us at navel height. From this position, we can access all the defensive shots and especially program our brain to make forehands, backhands… This position is very important because if it is quickly assimilated, the learning will be faster.

Then understand that time is important. In a defensive position, it is very difficult to gain the point. So you have to learn to be patient while saving time. How? 'Or' What ? By letting the ball come to us instead of rushing to get it. It is not an easy exercise but by forcing ourselves to take a first step backwards, in the direction of the ball, and by preparing as early as possible, we will learn to correctly handle each step of our forehand and finally, to choose the best possible option.

In short

Two methods are available to you. The perfect technique method and the “case by case” method. Depending on the monitor you have in front of you, this or that method will be preferred, or even both for some of them. Do not hesitate to speak, to give your impressions, your desires, because on the track it is you who will play and not your instructor, nor Padel Magazine, nor a video tutorial or the person who advises you in the field. It is you, and you alone, who grab the pala.

So regardless of the method, the most important thing is that your forehand becomes one of the benchmarks in your tackle. padel. A sure, precise hit that will force your opponents to play one more ball until you can take the offense.

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.