Play at padel effectively is no small task. Learning to play on your own is great, but as you progress you will find that you will “stagnate”.

Adding technique to your game allows it to be more efficient, and helping your brain organize tasks is also part of the evolution. Julien Bondia in his weekly tutorials helps you understand some parts of the game, like today, early preparation.

Our brain is an extraordinary machine, capable of handling a large number of information at the same time. But we realize that if we reduce this number of information to be processed, it is able to perform even better the remaining tasks. It's up to us to enjoy it.

A mistake that beginners or even intermediate players too often realize is not having a precise order for making a shot at padel. For example, a ball will go in the direction of a player who will first think of running towards it and then hitting it as best he can.

What I propose here is to give your brain an order so that everything is clear to him when making a forehand. In this way it can handle other important information in the best way, such as the trajectory of the ball or the direction of your shot.

Remember that initially the recovery of downforce, this small jump which allows you to set up your stroke, allows you to access a forehand or a backhand with the same response time. It happens as soon as your opponents touch the ball.

I then propose to put the racket directly backwards, as soon as you know which shot you will have to play (forehand or backhand). Let's focus on the forehand at the back of the field. I suggest you place the pala as soon as possible to the rear, below the level of the belt. You quickly release this information from your brain that will then be able to focus on the rest of the game.

Here I present you my order of preparation. It's up to you to plan yours, which will always be used in the same way. Train your brain to perform the moves in that order, and you'll gain in efficiency, responsiveness.

1 - Resuming support when my opponents hit

2- Put the pala back and down right hand side as soon as I have the information (do not wait)

3 - Position yourself in relation to the ball and thinking of a playing area

4- Adjust the position of the pala. It can stay in the same position, pass over the belt in the case of an attack, or get closer to the ground for a complicated exit of glass. At the same time I have to think about the following scenario, stay at the bottom, come to the net, squeeze my opponents, take a position ...

5- Realize typing by applying my previous choice

It's up to you to put into practice this way of acting which makes it possible to treat less information at the same time. You relieve your brain and make it more efficient on every step.

It's your turn.

 

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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