What is the technique for playing a beautiful bandeja ? During his last tutorial, Julien Bondia explained everything to us. You weren't there? Here is the summary.

La bandeja is the quintessential move of padel. A unique shot, which is not found in other sports, but which is very frequently used in our sport. You might as well know how to do it!

La bandeja is basically a shot we take so as not to lose the net when our opponents lob. When the lob is a bit short, we can accelerate or even attack the ball with a bandeja.

Before getting to the heart of the matter, it is important to know “your” place of impact. Once you know exactly where to hit the ball, you will be comfortable and you can have a bandeja effective. This place of impact is when your arm is fully extended, at eye level. To find out, you can throw an object, a pebble, as if you wanted to ricochet. The place of impact is when you let go of the stone.

In order to be as clear as possible, we will detail the position of each part of the body during a bandeja.

  • The feet

During a bandeja on the ground, the tip of the front foot must be directed towards the opposing track. The rear foot, perpendicular to the front foot.

During a bandeja in suspension, the rear foot will take momentum, the front foot will be used for landing. It should be oriented towards the net in order to allow you to run forward.

  • Legs

Always flexed to better adjust the hitting height when you are on the ground, and to provide better impetus when jumping.

  • Trunk

Right so that you take a “proud” position on the track. This part of the body will allow you to control your ball and accelerate it by spinning. If your body is falling or hunched over, the effectiveness of your bandeja will feel it.

  • The non-dominant hand

This hand should, during preparation, point in the direction of the side grid, at shoulder height, and arm extended. If you make a bandeja in suspension, this non-dominant hand will help you jump.

  • The dominant hand

So that your bandeja be as efficient as possible, it is better to prepare very early. As soon as you have the information, prepare your shot either by throwing your pala directly into the position or by passing it in front of your knees. This second method allows you to place the shoulder correctly.

Then, 2 possibilities: either you keep your arm straight for a cut, or you “break” your arm to give a “brushed” effect. At an advanced level, and to hide the effect from your opponents, we will prepare with the “broken” arm, and at the last moment we will print the desired effect.

  • La tête

Even if it sounds silly, the position of the head influences the direction of the ball. If your head points down when you hit, your ball will quickly dive towards the net. On the contrary, if your head stays high, your ball will go towards the back window. It's up to you to adapt.

  • The end of gesture

When attacking, when you are firmly anchored to the ground, it is interesting to complete the gesture with the arm of the dominant hand in a sling around the neck.

During bandejas in suspension, it is better to finish the gesture in the direction of the desired zone, a shorter end of the gesture which will allow you to quickly recover your waiting position, pala in front.

For more technical or tactical information on the bandeja, do not hesitate to take a look at the tutorial on Saturday April 25th.

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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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