The Padel Volley

How to play a good padel volley?

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Volleys play a big part in padel. A good volley can make the difference between a never-ending rally or a point. The starting position for a volley is close to the net with the racket in front of your body in a vertical position. This makes you able to react quicker for a forehand or backhand volley.

The first step when standing in the read-to-volley position is to prepare the racket by pulling it back and turn your shoulders with it. The racket should go as far as your shoulder can go, after this, you step forward with your left leg (when hitting a forehand) or step forward with right leg (when hitting a backhand) and turn the racket and your shoulder towards the ball. This is to get your body to push in the court and get more power into your volley. You want to hit the ball just in front of the body, this is not a swing but more a strong block. It’s key to keep this technique nice and simple, you want it to be a stable base.

One of the common errors we see, has to do with the ready-to-volley position. People tend to hold their rackets in a horizontal way and start to volley with their shoulders and wrists open. It’s important to keep the continental grip and turn the shoulders to get the most options to return the ball.

The second mistake we see a lot is that players are standing way too close to the net. They are coming way too close and only trying to pack the ball down. But this basically results in a position for the opponents to play an easy lob. They also don’t have enough time to react for a volley. So, if you take a step back, it is easier to make a step forward to get that nice volley. But also, if you see a lob, you’ll have time to react and step back to smash the ball.

The technique for the backhand volley is very similar, you start with the same ready-to-volley position. You take the racket back with right hand on the grip and the left hand on the throat of the racket and you’ll have a nice blocking motion in front of your body. If you get a low ball, you should always go low and bend with your legs. Your arm will be much stronger when you’re lower because you’re able to stretch it more.

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