Beginner Training Programme

A structured training programme for your first 4–8 weeks in padel. The goal is to master basic technique, get comfortable with the court and walls, and develop an initial feel for the ball.

Programme Goal

This programme is designed for 4–8 weeks at 2–3 sessions per week, each lasting 60–90 minutes. By the end you will be able to:

• Confidently hold the racket with the correct grip
• Execute basic shots (forehand, backhand, volley)
• Understand rebounds from the walls
• Play simple rallies with a partner
• Take up the right positions on court

Equipment

• A padel racket (round shape, soft core)
• Balls — 3 (one can)
• Court shoes (herringbone outsole)
• Sportswear, water bottle
• Recommended: a partner or coach

Session Structure

Every session follows the same format:

Drill Timer

Use the interactive timer to follow the session structure for each training week:

Programme Details: Week by Week

Weeks 1–2: Getting to Know the Court and Ball

Focus: ball feel, racket grip, control.

Drills:

1. Ball bouncing on the racket (15 min)

   • Upward bounces (flat side) — target: 30 in a row
   • Downward bounces (off the floor) — target: 20 in a row
   • Alternating up/down — target: 15 in a row

2. Forehand with feeding (15 min)

   • Partner or coach feeds the ball to the right side
   • Hit a forehand towards the wall/net
   • Focus: correct grip (continental), body rotation

3. Backhand with feeding (10 min)

   • Same drill, but to the left side

4. Mini-rallies over the net (15 min)

   • Forehand to forehand
   • Slow pace, target: 10 shots in a row without errors

Weeks 3–4: Volleys and Serve

Focus: net play, serve, movement.

Drills:

1. Volley (15 min)

   • One at the net, the other feeds
   • Forehand volley → backhand volley → alternating
   • Racket in front, short backswing

2. Serve (15 min)

   • Stand behind the service line, drop the ball and hit after the bounce
   • Target: the ball travels diagonally and lands in the service box
   • Series: 10 serves from the right, 10 from the left

3. Rally from serve (20 min)

   • Serve → return → open rally until an error
   • Play for points (one game at a time)

4. Split-step (5 min)

   • A small jump before each opponent’s shot
   • Stand at the net, partner hits — split-step → react

Weeks 5–6: Walls and Positional Play

Focus: wall bounces, court positions.

Drills:

1. Back wall bounce (15 min)

   • Stand near the back wall, partner hits a lob towards the back wall
   • Let the ball bounce off the floor → wall → hit
   • Key point: don’t rush, let the ball come off the wall

2. Pair at the net (15 min)

   • Both partners at the net, two opponents at the back
   • Rally: the net pair plays volleys, the back pair plays groundstrokes
   • Goal: feel the advantage of the net position

3. Lob (globo) (10 min)

   • Partner at the net, you at the back
   • Send the ball over your partner’s head towards the back wall
   • Target: the ball lands in the last 3 metres of the court

Weeks 7–8: Putting It All Together

Focus: full match play, beginner tactics.

Drills:

1. Rallies from different positions (20 min)

   • 5 min: both at the net (volley vs volley)
   • 5 min: one at the net, one at the back
   • 10 min: open rallies from serve

2. Scored match (30 min)

   • Full match observing all rules
   • Focus: correct positioning, not shot power

3. Analysis (10 min)

   • What went well, what didn’t
   • What to work on next

Variations

• Without a partner: ball bouncing, hitting against the wall (forehand/backhand), serving into an empty court
• With a coach: private lessons accelerate progress 2–3×
• Group of 4: start playing 2×2 matches straight away

Dosage

Common Mistakes

1. Hitting too hard. At the early stage, control matters more than power. Swing at 50–60% strength.
2. Wrong grip. Check your grip before every drill set.
3. Skipping the warm-up. Without a warm-up, the risk of injury is high — especially to the ankle and shoulder.
4. Trying to “kill” every ball. In padel, patience wins — build the rally rather than going for a winner off the first shot.
5. Standing still. Even while waiting for the ball, keep moving on the spot (split-step).