Mastering the Basic Padel Stance: Essential Positioning and Movement for Beginners

Padel is a dynamic sport that requires a blend of skill, strategy, and constant movement. For beginners, understanding how to position yourself and move efficiently on the court is not just helpful—it’s absolutely fundamental. Without a solid basic padel stance and effective movement patterns, even the best shots can go astray. This guide will walk you through the essentials, helping you build a strong foundation for your padel journey.

The Foundation: The Ready Position

Think of the ready position as your home base on the padel court. It’s the athletic stance you should return to after every shot and adopt before your opponent hits the ball. A good ready position allows you to react quickly, move efficiently, and prepare for your next shot.

1. Feet Placement

• Shoulder-width apart: Your feet should be roughly as wide as your shoulders, providing a stable base.
• Slightly staggered: Having one foot slightly ahead of the other can help with balance and provide a natural lead for your first step.
• On the balls of your feet: Avoid standing flat-footed. Being on the balls of your feet allows for quicker pushes off the ground in any direction.

2. Knee Bend

• Slightly bent knees: This is crucial. Straight legs lock you in place. Bent knees act like springs, ready to propel you forward, backward, or sideways. Imagine you’re about to jump – that’s the level of knee bend you want.

3. Body Posture and Racket Position

• Lean slightly forward: Your upper body should have a slight forward lean from the hips, not just the waist. This puts you in an aggressive, ready-to-move posture.
• Racket in front: Hold your padel racket with both hands (or your dominant hand with the non-dominant hand supporting the throat of the racket) in front of your body, around waist to chest height. The racket head should be pointing towards the net. This central position allows you to quickly adjust for forehand or backhand shots.
• Relaxed grip: Don’t squeeze the racket too tightly. A relaxed grip allows for better wrist movement and less fatigue.

4. Eye Focus

• Watch the ball: Keep your eyes fixed on the ball as your opponent prepares to hit it. Anticipation starts with observation.

Dynamic Movement: Getting Around the Court

Once you’ve mastered the static ready position, it’s time to bring it to life with movement. Padel is a game of constant adjustments, shuffles, and quick bursts of speed.

1. The Split Step: Your Reaction Trigger

This is arguably the most important movement technique in padel, yet often overlooked by beginners.

• When to do it: Perform a small hop or step just as your opponent makes contact with the ball.
• How to do it: From your ready position, take a small hop, landing softly on the balls of your feet with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width. Your knees should be bent, and your body weight evenly distributed.
• Why it’s important: The split step ‘activates’ your leg muscles and helps you quickly push off in the direction the ball is coming. It significantly reduces your reaction time and prepares you for the first step towards the ball.

2. Lateral Shuffles: Covering Width

Most movement in padel is sideways, especially along the baseline or at the net.

• How to do it: Stay low with bent knees. Use small, quick side steps, keeping your feet from crossing over. Lead with the foot closest to the direction you want to move, then bring the other foot to meet it. This keeps you balanced and ready to hit.
• Avoid running sideways: While sometimes necessary for extreme retrieves, for most lateral movement, shuffling maintains better balance and control.

3. Forward & Backward Steps: Depth Control

Moving towards the net to volley or retreating to the back wall for a lob requires different footwork.

• Moving forward: Use small, controlled steps, staying on the balls of your feet. Keep your racket ready in front of you. Avoid charging recklessly; maintain balance.
• Moving backward: Often involves shuffling backward or taking small crossover steps if you need to cover significant ground quickly. Always turn your shoulders slightly to facilitate movement, but keep an eye on the ball. Be mindful of the back wall and use it to your advantage for certain shots.

4. The Recovery: Always Return to Ready

After every shot, your primary goal is to recover to an optimal court position, usually the center of your side of the court, and return to your ready position. This is non-negotiable.

• Why it’s important: If you stay where you hit the ball, you’ll be out of position for your opponent’s return. Recovering quickly ensures you’re ready for the next shot, no matter where it goes.
• How to recover: Use a combination of shuffles or short sprints, depending on how far you are from your ideal recovery spot. Always finish with a split step as your opponent is about to hit.

Putting It All Together: Court Coverage

Effective movement isn’t just about individual steps; it’s about covering the court intelligently.

Understanding Court Zones

Padel courts can be mentally divided into zones:

• Net Zone: Close to the net, ideal for volleys and smashes. Requires quick forward and lateral movement.
• Mid-Court Zone: Between the service line and the net. A dangerous place to get stuck, as you’re vulnerable to both lobs and hard shots.
• Defense Zone (Back of the court): Behind the service line, where you play off the glass walls. Requires good backward movement and quick recovery.

Your goal is to spend as much time as possible in the net zone (attacking) or the defense zone (defending), minimizing time in the vulnerable mid-court.

Anticipation is Key

Great movers in padel aren’t just fast; they anticipate. By watching your opponent’s body language, racket preparation, and the trajectory of the ball, you can often predict where the ball is going before it’s hit. This allows you to start moving earlier, making even complex retrieves seem effortless.

Common Mistakes Beginners Make

Being aware of these pitfalls can help you avoid them:

1. Standing Flat-Footed: This is the most common mistake. It slows down your reaction time significantly.
2. Standing Too Upright: Straight legs and a stiff back limit your agility and power.
3. Not Doing a Split Step: Missing this crucial step leaves you unprepared for the opponent’s shot.
4. Forgetting to Recover: Staying at the spot where you hit the ball leaves large areas of the court exposed.
5. Fixed Gaze: Only watching the ball after it leaves the opponent’s racket. Start watching before they hit it.
6. Crossing Feet: While sometimes necessary in extreme situations, regularly crossing your feet during lateral movement leads to imbalance and slower recovery.

Drills to Improve Your Footwork

Practice makes perfect. Incorporate these simple drills into your routine:

• Shadow Padel: Stand on court in your ready position. Imagine an opponent hitting the ball. Perform a split step, then simulate moving to a forehand, backhand, or volley, and then recover to the ready position. Repeat for 5-10 minutes.
• Cone Drills: Place cones in various positions on the court. Start in the center, split step, then move to touch a cone (using proper footwork), and recover. Vary the sequence and speed.
• Wall Practice with Movement: If you have access to a wall or frontón, practice hitting the ball against it while focusing on your ready position, split step before each hit, and recovery after each hit. This adds a realistic element.

Conclusion

Mastering the basic padel stance and efficient court movement is the bedrock of a successful padel game. It might not be as glamorous as hitting a powerful smash, but without it, those spectacular shots will be few and far between. By consistently practicing your ready position, split step, lateral shuffles, and recovery, you’ll build the agility and responsiveness needed to enjoy padel to its fullest and improve rapidly. Get ready to move, react, and dominate the court!

Related reading

• Padel for Beginners: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Playing Padel
• Padel vs. Tennis: Uncovering the Differences and Which Sport to Master First
• Basic Padel Rules: Your Complete Guide to Mastering the Game