Padel Fitness: Exercises To Improve Your Game

Padel is a fast-paced, high-energy sport that blends the best aspects of tennis, racquetball, and squash. 

Peak padel performance demands a mix of strength, speed, agility and endurance. 

Whether you're a weekend warrior or aiming for tournament glory, incorporating padel-specific fitness exercises into your training can take your game to the next level. 

Why fitness matters in padel

Padel is played in an enclosed space where reaction time and physical performance are vital. Points are quick, rallies are intense, and there's a constant need for explosive movement in all directions. 

A high level of fitness helps you:

• React faster to shots
• Move efficiently around the court
• Reduce the risk of injury
• Maintain energy and focus through long matches

Here are some tips from the Padel39 team on how to help develop the ultimate padel fitness regime. 

1. Lateral speed and agility drills

Padel involves a lot of side-to-side motion. Working on lateral speed improves your ability to get into position quickly.

We recommend:

• Lateral cone drills: Set up cones and shuffle quickly from side to side.
• Resistance band side steps: Strengthen hip stabilizers and improve movement efficiency.

2. Core strength and stability

A strong core enhances balance, shot power, and injury prevention. It’s your center of control, especially when twisting and turning to return balls off the glass.

We recommend:

• Planks and side planks: Build foundational core stability.
• Russian twists: Improve rotational strength.
• Medicine ball slams or throws: Mimic padel's explosive torso movements.

3. Explosive lower body power

Powerful legs help with quick sprints, fast stops and sudden changes of direction.

We recommend:

• Jump squats or box jumps: Boost your explosive strength.
• Lunges with rotation: Combine leg strength with torso control.
• Calf raises: Improve ankle strength and push-off speed.

4. Reaction and reflex training

Quick reflexes are essential, especially when you're volleying at the net or defending off the back wall.

We recommend:

• Reaction ball drills: Toss or bounce an unpredictable ball to improve hand-eye coordination.
• Partner volley drills: Work with a partner to react to fast, random shots.

5. Endurance and conditioning

Padel matches can be long. Building stamina ensures you're sharp from start to finish.

We recommend:

• Interval running or HIIT workouts: Mimic the short bursts of energy used in matches.
• Jump rope: Great for cardio and footwork at the same time.

Recovery is key

Don’t underestimate the importance of rest, stretching and mobility work. 

Foam rolling, dynamic stretching and adequate sleep all play a role in keeping your body match-ready. It is really important not to ignore taking care of your body when not actually playing.

Final thoughts

Fitness isn't just an off-court bonus - it's a vital part of dominating the padel court. 

By training smart and targeting key movement patterns, you'll improve your agility, power, and endurance. This will help you perform at a higher level and thereby be more successful on the court.

We suggest that you try these exercises and you will quickly feel the difference on court. As always, please feel free to come and chat to any of the Padel39 team if you would like to discuss

Start incorporating these exercises and feel the difference in your next match.