TRAINING GUIDE — BEGINNER
Padel Training for Beginners — Drills, Tips & 8-Week Plan
12 min read
Updated March 2026
By PadelPicked
You've played your first few sessions — now you want to actually improve. This guide gives you a structured beginner training plan, the key drills that build real foundations, and the most important habits to develop early before bad technique gets baked in.
WHERE YOU SHOULD BE FOCUSING
As a beginner, your only goals are: keep the ball in play, serve consistently, and move with your partner. Power, spin and tactics come later. Players who try to hit hard too early develop bad habits that take months to undo.
The 4 beginner foundations
Before you work on drills, understand what actually matters at this stage. These four things separate players who improve quickly from those who plateau.
- Grip — use a continental grip (like shaking hands with the racket). Don't squeeze. The racket should feel light in your hand
- Ready position — knees slightly bent, racket up, weight on the balls of your feet. Always return to this between shots
- Move with your partner — in padel you must move as a unit. When your partner goes forward, you go forward. When they retreat, you retreat
- Watch the ball — sounds obvious, but most beginners watch their opponent instead. Eyes on the ball all the way to the strings
Essential beginner drills
2 players10 minutesControl
Stand at the baseline, both players on the same diagonal. Rally cross-court, letting the ball bounce before each shot. Focus on consistent contact and keeping the ball low over the net. Don't aim for the lines — aim for the middle of the court. The goal is 10 consecutive rallies without an error.
2 players8 minutesNet play
Both players stand at the service line (halfway between the net and baseline). Volley back and forth without letting the ball bounce. Keep the racket in front of you at all times. Start slowly — the aim is 15 consecutive volleys. This builds the reflexes and compact swing technique that wins points at the net.
Solo or pairs10 minutesWall play
Feed a ball to the back corner so it bounces on the floor and rebounds off the glass wall. Practice letting it come to you, then hitting it back down the court. This is the single most important beginner skill — being comfortable with the wall rebound separates padel from every other racket sport. Do this until it feels natural.
2 players10 minutesServe
One player serves, the other returns, no point is played — just serve and return, repeat. The server focuses on landing 9 out of 10 in the service box. The returner focuses on a controlled, deep return back to the server. Swap every 10 serves. Consistency beats power every time at beginner level.
4 players15 minutesMatch play
One team serves and comes to the net. The other team returns and stays at the baseline. Play out the point with this positioning locked in place. This teaches beginners to understand the net vs baseline dynamic — the most important tactical concept in padel. Switch roles every 5 points.
Mastering the serve
The padel serve is the one shot you have complete control over — no pressure, no reaction time needed. Yet it's where beginners lose the most free points. Here's how to make it automatic:
- Drop, don't throw — let the ball fall from waist height. Don't add any toss or spin. Simple drop and hit
- Aim for the back glass wall — a good serve bounces in the service box and then hits the back glass. This creates a difficult return
- Hit at 70% power — a consistent serve is worth ten times more than an aggressive serve you miss half the time
- Same motion every time — muscle memory is built through repetition. Pick one serve and repeat it hundreds of times
Learning to use the walls
This is what makes padel unique — and what takes most beginners the longest to feel comfortable with. The key mental shift is this: the wall is your friend, not your enemy.
When a ball goes past you toward the back glass, don't panic and chase it. Stop, let it bounce on the floor, let it rebound off the glass, and then play it. You have far more time than you think. The rebound is predictable once you've practiced it.
The most common beginner mistake
Trying to hit the ball before it rebounds off the wall. Trust the wall. Let it rebound. You'll be surprised how much extra time you have.
8-week beginner progression plan
Two sessions per week minimum to follow this plan. Each session should be 60–90 minutes.
Week 1–2
Foundations
Grip, ready position, basic groundstrokes. Focus on cross-court rallies only. No score keeping — just keeping the ball in play.
Week 3
Serve consistency
Dedicate 20 minutes per session to serve practice. Target: 8/10 serves landing in the service box every time.
Week 4
Wall rebound
Spend half your session on wall rebound drills. Getting comfortable with this unlocks the whole game.
Week 5
Net play basics
Introduce the volley-volley drill. Focus on compact swing, racket up, and not letting the ball drop below net height.
Week 6
Partner movement
Practice moving together — both forward to the net, both retreating. Communication drills: calling "mine" and "yours" clearly.
Week 7
Match play
Play full points and games. Apply everything — consistent serve, wall rebounds, net positioning. Focus on fun and rallying rather than winning.
Week 8
Review and next level
Identify the weakest area from the past 8 weeks and dedicate this session to it. You're ready to start the intermediate guide.
Common beginner mistakes to avoid
- Hitting too hard — power comes from technique, not effort. Swing easy and let the racket do the work
- Standing too close to the back wall — give yourself room to swing after the rebound. Stand 1–1.5 metres away from the glass
- Splitting from your partner — if you go left, your partner should mirror you. Always maintain the same depth on the court
- Rushing the serve — take a breath, set yourself, then serve. There's no rush
- Looking up too early — watch the ball all the way to the strings. Looking up before contact is the number one cause of mis-hits
- Playing every ball as a winner — at beginner level, the player who makes fewer mistakes wins. Not the one who hits the hardest
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