The lob is one of the most important shots in padel, and mastering its technique is essential for any player who wants to improve.
In padel, points are very often won from the net. A good lob allows the player to move from a defensive position at the back of the court to an attacking position at the net, forcing the opponents to move backwards.
The objective of this session is to learn how to play an effective lob that drops close to the back glass and is very difficult to counterattack. To achieve this, the player must learn to guide the ball upwards using the whole body.
The session consists of six progressive drills, designed to help the player develop the guided lob movement before gradually applying it in situations that are closer to real play.
The lob worked on throughout this session is a guided lob, with a trajectory high enough to limit the opponent’s opportunities to counterattack after the rebound off the back glass.
The objective is to produce a V-shaped trajectory: the ball travels high in a looping arc, reaches its highest point, then drops more vertically. After bouncing on the ground and then off the back glass, it comes off the glass very little and stays close to it, making it difficult to counterattack.
❌ By contrast, the aim is to avoid a U-shaped trajectory, where the ball comes further off the back glass and gives the opponent an easier opportunity to counterattack after the rebound.
To produce this guided lob, the player performs one continuous low-to-high movement using the whole body.
As the ball drops, the player bends the knees to follow its trajectory downwards. As it rises after the bounce, the player pushes up through the legs and guides the ball upwards.
The movement should therefore not be performed with the arm alone. The legs, torso, and arm all work together throughout the action, which continues upwards until the player finishes with the arm above the head.
➡️ Throughout this technical session, the focus is therefore on following the ball’s trajectory with the body, moving down and then back up with it, as well as on finishing the movement with the arm above the head.
