During their first sessions on a padel court, players often still lack ball control and an understanding of how the ball rebounds off the racket and off the ground.
This exercise is one of the simplest drills to practise either on court or at home to improve ball control as a beginner.
It consists of bouncing the ball on the ground with the racket, using several variations.
During a training session, it can be performed with the group of players positioned on one side of the court.
How the drill works:
This simple control drill consists of bouncing the ball on the ground with the racket.
The player holds the racket with a continental grip and a ball in the other hand.
➡️ To make sure you are using the correct grip, take a look at our method for finding the continental grip: Beginner tip: use the continental grip to progress faster.
The player gently hits the ball downwards in front of them, with the racket face perpendicular to the ground.
The aim is for the ball to bounce in front of the player and rise back up to racket height, so they can hit it down towards the ground again as it comes up.
The objective of the exercise is to complete as many bounces as possible without losing control of the ball.
This exercise is very simple to perform but extremely useful. It helps the player understand both how the ball reacts off the racket, by adjusting the force and direction of each hit, and how the ball rebounds off the ground.
With every bounce, the player develops a little more ball control and a better feel for the ball.
Video credits: Home workouts | Tips for beginners – PadelCity TV
Variation: Include the edge of the racket in the bounces
Once the exercise has been fully mastered, the player can try a more difficult variation.
It consists of bouncing the ball on the ground by striking it with the edge of the racket.
The player therefore needs to keep the racket vertical and perpendicular to the ground, using small and very precise movements to maintain control of the ball and avoid an unpredictable rebound.
To perform this variation successfully, it is essential to keep the ball in front of the body without having to move the feet. As soon as the ball travels too far away, control is lost.