Training Padel

This versatile drill works on back-court defense as well as on executing a high-quality lob, played at the right moment and into the right area. By making the lob decisive for winning the point, the drill forces players to carefully choose the correct ball on which to lob into the diagonal corner, avoiding at all costs a low-quality lob that is too short.

The 2-on-1 rally format places the defender in a realistic match situation, with high intensity and constant pressure.

Setup

Two players position themselves at the net on one side of the court, while the third player takes a defensive position at the back of the court, on their preferred side.

The coach stands in a free area of the court.
The drill can also be performed without a coach, with the players running it themselves.

Markers are placed at the back of the court in the diagonal corner opposite the defender, forming a square of approximately 1 meter by 1 meter. These markers define the target zone for the defender’s lob.

Drill execution

The rules of the drill are as follows:

• Players rally in a 2-on-1 attack/defense situation. On both sides, the objective is to win the point by playing shots that put the opponent under pressure.
• When the situation allows, the defender may choose to play a lob into the diagonal corner.
• If the lob bounces inside the marked target zone, the rally stops immediately and the defender wins the point.
• If the lob bounces outside the target zone, the rally also stops and the attackers win the point.

In this way, the defender’s decision to lob is crucial, as it immediately ends the point—whether the lob is successful or not. The defender must therefore choose the right ball, giving themselves enough time to position properly and execute the shot with control, rather than rushing into a low-quality lob.

Players play a tie-break to 5 points, then rotate roles at the end of each tie-break so that everyone takes turns defending.

Coaching tips

The attackers should look to play well-placed volleys deep in the court, with limited rebound, to force the defender to play low defensive shots. Their objective is to win the point by making the defender move side to side, applying pressure, and provoking errors.

Here’s a video demonstration of the drill:

Video credits : ENCUENTRA LAS DIFERENCIAS EN VOLEA vs 2 PRO – Wings to Pro Ep 13 – el4Set – YouTube

Variation

To make the exercise easier, depending on the level of the players, the zone delimited for the lob bounce can be enlarged to a one-meter strip covering the entire back of the court.

In this way, the lobs played will still be deep enough to force the attackers back, but a little less demanding in terms of angle placement.