Training Padel

Playing very deep volleys into the back of the court with slice produces very little rebound, making the ball extremely difficult to defend. The objective of this drill is to work on this type of volley in order to prevent the defender from lobbing, allowing the attackers to keep the net position and maintain constant pressure.

Using a 2-on-1 situation, the attackers focus on volley depth and control, while the defender works their full defensive skill set.

Setup

Two players position themselves at the net on one side of the court. The third player stands on the opposite side in a defensive position at the back of the court, on their preferred side.

The coach stands on the open side of the court with a basket of balls.

Markers are placed in the two corners opposite the defender, covering an area of approximately 2 meters by 2 meters, to define the valid lob landing zones.

Drill execution

The coach feeds the ball to the attackers, who play volleys with a focus on depth and minimal rebound off the back glass. To achieve this, they look to apply slice to the ball.

The goal of these volleys is to force the defender to play low defensive shots and prevent them from being able to lob.

The defender does their best to return the balls low and either:

• force a volleying error from the attackers, or
• provoke a more favorable ball (shorter or higher) that allows them to attempt a lob.

When the situation allows, the defender may play a lob toward one of the marked target zones. Three outcomes are possible:

1. The attackers can hit an overhead shot (bandeja, vibora, or rulo) on the lob without letting it bounce: the rally continues and the attackers retain their offensive position.
2. The lob bounces inside the target zone, meaning the attackers have “lost the net”: the rally stops and the defender wins the point.
3. The lob bounces outside the target zones: the lob is considered not good enough, and the attackers win the point.

It is crucial for the defender to choose the right ball on which to attempt the lob, allowing enough time to position correctly and execute the shot properly. The defender should not take the risk of lobbing unless they are confident the ball allows it.

After several rallies, tie-breaks can be played using these rules, rotating roles between attackers and defender.

Technical coaching tips

Most of the time at the net: “less is more.”

There is no need to hit volleys with excessive power to achieve depth. In fact, hitting too hard often produces too much rebound off the back glass, making the ball easier to defend.

It is more effective to control the pace and guide the ball, letting it die in the corner or drop low after the glass.

Trying to hit hard, often with forced or unnecessary movements, almost always creates extra rebound and gives the opponent an easier defensive shot. This is why calm, forward-moving volleys without tension are usually far more effective.

Here’s a video demonstration of the drill:

Video credits: PAQUITO NAVARRO ES MI NUEVO COMPAÑERO – Wings to Pro – el4Set – YouTube