Smash — Padel Drills
The overhead smash in padel: less dominant than in tennis due to the enclosed court, but essential for high balls. Used when the ball sits well above head height. For mid-height balls, prefer the bandeja or vibora.
Technique: step by step
Identify the right ball
Smash only balls above your head. Balls at shoulder height → bandeja or vibora. Balls below shoulder → don't smash. A smash on a low ball usually produces an error or a short ball.
Turn and move back
As the lob goes up, turn sideways (shoulder facing the net) and take 2 steps back to let the ball drop to the right height. Don't stand flat-footed — let the ball come to you.
Swing from high to low
Contact is at full extension above your head. Swing downward through the ball with full arm extension. Unlike the bandeja, the wrist snaps at contact to generate pace.
Choose the right target
For balls deep in court: smash toward the back glass for a back-and-side glass combination. For balls mid-court: smash directly at the feet of a net player for a winner. In advanced play, 'remate' (smash into the fence mesh) wins the point directly.
Balance and recovery
After contact, regain your net position. A missed smash that bounces back is a common source of unforced errors — be ready to play the ball if it comes back off the glass.
Coach tip
In padel, most smash errors come from smashing the wrong ball. A bandeja is almost always the right choice for mid-height balls — resist the urge to smash everything.
Drills by level
- 1.High-ball feed drill: partner throws (not hits) balls above head height. Practice contact point only — no footwork complexity yet. Focus on full arm extension and wrist snap at contact.
- 2.Glass smash drill: smash toward the back glass from the service line. Count how many come back soft enough to play again versus winners. Aim for consistent depth.
- 1.Remate drill: stand mid-court. Partner feeds a floated ball. Practice the 'remate' (smash at the fence mesh) when the ball is mid-court. Time the contact — too early or late and it goes out.
- 2.Smash to lob counter: partner counters every smash with an offensive lob. You must recover and smash again. Builds the physical conditioning for sustained overhead play.
- 1.Disguise drill: same preparation for smash and vibora. Decision made at contact. Partner tries to read which shot is coming — you practice hiding the decision for as long as possible.
- 2.Direction drill: place targets in left and right back corners. Alternate smash directions — 10 to each corner, then mix randomly. The ability to control direction under pace is the mark of an A2+ overhead.
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