Benefits of Padel for Tennis Players
The quick reflexes required for padel can enhance a tennis players reactions and reflexes required for net play for doubles. The fast paced nature of the game often self defence to stop the ball hitting you means players have to be alert and ready for low and high balls and both sides of the body.
There are many skills required for a tennis player that can be improved by playing padel and a way of keeping you motivated in the off season of tennis or a form of variety during the week. Some of the key benefits are discussed as padel can help a tennis players performance…
- Quicken your Reflexes
Often padel players are on top of the net ready to react to a fast ball coming from the opponents from only a few metres away. The reaction required for the players to ready, react and respond to the ball is similar to a boxer reacting to a punch.
Players then have to react to their shot being hit and have to recover and move into a good court position then having to get ready for another shot in short space of time. There is no time for large swings when at the net at certainly do not want to have a big follow through that takes to long to recover.
Th down side for tennis players of course the racket length takes some getting used to . The space from the ball to body is closer and player will often get too close when going back to tennis or too far away when returning back to tennis.
- Increase your footwork speed
When at the net players need to move quickly to the ball and recovering to another shot. Reaching for the ball is dangerous instead moving with the feet for a optimum contact point can help you balance and increase you racket head speed on the racket. On a tennis court there is longer sprints and on average 6 to 8 steps per shot. The difference is that players are in a smaller space similar to a boxer in a ring. Slow and flat feet will mean you will get jammed and the hit ball late if at all, instead layers require quick light steps on the balls of the feet to adjust your body position
- Improve your agility
With rallies of padel lasting for many shots it requires players to hit repeated shots in multi-directions with players having to move left and right and picking a low ball and then a high ball requiring to jump or turn after a lob and setting for a shot off the wall.
The strength and speed required to accelerate decelerate and then accelerate again to move to a ball can often cause injury. When players get conditioned and get used to moving around the court in a small space they will improve there ability to change direction quickly and efficiently. Players will have to be ready for a range of movements to a lunge, to a jump squat for a high ball, to a sprint, a turn off a lob and a shuffle from a body ball. Some of these movements may be argued to are not used on a tennis court but you are challenging your body to adapt to the situation and challenge your neural pathways. Even Andy Murray used gymnastics exercises like forward rolls to help his rehabilitation after hip surgery and improve is body control.
- Enjoyment and fun
For a tennis player padel will be fun and have a novelty factor to the game. Having the innocence of having fun can lighten your mood and keep you smiling when playing rather than being stressed and taking it too serious. Not to say that padel can’t be serious and hard work but the culture of padel in Britain for many is fun and sociable in which selling its self to all athletes from across the board.
The key to enjoying any sport is being motivated to train and compete. With a lack of competition in padel in Britain padel is just a game between friends and takes away the seriousness and pressure of winning. In time competitions will build and with more money in events there will be a serious and professional manner to events , lets hope the innocence and the fun stays
