The Complete Arsenal: A Tour of Every Padel Shot
Master all 30+ padel shots with this comprehensive guide. Learn serves, volleys, smashes, wall shots, bandeja, vibora, and more with pro tips on when and how to use each one.
The Complete Arsenal: A Tour of Every Padel Shot
If you want to level up, you must master your arsenal. This comprehensive guide covers over 30 padel shots, organized by game situation—from serves to defensive scrambles. You’ll learn when to use each shot, how to execute it, and the common mistakes that cost players points.
Whether you’re just learning the basic padel rules or preparing for competitive play, this guide will become your go-to reference for padel technique.
Quick navigation:
Serve (start of the point)
- Flat serve: clean, direct contact. Ideal to put the ball quickly into the return box.
- When to use: first serves, fast conditions
- Common mistake: exceeding waist height or stepping on the line
- Slice serve: side‑spin with a low bounce after the bounce
- When: to force low returns or towards the wire mesh
- Mistake: leaving it short and gifting an attack ball
- Kick serve (topspin): high bounce that opens toward the side wall
- When: to bother backhand returns and provoke floating returns
- Mistake: too much wrist, losing control
- Body serve: aims to jam the returner
- When: Golden Point or very aggressive returners
- Mistake: predictable direction
- Glass serve: bounces in the box then hits the back glass
- When: fast courts or lively bounce
- Mistake: excessive height that makes return easy
Baseline shots (build and defend)
- Forehand drive: the base of play; can be flat, topspin, or slice
- Key: stability, weight forward, finish height per effect
- Backhand drive: similar to forehand; two‑handed for stability if you use it
- Topspin from the back: high trajectory that falls deep
- Use: build without giving away an attack ball
- Slice from the back: low, skidding ball
- Use: slow the rhythm or force volleys from the feet
- Defensive lob: high, deep, and central
- Use: escape trouble and recover the net
- Mistake: short to the middle (gifts a smash)
- Offensive lob (to corner/wire): precise to displace the pair
- Drop shot from the back: surprise when rivals are far back
- Parallel/cross passing: accelerate down the line or cross to the volleyer’s feet
- Key: low and tense; best after a chiquita or slow ball
- Rulo (cross topspin that opens): after the side wall, the ball moves away
- Use: pass the volleyer covering the middle
Using the walls (padel’s DNA)
- Wall return (FH/BH): control timing after bounce + wall
- Key: get behind the ball and step through the shot
- Wall drop (bajada de pared): attacking after the wall with a low, tense trajectory
- Use: when the ball arrives high and deep
- Double wall (back + side): to reposition or change directions
- Counter‑wall (your wall before sending the ball): to buy time on very deep balls
- Side wall: for short angles or height variation
Net play (pressure and finishing)
- Forehand volley: control and depth to the feet
- Backhand volley: more stable; ideal cross to opponent’s feet
- Half‑volley: right after the bounce when caught in transition
- Block volley: absorb pace defending smashes or heavy balls
- Deep volley to the corner: opens gaps and forces lobs
- Chiquita: low, slow ball to the rival’s feet at net
- Use: recover the net or set up a passing
- Net drop shot: soft finish when opponents are far back
Overheads (defense‑to‑attack)
The overhead shots are what separate recreational players from competitive ones. The two most important—bandeja and vibora—deserve special attention. For an in-depth comparison, see our Bandeja vs Vibora guide.
- Bandeja: control overhead with slice
- Use: keep the net and punish mediocre lobs
- Mistake: leaving it short and high (invites counter)
- Pro tip: think “push deep” rather than “hit hard”
- Vibora: more aggressive, side‑spin overhead
- Use: define without losing control, aim for wire or corner
- Pro tip: brush the side of the ball for that venomous spin
- Flat smash: direct power to finish
- Use: very favorable ball above the head
- Kick smash (topspin): bounce that opens, useful to take it out by side
- Smash “por tres/cuatro”: take it out over the side/back wall
- Gancho: overhead from the backhand side with a cross trajectory
- Bring it back to your side: hit the top glass so the ball comes back
- Use: when you can’t take it out by 3/4
- Fake smash (disguised bandeja): swap power for control at the last moment
Defensive and transition resources
- Smash block: firm racket, low cross or to the middle
- Emergency lob: high lob even off‑balance
- Counter after wall: defend deep and take the net
- Recoveries outside the court: chase balls that exit after a smash by 3
- Topspin to the feet in transition: slow down someone closing to the net
Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them
- Hitting hard without leg position or strike distance
- Short lobs to the middle: prioritize height and depth
- Bandejas without intention: choose control (deep) or aggressive (to the wire)
- High volleys without direction: aim to feet or near the side wall
How to train your arsenal
- Pick 3 shots per week and set reps with a target (height, depth, direction)
- Combine situational drills: chiquita + passing, lob + bandeja, wall return + volley
- Record 10 minutes per session and review: strike distance, contact height, and finish
- Don’t forget a proper warm-up routine before drilling
Frequently asked questions
What is the most important shot in padel?
The defensive lob is arguably the most important shot for recreational players—it gets you out of trouble and resets the point. For intermediate and advanced players, mastering the bandeja is essential because it lets you maintain net position after every lob.
How many shots are there in padel?
There are over 30 distinct shots in padel when you count all variations. The main categories include 5 types of serves, 10+ baseline shots, 7 volleys, 8 overhead shots, and various wall combinations. You don’t need to master all of them—focus on the core shots first.
What’s the difference between bandeja and vibora?
The bandeja is a defensive-control shot with underspin that keeps the ball low and allows you to hold the net. The vibora is more aggressive, with sidespin that makes the ball “snake” off the wall. Learn more in our detailed bandeja vs vibora comparison.
Which shots should a beginner learn first?
Start with these five shots in order: (1) forehand and backhand drives, (2) the defensive lob, (3) basic volleys, (4) the serve, and (5) wall returns. Once comfortable, add the bandeja and chiquita.
How do I improve my padel shots quickly?
Focus on fundamentals: proper stance, early preparation, and contact point. Film yourself during practice to spot issues. Drill one shot at a time with specific targets. Track your match results to see which shots need work—this is where match logging becomes invaluable.
Ready to put it into practice? Save your matches in padellog and discover which shots earn you the most points. Tracking your performance over time reveals patterns you’d never notice otherwise.
