Best Padel Shots Every Player Should Learn

Padel has its own vocabulary of shots. Some come from tennis, others exist nowhere else in racket sports. The difference between a beginner and an intermediate player often comes down to knowing which shot to play and when. Here are the essential shots every padel player needs in their arsenal.

1. The Bandeja

The bandeja is the most important shot in padel. The name means "tray" in Spanish - because you hold the racket like a tray. It's an overhead shot hit around forehead to eye level with a controlled slice motion. You're not trying to win the point outright. You're keeping pressure on your opponents while staying at the net.

When to use it

• When a lob isn't deep enough to push you behind the service line
• When you want to maintain your net position instead of retreating
• As a safe, consistent option against most lobs

How to hit it

• Side-on stance - turn your body sideways to the net
• Contact point at forehead to eye level - don't let it drop too low, don't wait for it to be directly overhead
• Slice motion - brush under the ball with a continental grip, generating backspin
• Aim deep - target the back glass to keep opponents pinned at the back

The bandeja should feel effortless. If you're swinging hard, you're doing it wrong. Control and placement beat power every time.

2. The Víbora

The víbora (Spanish for "viper") is the bandeja's aggressive cousin. It's an overhead shot hit with heavy side spin, making the ball kick off the side wall at an unpredictable angle. When executed well, it's almost unreturnable.

When to use it

• When you have time to set up properly under a lob
• When you want to hit a winner or force a weak return
• When targeting the side wall to create an awkward bounce

How to hit it

• More wrist action than the bandeja - snap the wrist to generate side spin
• Aim for the side wall - the spin makes the ball shoot sideways after bouncing
• Hit it with conviction - a half-hearted víbora just sits up for your opponent
• Pronation is key - rotate your forearm inward as you make contact

The víbora takes time to learn. Start by practicing the spin motion without worrying about placement, then gradually add direction.

3. The Chiquita

The chiquita is a soft, low shot played at the feet of the net player. It's the primary weapon for moving from defense to attack. The name means "little one" in Spanish, and the shot matches - it's gentle, precise, and devastatingly effective.

When to use it

• When you're at the back and want to move forward to the net
• When your opponents are both at the net and you need to create an opening
• As a change of pace after hard defensive shots

How to hit it

• Soft touch - almost a drop shot, but directed at your opponent's feet
• Low over the net - the ball should barely clear the net and land short
• Aim at the center - between the two net players creates confusion about who takes it
• Follow it in - hit the chiquita and immediately move toward the net

The chiquita is the shot that separates padel from other racket sports. In tennis, you'd hit a passing shot. In padel, the walls mean passing shots rarely work - so you go soft instead of hard.

4. The Lob

The lob is the most underrated shot in padel. Beginners think it's defensive. Advanced players know it's a weapon. A deep, well-placed lob forces the net team to retreat, gives you time to recover, and can set up your next attack.

When to use it

• When both opponents are at the net - a deep lob pushes them back
• When you're under pressure and need time to reposition
• To change the rhythm of a rally
• As a setup for a chiquita on the next shot

How to hit it

• Height over power - the lob should peak high enough that opponents can't smash it
• Aim for the back corners - a lob that dies in the corner is the hardest to return
• Use topspin when possible - topspin makes the ball kick off the back glass, making it harder to play
• Mix it up - alternate between cross-court and down-the-line lobs

The golden rule of lobbing: if your opponent can smash it, it wasn't high enough or deep enough.

5. The Smash (Remate)

The smash is the point-ending power shot. Unlike tennis, in padel you have two types of smash: the flat smash (remate plano) aimed at the ground to bounce over the back wall, and the topspin smash (remate por 3) aimed at the side wall.

When to use it

• When a lob is short and you can attack it from above head height
• When you want to end the point decisively
• When your opponents are both deep and can't cover the angles

How to hit it

• Flat smash (por 4): Hit hard and downward. The ball bounces and flies over the 4-meter back glass, exiting the court for an unreturnable winner
• Side-wall smash (por 3): Hit with topspin toward the side wall. The ball bounces, hits the back glass, then exits over the 3-meter side wall - opponents can try to retrieve it outside the court
• Don't smash everything - if you're not in position, play a bandeja instead. A missed smash gives your opponents a free attack

6. The Bajada

The bajada is an aggressive shot played when a lob pushes you back and the ball bounces off your back glass. Instead of defending, you attack the ball as it comes off the wall, hitting it hard and downward toward your opponents' feet.

When to use it

• When the ball comes off the back glass at a comfortable height
• When your opponents expect a defensive return and are relaxed at the net
• To catch the net team off guard with an unexpected attack from the back

How to hit it

• Let the ball come to you - don't rush it. Wait for the ball to come off the glass
• Hit it flat and fast - aim between your opponents or at their feet
• Follow it in - like the chiquita, use the bajada as a trigger to move to the net

7. The Contra-Pared (Wall Shot)

Unique to padel, the contra-pared is when you deliberately hit the ball into your own back wall so it flies over the net. It's a last-resort defensive shot when the ball is too close to the wall to play normally.

When to use it

• When you're pinned against the back glass with no room to swing
• When the ball is dying in the corner and a normal shot is impossible

How to hit it

• Face the back wall and hit the ball into the glass
• Aim high enough that the ball clears the net after bouncing off the wall
• Add loft - you want it to land deep on the other side, not short at the net

The contra-pared is one of those shots that makes padel spectators say "how did they do that?" It feels impossible until you practice it.

Building Your Shot Arsenal

You don't need to master all seven shots at once. Here's a progression:

1. Start with the lob and chiquita - these are your bread and butter for moving from defense to attack
2. Add the bandeja - this keeps you at the net and in control of the point
3. Learn the víbora - when your bandeja is consistent, the víbora adds a weapon
4. Practice the smash and bajada - these are your point-ending shots
5. The contra-pared comes naturally - you'll start doing it instinctively when you're stuck at the wall

Track Your Improvement

Punto+ tracks your match results and stats so you can see how your game improves as you add new shots to your repertoire. Score from your Apple Watch with a single tap.