10 Mistakes Every Beginner Padel Player Makes

Everyone makes the same mistakes when they start playing padel. The sport looks simple but has a learning curve that catches people off guard. Here are the 10 most common beginner mistakes and how to fix them.

1. Hitting Too Hard

This is the number one mistake. New players think power wins points. In padel, it usually doesn't. The walls keep the ball in play, so a hard shot just comes back faster and gives you less time to react. Padel rewards placement and patience over raw power. Focus on putting the ball where your opponents aren't, not on hitting it as hard as you can.

2. Staying at the Back

Beginners tend to camp at the back of the court because it feels safe. In padel, the net position is where points are won. The back is purely defensive - your goal should always be to find a way forward. Use lobs and chiquitas to push your opponents back, then move up together with your partner.

3. Playing as Individuals Instead of a Team

Padel is a doubles sport built entirely on teamwork. Beginners often play as two individuals sharing a court instead of a coordinated unit. The key rule: move together. If your partner goes to the net, you go too. If your partner drops back, you drop back. A team that moves as a pair will beat two better individual players who don't communicate.

4. Ignoring the Walls

New players panic when the ball hits the glass. They either freeze or try to hit it before it reaches the wall. The walls are your friend - let the ball bounce off the back glass and wait for it to come to you. You'll have more time and a better angle than trying to intercept it early. Learning to read wall bounces is what turns a beginner into an intermediate player.

5. Serving Too Hard

The padel serve is underhand and not meant to be a weapon. Beginners try to blast the serve, which usually results in hitting the back wall before it bounces in the service box (a fault) or giving the returner an easy high ball. A good padel serve is placed, not powered. Aim for the corner, keep it low, and make the returner move.

6. Using the Wrong Shoes

Running shoes on a padel court are a recipe for ankle injuries. Padel involves constant lateral movement - side-to-side shuffling, quick direction changes, lunging. Running shoes are designed for forward motion and offer zero lateral support. Get proper padel shoes or at minimum tennis shoes with herringbone soles. Your ankles will thank you.

7. Not Moving to the Net After a Good Shot

You hit a great lob that pushes both opponents deep. Now what? Most beginners stand and admire their shot. The correct play is to immediately move forward and take the net position while your opponents are stuck at the back. Every good offensive shot should be followed by forward movement. Hit and move, hit and move.

8. Forgetting the Score

Padel scoring can be confusing - 15, 30, 40, deuce, golden point, tiebreaks, super tiebreaks, serve rotation across four players. Beginners lose track constantly, and stopping to figure out the score kills the rhythm of the match. This is such a common problem that it's one of the main reasons people use scoring apps.

9. Standing in No Man's Land

There are two good positions in padel: at the net or at the back. The middle of the court - "no man's land" - is where you get destroyed. Balls land at your feet and you have no time to react. If you're going forward, commit to it and get all the way to the net. If you're defending, stay at the back near the glass. Don't get caught in between.

10. Not Watching Your Opponents

Beginners watch the ball. Better players watch their opponents. Where are they standing? Are they leaning forward or back? Is there a gap between them? Reading your opponents tells you where to place the ball before you even hit it. Start training yourself to glance at the other side of the court before each shot.

The Good News

Every experienced padel player made all of these mistakes when they started. The sport has a forgiving learning curve - the walls keep rallies going, the court is small enough that you can reach most balls, and the underhand serve means you can get the ball in play from day one. Fix these 10 habits and you'll improve faster than most people around you.

If keeping score is one of the things slowing you down, Punto+ handles it automatically from your Apple Watch - golden point, tiebreaks, serve rotation, all of it. One less thing to think about so you can focus on fixing the other 9 mistakes.