How & When to Change Your Padel Technique

I find Padel much easier than tennis. Like, if you make a technical change in paddle in one session, I feel like you can make that change and you can already start to see improvement. So, Tom, here for another podcast episode. You're looking very bronze. Obviously, this is audio only.

It's a rare, rare occasion.

People are just going to have to imagine a rare occasion here. I mean, you've been in Florida and then you've just done a holiday to Tenerife, so looking very good for it.

Oh, thank you very much. Yeah, chasing the sun, you know, English winter. Trying to get out of English Winter and just finding a paddle court with some sunshine. The dream combo, isn't it?

Oh, it's just so nice. It's a different sport when you play in the sun. And often we're saying indoor is so much better. You don't get the conditions, you don't get, you know, wind and all of that. But when it's actually nice conditions in the sun, there's few things better than that, isn't there? Like, kind of playing. And I particularly like the pad holidays. Right, so you did Tenerife. I mean, well, originally you're in Miami and then you came back for a couple of days, then did Tenerife, and. And that was four days with a group out there. Looked a lot of fun. I. I missed out on that, unfortunately.

Yeah, the Activate Sports Club there in Tenerife. It was awesome. It was just. It was such a fun time. And it was four days we ended up doing. So it's in total, it's 10 hours training on call. We had a group of 12 join us for that trip and it was such a lovely group. Like, everyone was just so, so friendly, so positive. It was one of those groups where everyone was helping each other improve, which is just so important. Those in those kind of trips, because you're all there to learn. They've all come from different parts of the world. We have people from Singapore flying in. We had people from Finland coming in. We had people from Portugal coming in. So we have all these different people coming in from different countries, all coming to one place, never met each other before. And so you get a real kind of energy from that. And it was such an amazing group. I actually have to. Yeah, it's a big shout out to this group because I know a few of them listen to this podcast. So, yeah, just well done, guys, for an awesome trip. We improved a lot on that trip and a lot of fun as well.

What was quite nice is, I think in that trip, you had quite a lot of like individuals that had come on the trip. It can be a bit daunting for someone to come on their own to a trip like that. But you often find that they're like the players are so dedicated to learn, aren't they? Like they've come for these three or four days. And I think this is where we separate ourselves as a paddle holiday company. I know a lot of people do paddle holidays and you go and you play matches when you go and you do stuff for the local coach. But I mean this is, we're really focusing on like transforming the game in these three and a half, four days. And so it's great that they will come on their own and give everything in a group like that. And by the end I imagine it was quite a close knit kind of group of players.

Yeah, it really was. And almost like setting the scene of it. So we're in a five star hotel right next to the club. Then there's an amazing buffet there. I'm not going to go on a tangent, I'm not going to go on.

A tangent talking about the buffet.

But everyone who came on this holiday will know when I say the buffet was good, it was a good buffet. So the five star hotel is right next to the court. It's like walking distance, literally a two minute walk, which makes it so, so good. And so outside of the court you got all these amazing facilities you can enjoy. You've got a spa, you've got the beach that isn't far, you've got a pool, you've got the buffet. I'll mention that again. Let's throw the buffet in again. So it was a really awesome time. And yeah, I think we do separate ourselves with the training because we take players through almost every aspect of the game. So we covered, you know, the glass, the overheads, the volleys, tactical. Every single side of the game we cover during this trip. So players come away with a comprehensive, I guess, training on each part of the game. So I think that's, that's what separates us as well, I think is almost that dedication to focusing on every aspect of the game.

And I think as well, like at the end of these trips we always ask for feedback and the feedback we often get is we've had lessons before but nothing like this. And I think just generally this is almost around the world the level of coaching is pretty low. Like inexperienced coaches don't really know what they're doing. So when they come to something like this, it's like it's a Big step up. And so I'm sure that, you know, they're absolutely loving it. And I'm actually doing the one in May, so I'm looking forward to.

I know.

Looking forward to that buffet.

I know. There you go. Yeah, you'll remember that.

I'll give you the feedback.

You will enjoy the buffet. There's two bits of feedback that really kind of resonated with me. And the first was someone that said they'd been having coaching for four years. And our very first session, we. We got him to change his grip, which apparently he had for four years and hadn't been told otherwise, that he was in. In the wrong grip. And he was just, yeah, he was super happy because now he almost felt like he had that aha. Moment is like, oh, okay, this is why I haven't been able to hit this shot. And this is why other areas of my game haven't been working. So that was really nice. And for us to be able to help him so quickly and to make such an impact is good. But it kind of also goes back to what you were saying about the level of coaching perhaps just isn't there. So that was the first bit of feedback that was super nice. And then a quote came from someone on the trip and I. They said something like, this is on like day two when we were afternoon session, it was 24 degrees. Everyone was loving it. And I think he said something like, as we were on a drinks break, he said something like, I just wish this would never end. It was just so nice because, yeah, we. That that's how much everyone was loving it. So, yeah, really, really awesome trip. And. Yeah, well, painting the picture for you in May, you'll experience all of it in a month or so.

I think that's really interesting. And we can almost make this subject of the podcast today is this idea of. And the grip is perfect because I feel like as coaches, you and I are. And I don't know if it's just we're a bit ocd, but like, we would not let it go. If someone is in the wrong grip, we would focus and change that grip and make it so that they do change it and we'd find anything we can do to make sure they change it. And I see so many lessons where the coaches probably know that they're in the wrong grip and they just think, oh, like that's going to be some work, you know, or this is a bad habit. Like, I'm not going to get them out of it. And I did one of these lessons last week and the guy was similar. He said, I've had loads of lessons and no one's taught me to do my take back. And I said, the thing is, you've got a bad habit now. You've been doing it like this for a number of years. Like, it needs a coach to like, intervene and change your technique. And it's quite hard as a coach to do that. Right. It's much easier for me to stand there with a basket, see the wrong grip and go, oh, yeah, hit harder, hit like higher lobs, whatever, and not change the grip. And I just think, you know, if you are a coach, please put in the extra mile to make those changes because it is so much more rewarding and it will change the level of the players. Just don't almost don't be a kind of glorified ball machine, really.

Well, I think some coaches can feel a bit, I don't want to say intimidated, but not wanting to do that as well, because sometimes when you make a change, it's going to feel strange for the player. So. So when they do that initially, they might not feel as good, even though it's the correct technique. And they might. You might even see an initial drop in performance initially because it's something new and they might get frustrated and all these things that kind of are all part of the learning process. So I think that it's interesting as a coach, I think a lot of coaches almost don't want to breach that.

Personally, I don't think it's as bad as players often think. Like when I have players on the call and I say, right, we need to change this grip because you will plateau at a certain point because you don't have the right grip. Let's change it now and go for it. There's a real stigma from players of, oh, but that means I'm going to play badly and I'm going to lose confidence. I'm going to do this. And it's. And actually I find paddle much easier than tennis. Like, if you make a technical change in paddle in one session, I feel like you can make that change and you can already start to. To see improvement. I think where coaches often struggle is because they make several changes in different shots and the player ends up getting confused and then they play badly. And I think it's almost understanding from the coach side and the player side really, that to get rid of a bad habit, to change it for a good habit, yes, it's going to take a bit of relearning. And yes, there's going to be a time when it will feel a bit weird and, and you won't have that slight confidence that you will have in the shot, but that it's the way forward to improving your game. And I suppose thinking of us learning the sport, it's a bit like when we were learning the glass or the corners like in tennis. Right. We were much more confident half volleying in front and the first few that went off the glass was like, oh my God, this was a shock to the system and we went through a phase of trying to get used to it but getting a bit frustrated. And then you come out the other side of it and you think, oh, I'm so glad I did that. I'm so glad I make that made those changes.

Yeah, I think it comes in waves as well sometimes as a player because I think I remember when I was first learning the sport and you start using the glass, you think I've cracked it and you feel like, oh, this is glass.

Check the glass with a tape back.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'll start really early stages. No, but as in, yeah, actually it's quite a good pun, isn't it?

Yeah.

Anyway, thought I'd crack the glass and actually I hadn't and I came up to receive volleys from better players and you almost feel like you go back to stage one where you think, oh, I haven't got this at all. And I thought I did. And so I feel like it definitely comes in waves. But like, like you said, I think as long as I think players, there's those expectations set for players and they understand that this isn't going to be a miracle cure and that you're going to suddenly make this change and suddenly now they're playing like 10 times best. They were like, yes, long term or down the line, that is what we're going for and you'll need this to do that. But I think yeah, sometimes from a player side you just need to set those expectations that like, like you said all of those different things.

And I think talking, obviously this is focusing on changing technique. Right. For a player. And I think a lot of players are reluctant to change a technique because it's working, you know, whatever the shot they're talking about. Oh yeah, we know that we're not doing this. It's working. Or, you know, classic is players changing to a pancake grip for the volley or a smash and it's working. And you don't understand at the time as a player that, you know, the more you play like that, the more difficult it's going to be to change in the future. And that's why we're always recommending, you know, get lessons as early as you can. But still, it's like you come to a lesson and often we have players say, oh, I know this isn't right, then as the player and as the coach, change it, like, change it then there and then, like, because the more you play, the more the habit will solidify and therefore it's going to be more difficult to change down the line.

Well, I think, yeah, it's. I, I do know players, though, that essentially just want to play paddle for a bit of fun. They play once a week and they think, well, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. So. And they kind of think, well, I'm not trying to be a world beater, so I'll stick with the technique I have, even though I know it's not the most efficient. But I think what sometimes happens is those players do at some point then want to be their friends and they do want to play a high level or they want to win that tournament. And then like you say, it's hard. So I think it's, yeah, it's almost for a player to decide what, what do you want from this? And knowing that, okay, if you do want to beat that friend or win that match that potentially you have to, yeah, you have to invest a bit of time in new techniques.

And that's the hardest thing, is it? We speak to people, they say, oh, I've taken up paddle. And you say, oh, you could, you know, do this and do this, and I'm just doing it for fun now. And you feel like saying, well, okay, come back in six months. Because for sure you're going to be taking it more seriously, you have more friends, join the game and suddenly you've got a little group and you want to join a league and before you know it, you're actually wanting to improve.

You're hating it, but it's so serious.

You're so confetti. You got your sweatbands, your headbands on and you, yeah.

Enjoy the fun now. Yeah, it's in six months.

It's an outlet because I think so many people either can't compete or don't have a sport that they can compete in. And suddenly they found a sport they can compete in and they, you know, they start enjoying competition and they get competitive and they want, you know, it'll only come a time they'll have to lose to someone that they don't want to lose to before. They say, right now is the time that we want to get better. And, and if that's the case, the longer you've left it, the longer it will take to change that habit. And I think it's fine. You've just got to be prepared to make those changes.

One question we get asked a lot from players when it comes to changing technique is how, like, how do they apply it in matches? Or how do you approach playing matches going through a process of changing technique? Because like we talked about, there can be a dip in level and therefore players are reluctant to try and implement those changes in a match when it is competitive and they're trying to win. I think it's quite easy on a coaching call, or easier, I should say, to buy into the process and say, right, okay, for this session, I'm just going to allow myself to just experience this learning process. But the second you get into a match, then all of that changes because you want to win. And a lot of the time you almost slip back to old habits. So what would your advice be to recreational players that perhaps are going through that learning process but are also playing matches at the same time?

I mean, we have this discussion with our members a lot, don't we? Because our members are spread around the world and most don't have access to good coaching and they play mainly recreational or social games. And so, you know, you'd say they say, right, well, I really want to improve my technique or I really want to do, you know, work on this. And I say, okay, what training are you doing during the week? Oh, no, I'm just playing matches. I say, okay, well, they all aren't important matches. So identify the matches that are less important. Like if you play the same group of friends three times a week, it's not, you know, it's not life or death winning those matches despite. Sometimes it might feel like that, but it's almost. Identify the ones that are less important and say to yourself, right, I'm really going to focus on this. The key here, I think, is to identify one or two areas. Like not have 25 things you want to change in that match, but one or two areas for someone as an example, it might be right, I need to prepare my racket earlier or when the ball comes for the glass. And that's what I'm going to focus on in this session. And even though it's a match, I'm still going to make that my focus. And it's, it's easy to say it's more Difficult to do because players go in thinking that, and then two games into the match, suddenly it's like, we have to win this, you know, and so. But that's what we would recommend. The ideal world, you are training, like you're training two or three times a week with a coach and you're playing matches the rest of the time, and then you can focus on the technique and those changes in training.

Yeah, I think a lot of this almost taking a step back is trusting the process, the learning process, isn't it? In a way. Because if you're always fixated on the result and the outcome and the changes have only been beneficial if I beat this person or if I make a change to this grip, this next shot should be amazing because I made the change. I think it sounds like almost taking a step back from this, that players just need to focus on that process of what they're trying to do and trust that they will get the outcomes that they want. It's just going to take time to do it.

And this is an enormous. Coming full circle back to the Tenerife holiday is buffet. The buffet. Find a good buffet. Nobody there is great. Because it's four days. There's no opportunity to get into a bad habit. So it's an intense training camp where you work on your technique, you fix it, and we change those habits. So that's another option. Instead of having one or two lessons a week, you know, over. Over a longer period of time, do an intensive training camp with. I would say with technical coaches, though, like, if you just go to Spain and you join a little group and they organize some matches and there's a local coach that's just feeding you balls from a basket, you're not going to change your technique. Like, it has to be proper coaching. But that's the other option is intense training camp.

Yeah. And, well, speaking of which, you're going to Tenerife in May to give one of those camps yourself.

Enjoying that.

And I think there might be 12 spots as we're recording this. At least there's one or two spots left, I think.

Yeah, I think there's only one now.

Oh, one spot left. Okay, so there's one spot left as we're recording this. So if you are interested in joining and you're looking to transform your game, we all know the buffet, the holiday, the hotel, the swimming pool. Mentioned buffet, like about eight times already in this podcast. But if anyone didn't get the picture, it's. It is nice. And yeah, there is that trip. One more spot left. So, Sandy, as a pleasure, always enjoy. As a pleasure. As a pleasure, as always.

It's a pleasure.

It's always a pleasure chatting to you and we'll see you on the next podcast.