Your first month of padel
From never having held a padel racket to your first proper match in four weeks: a taster session, the rules that matter, five shots, the right kit and a…
Week 1: try it
Book a taster session or a beginners' clinic at a club near you. Most include a racket and balls. Hire a racket at the club rather than buying one yet. Wear trainers with a flat, grippy sole. Running shoes slide on artificial grass. Learn the one rule that matters most: the ball bounces on the floor before it hits the walls.
Week 2: the rules and the volley
Read how the serve works and how the scoring goes, golden point included. Learn the volley: short, punched, racket up. Try the free first volleys course between sessions. Take the rules quiz to check what stuck.
Week 3: the glass and the lob
Practise letting the ball pass you and playing it as it comes off the back glass. Learn the lob: high and deep is your best defence. Try the free back glass basics course. Play a relaxed game with friends or at a beginners' social.
Week 4: your first match
Find an open game for beginners, or one of the club's beginner Americanos. Warm up properly before you start. Agree the format before the first serve: golden point or advantage. Afterwards, think about buying your own racket: a round, soft one is easiest to start with.