The quickest way to improve at padel is to drill, and you do not need three other people or a coach to do it. Two players and a court is plenty. The problem is most people who book a court just knock up for five minutes and then play points, which is basically another match. Below are six drills that target the shots that decide games. Spend twenty to thirty minutes on a couple of them before you play and you will see the difference within weeks. If you need a court, our venues page lists where to play across Manchester.
Drill 1: Cross-court control
Both players stand at the back of the court, diagonally opposite, and rally cross-court. The goal is simple: keep the ball going for as long as possible without a mistake. Count your rally length and try to beat it.
Focus on: hitting with control rather than pace, aiming for a consistent target area deep in the corner, and moving your feet so you are balanced for every shot. This drill builds the patient, error-free baseline game that wins club points. If it gets easy, add a rule that every third ball must be a lob.
Drill 2: Volley control at the net
One player stands at the net, the other at the back. The back player feeds balls to the net player, who volleys them back with control. Do a set on the forehand volley, a set on the backhand volley, then mix them. Swap roles after a few minutes.
Focus on: a short, punchy volley with a firm wrist and no big backswing. The net player should aim to place volleys deep and low, not smash them. Blocking the ball back with a slightly open face beats swinging at it. This is the shot you win net points with, so it is worth a lot of reps.
Drill 3: Bandeja practice
One player stays at the net, the other feeds lobs from the back, one after another. The net player plays a bandeja on each, aiming deep into the corners, and holds their net position. Feed twenty or so, then swap.
Focus on: moving back early so the ball stays in front, staying side on, brushing across the ball for slice, and keeping balance. Do not play points, just groove the movement. This one drill has a bigger effect on your level than almost anything else. There is a full breakdown in our bandeja guide.
Drill 4: Lob and smash
One player at the net, one at the back. The back player lobs, the net player chooses either a smash (if it sits up) or a bandeja (if it is deep). The back player then defends the reply off the glass and lobs again. Keep the sequence going.
Focus on: for the attacker, reading the lob and choosing the right shot rather than smashing everything. For the defender, tracking the smash, using the back wall, and getting the next lob deep. This drill trains the single most common exchange in padel: the battle for the net.
Drill 5: Off-the-glass reps
Both players at the back. One player deliberately feeds balls into the other's back wall and side wall so they have to play off the glass. Play the ball back deep, ideally as a lob, then swap the feeding role. Include some double wall balls once you are comfortable.
Focus on: letting the ball pass you, giving yourself space off the wall, staying patient, and letting the ball drop before you hit. This is the skill that turns nervous defenders into comfortable ones. If reading the glass is new to you, read our how to read the glass guide first.
Drill 6: Serve and return
Practise the part of the point everyone skips. One player serves, underarm and below the waist as the rules require, letting the ball bounce first, and then follows the serve in to the net. The other player returns, ideally with a lob to stop the server taking the net easily. Play out just those first few shots, then reset. Do a set of serves from each side.
Focus on: for the server, a consistent, well placed serve and a quick move to the net. For the returner, a deep return or lob that stops the serving pair settling at the net. Winning or neutralising the first three shots decides a huge number of points.
How to structure a session
You do not need to do all six every time. A good format is ten minutes of cross-court control to warm up, then twenty minutes on two drills that target your weaknesses, then play points. Rotate which drills you focus on week to week so you are always working on something. If you are not sure what your weakness is, book a session with one of the Manchester coaches and they will tell you in five minutes. For the bigger picture on how drilling fits into steady improvement, see our improvement plan.
FAQ
How long should a two player drill session be?
Around forty five minutes to an hour works well. Spend the first ten minutes warming up with cross-court rallies, twenty to thirty minutes on focused drills, and the rest playing points to apply what you worked on.
Can I really improve without a coach?
Yes, drilling with a partner will take you a long way. A coach speeds things up by spotting your errors and correcting technique, but disciplined self-drilling beats playing endless matches every time.
What is the most valuable drill for a beginner?
Cross-court control and off-the-glass reps. Beginners lose most points through unforced errors and panic off the walls, so building consistency and comfort off the glass pays off faster than anything flashy.