Mastering Padel Overheads: Bandeja, Vibora, Rulo & Gancho

The four overhead shots you’ll use more often than the smash — and how to hit each one

Here’s something that surprises most beginners: in padel, the smash is not the most common overhead shot. Not even close. The overheads you’ll use in the vast majority of situations are the bandeja, vibora, rulo, and gancho — four distinct shots, each designed for a specific tactical situation.

While the smash is an attacking shot designed to end the point (see our guide to mastering the padel smash for flat and kick smash technique), these four overhead shots are about control, positioning, and making life difficult for your opponents without giving up the net. Master them, and you’ll control the aerial game.

The Four Padel Overheads at a Glance

Shot	Purpose	Power	Spin	When to Use	Difficulty
Bandeja	Defensive, maintain net position	Low–Medium (60–70%)	Slice/backspin	Deep lobs, most common situation	Medium
Vibora	Aggressive attack with spin	Medium–High	Heavy sidespin	Medium lobs, opponent out of position	Medium–Advanced
Rulo	Topspin to side fence	Low–Medium	Heavy topspin	Lobs over dominant shoulder, target fence	Advanced
Gancho	Defensive hook when ball is behind you	Low	Minimal	High lobs over non-dominant shoulder	Medium

1. The Bandeja

What it is: The bandeja (Spanish for “tray” — named because the racket angle looks like you’re carrying a tray of drinks) is the most important overhead in padel. It’s a defensive overhead hit with slice at about 60–70% power, designed to keep the ball low and deep while maintaining your net position. You’ll use the bandeja more than any other overhead shot.

When to Use It

Use the bandeja when the lob is good — deep enough or high enough that you can’t comfortably reach the contact point for a smash without moving back behind the service line. The bandeja lets you take the ball earlier, maintain your net position, and keep tactical pressure on your opponents. It’s the correct choice for the majority of lobs you face at the net.

Technique

1. Turn sideways early. Non-hitting shoulder points at the net. Racket arm goes back and up.
2. Track the ball with your free hand pointed at it.
3. Contact the ball at head height or slightly above — lower than a smash contact point.
4. Slice under and across the ball. The motion is like cutting a loaf of bread sideways. The racket face is open (tilted upward).
5. Aim deep into the court with a low, flat trajectory. The ball should bounce and stay low, making it hard for opponents to attack.
6. The follow-through goes across your body, not down toward the ground. This is the key difference from a smash.
7. Stay at the net after hitting. The bandeja is designed to maintain your position, not to win the point outright.

Common Bandeja Mistakes

• Swinging too hard: A bandeja that goes fast and flat is no longer a bandeja — it’s a poor smash. Keep it at 60–70% power.
• Closing the body too early: Turning to face the net before contact eliminates the sideways position and prevents the slice.
• Hitting too short: The ball needs to land deep. A short bandeja gives opponents an easy attack. Aim past the service line.

💡 Smash & Glass Tip: The bandeja is arguably the single shot that will improve your win rate the most as you move from beginner to intermediate. Most amateur players still aren’t great at it after years of play, which means there’s enormous strategic upside in being the player who is. Invest more practice time in the bandeja than in the smash.

2. The Vibora

What it is: The vibora (Spanish for “viper” — named after a snake’s strike: fast, diagonal, and hard to read) is the aggressive cousin of the bandeja. It uses heavy sidespin to create a sharp, low bounce off the glass that curves away from the opponent. Where the bandeja is controlled and defensive, the vibora is an attacking weapon.

When to Use It

Play the vibora when you get a medium lob that sits up nicely — not short enough for a smash, but not deep enough to require a purely defensive bandeja. It’s also effective when your opponent is deep in the court and you want to create an awkward bounce off the side glass that’s almost impossible to dig out.

Technique

1. Starting position is similar to the bandeja — sideways, free hand tracking the ball.
2. Contact the ball at a slightly higher point than the bandeja, roughly shoulder to head height.
3. The key difference: brush across and over the outside of the ball with a chopping motion. Your wrist pronates (rolls inward) at contact.
4. The ball should travel with heavy sidespin, hit the glass at a low, sharp angle, and curve away from the opponent.
5. The follow-through is shorter and sharper than the bandeja, snapping across the body.
6. Wrist snap is essential — hesitation produces a weak, floating ball. Commit to the motion.

Common Vibora Mistakes

• Not enough spin: You’re hitting through the ball instead of across it. Exaggerate the chopping motion.
• Ball sits up after bounce: Not enough sidespin or wrong angle to the glass. Aim for the ball to hit the glass at a sharp angle, not head-on.
• Trying the vibora before mastering the bandeja: If your bandeja isn’t consistent, the vibora will frustrate you. Get the bandeja reliable first.

3. The Rulo

What it is: The rulo (from the Spanish “rular” meaning “to roll”) is a topspin overhead aimed at the side fence or wire mesh. You roll the ball with the racket face, giving it top-to-bottom spin that makes it kick sideways into the fence after bouncing. When executed well, the ball dies after hitting the fence, leaving opponents stranded. It’s one of the most visually spectacular and tactically effective shots in padel.

When to Use It

The rulo works best in specific situations: when you get a comfortable lob over your dominant shoulder that gives you time to set up, from the left side of the court for right-handers (the natural angle goes cross-court toward the opponent’s fence), and when opponents are deep and can’t rush forward to cut the ball off. It’s also excellent for breaking patterns — if you only hit bandejas and smashes, opponents adapt. The rulo disrupts their expectations.

Technique

1. Turn your shoulders and set up early — this is the most important step. You need to be sideways to the net.
2. Position yourself underneath the ball. The contact point is above your dominant shoulder.
3. Use a continental grip (same as your volley and bandeja grip).
4. Brush over the top of the ball, from back to front. The racket face goes from open to closed through contact, generating topspin.
5. Aim toward the side fence or the corner where the fence meets the glass. The topspin makes the ball kick up and die against the fence.
6. The ball should fly in a looping arc, bounce on the court, then kick sharply into the fence.
7. Follow through upward. Unlike the bandeja’s sideways follow-through, the rulo finishes with the arm extending upward.

💡 Smash & Glass Tip: Very few players know how to hit the rulo, which gives you a massive tactical advantage if you learn it. Franco Stupaczuk is considered the undisputed rulo king — search for his videos to see perfect technique and precision. The rulo has a surprisingly low barrier to entry compared to the vibora — it’s easier to learn than most players think.

Common Rulo Mistakes

• Too little spin: You’re not brushing over the ball enough. Focus on the rolling motion, not power.
• Ball doesn’t reach the fence: You’re hitting too softly or the trajectory is too flat. The looping arc needs height to carry to the fence.
• Poor timing: The rulo requires a comfortable setup. Don’t attempt it on awkward lobs — use a bandeja instead.

4. The Gancho

What it is: The gancho (Spanish for “hook”) is a defensive overhead used when a lob goes over your non-dominant shoulder — the side where a bandeja or vibora is impossible. The arm movement follows a hook-like path, similar to a basketball hook shot. It’s not glamorous, but it prevents you from losing the net position on lobs that would otherwise force you to retreat.

When to Use It

Play the gancho when a lob goes high over your left shoulder (for right-handed players) and you can’t turn fast enough for a bandeja or vibora. This happens most often on the right side of the court, where cross-court and centre lobs naturally travel over your non-dominant shoulder. The gancho lets you connect with the ball at a high contact point behind your body and place it toward the side glass or fence.

Technique

1. Recognise early that the ball is going over your non-dominant shoulder. This is the trigger for the gancho.
2. Extend your racket arm upward and slightly behind you in a hooking motion — like a basketball hook shot.
3. The contact point is very high, above and slightly behind your head.
4. Strike the ball with a straight arm, flat on the back of the ball, producing a softer delivery.
5. Aim toward the side glass or fence. The goal is to make the ball bounce, hit the glass, and die at the back of the court.
6. The ball will naturally bounce higher than a bandeja due to the high contact point.
7. Recover to net position immediately after — the gancho is a positional shot, not a winner.

Common Gancho Mistakes

• Aiming for the centre: Centre shots are easy to return. Always aim for the side glass or fence.
• Trying to hit with power: The gancho is about placement, not power. Keep it controlled.
• Using the gancho when a bandeja is possible: If you have time to set up sideways, use a bandeja or vibora instead. The gancho is a last resort when the ball is behind you.

💡 Smash & Glass Tip: The gancho is a great starting point for beginners learning overheads. It’s simpler than the bandeja and vibora, and it gives you a reliable way to handle lobs without losing the net. Start here, then add the bandeja, vibora, and rulo as your technique develops.

Which Overhead Should You Use? Decision Framework

When a lob goes up, here’s how to decide which shot to play:

• Short lob, you’re at the net: Smash (flat or kick). See our smash guide.
• Deep lob, over your dominant shoulder, time to set up: Bandeja (safe) or vibora (aggressive).
• Lob over your dominant shoulder, aimed at the fence side: Rulo (if you have the skill) or bandeja (safer option).
• Lob over your non-dominant shoulder: Gancho.
• Very high, awkward lob: Gancho or a simple bandeja — just connect with the ball and keep the net.

When in doubt, play a bandeja. It’s the safest option and keeps you at the net. The other shots are for when the situation demands something specific.

Overhead Practice Drills

Drill 1: Bandeja Repetition (Most Important)

Partner feeds 20 deep lobs in a row. Hit every one with a bandeja, aiming to land past the service line. Focus on slice and depth, not power. Track how many land in the target zone. This is the drill you should do most often.

Drill 2: Vibora to the Glass

Partner feeds medium-depth lobs. Practise the vibora, aiming for the ball to hit the side glass with sidespin. Count how many produce a difficult bounce. Start at half-speed and build up.

Drill 3: Rulo to the Fence

Partner feeds comfortable lobs over your dominant shoulder. Practise the rulo, aiming for the corner where the fence meets the glass. Focus on the topspin brushing motion. This takes many repetitions to feel natural.

Drill 4: Gancho Recovery

Partner feeds lobs specifically over your non-dominant shoulder. Practise the gancho and immediately recover to net position. The goal is smooth execution followed by quick recovery.

Drill 5: The Mixed Overhead

Partner feeds a random mix of short lobs, deep lobs, lobs over the dominant shoulder, and lobs over the non-dominant shoulder. You must choose the correct overhead for each situation. This builds real-match decision-making.

Complete your overhead game: Read our guide to mastering the padel smash for flat and kick smash technique.

Build the shots that set up your overheads: Master your groundstrokes and volleys to control the point before the overhead opportunity arises.