5 Padel Drills for Beginners You Can Do With Just One Partner

No coach needed — just a court, a friend, and 30 minutes

You don’t need a coach to get better at padel. You don’t even need a group. What you need is one willing partner, half an hour of court time, and a handful of drills that target the shots beginners struggle with most.

These five padel drills for beginners are the ones that make the biggest difference the fastest. They’re simple, fun, and designed to build the muscle memory that turns awkward swings into natural, confident shots. Do them once a week for a month and you’ll notice the improvement in your very next match.

Before You Hit the Court

A few ground rules to get the most out of your practice:

• Warm up first. Five minutes of gentle rallying to get loose. Don’t jump straight into drills with cold muscles.
• Quality over speed. Every drill should feel controlled. The moment you start rushing, slow down. You’re building technique, not testing fitness.
• Take turns. Each drill works both players. Switch roles every 2–3 minutes so you both practise every shot.
• Keep score (optional). Adding a competitive element makes drills more fun and builds pressure skills. Count successful shots in a row, or play to 10 points.

Drill 1: The Rally Builder

What it trains: consistency, control, basic groundstrokes

Time: 10 minutes

This is the simplest and most important drill for any beginner. Stand on opposite sides of the court, both at the baseline. Rally the ball back and forth, aiming to keep it in play as long as possible. That’s it.

The goal isn’t power or speed — it’s keeping a rally going. Start by aiming for 10 shots in a row without the ball going out or into the net. Once you can do that consistently, aim for 20, then 30.

How to do it:

1. Both players stand at the baseline, roughly in the centre of their half.
2. One player feeds a gentle ball to start the rally.
3. Rally crosscourt (diagonal) for the first 5 minutes.
4. Switch to straight rallying (down the line) for the next 5 minutes.
5. Count your longest rally. Try to beat it each session.

💡 Smash & Glass Tip: Crosscourt rallying is easier because the court is longer diagonally. If you’re struggling to keep rallies going, stick to crosscourt until you build consistency, then add straight rallying.

Drill 2: The Glass Wall Bounce

What it trains: reading the ball off the glass, positioning, patience

Time: 5–7 minutes

The glass walls are what make padel unique — and learning to read the ball off the glass is the single biggest skill gap between beginners and intermediate players. This drill closes that gap fast.

How to do it:

1. Player A stands at the net. Player B stands at the back of the court near the glass wall.
2. Player A feeds balls that bounce on the ground and then hit the back glass wall.
3. Player B must let the ball hit the glass, read the bounce, and return it over the net.
4. Start with slow, predictable feeds. Gradually increase speed and vary the angle as Player B gets comfortable.
5. Switch roles after 3 minutes.

The key is patience. Most beginners try to hit the ball before it reaches the glass because the bounce feels unpredictable. Resist that urge. Let the ball come off the glass, wait for it to drop, then play your shot. It feels counterintuitive at first, but it becomes natural very quickly.

💡 Smash & Glass Tip: Stand about one arm’s length away from the glass. If you’re too close, you won’t have room to swing. If you’re too far, you’ll be reaching for the ball after it bounces off the wall.

Drill 3: The Volley Exchange

What it trains: net play, reflexes, soft hands

Time: 5–7 minutes

In padel, the net is where points are won. This drill builds the soft touch and quick reflexes you need to control the net position. It’s also the most fun drill on this list once you get a rhythm going.

How to do it:

1. Both players stand at the net, about 2–3 metres from it, on opposite sides.
2. Volley the ball back and forth without letting it bounce. Keep the pace gentle.
3. Focus on keeping the ball low over the net and controlling the direction.
4. Count consecutive volleys. Aim for 20, then 30, then 50.
5. Once you’re consistent, try moving laterally — one player volleys left, the other follows. This simulates real match movement at the net.

The most common mistake beginners make at the net is swinging too hard. Volleys should be blocked or guided, not smashed. Think of it like catching the ball with your racket and redirecting it gently.

Drill 4: The Lob and Recover

What it trains: the defensive lob, recovery positioning, overhead smash

Time: 7–10 minutes

The lob is the most underrated shot in padel. It’s not glamorous, but a well-placed lob can completely reset a point in your favour. This drill trains both the lob and the response to it.

How to do it:

1. Player A starts at the net. Player B starts at the baseline.
2. Player B hits a lob over Player A’s head, aiming deep into the court.
3. Player A moves back, lets the ball bounce (and possibly come off the glass), and returns it.
4. Player B moves forward to the net position after their lob.
5. The point is now live — play it out. The positions have been reversed.
6. Reset and repeat. Switch starting positions every 5 lobs.

This drill teaches two crucial things: Player B learns to use the lob to push opponents back and take the net. Player A learns to retreat, read the bounce, and defend — which is exactly what happens in a real match when you lose the net position.

💡 Smash & Glass Tip: A good lob doesn’t need to be perfect — it just needs to be deep enough that your opponent can’t smash it comfortably. Aim for the back third of the court. High and deep beats low and accurate every time.

Drill 5: The Serve and Return

What it trains: consistent serving, return of serve, first-ball confidence

Time: 7–10 minutes

Every point in padel starts with a serve and a return. Yet most beginners never practise either one in isolation. This drill fixes that.

How to do it:

1. Player A serves from the right side. Player B returns. Play out the point.
2. Serve 5 times from the right, then 5 from the left.
3. Switch roles — Player B serves, Player A returns.
4. Keep score: the server gets one point for every serve that lands in. The returner gets one point for every return that crosses the net. Play to 10.
5. Focus on placement, not power. A consistent serve that lands deep in the box is worth more than a fast one that misses.

For the returner, this drill is about reading the serve early and getting the ball back deep. Don’t try to win the point on the return — just get it back and move to a good position. In a real match, a solid return is often enough to neutralise even a strong serve.

Your 30-Minute Practice Session

Here’s how to structure a complete practice session using all five drills:

Time	Drill	Focus
0–5 min	Warm-up rally (gentle, no pressure)	Getting loose
5–15 min	Rally Builder (crosscourt then straight)	Consistency and control
15–20 min	Glass Wall Bounce	Reading the glass
20–25 min	Volley Exchange	Net play and reflexes
25–30 min	Lob and Recover OR Serve and Return	Alternate each session

Do this once or twice a week and you’ll see faster improvement than playing matches alone. Matches are fun, but drills build the skills that win matches.

Keep Practising, Keep Improving

The best padel players in the world still drill the basics regularly. These five exercises aren’t just for beginners — they’re the foundation of every good padel game. Master them, and the more advanced techniques will come naturally.

Want a printable version? Grab our Padel Drill Cards (coming soon) — a set of illustrated, print-friendly cards you can bring to the court.

New to padel? Read our complete guide to padel for beginners, or check out our top beginner racket picks if you’re still looking for your first racket.