Here’s what I try to achieve week after week as I strive to become a level 5 padel player.

Technical Training

• 3x with a padel coach on court (I rotate between 3/4 coaches)
• 4 hours reading padel books or watching video tutorials
• 3 hours watching pro padel matches

Physical Training

• 3x strength training with PT (30 min per session, plus 30 min on my own after)
• 1x yoga (for flexibility and all-around strength)
• 2x agility sessions (30 min each using skipping rope, cones and agility ladder)
• 4x stretching sessions at home

Mental Training

• 1x psychologist
• 4 hours of reading sports psychology books

Competition and Matches

• 2x friendly matches
• 1x competition (once or twice a month)

Recovery and Growth Aids

• 1x deep tissue massage
• 2x sauna sessions for 20 minutes each (here’s why)
• 4x EMS sessions at home / Theragun daily

All of the above is of course accompanied by a healthy and varied diet. I love food and different cuisines so rather than stick to a very specific diet I just make sure that whatever cuisine I try the dishes are healthy and in line with my overall goals.

I use the Apple watch to track my hours of sleep, and I try to reach 7.5 hours to 8 hours on average daily in order for my muscles to be able to recover and grow.

While I love watching the men’s pro matches, it’s important to say that for amateur players it’s actually more beneficial to watch the women’s matches, as their style of playing is much closer to that of amateur players. This is not to say that women’s padel is not of a high level, it’s just that their style is not as frenetic and focused on bursts of speed and power and incredible shots. It’s a much plainer tactical game with a lot of emphasis on lobs and carefully places shots aimed to displace the opposing pair and then define the point.

I’ll come back to this post to expand on some points, but for now, I just want to put it out there for feedback and for its potential usefulness to other serious amateur padel players.

Here are a few videos of exercises you can try to improve your reaction times in padel. This is a crucial aspect of your game so it is important that you train it.

While important, keep in mind that there are more important things, such as better general physical preparation, technical skills, and tactical awareness.

If you’re already a top player, however, and are looking to gain that little sliver of advantage over your opponents, improving your reaction time might bring some advantage.

If you’re not a top player, then your time will be better spent elsewhere. It’s also worth differentiating between reaction time and shot anticipation. If you can read your opponent and you are aware of the possible shots he might come up with, then you will naturally react and position yourself quicker than those with an untrained eye, even if they have better reaction times.

I recently invested in a TENS/EMS machine, mostly to aid in my recovery between padel and physical training sessions.

I’ve used such machines during physiotherapy sessions before, but until recently I assumed that they belong in the physio room and that as an athlete I couldn’t get one to use in the comfort of my own home. Turns out it need not be that expensive, nor is it complex to use.

First, let’s talk about how these devices work.

Electrical muscle stimulation is exactly what it sounds like: using an electrical current to stimulate your muscles. This can be done because your muscles naturally contract in response to electrical signals sent by your brain, and TENS/EMS machines replicate these impulses, causing muscles to contract on command.

TENS is the most universally known modality of electrical stimulation. Used widely for pain relief, TENS sends a series of electrical pulses across the skin and along nerve strands. These electrical pulses “distract” the brain from the pain signal, according to the Gate Control Theory. The Gate Control Theory of Pain says that non-painful stimulus or input closes the “gates” to the Central Nervous System, preventing it from feeling any pain. TENS also stimulates an endorphin release, which likewise mitigates pain.

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Applying ice or heat can provide relief from injuries, aches, and pains, but they shouldn’t be used interchangeably. Generally speaking, ice works well after a sudden injury while heat helps to soothe ongoing muscle aches and pains.

Cold

Cold works for injuries because it narrows your blood vessels, which helps prevent blood from accumulating at the site of injury, which will add to inflammation and swelling while delaying healing. This is also why elevation is helpful; it limits blood flow to the area to minimize swelling.

During immediate treatment, the aim is to limit the body’s response to injury. Ice will:

• Reduce bleeding into the tissues.
• Prevent or reduce swelling (inflammation).
• Reduce muscle pain and spasm.
• Reduce pain by numbing the area and by limiting the effects of swelling.
• These effects all help to prevent the area from becoming stiff, by reducing excess tissue fluid that gathers as a result of injury and inflammation.

A good rule of thumb to remember following an injury is RICE: rest, ice, compression, and elevation.

Ideally, ice should be applied within 5-10 minutes of injury and for 20-30 minutes. You don’t want to use ice longer than this as it could damage your skin or even lead to frostbite. This can be repeated every 2-3 hours or so whilst you are awake for the next 24-48 hours. You’ll want to protect your skin from direct exposure by applying a cloth or towel between your skin and the ice.

Do not use ice packs on the left shoulder if you have a heart condition. Do not use ice packs around the front or side of the neck.

After the first 48 hours, when bleeding should have stopped, the aim of treatment changes from restricting bleeding and swelling to getting the tissues remobilized with exercise and stretching. Ice helps with pain relief and relaxation of muscle tissue.

I bought an ice pocket from Decathlon, and keep ice cubes handy in the freezer to use whenever needed. You can take such bags with you when you play in tournaments, typically the bar at the courts will have some ice if you need to apply cold to a sprain.

I also always take a bag of instant ice with me wherever I play. This guarantees that I will always have ice treatment available whenever I need it.

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