I’ll let you in on a secret. While I go to the gym a couple of times a week, love swimming and will occasionally book in for a reformer Pilates session, when it comes to group sports – I’m wildly uninterested. In fact, rewind to four months ago and the thought of participating in any group sport activity would have filled me with dread. But, after hearing an ex bang on and on about padel, I decided to give it a go and see what all the fuss was about.
Not familiar? Here’s the 411: padel (pronounced ‘paddle’) combines aspects of tennis, squash and badminton. It’s a doubles game that’s played on a specifically built padel court – which essentially looks like a small tennis court with glass walls.
The rules and scoring are similar to tennis but with a few caveats: the ball has to bounce on the floor before reaching your opponent and you can hit it off the walls of the court. It’s also played with a fibreglass padel racquet and balls – which are both lighter than their tennis counterparts. While padel originated in Mexico in the 1960s, it’s boomed in popularity over the last 3 years and is now the second most popular sport in Spain (after football)! There’s even a professional league in the US. In short: it’s everywhere.
I’ve now been playing padel at my local club in Wilmslow every week for four months and to say I’m obsessed would be an understatement (even more so now that Wimbledon has started). I’m in a number of padel WhatsApp groups, have played matches in the pouring rain and wax lyrical about the sport to anyone who will listen. Basically, I’ve become a major padel geek and I’m about to convince you to give it a go, too. Here’s everything I’ve learned about padel since starting.
1.Padel is a great way to meet new people and socialise
For me, the social aspect is a huge part of why I love playing padel. Being a doubles game (meaning you need four players to set a match), padel is without doubt a great way of socialising. I started playing regularly with two other friends and we often pick up a fourth player – either who might be a mutual friend or someone else at the club where we play.
‘Our players love the “competitive socialising” element of the sport,’ explains Kris Ball, CEO at The Padel Club, Wilmslow. ‘It’s so easy to get into, but also to compete against lots of other players regularly. It’s not just people from racquet sports backgrounds who play padel. Players are coming from golf, football, hockey, rugby and other sports backgrounds too.’
If you’re wanting to meet new people – padel is a great sport to play. At my club (and many others up and down the country) you book matches through the Playtomic app which doubles as a padel social media app. You have a profile, can ‘follow’ other players and your scores are visible to all that follow you (…don’t judge me, my score is terrible.) Through the app you can also direct message other players and join public games with others – I’ve even had a few DMs from eligible padel pros… added bonus.
2. Padel is a solid workout, but it doesn’t feel like one
Then of course there are the added fitness benefits. ‘One of the great health benefits you will get from padel is muscle toning, especially in the legs and glutes,’ explains Ball. ‘With regular games, you will also notice benefits for the arms, back, abs and core.’
But for me, the best part about padel is that it doesn’t feel like a workout when you’re playing. Unlike other workouts (like HIIT classes or Barry’s Bootcamp) that can take a lot of mental strength to get through, in padel, your mind is completely focussed on the game – and each and every game is different, so there’s no chance you’ll get bored knowing what’s coming up next. Because the court is smaller than in tennis, the ball is also in play a lot more – meaning you get a great cardio workout.
‘During a 60-minute game you will on average burn 700-1000 calories whilst strengthening the cardiovascular system and improving your heart rate and endurance,’ says Ball. Something my Apple watch will attest to.
3. It’s unintimidating and ideal for beginners
As padel does not focus on strength, but rather tactics, it’s a great sport for all abilities. The game adapts to the rhythms of its players and you determine the level and intensity of the game. It’s also massively growing in popularity among women with 30% of Padel players being women compared to just 15% in tennis.
One of the things that keeps me away from traditional group sports games is that intimidating feeling you often get when first starting out – at padel, there was none of that. Even the really talented players are there to have fun, and will often happily play a match with you – even if your score is as bad as mine.
4. It’s golden for stress release
It’s not just my body that’s benefitted from playing. Padel is also great for your mental health. It’s a game that requires concentration and focus on the movements of the ball, so during the match you genuinely don’t have time to think about anything else. Plus, it’s fun.
‘No matter your level of experience, padel is a sport that will take your mind off the worries of everyday life and relieve stress whilst bringing you together with a likeminded community and encouraging healthier living,’ Ball affirms.
5. It will improve your coordination
Padel is also a sport in which good coordination and quick reflexes are required. Just by playing regularly you’ll notice an improvement in your coordination, movement and reflexes. Trust me, before playing regularly I wouldn’t say I had the best hand-eye co-ordination (I’m known to be more than a little bit clumsy) and through regular playing, I’ve definitely noticed a difference in my reflex speed.
Inspired? Here’s everything you need to know to get started.
Where can I play padel?
With the popularity of padel increasing rapidly (did I mention that it’s the fastest growing sport in the world?!), padel courts are becoming more and more available up and down the country. I play at The Padel Club in Wilmslow, which is at the back of a Total Fitness Gym – and I have also played at Babington House and The Club at Bamford. Google padel in your area and you’re sure to find a club, or check out this list of registered venues.
What should I wear to play padel?
What you wear is up to you – anything comfortable and easy to move around in. Like tennis, you could wear a tennis skirt or dress – or simply leggings or shorts. Any activewear will do.
Do I need equipment to play padel?
Most padel courts have equipment that you can rent or buy. Where I play, the use of padel racquets are included in the price of your match (or you can bring your own!) but you have to buy a set of balls – which can be purchased through the Playtomic app.
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How long is a padel match?
When booking your court, you can choose how long you play for. Most matches are either 60 or 90 minutes – in which you play 3 sets of six.
How much does it cost to play padel?
Prices often vary from court to court but you can expect to pay around £5-£10 per player per match. At The Padel Club in Wilmslow where I play, courts are £26 per hour off peak, £36 per hour during peak hours.
I started playing padel four months ago and I’m still just as enthusiastic about it. I’ve met so many friends through playing and continue to tell anyone who’ll listen about the benefits of playing. The only problem I now have is booking a court! With such massive growth, courts get booked up quick – meaning you have to have your finger on the pulse when they become available. In fact, I should probably stop telling so many people about it…