Advanced Grip To Level Up Your Padel Game
Do you find yourself in a plateau when progressing in your padel practice? You’ve already already tried almost all the tricks in the books to level up but you still can’t find yourself getting better. Try out these grip changes and you’ll certainly see some advances in your play style!
Top Spin With The Eastern Forehand Tennis Grip
Rafa Nadal’s violent topspin is somewhat a legend in the padel community. Using an eastern forehand tennis grip, this Spaniard top athlete stuns his opponents with his high-velocity hits that his opponents couldn’t see coming. Top-level tennis players mainly utilize this grip technique, and for a good reason!
Check out this gameplay to see the awesome rallies and Rafa Nadal’s top spin in action:
If you want to get the ball to dunk over the net and kick up into the receiver’s racket in padel, the eastern forehand grip comes in handy. But make sure you don’t overdo it so that your opponents won’t be able to read your next moves.
It’s pretty easy to learn. Start by placing the padel racket flat on the ground and practicing with it. After then, grasp the padel racket’s handle with your free hand. As a result, you’ll be using the Eastern forehand grip automatically.
To play topspin shots, use the Eastern forehand grip. This implies that your padel racket must be able to swing in an arc for you to succeed. If you’re leaning against the rear wall, you won’t have enough room to make the necessary backswing. It’s impossible to hit an arc with your padel racket while using an Eastern forehand grip close to the net.
Grip For Playing Off The Back Wall
Playing the ball off a back wall is an art form. The best grip for this situation is the squash finger grip. This is particularly true if you’re using your backhand to hit the ball.
When compared to the continental and eastern forehand grips, the squash finger grip is neither flat nor tight on the racket, as the latter is.
With just your thumb and forefinger holding and controlling the racket, you may use the other three fingers to maintain the racket’s grip. Hold the racket properly and make sure your thumb and forefinger form a V.
As you hold the racket’s grip, the bottom point of the V should be aligned with the inside line of the racket’s neck so that your hand sits slightly over the top of the grip.
Compared to the continental grip, this racket posture creates a 45-degree open face on the forehand side of the padel racket. On the other hand, your backhand will be closed at a 45-degree angle.
Ideally, your index finger should be separated from the three fingers that support it when holding it. This position is similar to that of a trigger finger. This will increase your racket head control.
When you’re stuck against the back wall, start the stroke with the head of the racket above your head. Then begin by leading into the stroke with your elbow, pulling the racket down vertically and parallel to the back wall.
Take note: If you do this with a continental grip on the backhand, the racket head will be almost horizontal as you slice through under the ball. That means you will be hardly able to create any forward velocity of the ball.
The 45-degree closed head angle of the racket with the finger grip means that I have more racket head connecting behind the ball. That allows me to still clear the net from a very cramped position against the back wall.
Check out this video to find what padel grip best suits you:
Key take-away: don’t get too hung up on fancy grip methods
Even though you have these other fancy grip methods available to you, not knowing or using them will in no way diminish the amount of fun you can have on the padel court.
