The Padel School Podcast

Have you ever stepped onto the padel court feeling nervous, put too much pressure on yourself, and watched your game fall apart?

Pressure affects everyone, from beginners playing their first session to professional players competing on the biggest stages. The key isn't to eliminate that pressure, but to learn how to manage it and bring the best out of your game.

In this episode, Sandy and Tom discuss why pressure affects your performance, how to find the right level of intensity, and what you can learn from British number one Christian Medina Murphy about preparing for big matches.

They cover:

• Why pressure is normal at every level of padel
• How to recognise when you're putting too much pressure on yourself
• Why routines can help you stay calm and focused
• How to find the right balance between intensity and relaxation
• Why getting too pumped up can lead to rushed decisions and unnecessary risks
• The importance of training before competition and building muscle memory
• How to trust your game when the pressure is on

The key takeaway? You can't expect to perform at your best under pressure if you haven't put the work in beforehand. Build good routines, expect to feel nervous, and practise enough that you can trust your shots when it matters. Remember, matches are the exam. Your training is where you prepare.

Want to build more confidence and consistency in your game? Join The Padel School platform for structured training, monthly challenges, and exercises you can practise on and off the court. Start your 7-day free trial using the link in the show notes.

‼️WHAT'S NEW IN THE PADEL SCHOOL‼️
Padel Training & Match Journal: Track Your Training, Matches, and On-Court Progress

EXPLORE OUR OFFERS
The Padel School Membership (with FREE Trial)

Access 75+ Drills for Every Level: TPS Drill Book For Players

Our BOOK - The Padel Player's Guide

Get our Mental Toughness Course

Ever had a day on the padel court when nothing seems to work?

Your shots feel off, the errors start adding up, and before you know it, you're convinced you're having a bad day. But what if the key isn't trying to play better straight away, but learning how to manage the match?

In this episode, Sandy and Tom discuss how to get through a bad day on court, why your performance can fluctuate so much in padel, and what you can learn from the world's best players. They also share insights from world number one Gemma Triay on how she adjusts when her game isn't working.

They cover:

🎾 Why even the best players have bad days
🎾 How your expectations and negative self-talk can make things worse
🎾 Why your opponents might be contributing to your struggles
🎾 How to adjust your game and rely on your most consistent shots
🎾 Why momentum can change several times during a match
🎾 How taking your time between points can help you reset
🎾 Why communication with your partner matters when things go wrong
🎾 How to build confidence and fight your way back into a match

The key takeaway? You don't need to play perfect padel to win. Understand that your performance will fluctuate, slow things down when you need to, and return to the shots you trust most. Sometimes, making one more ball than your opponents is enough to turn the match around.

How do you recover when you're having a bad day on court? Let us know in the comments.

Want to build more consistent foundations in your game? Join The Padel School platform with a 7-day free trial. Find the link in the show notes.

‼️WHAT'S NEW IN THE PADEL SCHOOL‼️
Padel Training & Match Journal: Track Your Training, Matches, and On-Court Progress

EXPLORE OUR OFFERS
The Padel School Membership (with FREE Trial)

Access 75+ Drills for Every Level: TPS Drill Book For Players

Our BOOK - The Padel Player's Guide

Get our Mental Toughness Course

Can creativity be trained, or is it something you're simply born with?

In padel, being unpredictable can make you incredibly difficult to play against. From backhand tap-outs to trick shots that catch your opponents off guard, creativity can help you win points that a standard shot might not.

But there's a balance. Try the difficult shot without the right foundations, and you could end up frustrating your partner rather than troubling your opponents.

In this episode, Sandy and Tom discuss how creativity fits into padel, why it's different from tennis, and how players can develop the skills to use it effectively. They also hear from top player Paquito Navarro on how he trains his creativity.

They discuss:

- Why creativity is more than just hitting trick shots
- How to balance consistency with being unpredictable
- Why ball control is the foundation of creative play
- How the pros practise trick shots and develop new skills
- Why repetition helps you execute creative shots under pressure
- How to stay relaxed and overcome the fear of making mistakes
- When to use a trick shot — and when to play the percentage shot
- Why you should be unpredictable to your opponents but predictable to your partner

The key takeaway? Creativity can be trained. Build your foundations first, practise the shots you want to add to your game, and learn when to use them. You don't need to try a trick shot every point, but having it in your toolkit can make you a much harder opponent to read.

Want to improve your ball control? Explore The Padel School platform with a 7-day free trial. Find the link in the show notes.

EXPLORE OUR OFFERS
The Padel School Membership (with FREE Trial)

Access 75+ Drills for Every Level: TPS Drill Book For Players

Our BOOK - The Padel Player's Guide

Get our Mental Toughness Course

Padel Training & Match Journal

Want to hit a vibora that bites?

The vibora is one of the most satisfying shots in padel, but it can also be one of the hardest to master. The key isn't just hitting harder. It's learning the right technique, generating spin, finding the right contact point, and having the confidence to let your arm go.

In this episode, Sandy and Tom break down how to hit a more effective vibora, from recognising the right lob to using the shot tactically and building confidence through repetition.

They discuss:

• When and where to use the vibora in a match
• Why spin and precision matter more than simply hitting harder
• The footwork and racket preparation needed for a clean contact
• How to generate that whipping action without tension
• Why the vibora becomes a setup shot as you face better defenders
• How to build confidence through shadow swings, solo drills and on-court practice
• Why trying to learn the shot during social matches can reinforce bad habits
• How to recover your confidence after missing a vibora

The biggest takeaway? You can't expect to hit a confident vibora under pressure without putting in the repetitions first. Build the technique away from match play, develop consistency, and give yourself the confidence to commit when the opportunity comes.

Want to build your vibora from scratch? Join The Padel School platform with a 7-day free trial and follow our Vibora Challenge, with step-by-step exercises to help you develop the shot.

EXPLORE OUR OFFERS
The Padel School Membership (with FREE Trial)

Access 75+ Drills for Every Level: TPS Drill Book For Players

Our BOOK - The Padel Player's Guide

Get our Mental Toughness Course

Padel Training & Match Journal

Does a good padel coach have to be a good padel player?

It’s a question that comes up regularly as padel continues to grow and more coaches enter the sport from different backgrounds.

In this episode, Sandy and Tom discuss what actually makes a good padel coach — and where playing level fits into the equation.

They explore the challenges of coaching in a rapidly growing sport, including the rise of coaches who may have only recently started playing padel, and the pressure on clubs to find coaches quickly.

They discuss:

🎾 Whether a coach needs to be a high-level player
🎾 Why playing level is important for demonstrating what good looks like
🎾 The importance of communication, organisation and empathy
🎾 Why being a great player doesn't automatically make you a great coach
🎾 What tennis and squash coaches can bring when transitioning into padel
🎾 Why understanding padel tactics becomes increasingly important at higher levels
🎾 How the level you're coaching should influence the playing level you need
🎾 What clubs should consider when choosing the right coach
🎾 Why coach education needs to go beyond simply learning drills

A good player and a good coach require different skills. The challenge is developing enough playing knowledge to understand and demonstrate the game, while also having the communication, organisation and teaching skills needed to help players improve.

Whether you're a player choosing a coach, a club looking to build its coaching team, or someone thinking about becoming a padel coach, this episode explores what really matters.

Interested in Coach Education? Let us know here: https://forms.gle/QAWsMjrvTEDgB4bk8

EXPLORE OUR OFFERS
The Padel School Membership (with FREE Trial)

Access 75+ Drills for Every Level: TPS Drill Book For Players

Our BOOK - The Padel Player's Guide

Get our Mental Toughness Course

Why does your bandeja keep bouncing up and giving your opponents an easy ball to attack?

In this episode, Sandy and Tom break down one of the most frustrating problems for recreational players: the bouncy bandeja.

After Sandy's latest trip with Red Bull TV to Paris, they start by looking at how the pros used the bandeja in outdoor conditions, how they adapted to the sun and high lobs, and why the bandeja is still an important shot even in the modern game.

They then break down the technique behind a more effective bandeja and the common mistakes that cause the ball to bounce too high.

They discuss:

• Why the pros still use the bandeja
• The difference between a bandeja and a vibora
• Why footwork is often the biggest problem
• How to position yourself under a lob
• Why your racket and elbow need to be above the ball
• Why you should think of the bandeja as a high forehand volley, not a smash
• How slowing the shot down can actually make it more effective
• Why using the glass can help take speed off the ball
• Where to aim your bandeja to make it harder to attack
• How to build better technique through quality repetitions off the court

The key is not simply hitting the bandeja harder. It’s about getting into the right position, creating the right contact and using the shot to neutralise the point so you can recover the net.

If your bandeja keeps bouncing and getting attacked, this episode will help you understand why and what you can do to fix it.

‼️WHAT'S NEW IN THE PADEL SCHOOL‼️
Padel Training & Match Journal: Track Your Training, Matches, and On-Court Progress

EXPLORE OUR OFFERS
The Padel School Membership (with FREE Trial)

Access 75+ Drills for Every Level: TPS Drill Book For Players

Our BOOK - The Padel Player's Guide

Get our Mental Toughness Course

Why do some days on the padel court feel great, while other days everything seems to go wrong?

In this episode, Sandy and Tom break down why recreational players can have such big fluctuations in their level and what you can do to build a more consistent base level.

They discuss:
🎾 Why your foundations are more important than individual shots
🎾 How footwork affects preparation, positioning and consistency
🎾 Why pros can rely on their “base level” when they aren't playing their best
🎾 How training off the court can improve what happens on it
🎾 Why trying to think about your footwork during a match can actually make things worse
🎾 How fixing an earlier part of the movement can improve your contact and technique
🎾 Why “little and often” training can make a big difference

The goal isn't to make sure you never have a bad day. It's to raise your minimum level so that even when you're not playing your best, you can still rely on your game.

Build the foundations, make them automatic, and give yourself a more consistent level to work from.

‼️WHAT'S NEW IN THE PADEL SCHOOL‼️
Padel Training & Match Journal: Track Your Training, Matches, and On-Court Progress

EXPLORE OUR OFFERS
The Padel School Membership (with FREE Trial)

Access 75+ Drills for Every Level: TPS Drill Book For Players

Our BOOK - The Padel Player's Guide

Get our Mental Toughness Course

In this episode, Sandy and Tom discuss the one skill that can have an immediate impact on almost every recreational player’s game: footwork.

From feeling rushed and arriving late to the ball, to struggling with positioning, recovery and technique, so many common problems on court can be traced back to inefficient footwork.

They discuss:

🎾 Why footwork is the foundation of almost every shot
🎾 Why your movement needs to become automatic
🎾 How the pros train their footwork off the court
🎾 The importance of the split step, small adjustment steps and positioning
🎾 Why better footwork can improve your anticipation and court position
🎾 How recreational players can train footwork without spending hours on court
🎾 Why building these foundations can make your on-court coaching much more effective

If you want to improve your consistency, movement and overall level, this is a great place to start.

‼️WHAT'S NEW IN THE PADEL SCHOOL‼️
Padel Training & Match Journal: Track Your Training, Matches, and On-Court Progress

EXPLORE OUR OFFERS
The Padel School Membership (with FREE Trial)

Access 75+ Drills for Every Level: TPS Drill Book For Players

Our BOOK - The Padel Player's Guide

Get our Mental Toughness Course

Can you really improve your padel game without being on court with a coach?

In this episode, Tom and Sandy challenge the common belief that the only way to improve is through in-person coaching and match play.

They break down what effective online learning actually looks like, why simply watching hours of YouTube or social media tips isn't enough, and how players can turn knowledge into real improvement through structured training and quality repetition.

They also explain:

•  Why playing more matches isn't always the answer
•  The difference between watching content and actually training a skill
•  How to identify the root cause of problems in your game 
•  Why footwork, ball control and repetition matter so much 
•  How to use online coaching without overwhelming yourself 
•  Why having a structured roadmap can accelerate your progress 
•  How skills like the bandeja can be broken down and trained away from the court 

Whether you're a beginner or an experienced club player, this episode will help you rethink how you learn padel and how you can make the most of the time you have both on and off the court.

‼️WHAT'S NEW IN THE PADEL SCHOOL‼️
Padel Training & Match Journal: Track Your Training, Matches, and On-Court Progress

EXPLORE OUR OFFERS
The Padel School Membership (with FREE Trial)

Access 75+ Drills for Every Level: TPS Drill Book For Players

Our BOOK - The Padel Player's Guide

Get our Mental Toughness Course

Most players go into a padel match with either no tactic at all—or a plan so complicated they forget it after the first point. So what should you actually be thinking about before, during and after a match?

In this episode, Tom and Sandy break down padel tactics from beginner level all the way to the professional game. They explain why having a simple game plan is better than having no plan, how partners can create clarity through communication, and why your tactic should evolve as the match develops.

They also explore one of the biggest differences between tennis and padel: in padel, you aren't just trying to execute your game plan—you need to constantly read what your opponents are doing and adapt.

From choosing who to target and where to play your lobs, to recognising when you've given an opponent too much rhythm, Tom and Sandy explain how to know when to stick with a tactic, when to change it, and how to avoid changing tactics simply because you haven't executed the original plan.

Plus, they discuss the importance of staying composed between points, communicating at changeovers, and using a training and match journal to reflect on what worked, what didn't, and what to take into your next match.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why every player should start a match with a simple tactic
• How partners can create clarity before stepping on court
• When you should stick with a tactic and when you should change it
• How professional players constantly adapt their game plans
• Why communication between points and at changeovers matters
• How emotions can affect tactical decision-making
• How journaling can help you improve from match to match
• Why the best tactic isn't always the most complicated one

If you want to stop playing matches without a plan and start making better tactical decisions on court, this episode is for you.

‼️WHAT'S NEW IN THE PADEL SCHOOL‼️
Padel Training & Match Journal: Track Your Training, Matches, and On-Court Progress

EXPLORE OUR OFFERS
The Padel School Membership (with FREE Trial)

Access 75+ Drills for Every Level: TPS Drill Book For Players

Our BOOK - The Padel Player's Guide

Get our Mental Toughness Course