Being in and amongst many Padel clubs within the Manchester area, I often hear similar phrases from those who stumble upon the sport for the first time. 

“Padel is an easier Tennis”

One of the common misconceptions that I hear is that Padel is merely “just an easier Tennis”. Despite it looking like Tennis, once you immerse yourself into the glass rectangle it becomes apparent that this is not the case. The glass deceives you as though you have more time, however it quickly becomes clear that this is not always the case. Many people may encounter Padel for the first time and be left with questions, which is understandable.  

However, the instant thought that Padel may be a dumbed down version of Tennis is far from the truth. Hitting a ball over the net and a scoring system is about as far as the similarities go. Padel is about clever shot selection and tactics, whereas tennis focuses on power and open court play. It may be the court that brings this ideology into newcomers, however it brings a different skill set to a racquet sport which is as physically demanding as many other sports. 

“Padel is not a good workout”

Many novices (due to the smaller court which is in Padel) have a general consensus that Padel is not a good workout due to the minimal movement that is seen in beginner games. However, when the level starts to advance further, it is apparent that there is constant movement. Whether this is backwards and forwards or to either side of the court, reaching for a shot, Padel is more intense than it may seem at first.

In reality, Padel is a sport played at high intensity and offers a full body workout that engages many muscle groups, which may not be used otherwise. It similarly boosts your cardiovascular fitness due to the consistent movement throughout the matches. For people wanting to stay fit and healthy in a new and unique way, Padel will be a perfect fit for you!

“You must be fit and have good hand-eye coordination to play Padel”

To play the sport at a high level and to be successful within competitive tournaments this statement may be true. However, the beautiful nature of the sport allows for everyone to participate, no matter your background.

This means someone who may have little to no hand-eye coordination could easily access the sport and learn from the ground up. When attending a Padel club, it is not uncommon to see a range of people, from a family to a group of people who are 60 plus. This is something else that makes the sport so special.

The sport can be played by anyone and everyone, which lends into the idea that both ability and fitness does not play a role in the enjoyment of play that people have. From experience, there have been people who have taken up the sport, and even though they have never played a racquet sport before, within a couple of months have become proficient at the sport.

For more information on where to play locally to you, visit The Padel Directory online, or alternatively, search and book courts local to you on the Playtomic or Matchi apps.

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