[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-article-en-essential-padel-shots":3,"blog-article-translations-essential-padel-shots":320},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"categories":303,"date":305,"description":306,"draft":307,"extension":308,"image":309,"meta":310,"metaDescription":311,"metaTitle":312,"navigation":313,"ogImage":314,"path":315,"seo":316,"stem":317,"translationKey":318,"__hash__":319},"blog_en/en/blog/essential-padel-shots.md","Bandeja, víbora, chiquita: the essential padel shots",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":284},"minimark",[9,13,18,26,52,56,62,80,84,90,108,112,118,130,139,143,155,175,178,182,193,204,208,234,238,243,246,250,253,257,260,264,270,274],[10,11,12],"p",{},"Padel has its own vocabulary, inherited from Spanish: bandeja, víbora, chiquita… Behind these names are specific shots that exist neither in tennis nor in squash, and that give the game its tactical richness. The good news: there are not fifty of them. Master a handful of essential shots and you will have an answer to almost every situation. Here is the guide, shot by shot: what it is for, when to play it, and how to work on it.",[14,15,17],"h2",{"id":16},"the-bandeja-keep-the-net-without-taking-risks","The bandeja: keep the net without taking risks",[10,19,20,21,25],{},"The ",[22,23,24],"strong",{},"bandeja"," (\"tray\" in Spanish) is THE signature shot of padel. It is a controlled overhead, struck at shoulder height with a \"tray-carrying\" motion: the ball is hit with slight slice, at moderate speed.",[27,28,29,36,46],"ul",{},[30,31,32,35],"li",{},[22,33,34],{},"When to play it",": on an opponent's lob that is not deep enough, when you are at the net and want to stay there.",[30,37,38,41,42,45],{},[22,39,40],{},"Goal",": it is not a winner, it is a ",[22,43,44],{},"holding"," shot. You send back a low, deep ball that stops your opponents from taking the net.",[30,47,48,51],{},[22,49,50],{},"Classic mistake",": trying to hit it like a smash. The bandeja is played with footwork, not with the arm.",[14,53,55],{"id":54},"the-víbora-the-bandejas-aggressive-sister","The víbora: the bandeja's aggressive sister",[10,57,20,58,61],{},[22,59,60],{},"víbora"," (\"viper\") starts from the same situation as the bandeja, but with a more lateral motion and a lot of spin. The ball shoots off after the bounce and slides along the side glass.",[27,63,64,69,74],{},[30,65,66,68],{},[22,67,34],{},": same situation as the bandeja, but when the ball is slightly higher and you want to put your opponent in danger.",[30,70,71,73],{},[22,72,40],{},": force a weak return or a direct error, without attempting the definitive smash.",[30,75,76,79],{},[22,77,78],{},"Prerequisite",": master the bandeja first. The víbora is its advanced version.",[14,81,83],{"id":82},"the-chiquita-the-low-ball-that-traps-attackers","The chiquita: the low ball that traps attackers",[10,85,20,86,89],{},[22,87,88],{},"chiquita"," is a softly played ball from the back of the court that dies at the feet of the players at the net.",[27,91,92,97,102],{},[30,93,94,96],{},[22,95,34],{},": when your opponents hold the net and the lob is not an option.",[30,98,99,101],{},[22,100,40],{},": force them to volley upwards, so you can move in behind it and flip the balance of power.",[30,103,104,107],{},[22,105,106],{},"The key",": precision over speed. A chiquita that sits up is an easy volley handed over.",[14,109,111],{"id":110},"the-lob-padels-most-underrated-weapon","The lob: padel's most underrated weapon",[10,113,20,114,117],{},[22,115,116],{},"lob"," is nothing spectacular, yet it is the shot that swings the most points in amateur padel. Well measured, it pushes the opposing pair back and hands you the net.",[27,119,120,125],{},[30,121,122,124],{},[22,123,34],{},": whenever you are under pressure at the back of the court, or to dislodge opponents settled at the net.",[30,126,127,129],{},[22,128,40],{},": deep, high, ideally to the backhand side. The lob is a building shot, not a rescue shot.",[10,131,132,133,138],{},"Our guide on ",[134,135,137],"a",{"href":136},"/blog/tips/articles/how-to-improve-quickly-at-padel","how to improve quickly at padel"," makes it one of the pillars of smart play.",[14,140,142],{"id":141},"playing-off-the-glass-the-fundamental-that-separates-levels","Playing off the glass: the fundamental that separates levels",[10,144,145,146,149,150,154],{},"Playing the ball ",[22,147,148],{},"after it bounces off the glass"," is the most disorienting move for beginners, and the clearest divider between levels. The ",[134,151,153],{"href":152},"/blog/tips/articles/padel-rules-explained-simply","rules of padel"," allow the ball to rebound off the walls after hitting the ground: you must learn to use it.",[27,156,157,163,169],{},[30,158,159,162],{},[22,160,161],{},"Step back early"," so you are not trapped against the glass.",[30,164,165,168],{},[22,166,167],{},"Let the ball drop"," into your comfortable hitting zone.",[30,170,171,174],{},[22,172,173],{},"Aim for a deep return",", preferably cross-court, not a spectacular shot.",[10,176,177],{},"Twenty minutes of wall practice a week transforms your defence within months.",[14,179,181],{"id":180},"the-smash-por-3-and-por-4-finish-the-point-or-not","The smash \"por 3\" and \"por 4\": finish the point… or not",[10,183,184,185,188,189,192],{},"The smash in padel is not a reflex, it is a decision. Two winning variants exist: ",[22,186,187],{},"por 3"," (the ball leaves over the side wall) and ",[22,190,191],{},"por 4"," (over the back wall). But beware:",[27,194,195,198,201],{},[30,196,197],{},"A poorly controlled smash comes back into the court and offers an easy counter.",[30,199,200],{},"Below a solid technical level, a firm víbora or bandeja is almost always more profitable.",[30,202,203],{},"Save the definitive smash for high, central balls with a good base under you.",[14,205,207],{"id":206},"how-to-practise-these-shots-effectively","How to practise these shots effectively",[27,209,210,216,222,228],{},[30,211,212,215],{},[22,213,214],{},"Isolate one shot per session",": 20 minutes of bandeja beats 5 minutes of everything.",[30,217,218,221],{},[22,219,220],{},"Work with a partner"," who feeds you lobs or chiquitas in series.",[30,223,224,227],{},[22,225,226],{},"Film yourself",": the bandeja motion you think you make and the one you actually make are often very different.",[30,229,230,233],{},[22,231,232],{},"Play themed matches",": for example, no smashing allowed, to force bandejas and víboras.",[14,235,237],{"id":236},"faq","FAQ",[239,240,242],"h3",{"id":241},"what-is-the-difference-between-a-bandeja-and-a-víbora","What is the difference between a bandeja and a víbora?",[10,244,245],{},"The bandeja is a control shot, hit flat or slightly sliced, to keep the net. The víbora is more aggressive: lateral motion, heavy spin, a ball that shoots off after the bounce. Learn the bandeja first.",[239,247,249],{"id":248},"which-shot-should-a-beginner-work-on-first","Which shot should a beginner work on first?",[10,251,252],{},"Playing off the glass and the lob. These are the two fundamentals that win the most points in amateur padel, well before the smash.",[239,254,256],{"id":255},"should-you-smash-often-in-padel","Should you smash often in padel?",[10,258,259],{},"No. Unlike tennis, the smash in padel is risky: poorly controlled, it comes back into play and invites the counter. The bandeja and the víbora pay off more in most situations.",[239,261,263],{"id":262},"what-is-the-serve-called-in-padel","What is the serve called in padel?",[10,265,266,267,269],{},"The serve is played underarm, below the hip, after a bounce. It has no particular Spanish name, but it follows precise rules, detailed in our guide to the ",[134,268,153],{"href":152},".",[14,271,273],{"id":272},"conclusion","Conclusion",[10,275,276,277,283],{},"Bandeja to hold the net, víbora to attack, chiquita to dislodge, lob to build, wall play to defend: with these five shots you have an answer to almost every situation in padel. Work on them one at a time, in real conditions: nothing replaces matches to make them stick. ",[134,278,282],{"href":279,"rel":280},"https://padeligo.go.link/eeV1Y",[281],"nofollow","Download Padeligo"," to find partners at your level and multiply the chances to put them into practice.",{"title":285,"searchDepth":286,"depth":286,"links":287},"",2,[288,289,290,291,292,293,294,295,302],{"id":16,"depth":286,"text":17},{"id":54,"depth":286,"text":55},{"id":82,"depth":286,"text":83},{"id":110,"depth":286,"text":111},{"id":141,"depth":286,"text":142},{"id":180,"depth":286,"text":181},{"id":206,"depth":286,"text":207},{"id":236,"depth":286,"text":237,"children":296},[297,299,300,301],{"id":241,"depth":298,"text":242},3,{"id":248,"depth":298,"text":249},{"id":255,"depth":298,"text":256},{"id":262,"depth":298,"text":263},{"id":272,"depth":286,"text":273},[304],"tips","2026-06-30","Bandeja, víbora, chiquita, lob, wall play… Discover the essential padel shots, when to play them and how to practise them.",false,"md","/images/blog/essential-padel-shots.jpg",{},"Bandeja, víbora, chiquita, lob, wall exits: the guide to the essential padel shots, with game situations and tips to practise them.","The essential padel shots: bandeja, víbora, chiquita | Padeligo",true,null,"/en/blog/essential-padel-shots",{"title":5,"description":306},"en/blog/essential-padel-shots","essential-padel-shots","eaP0D_X3qs1xA0WbbII7kv9LEPxX3fOaz3YTfEFd8kk",[321,325,328],{"locale":322,"slug":323,"categories":324},"fr","les-coups-essentiels-du-padel",[304],{"locale":326,"slug":318,"categories":327},"en",[304],{"locale":329,"slug":330,"categories":331},"es","golpes-esenciales-del-padel",[304]]