January 31, 2024

Padel, the sport of the moment: how to play it and why it's good for you

By Naturale Bio

It is certainly the sport of the moment: padel has been a real explosion, both in terms of success among the public and, consequently, in the birth of dedicated sports centres, associations and official competitions in the area.

This "simplified" version of tennis was born around the 1970s and comes from South American countries, where it has already been popular for decades, for example in Mexico, Argentina and, in general, in Spain and throughout the Hispanic world.

For about 5 years the discipline has also arrived in Italy, also thanks to the active participation of many athletes famous in other disciplines - former footballers, for example - and VIPs who have publicly demonstrated their love for padel!

Padel, how it works and how to get started

It is played with 4 players, two against two: the ball is a tennis ball, while the rackets are different, generally having a structure and a "holed" carbon plate with a rubber core.

The scoring logic is the same as that of its cousin tennis: the big difference lies in the fact that the ball can bounce once on the ground and then one or more times against the glass walls, and still be played by the athletes.

The equipment, in fact, is rather simple and light. Just equip yourself with a good racket, called pala, t-shirt and shorts, and a pair of shoes with soles that allow you to have grip and not slip on the bottom of the court.

Matches can last on average from one to two hours, the typical reservation is an hour and a half, but it also depends on the level of the players.

The two team members have fairly defined roles. As a rule, the player on the right has a more defensive and strategic role, while that of left is more offensive, with an explosive and attacking game.

Terms such as bandeja, globo and vibora will sound familiar to those who enjoy this sport: they are some of the main shots.

Padel tennis, a concentration of technique, fun and sociability

But why do you like it so much? The padel trend doesn't seem to want to stop and this depends on the game itself. Fun and social, it is perfect for many types of people, regardless of gender, athletic training, time available and technical abilities.

In fact, there are those who love padel simply as a moment of fun and meeting with friends.

Others consider it an excellent sport for keeping fit, given that it burns a lot of calories and is also a much less tiring discipline than others, which allows you to play for a long time without incurring injuries or particular musculoskeletal stress.

Finally, however, there is also the competitive component. Many start by playing and then want to improve their technique and strategy to be able to compete in official competitions and tournaments, organized by sports centers together with the FIT, the Italian Tennis Federation, which also includes padel tennis.

To move from simple amateurs to the next step, and become competitive athletes, it is certainly a good idea to take lessons from qualified Padel instructors.

We asked Luca Bottini, Padel FIT instructor, who teaches at the sports center for his opinion on why padel is so popular and how it is evolving in Italy, who teaches at the sports center K-Padel&Tennis by Novara: “Padel is the sport of 3000, because it is easy and not demanding. In Spain and Argentina it has already been played for a long time, but now Italy is pushing hard and in recent years the growth of both players and courts is exponential. We as K-Padel&Tennis are at the forefront and we strongly believe that this sport can become one of the most practiced at a national level. The main objective is to grow rapidly as a Padel school and bring our young people to compete with the countries that are still light years ahead of us in this today. scope”.

Padel and nutrition: energy expenditure and integration

Nutrition has a huge impact on these sports in which a more aerobic level, of resistance in a match that can last over 90 minutes, and a more anaerobic, due to the continuous sprints necessary to recover the fastest balls and move around the pitch to defend the bottom or gain the net.

The average hourly energy expenditure is given as around 600 calories, therefore quite high. But what dietary advice is worth keeping in mind?

Even professionals in the sector say that eating correctly has a strong impact on performance on the pitch. Fernando “Bela” Belasteguin, one of the historical champions of the discipline, commented in a recent interview that having a balanced daily diet is part of his profession.

Another big name in racket sports, the international tennis talent Novak Djokovic, also spoke about nutrition and sports performance, even writing a book on how to learn to listen to your body and start a very careful, gluten-free and lactose-free diet, made him the champion he is today. His favorite breakfast product seems to be Manuka honey!

Food supplementation, therefore, is fundamental, especially if you play often and at high levels: energizing superfoods like maca are excellent for giving a real boost to metabolism.

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