Padel, lo sport del momento: come si gioca e perché fa bene

January 31, 2024

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

By Naturale Bio

It is definitely the sport of the moment: the paddle it was a real explosion, both in terms of success among the public and, consequently, in terms of the birth of dedicated sports centres, associations and official competitions in the area.

This “simplified” version of tennis It was born around the 70s 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 famous athletes in other disciplines - former footballers, for example - and VIPs who have publicly manifested their love for padel!

Padel, how it works and how to get started

A padel court is smaller than a tennis court, has a synthetic material base and has an essential feature: the plexiglass walls , which will bring to mind the squash famous in the 80s.

It is played by 4 people, two against two : the ball is a tennis one, while the rackets are different, generally they have a structure and a “perforated” carbon plate with a rubber core.

The scoring logic is the same as that of its cousin tennis: the big difference is 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 quite simple and light. All you need is a good racket, called shovel , 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 field.

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

The two members of the team have fairly defined roles. Typically, the right-hand player has a more defensive and strategic role, while the one on the left He is more offensive, with an explosive and attacking game.

Terms like banner, globe And vibrates They will sound familiar to those who enjoy this sport: these are some of the main shots.

Padel-tennis, a mix of technique, fun and sociability

But why is it so popular? The padel trend does not 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 preparation, time available and technical ability.

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 , as it burns a lot of calories and is also a discipline that is much less demanding than others, allowing you to play for a long time without incurring injuries or particular musculoskeletal stress.

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

To go from being a simple amateur to the next step, and becoming a competitive athlete, it is certainly good to take lessons from qualified Padel Instructors.

We asked for an opinion on why padel is so popular and how it is evolving in Italy to Luca Bottini, Padel FIT Instructor , who teaches at the sports centre K-Padel&Tennis from Novara: “ Padel is the sport of the 3000s, because it is easy and does not require much effort. In Spain and Argentina it has been played for a long time, but now Italy is pushing a lot 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 today are still light years ahead of us in this area ”.

Padel and nutrition: energy expenditure and integration

Nutrition has a huge impact on these sports which combine a higher level of fitness aerobic , endurance over a match that can last over 90 minutes, and a higher level anaerobic , due to the continuous sprints needed to recover the fastest balls and move around the court to defend the baseline or gain the net.

The average hourly energy expenditure is around 600 calories , so quite high. But what nutritional advice is it good to keep in mind?

Even professionals in the sector affirm that eating correctly has a strong impact on performance on the field. 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 , has spoken about nutrition and sports performance, even writing a book on how learning to listen to his body and starting a very careful, gluten-free and lactose-free diet, has made him the champion he is today. His favorite breakfast product seems to be precisely Manuka honey !

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

Last but not least, hydration : drinking a lot, during and after the match, is a must, because you sweat a lot and it helps to reintegrate the lost mineral salts and avoid cramps and so-called "heat strokes".

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