Beginner

Beginner Mistake: Smashing Every Lob

Also known as: overhitting the smash, rematar todo

Definition

Smashing every lob is the beginner habit of hitting every overhead at full power, whatever the situation. It leads to more unforced errors than smashing selectively.

The smash is padel's most satisfying shot. Beginners tend to treat every lob that arrives above shoulder height as an invitation to hit it as hard as possible. In reality, a lob that is too high, too deep, or hit while the pair is out of position is a poor smash candidate. An aggressive overhead at a steeply dropping ball, or one hit from behind the service line, is risky. It is far more likely to sail long or find the net than a controlled placement shot. Because padel courts are enclosed, an over-hit smash often rebounds off the back glass and comes right back into play for the opponents. In tennis, by contrast, an overhit smash is simply out.

A more reliable approach treats the smash as one option among several. Play a controlled, angled smash when the ball and position are ideal. Use a softer smash or "bandeja"-style shot when the ball is dropping late or the hitter is not fully set. Sometimes, play just a solid groundstroke or drop shot when the lob is too deep to attack safely at all. Learning to recognize which lobs are genuinely smashable, and which are better played conservatively, reduces a beginner's unforced errors sharply. It does so without sacrificing the aggressive shots that are actually winnable.

Example

A deep, high lob drops just behind the service line. Instead of swinging a full smash from an off-balance position, the player takes it as a controlled bandeja. This keeps the point alive and the pair at the net.

Why it matters

Over-hitting smashes on unfavorable lobs is one of the largest sources of unforced errors for new players. Motion Lab estimates your balance and arm path on overheads. But it cannot judge the lob. As a result, decide on video which lobs were worth a full swing.

How it shows up on video

In video, tag each overhead attempt with the lob's depth and the player's balance at contact. A pattern of full-power swings on deep or steeply dropping lobs, paired with a high miss rate on those same shots, is the clearest sign of the smash-everything habit.

Common mistakes

Swinging a full-power smash at a ball that is dropping steeply or arriving deep, rather than choosing a controlled bandeja.
Attempting an aggressive overhead while off-balance or behind the ideal contact position, instead of resetting with a safer shot.
Not accounting for the back glass — an over-hit smash that would be a clean winner in tennis often rebounds back into play in padel.
Treating every high ball the same regardless of depth, forgetting that lob height and lob depth call for different responses.

Frequently asked questions

Should beginners avoid the smash entirely until they are more advanced?

No — the smash is a normal and important shot at every level. The correction is not avoiding it. But learning which lobs are genuinely good smash candidates versus which ones are safer played as a bandeja or a controlled groundstroke.