Beginner Mistake: Smashing Every Lob
Also known as: overhitting the smash, rematar todo
Smashing Every Lob is the beginner habit of attacking every overhead ball at full power regardless of height, position, or court situation. This produces a high rate of unforced errors compared to selectively choosing when a smash is actually the right shot.
The smash is padel's most satisfying shot, and 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. At the same time, the pair is out of position is a poor smash candidate. This means an aggressive overhead swung at a ball that is dropping steeply, or hit from behind the service line, 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. This means unlike tennis, where an overhit smash is simply out.
A more reliable approach treats the smash as one option among several. This means a controlled, angled smash when the ball and position are ideal. A softer smash or "bandeja"-style shot when the ball is dropping late or the hitter is not fully set. And occasionally just a solid groundstroke or drop shot when the lob is too deep to attack safely at all. Learning to recognise which lobs are genuinely smashable. This means and which are better played conservatively. This means reduces unforced errors sharply for a beginner 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 unfavourable lobs is one of the largest sources of unforced errors for new players. SwingVantage distinguishes smash attempts by ball height and player balance to flag when full-power swings are being chosen on poor candidates.
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.
Related terms
- SmashA smash is a powerful overhead hit downward to finish a point. Here it is often aimed at the back panel so the ball rebounds clean out of the enclosure — the signature finish of the sport.
- BandejaA bandeja is a controlled sliced overhead. This means Spanish for "tray". This means hit to maintain net position. At the same time, placing the ball deep with backspin, prioritizing position preservation over outright winning the point.
- High Defensive LobA High Defensive Lob is an extreme-height version of the defensive lob. This means launched as high as the enclosure allows. This means primarily to buy maximum recovery time when defending under severe pressure.
- Topspin LobA Topspin Lob is a lob struck with forward topspin. As a result, after clearing the net players, it dips quickly and then accelerates and kicks off the turf and back glass. This makes it much harder to smash than a flat defensive lob.
- Defensive LobA Defensive Lob is a high, flat or slightly underspin lob hit from a difficult position to reset the point and force opponents away from the net, prioritising height and depth over power or spin.
Related guides & benchmarks
Put this into your swing
SwingVantage can spot this in your own swing — free to start.
See a sample Padel report first