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Padel bandeja and vibora drills to hold the net

Use the bandeja and vibora to keep the net under lobs instead of gifting the rally away with a wild smash.

  • Type: Walkthrough
  • Sport: Padel
  • Level: Intermediate
  • Area: Drills & Technique
  • Watch: 1:30
  • Read: 2 min

Embedded demo from YouTube: “Easiest Way To Learn The Padel Vibora/Bandeja”.

Find coach demos of this drill on YouTube

What you'll learn

  • Hit a repeatable, deep bandeja that does not sit up
  • Add a sliced vibora for pace and awkward bounces
  • Choose smash or bandeja based on the ball, defaulting to control
  • Hold the net position through repeated lobs

Before you start

  • You can track a lob and make overhead contact
  • A partner able to feed lobs over your head

Step by step

  1. Groove a deep, controlled bandeja

    Run the Bandeja Control and Depth Drill to build a repeatable bandeja that lands deep and never sits up. The bandeja is a control shot, so the target is consistent depth, not power.

    Why it matters:Why
    A deep bandeja keeps opponents pinned at the back and lets you hold the net, which is the whole point of the shot.

  2. Add the sliced vibora

    Use the Vibora Slice-Path Drill to add the brushing, sliced overhead. The slice gives you extra pace and a lower, awkward bounce for the balls that need more than a plain bandeja.

    What good looks like:Good
    A brushing contact that produces a skidding, sliced ball with pace.
    Common mistake:Avoid
    Flattening the vibora into a hard smash and losing the slice that makes it awkward.

  3. Decide smash or bandeja

    Play the Smash-or-Bandeja Decision Game to train shot selection: finish only the balls that are genuinely high put-aways, and default to the bandeja for control on everything else.

    Why it matters:Why
    Trying to smash every overhead gives the point away, whereas defaulting to control is how you keep the net.

  4. Contact out front with a side-on body

    Meet the ball out in front of you with the body turned side-on. Letting the ball drift behind your head is where overheads break down and the shot loses both control and depth.

    Common mistake:Avoid
    Reaching for the ball behind your head, which collapses the stroke and pops the ball up.

  5. Retest by holding the net

    Remember that depth beats power, because a deep bandeja pins opponents even when it is not spectacular. Retest in doubles: holding the net through three straight lobs is the honest checkpoint that your overhead is doing its job.

    Why it matters:Why
    Keeping the net across repeated lobs, not hitting one winner, is the outcome that wins padel points.

Try it now

Put this into practice in SwingVantage — free to start.

Try it now

Common mistakes

  • Trying to smash every overhead

    Default to a controlled bandeja and finish only the balls that are genuinely easy put-aways.

  • Letting the ball drop behind your head

    Move your feet so you contact the ball out in front with a side-on body.

  • Chasing power over depth on the bandeja

    Aim for consistent depth that keeps opponents pinned, because power that sits up hands them the attack.

What happens next

Record a retest

Prove the change stuck — re-record and compare against where you started.

Continue your path

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Trust & accuracy

SwingVantage is honest about certainty: findings are labeled by how they were produced and how confident they are. Treat them as a strong starting point you confirm with your own retest, not a final verdict.

Frequently asked

When should I bandeja instead of smash?

Default to the bandeja whenever the ball is not a clear put-away. It keeps the ball deep and lets you hold the net, whereas a forced smash often gives the point away.

What is the difference between the bandeja and the vibora?

The bandeja is a controlled, deep overhead you can repeat, while the vibora is a brushing, sliced version that adds pace and a lower, more awkward bounce.

How do I know my overhead is working?

Retest in doubles and see whether you can hold the net through three straight lobs. Keeping the net position is the real measure.

Full transcript
  1. In padel the is about keeping the net, not ending the point — that is what the is for.
  2. The Bandeja Control and Depth Drill builds a repeatable, deep bandeja that never sits up.
  3. The Slice-Path Drill adds the brushing, sliced version for pace and awkward bounces.
  4. The Smash-or-Bandeja Decision Game trains the real skill: finishing only the right balls, defaulting to control.
  5. Contact out front with a side-on body — reaching behind your head is how overheads break down.
  6. Depth beats power: a deep bandeja keeps opponents pinned even when it is not spectacular.
  7. Retest in doubles play: holding the net through three straight lobs is the honest checkpoint.
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