Padel dictionary
Every shot the puzzles are written in, drawn on court. Tap one to see where the players stand and the puzzles that train it.
Backhand Volley
Hitting the ball before it bounces, using the back side of your racket. It's like a high-five with the back of your hand!
Bajada
An attack shot you hit after a lob when the ball bounces high off the back glass. You hit it hard and downward to take back the attack and make your opponents struggle to return.
Bandeja
A special overhead shot where you hit the ball gently with backspin, so it stays low. It helps you keep your spot at the net without trying to win the point immediately.
Chiquita
A soft, slow shot, flat or with a topspin, aimed at your opponents' feet when they are at the net. It forces them to hit the ball upwards, giving you a chance to attack.
Drop Shot
A shot where you hit the ball very close to the net, so it bounces very low. It's great when your opponets are deep and you want to force them to move forward and make a shot on the move.
Flat Smash
Hitting the ball hard without a spin to win the point
Forehand Volley
Hitting the ball before it bounces, using the front side of your racket. It's like giving a high-five to the ball!
Gancho
A gancho is an overhead “hook” shot you play when your opponent lobs the ball over you. You hit it high above your head (often over your non-dominant shoulder) and aim the ball toward the side wall or glass/fence, making it bounce in a tricky, awkward way. It helps you stay at the net and can turn a defensive lob into a shot that’s hard for your opponents to return.
Half Volley
A half volley is a defensive shot you play when the ball bounces right in front of your feet — you hit it immediately after the bounce, almost as if you didn’t let it fully rise. It’s used when the ball is too close and low to do a normal groundstroke, helping you stay in the rally when you’re caught near the net or under pressure.
Lob
A lob is like a high, soft shot that sails over your opponents' heads and lands deep in their court. It's great for giving yourself time to get back into position or making your opponents run to the back of the court.
Pop Out
Hitting the ball out of the court with a short wrist movement
Rulo
A rulo is a soft overhead shot with topspin that you hit when the ball is lobbed over you. You try to make the ball bounce off the side fence or glass, so your opponents get a weird, tricky bounce and can’t attack easily.
Spin
Spin is when you hit the ball so it rotates while flying. Because it’s spinning, the ball bounces in a tricky way, can jump higher, lower, or even sideways, and becomes harder for your opponent to control. Think of it like throwing a ball with a twist instead of straight. For example, when you brush the ball, it spins, hits the glass, and then jumps in a weird way.
Vibora
A fast, aggressive overhead shot that looks like a snake bite! You hit the ball with side spin so it stays very low and spins into the corner, making it hard to return.