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Kick smash

Padel / Popular

Brush up the back of the ball for a heavy, high-bouncing smash.

What coaches agree on

  • Create the kick with a loose, whip-like wrist snap that brushes up the back of the ball, since that spin is what makes the ball jump off the glass, not raw arm power.
  • Aim to bounce the ball close to the back glass so it strikes high up on the glass, because the higher up the glass it hits, the more it rebounds up and out over the fence.
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Common mistakes

  • Keeping your everyday forehand grip instead of switching to a continental or backhand grip for this shot leaves the ball flat with no kick at all.
  • Letting the ball drift out in front of you, or to your forehand side, before contact instead of taking it above or slightly behind your head flattens the shot.
  • Staying square to the net and swinging mainly from the arm instead of turning side-on and driving up through the legs costs balance, power, and direction.
Master tips for the Kick Smash
Intermediate

Master tips for the Kick Smash

Coach's take: The throw-the-ball-first progression is a smart way to isolate the feeling before adding the racket.

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