📷 Photo / Video 🎥

Is it supposed to be uncomfortable watching yourself play? 😅

3930 commentsu/MikmerGG1w ago

For the first time I got around to filming my matches and man is it hard to watch yourself play. The vision I had of myself when I play compared to what i'm actually doing is 2 wildly different things. It's like a horrifying realization of how horrible I am at the sport still and how many things I do wrong. The racket is like not prepared and just pointed down over 50% of the time. My shots basically just have my arm going, but no body rotation or guidance from my non-dominant hand. Smashes are being hit a lil over eye level and i'm jogging around like I am on a fcking picnic. Man is there a lot to work on... It's probably good as an eye opener, but haha the classic ego of a padel player does take a hit. Curious how many others have done this and seen improvement from it?

View on Reddit

Comments (30)

u/eggplantpot1w ago

It is uncomfortable, but that's the whole point

u/Wrong_Bad49221w ago

It is but whats amazing is seeing the progress over time! Keep filming yourself like every few months and as long as you keep working on improving your technique, each time, u will surpisingly look just a little less horrific and u will be amazed hahaha i always thought i would look so bad but it does improve little by little over time and i look less bad each time i see film haha

u/MikmerGGOP1w ago

That’s my goal yeah. Keep recording since it’s been the best way to see what actually happens in a match when I play

u/mercynuts1w ago

Yeah its an awful experience but also quite funny imo (occasional decent shot interspersed between a dozen "wtf was that shot" moments)

u/Turbulent_Host_14361w ago

Ive been recording and documenting my journey and its one hell of a pain watching my videos hahaha both the editing and gameplay is still amateur but the benefit is that im improving way faster than if I didnt Recordimg at least for me exposes a lot and makes me understand way more what the coach is saying and trying to teach because u have a 3rds eye view of what you are actually doing and not what you think you are doing If your plan is to maximise progress I definitely recommend recording but be ready to face the harsh reality 🫡

u/Pigglebee1w ago

What’s also annoying is that the camera makes the rallies look twice as slow, dropping the perceived level even lower. Other than that, I was under the impression that my technique was better than it actually is. That was pretty disheartening. Only upside is that what other people say of my playstyle is correct.. “everything looks so easy”. I seem to do very little effort and hit every ball where I want with high accuracy. Perks of ex-tennis probably. But ugh, I want my bandejas and viboras to actually look like ones instead of just high volleys

u/Any_Elk74951w ago

It’s the best thing to do, because you realise half the people giving advice absolutely play far much worse than they think. And ‘oh you’re a level 2, 2.5 max’ when it’s just it looks ‘bad’ on video.

u/LooseCandidate1w ago

Haha yes, in everyone’s head they play close to the level Galan does. Then when you watch yourself play, you realise the technique isn’t there, let alone the movement. The biggest realisation for me was how slow my footwork was. I actually felt, especially coming from a high-level football background, like I was flying all over the court… haha.

u/MikmerGGOP1w ago

Oh for sure! I’m actually not moving half the time or instead of rushing to get net position it looks like a little jog. Definitely something I want to improve going forward

u/theverticalway1w ago

That’s the point mate. I learned a lot from just watching myself playing wrong. You then focus on one thing your next game, then next one… I fixed my racket handling, jogging around the court with just watching myself. Even the preparation - so many times I wanted to shout at myself “what you’re waiting for?!! Start running!!”

u/MikmerGGOP1w ago

Yeah for sure going to keep recording and focus on these things. I feel like when I watch back i'm quite lazy? Like all the stuff I know from training are barely being applied. Gotta work on simply being more active on everything.

u/theverticalway1w ago

Last but not least - to make a recording, review and check if you apply all you know - is so much cheaper than training session:))

u/morningwoodelf691w ago

I did the same thing.. filmed my first game about 2 weeks ago and I am still a bit shocked with what I saw. After hitting some viboras I thought I sometimes look kinda like the decent players, but I couldn’t be more wrong. I went back to training starting with most basic forehand technique..

u/Classic_Tailor57091w ago

How do you guys film?

u/squarelol1w ago

My club has an AI system called clutch. With a QR code you scan it records the whole match and keeps track of stats. It’s pretty useful and generates highlights for the game

u/J_Barker991w ago

Mine uses clutch too I think it's really good. I agree with OP too after using it I laughed at myself and it's made me really think about racket prep and technique so much more.

u/Available_Animator351w ago

Yea Same for me. Awful but helpful experience

u/jimmy0110871w ago

I remember absolutely storming some 5 a side tournament, top scorer etc. one of the goals, absolutely sent some guy for a picnic then slotted in the corner etc. They posted the highlights and I remember being shocked just how slow it all looked! I’m obviously used to watching pro football and just kind of put 2 and 2 together in my head I guess. I’d imagine the same but even more pronounced in Padel. I’d just enjoy it if I were you and take the positive that there’s so many more levels to your game still to unlock. I’m currently unable to play with a minor but annoyingly persistent leg injury and am missing just even being able to play, will be so grateful when I recover and get back on court

u/MikmerGGOP1w ago

Yeah I mean shocking but like a good eye opener and ego check. Think it’s the best thing I could ever do. Wish you a fast recovery

u/jenwhite19741w ago

Yup

u/Straight-Witness-7741w ago

Did you do that with as a training programm or on your own?

u/MikmerGGOP1w ago

Simply on my own Smacked up a tripod with my phone on behind the court since it had space. Just a match since training I think is very different. You focus on the stuff you gotta do, but in a match you can quickly forget it in the heat of battle.

u/PinnPin431w ago

Yes and it never really goes away. Even when you improve, you just find new things to cringe at. The racket preparation thing hits close to home. I thought I had decent prep until I watched footage and my racket was basically pointing at the floor every time I moved laterally. Completely invisible to me in the moment. Filming yourself is brutal but it's probably the single highest ROI thing you can do to improve. A coach can tell you your elbow is dropping on the bandeja 10 times and it won't stick the same way as actually seeing it once.

u/MikmerGGOP1w ago

Yeah I do train with a quite good coach, but a lot seems to go away when I then play matches. I will keep recording myself when I can going forward. Think a mix of coaching and the recordings will be the best way to improve going forward. Honestly it's quite an eye opener. Like despite it being a lil cringe and hard to watch yourself it's probably the best thing for improvement I can ever do.

u/Agitated_Fondant60141w ago

Hahaha yes. In my head i am poised, balanced, composed and athletic.... almost balletic. On camera i am a fat, flapping sack of SHIT

u/MikmerGGOP1w ago

BROOOOOO SAMEEEEE

u/SeaworthinessFew73501w ago

too funny!

u/Khayma_1w ago

Yes because the only footage you are seeing are of people that are really good or the pro’s and then all of sudden you see yourself play hahaha. That looks awful.

u/motleycrue5551w ago

Almost as bad as watching your own golf swing!!!!

u/OverlappingChatter1w ago

Watching yourself do anything is horrendous. My mom filmed me bowling and I (thought that I) looked like a moose on ice.