💡 Tactics and Technique 💡

Breakdown of fixes in my beginner kicksmash. Any other fixes?

Probably still too early to focus on this but for fun. I think it’s still more of a flat smash than a top spin / kick smash at this stage, but it’s way better than a year ago! I need less power and way more brush. Not yet confident enough to try in game. Any other tips / feedback?

https://youtube.com/shorts/4uAfoao7WP8?si=lIeBgKD-S_k1Jiwc

View on Reddit

Comments (10)

u/Adept_Deer_59761w ago

Your grip is wrong (it needs to be at least continental, but probably eastern backhand. Grip changes are vital in racket sports), your contact point is wrong (its 1 o’clock, it needs to be 11 o’clock, so over your left shoulder), and your body shape is wrong (your left arm should be be up and your shoulders need to be turned - your knees need to bend to ‘fetch’ the ball from behind you). I’m not going to get into pronation and supination because it’s complicated/difficult to explain in words, but you’re creating no internal shoulder rotation and no spin at all. It’s a flat smack, rather than a brush up the ball. YouTube has loads of videos on how to do a kick serve in tennis. It’s the same technique - basically, except a few things in padel are exaggerated to get even more kick/spin, especially the back bend that a lot of the pros do. There’s a risk of injury in that if you’re not fit and flexible. However, if you’re a beginner, all of this is a bit irrelevant: you’d be much better off focussing on a vibora tbh. That’s the percentage shot. I have a good kick smash because I had a big top spin second serve in tennis, but I probably get to hit one or two a game. On the other hand, I’m constantly hitting viboras, ganchos and, when I get the chance, tap-outs. Hit a mint smash that comes back over the net or kicks out x3 always get a “nice shot”, but it rarely wins a match. Solid volleys, lobs and defence win padel games. Hope that helps. Good luck 👍🏻

u/NoEasyPointsOP1w ago

Thanks for the tips!! The grip should probably no.1 on the list. I start in continental but for some slip out of it. I definitely agree on the points re winners in games. All my winners in games are vibora, ganchos and chancletazos / backhand volleys. Occasionally a nice drop shot and tap outs. Learning to hit a kicksmash is primarily because it looks cool honestly and good for content. Second reason is as a shorter guy I get lobbed a lot, so I focused on bajadas for the deep lobs and viboras for the shorter ones. It would be great to eventually add a kicksmash to the arsenal for bad lobs.

u/dmackerman1w ago

"Looks good for content" 🤡 Learn to fundamentally play the game, that will be good for content. If you want to really learn it, take 2 lessons from a pro. You are pretty far away from the correct form here.

u/1092671w ago

If you call yourself a beginner than yeah, it probably is waay too early to focus on this. Consistency and mastering the technique of beginner and then intermediate techniques should definitely come first.

u/NoEasyPointsOP1w ago

I still have a lot to learn on fundamentals but it’s getting there. I’m starting to play against people that can kick smash, so it’s something I want to learn by the end of the year.

u/Professional_Cap_2851w ago

I'm been playing for years, even decades and in a game I probably do a X3 once every 8 or 9 games. I win many more points with positioning. Velleys, vivoras, flat smash, etc. But even more, from opponents errors. Yesterday i played against this young lad who was good overall, average shits and excellent overhead with a super powerful smash and kick smash. Both of us with much lower level partners. Result 6-1, 6-4 for us. The difference was in all the rest of the shits and especially in consistency and doing less unforced errors. People keep focusing on these spectacular shots leaving the foundation behind. Boring

u/NoEasyPointsOP1w ago

All of that is true. But a kicksmash is also fun. I practice it maybe 10 mins every 2-3 months. All the other time I spend on fundamentals. So 99.5% of my time on fundamentals. In a game I probably I wont even try to kicksmash for the next several months. It’s good to sometimes have fun. Like learning to do tricks in football as a kid, will never use in a game. The coach will bench me if I do it. But as kids we still practiced them for fun. Sometimes in a game you do it against friends and everyone laughs when it tricks your opponent. Same mentality should apply as adults no? I would say the same thing for drop shots. I don’t practice them a lot but everyone enjoys it when it wins the point.

u/Professional_Cap_2856d ago

Ah yes, absolutely! I do train it in almost every training session. And still it's so hard for me. I may have a 10% success rate at this point 😜😅

u/zemvpferreira1w ago

I would suggest focusing 100% on developing a good flat smash before moving to kick. It's much easier technically and much more useful as well at our level. You can get the ball out x3 from the service line if you're tall-ish with power alone. When that is nailed down, kick will be simpler to add.