Hello everyone. A quick intro in the car, you know me: I’m in a hurry, I’m half looking at the camera… but I absolutely had to debrief this padel class with Arnaud Meesen, because there were some real “triggers”. Not Instagram tricks: simple, repeated adjustments that change the quality of the match point and lucidity in the match.
First of all, a change of routine: for the time being, lessons are no longer with Geoffrey. Our schedules don’t match up any more, so I’m working with a new partner. In the video, I’m training with a buddy announced around 300: we’ve known each other for a few months, we’ve already played together, and above all we’re going to team up after the interclubs. Our clear goal is to stop tinkering, build a more solid game and promote ourselves step by step.
The basics that Arnaud is blowing out (and that I was doing badly)
First job: footwork. Arnaud keeps telling me: “stay low”. As soon as I play high on my legs, I lose my timing, get off balance and suffer the glass. When I bend, the ball goes away cleaner, I’m stable after impact, and I can string together. Sounds basic, but it’s exactly what splits a “survive” rally from a “build” rally.
Second point: release. Tense arm = slice gesture, comeback ball and zero love. Here, the instructions are clear: a little preparation, a long follow-through, and I finish my stroke. Even in defense, Arnaud wants a “living” racket: I block less, I control more, and I give myself a second chance on the next ball.
Third point: managing the windows, especially the double wall. My typical mistake is trying to hit “in contact”. Arnaud makes me wait: I let the ball come out with the racket already down, then I move forward at the right moment. And on lobs, he breaks my automatism: instead of going backwards at the same tempo, I accelerate hard on the first steps, then adjust with small steps before the bandeja or the vibora (which I tend to take too far behind). Result: I play the ball in front of me, not behind.
The tempo: stop playing with tempo
The most interesting part of the lesson is when Arnaud talks about “cruising speed”. Playing with tempo means offering your opponent a comfortable ball: he leans, he slices, he locks you in. So we do the opposite: either I accelerate (often on the body), or I break the tempo by playing slower. In the exercise, alternating between a fast ball and a soft ball has an immediate spin: the other player hesitates, his footwork freezes and the ball “comes back less”.
And to hit the net, we break out of the automatic “lob and run” pattern. We work on the chiquita played forward, racket down, often in the middle to reduce angles. Behind the ball, volleying becomes simpler: I’m not looking for highlights, I’m looking for the zone.
Adidas racquet test: control with ease
Last but not least, the racquet test. I was hesitating between Adidas and Babolat, and then I tried an Adidas for control. Immediate sensation: it responds without me having to lengthen my stroke, it’s forgiving on defense even when slightly off-center, and I can feel the ball to the glass better.
