The sports world is constantly evolving, with new and exciting games captivating fitness and sports enthusiasts alike.
In the realm of indoor sports, padel has become very popular due to its unique gameplay and competitive nature. It is one of the fastest-growing sports in the India, with people of all ages playing, from recreational purposes to professional levels. Padel is a comprehensive sport that puts physical and mental abilities to practice, contributing to overall wellness and fitness.
Padel: A Dynamic Sport for Everyone
Padel is a racket-based sport that combines tennis, badminton and squash. It is played in an enclosed space, usually made of glass or metallic mesh.
The padel is typically played in doubles; however, as it is not power-dominant, it can be played by mixed players with varying abilities to play an exciting social game. It features underarm serves and a tennis-like scoring system, except for the golden point.
So whether you are a seasoned tennis player or a sports enthusiast looking to try something new, Padel is an easy-to-learn yet fun and challenging sport that fosters athleticism and excitement.
Padel Sport Vs Pickleball
Tennis has created various spinoffs that involve racket, net and ball, like squash, pickleball, platform tennis, POP tennis, padel and beach tennis.
Padel and pickleball are different types of court sports.
Padel combines squash and tennis, played in enclosed walls, with underarm serves. While pickleball is a mix of badminton, table tennis, and tennis, it is played on a smaller court with plastic perforated balls and padels.
The major difference between padel and pickleball is in terms of equipment, play style and court design.
Difference Between Padel and Pickleball
Layout & Court Size: The pickleball court is 44 feet long and 20 feet wide. It consists of a non-volleyball zone 7 feet from the net on both sides of the court. The net is 36 inches on the end and 34 inches in height. The court size of the padel is measured in meters, nearly 22 meters in length and 10 meters in width. The net is quite similar to the pickleball net.
Equipment: Padel tennis is played with padel made of composite materials like fibreglass or carbon glass, like pickleball. The padels are thicker and stronger, with hard foam centres and holes on the surface. The padels are heavier than the pickleball, and they have a strap for the wrist. The padel ball is a small rubber ball similar to the tennis ball but decompressed. The pickleball is heavy and made of composite materials like carbon fibre or graphite.
Gameplay: Padel is played in enclosed glass and wire walls, similar to squash. Players can take advantage of different angles that are not present in pickleball as the ball rebounds off the walls.
Serving: Padel players serve underarm behind the assigned service line on the court from the right side. The serve needs to hit in the diagonal service box, and returners need to hit the ball off the first bounce. In pickleball, the serve is also underarm in an upward motion with the impact below the waist.
Padel sports like tennis (Some other racket sports)
There are various padel sports like tennis that involve padel, ball and net, providing athleticism and the thrill of playing a fun sport. Some of the padel sports are:
Beach Tennis: This padel-based sport is played on an indoor sand court the same size as the beach volleyball court. The main rule is that you can let the ball touch the ground. It is an exciting game that offers great physical exercise.
Platform Tennis: Similar to padel, platform tennis is also played on an enclosed court that is ⅓ of the tennis court and is played on an elevated platform. These platforms are made of composite materials with holes, and a spongy rubber ball is used to play the game.
Padel: It is one of the most popular and rapidly growing combinations of squash and tennis. It is usually played in enclosed courts with rubber balls that can be played off the walls. Padel features an underarm serve and a tennis-like scoring system, excluding golden points.
Pickleball: Pickleball has gained a lot of popularity in recent years due to its simple rules and suitability for all ages. It can be played singles or doubles with solid padels and a perforated ball, similar to a waffle ball.
Is Padel Played in India?
Padel is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, with 30 million players across 25+ countries. It has attracted significant players in India, primarily in Bengaluru and Mumbai. Padel has become a popular sport in India among local communities, schools, and the corporate sector. Its expansion and growth are driven by increased awareness and the establishment of padel courts in India.
It started with just one padel court in the city of Bengaluru; today, there are more than 100 courts across the country, including gymkhanas, commercial sites, private clubs, and residences. Though it is administered by the Indian Padel Federation, affiliated to International Moreover, to push padel to thrive in cricket-worshipped India, it is crucial to be recognised by the Sports Ministry and Sports Authority of India.
The journey of padel in India has just begun with dedicated sports enthusiasts and strategic investment, making it lucrative sports potential in the country. So whether you are a passionate sports enthusiast or someone who wants to indulge in an exciting sport, padel is the game for you.
What are the Benefits of Playing Padel?
Can Be Played by All Ages
The best thing about padel is that it can be played by people of all age groups and abilities, so no matter what your age is, you can relish this sport with fellow players. It is a game that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and skills, making it an inclusive and accessible sport for all.
Social Interaction
Another reason padel is immensely popular is that it is a social sport. You can play singles or doubles, offering you a great opportunity to interact and build healthy communities and relationships. You can participate in a padel event, or join a padel club, creating a healthy, supportive, and exciting weekend with family, friends, or colleagues.
Relieves Stress & Tension
Work, daily chores, and deadlines can significantly contribute to tension and stress. Playing padel is an excellent stress-buster for unwinding and relaxing. The strategy and presence of the mind require complete concentration, making you forget the tension and worries. This allows you to be present at the moment, reduce stress and tension, improve mood, and feel energized and rejuvenated.
Enhances Reflex & Coordination
Just like tennis and badminton, padel requires excellent coordination, reflexes, balance, and agility. The quick movement changes, split-second reflexes, full focus, and presence of mind improve mental as well as physical attributes. The fast-paced nature of the sport helps to improve reflexes and coordination, which has a positive impact beyond the court.
Improves Mental Discipline
Playing padel is a great way to stay focused on your goals and improve mental discipline. The fast-paced nature and discipline require quick thinking, assessment, and decision-making. Padel helps improve cognitive function, memory, concentration, and attention, so apart from having a good time on the court, you are improving mental discipline.
Physical Benefits of Padel
Improved Fitness & Weight Management
Similar to the physical benefits of tennis, padel is a fantastic workout for your entire body. It involves running, jumping, and swinging the racket as a quick reflex that contributes to flexibility, strength, and physical endurance. Apart from enhancing cardiovascular muscles and building muscles, it is also an exceptional way to manage weight. Playing padel can burn a significant amount of calories, so if you are looking to maintain a healthy weight or lose weight, it is a great alternative to the gym.
Toned Muscles
Practising padel offers health benefits such as toned muscles and strength in the upper body. Moving, running, and jumping help build leg muscles and strength, particularly in the calves, quads, and glutes. Padel sports is an outstanding cardio, muscle toning, and strengthening activity that helps improve heart health and burn calories.
Improves Cardiovascular Activity
Playing padel is a full-body workout that involves a lot of running, movement from side to side, and quick changes of direction. It strengthens the cardiovascular system and improves the peripheral system and heart rate. Regular padel sports like tennis improve aerobic fitness and contribute to greater respiratory and physical resistance.
Overall Wellness & Fitness
Padel sport is a great way to maintain overall well-being and fitness. It improves aerobic fitness, promotes a low-fat percentage and a more favourable lipid profile, improves bone health, and reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.
Mental Benefits of Padel
Improved Cognitive Function
Padel tennis is more than just a physical workout. It is a mental exercise that promotes a better quality of life, improved body composition, and a positive impact on mental health. It enhances neurocognitive abilities like learning, memory, concentration, information processing, and cognitive flexibility. Engaging in padel sports at a young age promotes health growth and development.
Enhances Mood
Exercise in any form can uplift mood and mental well-being due to feel-good endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine. Swinging the racket, executing perfect service, and precisely connecting the ball with the racket makes you feel energized, excited, and refreshed.
Stress Buster
If you are looking for a sport that keeps you engaged and diverted from everyday chaos and stress, padel tennis is an excellent choice. It requires full concentration and focus on the game, leaving you totally engaged and in the game. This allows you to temporarily forget any worries and tension by being engrossed in the sport.
Conclusion
In conclusion, padel tennis fosters a healthy lifestyle, builds healthy communities, and is a perfect gateway from the regular hectic life. Embracing the new wave of sports in the form of padel offers exciting physical activity, social engagement, and improved physical and mental health. So embrace this new wave of sports culture to cultivate a healthier and happier version of yourself!
References:
The Role of Padel in Improving Physical Fitness and Health Promotion, National Institutes of Health.
The Fast-Growing Sport of Padel is the Next Hot Luxury Home Amenity, Business Insider India
- Padel in India, Wikipedia. (n.d.)
