Padel Shots Explained: Bandeja, Víbora, Chiquita & More

Padel becomes much easier to understand when you stop treating every ball as a forehand, backhand or smash. Each shot has a job: defend time, regain the net, keep pressure or finish a point. The names may sound technical, but the choices are simple once you connect them to a match situation.

This guide explains ten essential padel shots—including the bandeja, víbora, chiquita and bajada—without pretending that beginners must master them all immediately. Start with control, learn to use the glass and add the more aggressive options only when your positioning is reliable.

The ten padel shots at a glance

1. Forehand and backhand: build a repeatable base

Groundstrokes begin after the ball bounces. In padel, the best default is usually compact: prepare early, create space between your body and the ball, and choose depth before speed. A huge tennis-style swing often makes timing harder near the glass.

Your aim is not to win every point from the back. A deep, controlled ball buys time; a low ball through the middle can reduce the opponents’ angles. When under pressure, recovery and placement are more valuable than a risky winner.

2. Volley: control the net with a short action

A volley is struck before the bounce. Keep the racket in front, use a compact block and move through the ball with your feet. Deep volleys can pin opponents behind the service line; a lower, softer volley can make their next ball awkward.

The common mistake is swinging harder because you are closer to the net. That creates late contact and opens gaps between partners. Think “stable and directed”, then recover together. Our doubles positioning guide shows where both players should move after the shot.

3. Lob: the essential way to change who attacks

A good lob is high enough to pass the net players and deep enough to push them toward the back glass. It is not merely a defensive escape: it gives your pair a chance to move forward and take the net.

Use your legs and a smooth face rather than flicking with the wrist. Aim with margin. A lob that is too low offers an easy overhead; a lob that is too ambitious may hit the back wall directly. Beginners should practise the lob early because it connects defence, transition and attack.

4. Glass return or salida de pared

When a ball bounces and then reaches the back glass, you can let the rebound bring it back into playable space. Turn early, move away from the glass and meet the ball after it comes forward. Waiting too close to the wall leaves no room to swing.

The goal is usually a calm reset—deep through the middle, cross-court, or as a lob—not instant power. For a full breakdown, see our guide to playing after the glass.

5. Bandeja: keep the net rather than chase a winner

Bandeja means “tray” in Spanish. It is a controlled overhead used when an opposing lob makes a full smash too risky but you still want to preserve the attacking position. Move behind the ball, turn side-on and contact at a comfortable height. The target is often deep and low, buying time to recover the net with your partner.

A bandeja is successful when your pair stays organised and the opponents remain behind—not only when the ball looks spectacular. Too much pace can produce a high rebound from the back glass and hand the attack away.

6. Víbora: the more aggressive overhead

The víbora uses more acceleration and side spin than a typical bandeja. It suits a shorter lob that leaves you balanced and able to contact farther forward. The intention is to create an awkward rebound or force a weak reply.

It is higher risk. If you are moving backwards, reaching or contacting late, select the bandeja or let the ball bounce. Learn the controlled overhead first; speed and spin should be additions to reliable positioning, not substitutes for it.

7. Chiquita: play low to the net player’s feet

A chiquita is a soft, low ball from the back or transition area toward the feet of an opponent at the net. Because they must volley from below net height, they have fewer aggressive options. A good chiquita can create the moment for your pair to advance.

It is not simply a drop shot. The ball must clear the net safely and arrive low enough to restrict the volley. Move only when the quality of your shot allows it; charging forward behind a floating chiquita exposes you to an easy counterattack.

8. Bajada: attack after a high glass rebound

Bajada means “descent”. It is played when a deep lob rebounds high enough from your back glass to be contacted around shoulder height or above. With time and balance, you can drive the ball down into open space or toward the net players’ feet.

Do not force it from a low rebound. When the ball stays below a comfortable attacking height, use a normal glass return or lob. The situation—not the desire to attack—decides whether the bajada is available.

9. Contrapared: an emergency route through your own wall

In a contrapared, you intentionally play the ball against your own back or side wall so it travels over the net. It can rescue a ball when turning for a direct return would be unsafe or impossible. Because the angle and speed are difficult to judge, it should be a backup option rather than a default.

Practise it with a coach and begin slowly. Always check where your partner is before swinging toward your own glass.

10. Smash, x3 and x4

A flat smash is an attacking overhead designed to finish the point or bring the ball back beyond the defenders. An x3 sends the ball out over a three-metre side wall after the bounce and glass; an x4 clears the four-metre back boundary. These outcomes demand suitable height, contact, spin and court geometry.

Outside-court recovery is only possible where the court setup and competition rules permit it, so an x3 is not automatically the end of the point. Check the current FIP rules and competition conditions. For recreational players, a well-placed controlled overhead is usually a better percentage choice than attempting to hit every lob out.

Bandeja vs víbora vs smash: which should you choose?

• Choose the bandeja when the lob pushes you back or you need margin to keep the net.
• Choose the víbora when the lob is shorter, you are balanced and pressure is realistic.
• Choose the smash when contact is comfortable and the finishing route is genuinely open.

If you hesitate, select the shot with the largest margin. Losing the net after a controlled ball is usually less costly than missing an ambitious overhead. The distinction between these shots is explained well in this beginner overview from HEAD and Babolat’s shot guide.

The best learning order for beginners

1. Serve, return, forehand and backhand: keep the rally legal and controlled.
2. Lob and volley: understand how the net position changes hands.
3. Back-glass return: stop treating the wall as an obstacle.
4. Bandeja: protect the net against lobs.
5. Chiquita and bajada: add transitions and controlled counterattack.
6. Víbora and advanced smashes: develop only after movement and contact are repeatable.

Use the 12-minute padel warm-up before technical practice. Work on one decision at a time: have a partner feed the same situation, choose the shot, recover to position, then repeat.

Frequently asked questions

Which padel shot should a beginner learn first?

After the basic serve and groundstrokes, prioritise the lob, volley and back-glass return. Together they teach the central tactical cycle of padel: defend, move opponents back and regain the net.

What is the difference between a bandeja and a víbora?

The bandeja generally prioritises control and maintaining net position. The víbora is more aggressive, using greater acceleration and side spin to pressure the defence. The height, depth and your balance determine which is appropriate.

Is a chiquita the same as a drop shot?

No. Both are soft, but a chiquita is usually directed at the feet of a net player to force a low volley and help your pair move forward. A drop shot is intended to land very short and pull opponents toward the net.

Can the ball hit the glass in padel?

Yes, after it first bounces on the correct side. The detailed sequence and service exceptions are covered in our padel rules guide.