Better Positioning, Smarter Decisions, Stronger Teamwork
Learn to read the ball, use the glass and move with your partner. The Padel Tactics Playbook helps beginner-to-intermediate recreational doubles players connect shot selection with positioning through illustrated situations, practical drills and eight weekly sessions.
Find a problem that keeps appearing in your matches. Understand your options, give both partners a clear job and practise responding to what the opponents actually do.
Format: 146-page downloadable PDF for padel doubles, including court diagrams, practice activities, session plans, reusable worksheets and a courtside reference.
Know What to Do With the Next Ball
A rebound leaves you cramped against the glass. You move forward after a lob that your opponent can attack comfortably. You and your partner both leave a ball through the middle.
The playbook explains what to notice before choosing your response: the incoming ball, available time, contact height, rebound and all four players. Each situation connects your shot with your partner’s coverage, plausible opposing replies and the adjustment needed if your own shot is weak.
What You Will Learn
- Choose serve and return targets that support your pair’s next position.
- Recognise when an early contact or a rebound gives you a more manageable shot.
- Read back-glass, side-glass and two-glass situations, and understand how mesh rebounds differ.
- Choose between a lob and a lower ball, then judge whether to advance, hold or retreat.
- Use volleys and overheads to maintain pressure without trying to finish every ball.
- Share the middle, support a partner pulled wide and recover together after a lob.
- Prepare for a smash that stays playable or gives the opponents an attacking opportunity.
- Observe the opposing pair, test a plan and make a useful adjustment under pressure.
What Is Included
| Inside the playbook | What you can work on |
|---|---|
| 6 foundations | Reading the ball, choosing targets, moving as a pair, using the glass, building points and understanding relevant rules. |
| 24 match-situation lessons | Serve and return, defence, moving forward, volleys, overheads, teamwork and court coverage. |
| 4 adaptation lessons | Reading opponents, changing a plan, playing important points and adjusting to conditions. |
| 12 practical drills | Four two-player drills and eight four-player drills, with starts, role changes, timings, variations and live decisions. |
| 2 four-player practice-match formats | Practice Important Points and Test and Adjust Your Team Plan. |
| 8 guided sessions | Approximately 60 minutes each, arranged into two consecutive four-week blocks for four players. |
| 4 reusable worksheets | Your Pre-Match Plan, Your Partner Agreement, Your Match Review and Your Practice Notes. |
| 1 Padel Courtside Reference | Concise reminders about reading the ball, targets, partner support, calls and recovering after a weak shot. |
The PDF also includes a glossary, linked contents, bookmarks and a lesson-to-practice map. Court diagrams show player positions, ball paths and movement.
Turn a Recurring Problem Into Useful Practice
Use Start With Your Biggest Problem to find a relevant lesson and activity. For example, if both partners hesitate over the middle, read Covering the Middle Together, then practise with Cover the Middle and Support a Wide Partner.
The activity tells you how to start, when to change roles and what to observe. Record one useful finding in Your Practice Notes and choose one next action.
Follow Eight Weeks of Four-Player Practice
Meet once a week for an approximately 60-minute session. The first four-week block develops the start of the point, defence and moving forward. The second builds on that work with net decisions, shared coverage, pressure and team plans.
| Week | Session |
|---|---|
| 1 | Serve and Return Together |
| 2 | Read the Glass and Defend |
| 3 | Use Lobs and Low Balls |
| 4 | Move Forward and Keep the Net |
| 5 | Choose Volleys and Overheads |
| 6 | Cover the Middle and Help Your Partner |
| 7 | Handle Pressure and Reorganise |
| 8 | Use and Adjust Your Team Plan |
Each session’s clock includes warm-up, explanation, setup, practice, drinks, role changes, ball collection, scored play and review. Repeat a session with its next action when useful, or return to individual activities as new problems appear.
Who This Playbook Is For
This book suits recreational doubles players who know basic scoring and can sustain a rally, but want clearer decisions about positioning, the glass, shot selection and teamwork. It also gives a regular group a practical structure for tactical practice.
It assumes you already know the basics of playing padel. Detailed stroke rebuilding, personalised coaching, video lessons and fitness programmes are outside its scope.
Instant Digital Delivery
After successful checkout, download your PDF from the order confirmation page or the link in your purchase email.
Read it on your computer or tablet and print the practice pages you need for court. This is a digital purchase; no physical book is shipped.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a coach or four players to use it?
You can read the lessons and prepare your plans independently. Four drills need two players in total and train individual decisions against one opponent. The eight four-player drills, both practice-match formats and all eight sessions need four players to include partner support and both opponents’ choices. The cards provide instructions your group can follow.
What equipment do I need?
For the guided sessions, bring four players to a suitable padel court with a racket and safety cord each, two or three padel balls, a timer, drinking water, paper and a pencil. Keep the relevant activity instructions and worksheets available.
How long do the drills take?
The standalone two-player drills take 12 minutes and the four-player drills take 18 minutes. Those times include setup, trial feeds, collection, role changes and review. Complete your normal warm-up first. The weekly sessions use their own approximately 60-minute schedules, including warm-up.
Are the practice pages and worksheets included?
Yes. All twelve drills, both practice-match formats, eight sessions, four worksheets and the Padel Courtside Reference are within the PDF. Print the pages you want to use.
Do I have to follow the eight-week schedule?
No. You can begin with one recurring problem, use individual activities or follow the weekly sequence. Work at a pace that suits your group and repeat sessions when useful.
Personal Use
Save the book on your own devices and print copies for your personal practice, including on-court use with your partner or practice group. Do not resell it, upload it publicly or distribute digital copies to others. Contact TennisOverload.com for permission for wider reproduction or commercial distribution.
These terms concern copies of the book and do not limit rights that cannot lawfully be excluded under applicable consumer law.
Educational and Safety Note
This book provides general padel education. Check the court, wear your racket’s safety cord, warm up progressively and keep spare balls and movement routes clear. Adapt pace to the players and conditions. Stop if movement hurts or play becomes unsafe.
Take a Clearer Plan Into Your Next Match
Choose one situation to work on, agree each partner’s responsibility and practise responding to the next ball.
Get The Padel Tactics Playbook and start with the decision your pair needs most.