For most amateur players in Tashkent, what loses the third set isn't technique — it's the body. Calves cramp, legs go heavy in the deep squat against the back glass, the shoulder starts to "stick" by the end of the hour, and the next morning the elbow you'd forgotten about is sending you reminders. The good news: none of that needs a gym. Thirty focused minutes at home, three times a week, fixes it. Below: what padel actually demands from the body, the seven exercises that translate directly to court points, and a weekly plan you'll realistically stick to.
Why padel needs its own kind of conditioning
Padel looks like tennis or badminton from the outside, but it loads the body in a very specific way. The court is only 20×10 metres. Distances are short, and the team moves less by running and more by short bursts, pivots and low squats. In an average amateur point you'll make 4–8 acceleration bursts of 1–3 metres, dip into a low squat two or three times to lift a ball out of a corner, and reach overhead once or twice. That cycle repeats every 10–15 seconds, the whole match.
From that picture, four physical demands emerge that general "cardio" doesn't cover:
- Lateral mobility and sideways strength. Padel is a lateral game. 70% of court movement is sideways, not forward. If your training is straight-line running, your ankles and adductors won't be ready, and the first injury will land exactly there.
- Strength in a low position. Playing off the back glass and lifting low balls at the net requires a deep squat with balance held. That's not the strength a leg-press machine builds.
- Explosiveness over 1–3 metres. Not endurance over 5 km — the ability to start and brake again and again across an hour of play.
- Shoulder, elbow and forearm health. Overheads, volleys and the chiquita load the rotator cuff and forearm at high frequency. This is a preventive zone: the right work here heads off "tennis elbow" before it sidelines you for months.
Short version: padel is a chain of micro-sprints sideways from a low stance. A program that respects that translates to the court. A program of "10,000 steps and a Sunday jog" — not so much.
Four movement skills that decide the match
Before the exercises, it helps to know what court action each one is for. Then your motivation isn't "I'm doing legs," it's "I'm doing lateral lunges so I can reach the chiquita in the corner." That sticks.
| Movement skill | What happens on court | What trains it at home |
|---|
| Sideways burst and brake | First step to the corner ball, chase a lob | Lateral lunges, box jumps |
| Deep squat with balance | Lift a low ball off the glass or at the net | Held deep squat, Bulgarian split squat |
| Explosive start over 1–3 m | Net rush after serve, attack on a chiquita | Jump rope, plyometric hops |
| Shoulder and forearm stability | Bandeja, víbora, chiquita without elbow pain | Wrist eccentrics, band pull-apart |
The seven exercises below cover all four categories. Nothing extra, nothing "just because it looks good in the mirror."
Exercise 1 — Lateral lunges
The most undervalued exercise for padel. Forward lunges train forward push, but we need sideways push — the exact movement you make when stretching to a diagonal ball.
How to do it. Stand tall, feet hip-width. Take a wide step to the right, drop into the right leg, left leg stays straight. Right knee tracks over the toes but doesn't pass them. Lean the torso forward slightly — as if you're reaching with the racket for a low ball. Push off the right foot back to standing. Repeat each side.
Dose. 3 sets × 10 reps each side. Pace is calm: 2 seconds down, 1 second hold at the bottom, drive up. Rest 60 seconds between sets.
What you'll notice on court. In 3–4 weeks, the freeze in your first step toward a corner ball goes away. It's the most visible, fastest gain you'll get from any padel program.
Exercise 2 — Held deep squat
Playing off the back glass is a long, low squat: you need to drop to the ball's height, stay balanced, and drive through with the body, not yank with one arm. Players who are "stuck at the knees" lose that ball before it even comes off the glass.
How to do it. Feet slightly wider than shoulders, toes turned out a bit. Squat down so the hips reach parallel or below, back straight, chest open. Hold at the bottom for 5 seconds. Drive up through the heels. If a deep squat isn't there yet, do it next to a wall with your hands on a door frame — that offloads balance and lets connective tissue adapt.
Dose. 3 sets × 8 reps, 5 seconds held at the bottom each rep. The exercise only works if you actually hold for 5 seconds — not if you do "fast squats."
What you'll notice on court. The ball that used to skip past your racket because you couldn't drop down — now becomes a calm counter-attack down the line. If you've been avoiding the back wall, start here, and read our piece on playing off the back wall in parallel.
Exercise 3 — Bulgarian split squats
Padel is a game where you're constantly on one leg at the moment of impact, not symmetrical on two. Single-leg strength is what keeps the knee safe during a sideways burst. Bulgarian splits are the best home exercise for that.
How to do it. Place the top of your back foot on a chair or couch behind you. Front foot on the floor, one stride away from the support. Lower the back knee toward the floor, keeping the front knee over the toes and the back straight. Drive up through the front leg.
Dose. 2 sets × 8 reps per leg. Bodyweight for the first 2 weeks; after that, hold a water bottle or 8 kg dumbbell in each hand.
What you'll notice on court. Less knee collapse inward on lateral steps, and noticeably less fatigue in the third set — because the weaker leg isn't dragging the whole match anymore.
Exercise 4 — Jump rope
Jump rope is the most undervalued cardio tool for padel. It trains exactly the system padel taxes: short, fast, repeated ground contacts. Running 5 km in the park trains a different system — long aerobic capacity that you mostly don't need.
How to do it. Standard two-foot bounces, then single-leg each side, then — if you can — double-unders. Keep the trunk tight, work from the ankles.
Dose. 5 rounds of 60 seconds work / 30 seconds rest. No rope? Substitute high-knee marches or lateral hops side to side.
What you'll notice on court. That "second ball" you used to surrender because you couldn't recover from the first lunge — you'll get to it. It feels like you've gotten faster, but really you've just gotten quicker to recover.
Exercise 5 — Forearm eccentrics
"Tennis elbow" is the most common chronic problem among amateur padel players over 30 — and it can pull you off the court for months. The cause isn't the game itself, it's weak forearm extensors that can't absorb the shot. This is prevention, not cure, and it takes 3 minutes.
How to do it. Grab a 1–2 kg weight (a water bottle works). Rest your forearm on a table with the hand hanging off the edge, palm down. Slowly — counting to 4 — lower the wrist with the weight. Use your other hand to return to the starting position — that part doesn't count, eccentrics only work in the lowering phase.
Dose. 3 sets × 15 slow lowers per hand, twice a week. Don't do this the day after a heavy match — give the muscle 24 hours of rest.
What you'll notice. At first, nothing — that's normal. The effect is preventive. In 6–8 weeks, you'll stop feeling the elbow after hard matches. If pain is already there, don't ignore it: see a doctor and back off heavy shots.
Exercise 6 — Band pull-aparts for the shoulder
The overhead — víbora, bandeja, chiquita — loads the shoulder in a position where the rotator cuff is exposed. If you haven't trained your upper back in a while, the shoulder will "lock up" by the end of the hour. A simple band exercise handles 80% of cases.
How to do it. Grab a resistance band with both hands at shoulder width, arms extended in front of you at chest height. Stretch the band outward by squeezing the shoulder blades together until your arms are in line with your body. Return slowly.
Dose. 3 sets × 15 reps. Tempo: 2 seconds out, 2 seconds back. Do this 2–3 times a week.
What you'll notice on court. The shoulder doesn't "wood up" by the third set, and overheads come out with less effort. Especially useful if you've recently started working on the bandeja or the víbora — both load this zone hard.
Exercise 7 — Plank with shoulder taps
Padel is a rotational game. Every shot starts at the feet, travels through the trunk, and finishes at the hand. If the trunk "leaks," the racket doesn't get the speed the legs generated. A regular plank trains endurance, but shoulder taps train anti-rotation — the ability of the trunk not to twist while you hit.
How to do it. Get into a plank position on straight arms. Feet wider than shoulders (more stable). Without letting the hips move, touch your right hand to your left shoulder, return. Then left hand to right shoulder. That's one rep.
Dose. 3 sets × 20 taps (10 each side). If the hips swing, widen your stance — that's fine.
What you'll notice on court. Shots come out "crisper" — not from arm muscle, but because the energy from the legs isn't getting lost in the torso. Especially noticeable on the forehand and the serve.
A ready 25-minute weekly plan
The most common mistake is trying to do all 7 exercises every day. You'll quit in four days. The right structure is three short sessions a week, spaced by stimulus type, that don't clash with the days you play padel. Here's a working template.
- Monday (leg-strength day — 25 minutes). 5 minutes light warm-up (march in place + arm circles). Lateral lunges 3×10 each side. Held deep squats 3×8. Bulgarian split squats 2×8 per leg. Plank shoulder taps 3×20. 2-minute cool-down.
- Wednesday (explosiveness and stability day — 20 minutes). 5-minute warm-up. Jump rope 5 rounds 60/30. Band pull-aparts 3×15. Forearm eccentrics 3×15 per hand. Cool-down.
- Friday (mobility and technique day — 25 minutes). Repeat Monday, but add 5 minutes of adductor and pec stretching at the end.
- Saturday/Sunday — play padel. On game days, don't do strength work. The body adapts during rest, not under repeated load.
- Playing more than 3 times a week? Keep just two strength sessions (Monday + Wednesday) and move the jump rope to a 5–7 minute warm-up before play.
The plan is deliberately modest: one session is 20–25 minutes, no gym, no equipment more complex than a resistance band and a water bottle. It's the program you'll still be doing two months from now — not the one you signed up for with enthusiasm and quit in a week.
When to train: before play, after, or on a rest day
This is the most common question after a session. Short answer: on a non-padel day. Long answer: it depends which type of work.
Strength work (lunges, squats, Bulgarian splits) — non-padel days only. Do it 2 hours before a match and your legs will be "loaded" by the third set, costing you exactly the explosiveness that wins short points.
Jump rope and plyometrics — fine as a 7–10 minute warm-up before a match (don't go all-out). The full 25-minute block — back to a rest day.
Band pull-aparts and forearm eccentrics — neutral. You can do these any day, including immediately before a match as part of warm-up. Better than not doing them.
Stretching — after play, not before. Deep static stretching before a match relaxes the muscle and drops its reactivity, ruining the first set. Before — dynamic warm-up (march, lunges, arm circles); after — static.
One last thing: if you're not currently working with a coach and you're unsure whether your form is right, book a single session with a conditioning coach in Tashkent. One hour with a coach saves you 2 months of bad squats and one nasty injury.
What doesn't work and quietly steals your progress
A few "general fitness" tips popular in Tashkent sound sensible but don't transfer to padel. Cut them from the program — the time freed up goes into what works.
- Long jogs in the park. A calm 5 km trains the aerobic system; padel is anaerobic intervals. Long runs don't hurt, but they don't help. If you run, do intervals — 30 seconds on / 30 seconds off.
- Leg press in the gym. An isolated movement on a fixed path that doesn't transfer to court. A bodyweight deep squat will give you more.
- Biceps and chest on a "classic" split. In padel, the body accelerates you, not the biceps. Time is better spent on the back (band pull-aparts) and legs.
- Stretching instead of strength. Flexibility without strength makes joints less stable. Strength and mobility together — not one in place of the other.
- "I'll warm up by playing the first game." The most expensive mistake. The first half of the first match goes at 60% intensity, and that's exactly where half of calf and knee injuries happen. Ten minutes of dynamic warm-up before play isn't "wasted time" — it's an investment in the next 90 minutes.
And: don't try to make up for a missed week by doing a double program. Linear progress beats a perfect month. Missed a session? Just continue from where you stopped, without "compensating."
When to expect results and how to measure them
The hard part of fitness work is that it's "invisible." Unlike the chiquita, you can't leave the court and say "I did one today for the first time." So it helps to fix 3 simple markers in advance to track progress.
- Recovery time between points. Take your pulse at the end of a long rally right now — 7–10 beats, by the clock. Six weeks from now, on the same workload, your pulse will be lower, and you'll notice your head is "fresher" in the third set.
- Depth of the 5-second held squat. Try a deep squat right now, back straight, and hold. Something will give — balance or a knee that starts complaining. Four weeks later, the same position will feel neutral. This test is the single best indicator that your body is ready for back-glass play.
- First step to a corner ball. Subjective, but honest. Six weeks of home work in, you'll notice that balls you used to miss now get reached calmly. That's lateral lunges paying off — and it's the fastest payoff in the program.
The cycle is 6–8 weeks. Not two weeks, not three months. Six weeks is enough for the body to adapt to the new load and the effect to show up on court. Three months and the program becomes a habit, with improvements as a steady baseline rather than spikes. If nothing has changed in 6 weeks — you probably skipped sessions, the program isn't broken.
Tashkent's padel scene is growing fast, and new tournaments and amateur events go up regularly on /en/events. Showing up to your first one with "a body that's ready" is a quiet bonus of home work. And if you're hunting for partners at your level, we recently covered how to find a pair in Tashkent — a useful read alongside this one.
The plan above won't turn you into Juan Lebrón. But it removes three of the four reasons you're currently losing third sets and waking up with a sore elbow. That's more than enough to take amateur padel in Tashkent from "a sport for weekends" to what it should be: a game your body actually wants to come back to.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long until I notice a difference in my game?
At three 20–25 minute sessions per week, the first effects — better recovery between points and a deeper held squat — show up in 4–6 weeks. Full court transfer (faster first step, quiet elbow, no shoulder lockup) is 6–8 weeks. That's assuming you don't miss more than one session a week.
Can I do the exercises on a day I'm playing padel?
Strength work — no. Forearm eccentrics and band pull-aparts — yes, and they're actually useful before play as part of warm-up. Jump rope — 5–7 minutes before a match works as a quality warm-up; the full 25-minute block belongs on a rest day.
What's more important for padel: strength or endurance?
Explosive strength and the ability to recover quickly between short bursts. General long endurance (5 km running) is third in priority. The program above is built specifically for padel, not a marathon.
Do I need a gym to make fitness progress?
No. All 7 exercises are done at home, with no equipment more complex than a resistance band and a water bottle. A gym helps once you're already playing at 4.5+ and hitting a ceiling — then a barbell squat, deadlift and a coach take you to the next step. For everyone else, home is enough.
My elbow hurts after games — is that normal?
No, it's a signal. Cut the frequency of heavy shots (víbora, smash), start the forearm eccentrics, and if the pain lasts more than a week, see a sports doctor. Early-stage tennis elbow heals in 4–6 weeks; chronic in 6 months. Don't ignore it.
What about my calves — they "burn" by the end of the first set?
You're probably going onto court cold. Do 5 minutes of dynamic warm-up before play: high-knee march, lunges, jump rope. If calves still cramp after a proper warm-up, add 3×15 calf raises to the leg-strength day above. And mind your sleep — calves are one of the first places to suffer from chronic sleep debt.
