Lob or chiquita in padel: practise choosing the useful shot.
Both shots can prepare a change of position, but they do not solve every situation equally. Practise choosing from the incoming ball, then assess the response you actually create.
Start here
Read time and balance first. Choose high or low with a purpose and use the reply to decide whether both partners can advance.
- Read
- time and ball height
- Choose
- high or low
- Check
- the reply before moving
Two options, one next ball
A lob works above the opponents; a chiquita works low toward their feet. The useful question is whether the shot makes their next response harder.
Under heavy pressure, a simple controlled return can also make sense. A drill allowing only two shots does not represent every match situation.
Choose suitable feeds
Begin with comfortably reachable balls. After each attempt, the defender says whether there was enough time and balance for that choice.
A short low ball or a rushed contact poses a different problem from a calm ball with space. Avoid deciding solely from a fixed court position.
Drill 1: announced choice
One player works at net and one at the back inside an agreed half. Start with a controlled announced feed; the defender practises five high responses, then five low ones.
End the repetition after the response. Compare control and target height, then swap. Slower feeds make the task easier.
Drill 2: open decision
The feeder now varies depth and pace within a reachable area. The defender chooses freely and briefly explains the intention after the ball.
Out of ten starts, count deliberate choices and controlled contacts. Winning a point alone does not prove a good decision.
Drill 3: read the reply and move together
With four players, one pair starts back and one at net. Open the point after the lob or chiquita. The back pair decides together whether to advance or keep defending.
Swap starting roles after six points. Discuss one successful and one premature transition; use the defence and transition guides for technical detail.
Try it on court
Put the theory into practice. Find a padel club in Austria or check current court availability.
How to use this guidance
Our explanations summarize the sources linked below. Consult the relevant federation for binding playing rules and the provider for current prices, dates and entry conditions.
Drills, repetitions, timings and scoring formats are adaptable practice suggestions. They are not official match rules or a replacement for personal instruction. Adjust difficulty to your experience and control.
The review date records an editorial check of this guide, not continuous verification of every linked fact. Sources may cover different periods; use their stated dates for time-sensitive information.
View the sources usedCoaching foundations and sources
The sources explain coaching foundations. These drills, timings and scoring formats are our own adaptable practice suggestions, not official match rules or reproduced course lessons.
Editorially reviewed on 13 October 2026