The lob is one of the most useful shots in padel, and one of the least practiced. Club players love to rally and smash, but a reliable lob is what resets a point, pushes opponents back from the net, and gives you time to move forward. The good news is that the lob responds well to simple drills. This guide gives you a progression of lob drills for padel beginners, from tapping the ball up to playing lobs in live points, so you build height, depth, and confidence step by step.
What a Good Lob Looks Like
Before you drill, know what you're aiming for. A good lob goes high enough to clear your opponents' reach and lands deep. Coaches suggest aiming for it to bounce just beyond the service line but before the back glass, ideally in the last couple of meters of the court. A lob that's too low can be smashed easily, while one that's too high can go out of the court, especially outdoors in the wind.
Aiming cross-court gives you a longer distance to work with, so you have more room for error. And depth matters more than height: a high lob that lands short is one of the easiest balls to smash, so it's worth sacrificing a little height to get the ball deep.
Note
A lob that hits the back glass before it bounces is out. Use height to control distance, and aim to land the ball on the court first.
What You'll Need
You don't need much. A partner or two, a basket of balls, and a few cones or marks make most of these drills possible. Warm up first with some light movement and easy rallies, and keep your first sets relaxed so you can focus on the feel of the shot.
Eight Lob Drills for Beginners
Drill 1: Tap and Lob
Prepare early, sideways on, with your racket taken back. Practice the racket path by tapping the ball up a few times, then hit a lob back to your partner in a rally. The low-to-high swing is the foundation of the lob, so spend time getting it right.
Drill 2: Baseline Target Lob
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Place cones just beyond the service line on the opposite side, and hit lobs from the baseline, trying to land the ball near the cones. Count how many out of ten land in the zone. It teaches height and depth together.
Drill 3: Cross-Court Target Lob
Repeat the target drill diagonally. Because the cross-court lob has more distance to travel, it gives you a larger margin for error, and it's a great way to build confidence with depth.
Drill 4: Two Up, Two Back
Two players stay at the net while two players stand at the back of the court. The net players feed the ball, and the baseline pair hit a lob to start the rally. It trains the lob in a realistic setting, with a pair to lob over.
Drill 5: Read and Move
After each lob, watch your opponent's reaction. If they turn their back and run toward the glass, move forward to the net. This teaches you to follow your lob with movement, which is half of its value.
Drill 6: Lob Off the Glass
Have a partner hit a deep ball that bounces and comes off your back glass. Let it rebound and then play a deep lob back over the net players. It's one of the most common lobs in the pro game, because the glass gives you time, and it's a useful reset when you've been pushed back.
Drill 7: Reset and Hold
One pair starts near the back glass and must hit a deep lob before moving forward, while the other pair at the net tries to hit bandejas that land deep. It builds both the reset lob and the habit of moving forward as a pair.
Drill 8: Lob-Heavy Mini Game
Play a two-on-two practice game in which both pairs deliberately hit more lobs than usual. It disrupts your opponents' positioning and shows you how often a lob can change a point.
Important
Use the same preparation for your lob as for a normal low forehand or backhand. If your lob looks different from your other shots, opponents can read it and back away from the net.
Drill Summary
| Drill | What It Builds | How to Score It |
|---|---|---|
| Tap and lob | Low-to-high racket path | Smooth, repeatable swing |
| Baseline target lob | Height and depth | Lobs landing in the zone out of 10 |
| Cross-court target lob | Margin for error and depth | Lobs landing in the zone out of 10 |
| Two up, two back | Lobbing over real opponents | Rallies started with a good lob |
| Read and move | Following the lob forward | Times you reach the net after a good lob |
| Lob off the glass | Reset from the back | Deep lobs after a rebound |
| Reset and hold | Pair movement after the lob | Points where both players move up |
| Lob-heavy mini game | Lob decisions in play | Points won with a lob |
A Four-Week Progression
In week one, focus on Drills 1 and 2 to build the swing and the target. In week two, add Drill 3 and Drill 4 to work with a partner and a net pair. In week three, introduce Drills 5 and 6, which add reading and the back glass. In week four, play Drills 7 and 8 to bring everything together in game-like situations.
When to Use a Lob in a Game
Drills build the shot, but you also need to know when to use it. Reach for a lob when you're under pressure at the back, when your opponents are close to the net, or when you want to force them away from it. A good rule is that if you aren't sure what to do with a difficult ball, a deep lob is often the safest answer, because it buys you time and takes away your opponents' attack.
Adjusting for Wind and Court Conditions
Practice lobs in different conditions when you can. On an indoor court, you can focus on a consistent height and target. Outdoors, check the wind during your warm-up and adjust: a lob into the wind may need more power, while a lob with the wind may need less height. Taking a few minutes to test your lob before a match saves you from giving away easy points.
Common Mistakes
Lobbing Too Low
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A low lob is easy to smash. Give the ball enough height to clear your opponent's reach.
Lobbing Too Short
A high lob that lands short still gets smashed. Aim deeper and sacrifice a little height if you need to.
Lobbing Too High in the Wind
Outdoors, a very high lob can drift out of the court. Adjust your height to the conditions.
Telegraphing the Lob
If your swing looks different, opponents can read it. Prepare as you would for a drive.
Forgetting to Move Forward
A lob only pays off if you use the time it buys. Move forward together with your partner.
Track Your Progress
Choose a simple measure, such as how many out of ten lobs land in your target zone, and record it each week. A steady rise over a month shows that your depth and control are improving, even if single sessions still feel uneven.
Advice
Start every practice session with five minutes of lobs. Because the lob is so useful and so often ignored, a small, regular dose does more for your game than an occasional long session.
Lob drills for padel beginners come down to a good racket path, a clear target near the back of the court, practice with real opponents, and the habit of moving forward after every lob. Build those habits step by step and the lob becomes your most reliable way to reset a point and take the net.
