Back glass defense: footwork and racket preparation

4:40Nov 28, 2025

Key takeaway from our Guru

How do I defend effectively off the back glass?

Keep your body sideways and side-step back to the glass before the ball bounces. Ensure your racket tip is already back using a hinged wrist motion so you can strike the ball comfortably in front of your body.

What this lesson covers

Defending off the back glass requires maintaining a sideways orientation throughout the movement. Players often make the mistake of turning to face the glass or staying stationary and scooping the ball from a cramped position. To avoid this, the racket tip must move back before the ball bounces. The wrist opens like a rudder or door hinge to set the racket while the elbow remains tucked in.

Footwork relies on side-stepping rather than rotating. By tracking the ball over the shoulder and side-stepping back to the glass, the player creates enough space to let the ball rebound. It is better to be too close to the glass and stretch forward than to be caught behind the ball. Once the ball leaves the glass, the player makes contact level with the front foot or slightly in front. This position allows for a choice between a lob, a chiquita, or a neutral shot. Progression drills start with static contact, move to side-stepping back, and finish with full movement from the ready position. This approach suits players who struggle with timing or spacing when the ball hits the back wall.

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Original video

The Coach Station

Added on Sep 19, 2026

How to Train Back-Glass Defense in Padel (Plus the Common Errors to Avoid)

Description

In this video I break down exactly how to train players to defend off the back glass in padel — without turning into the wall, scooping the ball, or getting stuck under the bounce. You’ll learn: • The two big errors players make at the back • How to prepare the racket before the bounce • Why side-stepping, not rotating, protects your spacing • How close to the glass you really need to be • Progressions you can run with your players to build confidence defending low balls If you coach padel or you’re improving your own defensive game, this gives you a simple, reliable blueprint you can use straight away. Other video mentioned: Early Preparation: https://youtu.be/7GJlT2Dz34g 0:00 Intro 0:03 The back-glass scenario 0:22 Two common errors 0:58 Early racket preparation 1:25 Staying sideways while moving back 1:44 Side-step footwork and spacing 2:18 Ideal contact point after the rebound 2:44 Shot choices (lob vs chiquita vs neutral) 3:03 How the wrist opens (the “rudder”) 3:32 Three progressions for players 4:02 Bringing it all together 4:24 Summary and key coaching points 4:35 Outro #PadelCoaching #PadelDefense #BackGlassTechnique #PadelMovement #PadelFootwork #DefendingInPadel #PadelCoachTips #ImproveYourPadel #TheCoachStation

Good for

Skill level

Beginner, Intermediate, High Intermediate, Advanced, High Advanced

Court position

Backcourt

Play style

Defensive

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