Guides · 8 min read
A Padel Coaching Session Plan for Beginners
A simple four session block for new padel players. What to teach, in what order, and what to write in the session note after each one so the next coach (probably you) walks on court already knowing where to begin.
Why a first block matters more than a first lesson
Many coaches find that the first few lessons decide whether a beginner becomes a regular. A short block with a clear order gives each lesson a reason to follow the last one, which is easier for the player to see than a run of standalone sessions.
This guide is a worked example. A four session beginner block with a single arc, a note prompt for each lesson, and a short closing message you can send at the end. Adapt the order to your players, but keep the shape.
Before the first lesson
Before a beginner walks on court, send a short welcome message confirming the time, the court and what to bring, ask whether they have played any racket sport before, and state the rate clearly. Small things that remove most of the anxiety and most of the awkwardness later.
Send a short welcome message
Confirm the time, the court, what to bring (court shoes, water, a borrowable racket if they do not own one) and one sentence about what the first lesson will cover. Removes most of the small anxiety that beginners feel before walking on court.
Ask one question
Have you played tennis, squash or any racket sport before. The answer changes how you pitch the first ten minutes. Write the answer down so you do not have to ask again.
Set the rate clearly
Per session or block, court hire included or split, payment method. Beginners almost never ask. They just decide whether to book again.
Session one. Grip, contact and the back wall
The goal of the first lesson is not strokes. It is a player who finishes the hour feeling like padel is a sport they can actually play.
Spend the first ten minutes on the continental grip, the ready position, and a soft cooperative rally from the service line. Keep the ball in play. Resist the urge to correct technique on every shot. The single most useful thing in lesson one is the feeling of a rally that lasts.
In the middle of the hour, introduce the back wall. Most beginners are scared of the glass. Five minutes of feeding gentle balls into the wall and asking them to play the rebound usually turns that fear into curiosity. End the lesson with an underarm serve and a short cooperative point. For a legal serve, bounce the ball behind the service line before striking it underarm, below waist height (LTA Padel serving basics).
Note prompt after lesson one
Three lines. What the player can already do. What they struggled with. One thing to revisit at the start of lesson two. Thirty seconds on your phone, attached to their profile. This note is the entire reason lesson two will feel like a continuation.
Session two. The serve, the return and the lob
Open by revisiting the one thing you flagged in your note from lesson one. The player will notice.
Spend the bulk of the hour on the underarm serve, the return cross court, and the defensive lob. The lob is the shot that turns a panicked beginner rally into a real point, because it buys time and lifts the opponent away from the net. Finish with five minutes of cooperative lobbing, both sides moving back and forward.
Note prompt after lesson two
Same three lines. Add one note about temperament. Are they fast to laugh at a miss, slow to try a new shot, competitive. This is the kind of detail that shapes how you coach them in lesson three, and it is impossible to remember without writing it down.
Session three. Overheads and the net
The bandeja is the most common overhead in padel. LTA Padel describes it as a defensive shot and a way to keep your position at the net when the opponents lob (LTA Padel guidance on overheads). Whether and how to introduce it to a particular beginner is a coaching judgement, and the technique is best taught from a qualified coach’s own method.
Add simple net positioning. Where to stand when your partner serves, when to move forward, when to drop back. If other players are on court, end with a short drill so the player gets used to playing alongside a partner.
Note prompt after lesson three
What clicked this week. What is still raw. Whether they are starting to enjoy the tactical side or whether they still want to hit hard. The answer determines how you frame lesson four.
Session four. First match patterns and a closing message
The last lesson of the block is mostly play. Twenty minutes of warm up and revision on whatever the player most needs from your notes. Forty minutes of points, with you on court as the fourth player when possible, calling out one tactical reminder every few rallies. Stop the play to coach a moment, then let it flow again.
End the lesson with a short conversation. What they enjoyed, what they want to work on next, and whether they want to keep coming weekly.
Send a four lesson recap that evening
Five short paragraphs. What we covered, what improved, what we are working on next, one personal observation, the next booking. Built from your four session notes, so it takes ten minutes to write, not an hour. It gives the player a clear picture of what they have learned and what comes next.
Where to keep the notes so the system does the remembering
Four sessions for one player is easy to hold in your head. Forty sessions across ten players in a busy week is not. Holding it in a notebook gets harder as the week fills up.
A simple shape works for almost everyone. One profile per player. One short note per session, captured on your phone within an hour of the lesson. One monthly summary built from those notes. Software like Another Session is designed around that rhythm. Useful linked reading: how to write coaching session notes, the sessions and notes feature, and how to send monthly summaries to coaching clients.
Running a beginner block in Another Session
Another Session is free for up to three players, with every feature included, no card and no time limit. That covers a full beginner block for one player: their profile with their racket sport background, a short note after each of the four lessons, the payment for the block, and the closing message. You can schedule pairs and small groups together, record individual attendance, write a shared lesson note and keep separate notes for each player. Charges, package balances and invoices remain per player, not combined for a pair or club. The group lessons guide explains how to set up and wrap up a shared lesson.
When your court hours fill up, Complete gives you unlimited clients for one flat monthly price (£8/month, see pricing), and the notes you already wrote come with you.
Frequently asked questions
What should I teach in a first padel lesson for an adult beginner?
The continental grip, a soft cooperative rally from the service line, a first encounter with the back wall, and an underarm serve. The goal is not technique. It is for the player to leave the court feeling like padel is a sport they can actually play.
What is the bandeja for?
LTA Padel describes the bandeja as the most common overhead in padel, a defensive shot used to keep your position at the net when the opponents lob. How long it takes to learn varies by player, and when to introduce it is a judgement for the coach.
How many lessons does a beginner need before they can play a match?
It varies by player. Many coaches aim for a beginner to be ready for a relaxed social game after a short block covering the serve, return, the lob and basic net positioning. Adjust the pace to the person in front of you.
How do I keep track of what I covered with each padel player?
Write a three line note after every lesson, attached to the player’s profile. What they can already do, what they struggled with, one thing to revisit next time. Thirty seconds on your phone. The note is what turns four standalone lessons into one coherent block.
What should I send after a beginner finishes their first block?
A short five paragraph recap. What you covered, what improved, what you are working on next, one personal observation, the next booking. Built from your session notes, sent the same evening.
Is there software designed for padel coaches?
Another Session is built for the solo padel coach holding their own roster of players. One profile per player, fast session notes, payments in the same place, and a monthly summary built from your own notes. You can also schedule small groups, with individual attendance and notes. Billing and packages remain separate for each player. Another Session is free for up to three clients, with every feature included. See pricing for unlimited clients.
Run your coaching, calmly
One calm place for clients, sessions, notes and payments. Free for up to three clients, no card needed.
Free for up to three clients. No card required.