Padel Grip: How to Hold a Padel Racket (The Complete Guide)

By Gary, founder of RacketRise. Playing padel in the UK and tracking the sport's explosive growth.

Last Updated: March 2026

Quick Summary

• The continental grip is the standard padel grip — hold the racket as if you are shaking hands with the handle, with the V of your hand on top of the frame
• One grip for (almost) everything — unlike tennis, padel uses the continental grip for volleys, serves, smashes, and most groundstrokes
• Grip pressure matters — hold firmly enough for control but not so tight that your wrist locks up; think 5-6 out of 10
• Find courts to practise — use the RacketRise Court Finder to book a session near you

How you hold your padel racket affects every shot you play. A good grip gives you control, touch, versatility, and the ability to adjust to any situation on court. A bad grip limits your shot selection, causes mishits, and can even lead to wrist and elbow pain over time.

Quick Answer: Use the continental grip — the "handshake grip." Hold the racket perpendicular to the ground, then shake hands with the handle. The V formed by your thumb and index finger should sit on the top edge of the handle. This single grip works for serves, volleys, smashes, and most groundstrokes. Grip pressure should be firm but relaxed — about 5-6 out of 10.

Table of Contents

• The Continental Grip: Your Default Padel Grip
• How to Find the Continental Grip
• Grip Pressure: How Tight Should You Hold?
• When to Adjust Your Grip
• Common Grip Mistakes
• Grip for Specific Shots
• Overgrips and Grip Tape
• Grip Exercises and Drills
• Sources & Further Reading
• Related Articles
• Frequently Asked Questions

The Continental Grip: Your Default Padel Grip

The continental grip is the standard grip in padel. If you only learn one grip, this is it. The vast majority of shots in padel — serves, volleys, smashes, defensive lobs, and most groundstrokes — are played with a continental grip or a very slight variation of it.

This is different from tennis, where players switch between eastern, semi-western, and western grips depending on the shot. In padel, the continental grip handles almost everything. This simplicity is one of the reasons padel is easier to pick up than tennis — you do not need to learn multiple grips and the split-second transitions between them.

Why Continental Works for Padel

The padel racket is shorter than a tennis racket, the ball is slower, and the sport demands quick reactions at the net. The continental grip enables all of this because:

It is versatile. The same grip works for forehand volleys, backhand volleys, smashes, serves, and defensive shots. You do not need to adjust between shots, which saves critical fractions of a second during fast exchanges at the net.

It opens the racket face naturally. The continental grip positions the racket face in a slightly open angle, which is ideal for the underspin and flat shots that dominate padel. You can slice, block, volley, and lob without changing your hand position.

It supports wrist movement. Padel technique relies heavily on the wrist for touch shots, directed volleys, and serve placement. The continental grip allows free wrist movement in all directions, which is essential for the sport's technical shots.

How to Find the Continental Grip

There are three reliable ways to find the continental grip. Use whichever one clicks for you.

Method 1: The Handshake

Hold your racket perpendicular to the ground (edge pointing up, face pointing sideways). Now shake hands with the handle. Wrap your fingers around naturally, as if greeting someone. The V shape formed by your thumb and index finger should sit on the top edge (the narrow, upper part) of the handle.

This is the most intuitive method and works for most people on the first attempt.

Method 2: The Hammer

Hold your racket as if you are about to hammer a nail into a wall in front of you. The racket face should be perpendicular to the ground (edge facing the ceiling). Your grip should feel natural and strong, like holding a tool. This is the continental grip.

Method 3: The Edge Check

Hold the racket out in front of you. Look at the top of the handle — the flat edge that faces the ceiling. The V between your thumb and index finger should sit directly on this edge. If the V is to the right (for right-handers), you have drifted towards an eastern forehand grip. If the V is to the left, you have drifted towards an eastern backhand grip.

Finger Placement

Once you have the basic grip position:

• Index finger: Slightly separated from the other fingers, spread up the handle like a trigger finger. This gives you more control and feel.
• Thumb: Wrapped around the opposite side of the handle, providing support.
• Middle, ring, and little fingers: Wrapped comfortably around the handle, providing the main grip strength.
• Palm: Should not be flat against the handle. Leave a slight gap — the grip should be in your fingers, not your palm.

The index finger spread is subtle but important. It acts as a guide and gives you finer control on touch shots. Think of how you hold a hammer — your index finger naturally sits slightly forward from the other fingers.

Grip Pressure: How Tight Should You Hold?

Grip pressure is one of the most overlooked aspects of padel technique. Most beginners grip too hard, and it costs them control, touch, and energy.

The Scale

Think of grip pressure on a scale of 1 to 10:

• 1-2: So loose the racket could fly out of your hand
• 3-4: Relaxed hold, racket moves freely
• 5-6: Firm but relaxed — the sweet spot for most padel shots
• 7-8: Tight, wrist starting to lock up
• 9-10: Death grip, forearm burning after five minutes

When to Adjust Pressure

Default (5-6/10): Most volleys, groundstrokes, serves. Firm enough for control, relaxed enough for wrist movement and touch.

Softer (3-4/10): Dinks, drop volleys, soft lobs, delicate touch shots. A lighter grip lets the racket absorb the ball's energy and produces softer placements.

Firmer (7-8/10): Smashes, blocking hard shots, defensive returns against powerful opponents. More pressure gives you stability and prevents the racket from twisting on impact.

The Squeeze Principle

A technique used by many coaches: keep your grip relaxed through the backswing and squeeze slightly at the moment of contact. This produces a firm, clean hit without the fatigue of maintaining constant tension. Think of it as relaxed-squeeze-relaxed, with the squeeze lasting only a fraction of a second around impact.

When to Adjust Your Grip

While the continental grip covers most situations in padel, there are moments where slight adjustments help.

Forehand Groundstrokes

Some players rotate the grip slightly towards an eastern forehand (V moves clockwise for right-handers) for topspin groundstrokes from the back of the court. This closes the racket face slightly and makes it easier to brush up over the ball. The adjustment is subtle — maybe 10-15 degrees of rotation — and many players hit perfectly good forehands with a pure continental grip.

Backhand Groundstrokes

The continental grip is natural for backhands. No adjustment needed for most players. If anything, the continental grip slightly favours the backhand side, which is one reason padel players often have stronger backhands than you might expect.

The Bandeja

The bandeja — a controlled overhead shot hit with slice and played from behind the service line — uses a pure continental grip. The slightly open racket face is essential for the underspin that makes this shot effective. If you are learning the bandeja, do not change your grip.

Smashes

Full overhead smashes can benefit from a slight grip rotation towards eastern forehand, which closes the face and helps direct the ball downward. But many players smash effectively with a continental grip, especially for flat smashes.

Key Principle: When in doubt, keep the continental grip. Making small adjustments is fine once you are experienced enough to do it unconsciously. Deliberately changing grips during rallies slows you down and introduces errors.

Common Grip Mistakes

The Tennis Forehand Grip

Tennis players transitioning to padel often carry over their semi-western or western forehand grip. These grips close the racket face, which works in tennis for generating topspin but causes problems in padel:

• Volleys become awkward (the face is too closed for clean punching volleys)
• Backhand transitions are slow (big grip change required)
• Serves feel unnatural (the closed face fights the underarm motion)

If you play tennis, consciously check your grip before each padel session. The continental grip will feel wrong at first if you are used to a western forehand, but persevere — it unlocks the rest of your padel game.

Gripping Too Tight

The most common mistake across all levels. A death grip causes:

• Loss of touch on soft shots (the racket cannot absorb energy)
• Wrist stiffness (limits shot variety)
• Forearm and elbow fatigue (can lead to tennis elbow over time)
• Slower reactions at the net (a tense arm moves slower than a relaxed one)

If your forearm aches after playing, your grip is almost certainly too tight. Consciously relax your hand between points, and practise the squeeze principle described above.

Holding Too Far Up or Down the Handle

The racket wrist strap should loop around your wrist, and your hand should sit comfortably at the base of the handle. Choking up (holding higher on the handle) reduces your reach and changes the racket's balance. Holding too low leaves your fingers hanging off the butt of the handle, reducing control.

Not Using the Wrist Strap

Every padel racket has a wrist strap. Use it. The strap is mandatory in most competitive play and strongly recommended in all casual play. It prevents the racket from flying out of your hand during a swing — which protects you, your partner, your opponents, and the glass walls. Thread it around your wrist and tighten it before play.

Grip for Specific Shots

Overgrips and Grip Tape

The grip on your racket handle affects comfort, control, and consistency. Most players add an overgrip on top of the factory-installed base grip.

Why Use an Overgrip

Sweat absorption. Overgrips absorb moisture and keep the handle dry. In a sport where you change direction constantly and play in enclosed spaces, sweaty hands are inevitable. A dry grip means better control.

Comfort. Overgrips add a thin layer of cushioning that reduces vibration and makes extended play more comfortable.

Customisable thickness. If the standard handle feels too thin, one or two layers of overgrip add circumference. If you want a thicker grip, add more layers.

Cheap to replace. Overgrips cost £2-£5 for a pack of three. Replace them every 5-10 sessions (or whenever they feel smooth and worn). A fresh overgrip every couple of weeks keeps your grip consistent.

Types of Overgrip

Dry (tacky): Feels sticky and grips your hand firmly. Good for players who do not sweat excessively. Maintains feel even when slightly moist.

Absorbent: Designed to soak up sweat. Feels drier and less tacky. Better for players who sweat heavily or play in warm conditions.

Most players start with a tacky overgrip and switch to absorbent if sweat becomes a problem.

Grip Exercises and Drills

Drill 1: Grip Check

Before every practice session, hold your racket in continental grip and check the V position. Hit 10 forehand volleys, 10 backhand volleys, and 10 serves. Between each set, check the grip again. Many players unconsciously drift away from continental during play — this drill trains awareness.

Drill 2: Pressure Control

Rally with a partner and deliberately alternate between soft shots (grip pressure 3-4) and firm shots (grip pressure 7-8). Focus on how grip pressure changes the feel and outcome of each shot. This builds the habit of adjusting pressure to match the shot.

Drill 3: Quick Transitions

Stand at the net and have a partner feed alternating forehand and backhand volleys. Focus on keeping the continental grip throughout — no grip changes between sides. Start slow and increase the pace as you get comfortable. This is the most practical grip drill for padel because it mirrors actual match situations.

Drill 4: The Bounce Test

Hold your racket in continental grip, bounce a ball on the face, and keep it going. This seems simple, but it teaches you grip control and racket face angle in a low-pressure setting. Aim for 50 consecutive bounces without the ball going off the face.

Sources & Further Reading

• FIP — Official padel rules — Equipment and technique regulations
• LTA Padel — Coaching resources — UK padel coaching tips and technique guides
• World Padel Tour — Technique analysis — Professional technique breakdowns

Related Articles

• Padel Serve: How to Serve in Padel
• What Is Padel? Complete UK Beginner's Guide
• How to Play Padel: Rules & Scoring
• Best Padel Rackets: UK Buyer's Guide
• Padel Racket Buying Guide
• Best Padel Shoes UK

Frequently Asked Questions

What grip do you use in padel?

The continental grip — also called the "handshake grip" or "hammer grip." Hold the racket perpendicular to the ground and shake hands with the handle. The V formed by your thumb and index finger should sit on the top edge of the handle. This single grip works for serves, volleys, smashes, and most groundstrokes.

Is the padel grip the same as tennis?

The continental grip is used in both sports, but it plays a different role. In tennis, you switch between multiple grips (eastern, semi-western, western) for different shots. In padel, the continental grip is your default for almost everything. This simplicity is one reason padel is easier to pick up than tennis.

How tightly should I hold a padel racket?

Aim for about 5-6 out of 10 — firm enough for control but relaxed enough for wrist movement and touch. Adjust lighter (3-4) for soft touch shots like dinks and drop volleys, and firmer (7-8) for smashes and blocking hard returns. Avoid the death grip — it causes fatigue, limits shot variety, and can lead to elbow pain.

Should I use an overgrip on my padel racket?

Yes. An overgrip adds comfort, absorbs sweat, and gives you better control. They cost £2-£5 for a pack of three and should be replaced every 5-10 sessions. Most players use a tacky overgrip for general play or an absorbent overgrip if they sweat heavily.

Why does my forearm hurt after padel?

The most likely cause is gripping too tight. A tense grip puts constant strain on your forearm muscles and can lead to padel elbow (similar to tennis elbow). Consciously relax your grip between points, practise the squeeze technique (relax-squeeze-relax around impact), and consider using a softer-cored racket that absorbs more vibration.

Do you use the wrist strap in padel?

Yes. The wrist strap is mandatory in most competitive padel and strongly recommended in all play. It prevents the racket from flying out of your hand during swings, protecting you, other players, and the glass walls. Thread it around your wrist and tighten it before every session.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. Technique advice is based on widely accepted coaching principles — individual results may vary. Consult a qualified coach for personalised technique guidance.