Devlin Brown at the water cooler | Padel payoff is that exercise can be fun

I play fairly competitive padel during the week and socially at the weekends. I am convinced I get a better workout than my colleagues who go on about fitness. Have I hacked the cheat code to actually enjoying staying in shape?

You certainly have landed on the only magic pill in fitness and wellness. Enjoyment. That’s the trick. If you can find something that excites you, something that you look forward to (and you can afford), you’re on the path to a healthier life and a shorter belt.

If we are honest with ourselves, padel can be as effective or ineffective as we make it. The better you become, and the harder you can play, the more intense the workout. Playing for an hour can burn 400-800 calories, depending on the intensity of the game.

Considering the average court hire per hour, player rates, racket hire and ball purchase or hire, it wouldn’t be that far-fetched to equate every rand spent with a calorie burnt. A funny thought that occurred to me just as I was writing this. I’m trademarking it right now: the padel payoff.

Honestly, you can play padel three times a week and still struggle with weight gain, if that’s your battle. Ever watched the drinks and food flow after a tough game? Tables of Nike and Under Armour-clad suburban squads refuelling, so to speak. It’s sports science.

There’s nothing wrong with that. It is an incredibly social sport. But it’s also one of the two main reasons you do need to do extra exercise to supplement your padel. Most people don’t exert themselves to the point where they’re progressively becoming fitter or leaner (while also indulging in the social scene), and while padel does have proven health benefits, supplementing it with considered strength and cardiovascular training can improve your performance on the court and help mitigate against common padel niggles and injuries.

Padel is a fun, full-body activity that includes moderate to high-intensity cardio, agility, quick directional changes and some specialised, functional strength. If you can play with intensity, it does improve aerobic capacity and endurance, as well as co-ordination and reaction time. It’s fantastic for destressing, depending on who you play with.

Where does it fall short? It is a game. It is not designed to build balanced strength across the core, posterior chain and stabilisers. Repetitive high-effort motions, whether repetitive backhand or overhead shots, for example, can cause muscular imbalances and some overuse strains. It’s what causes those niggles you and your friends feel in the elbow, shoulder, hips or knees.

Padel is a fun, full-body activity that includes moderate to high-intensity cardio, agility, quick directional changes and some specialised, functional strength.

To improve your longevity in the game, always warm up properly and cool down with discipline. We joke about the postgame feast but consider adding foam rolling and prehab mobility work. Invest in a coach to teach you the right playing technique.

The good news is that you can add exercise to help mitigate against common niggles while also improving your game.

Padel, when played competitively, requires explosive power, rotational core strength, shoulder stability, lateral agility and lower-body endurance. Ditch the bro-split bodybuilding workouts in the gym and focus on functional exercises, and add some cardio to blow your friends off the court.

For the lower body, look at squat variations, lunges and various hip-hinge movements. You don’t need to climb into a squat rack: a professional coach may teach you to do goblet squats, walking lunges, calf raises and even box jumps. Never try to do it without the guidance of a qualified trainer.

Planks, side planks, Russian twists and medicine ball slams would all help build your core and rotational power and stability. For your upper body, old-fashioned staples such as push-ups, pull-ups and shoulder presses will not only change how your T-shirt sits on your frame, but will also improve stability and power. If you’re working with a good trainer, she’d most likely also include band work and other movements for your rotator cuff health.

Go for brisk walks, swim, run if it interests you, or join short high-intensity interval training classes once or twice a week.

None of this takes away from the health benefits of padel. Think of it as a specialised programme to turn yourself into that elite padel athlete you envision every time you walk from the car towards the courts.

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