# Training Protocol to Improve the Padel Smash: A Seven-Week Pilot Study on High-Level Male Players
## 1 Introduction  
Padel is a racket sport played in pairs, practiced on a 20 \(\times\) 10 m court, divided by a central net, with an outer enclosure made of mesh and glass four or three meters high at the back of the court and on the sides, where the ball can hit during play [1]. Padel has had an exponential growth in recent decades [2] and is practiced by players of different ages and competitive levels due to the simplicity of its rules and the fact that the physical and technical-tactical demands of the sport are adapted to the level of play [3, 4]. The sport is currently practiced by more than 30 million people in more than 140 countries [5], which in recent years has led to a significant increase in the number of facilities, commercial agreements (sponsonships, employment contracts, etc. ), sports licenses, etc. [6]. Likewise, the number of scientific studies on padel has increased in recent years [7, 8]. Although there has been a significant increase in the production of scientific literature, the majority of these studies primarily examine technical-tactical performance, particularly within professional settings [9, 10, 11]. However, experimental research aimedat enhancing specific aspects of the game--whether physical [12; 13; 14], psychological, or technical-tactical [15]--remains scarce, highlighting a distinct gap in the literature. Regarding technical-tactical performance, in elite padel, smashes serve as a key performance indicator and have been widely examined in scientific research [16; 17]. During professional matches, lobs account for approximately 12 to 26% of total shots, with their frequency varying depending on the players' sex [18]. When returning a lob before it bounces, players typically opt for an overhead shot, with the bandeja and its variations (e.g., vibora, gancho) being the most commonly used [19]. However, while the smash is not the most frequently executed overhead shot, it remains the most aggressive shot in men's padel, both at the professional level (the best internationally) [19; 20] and in high-level competition (the best nationally) [21]. Winning pairs tend to perform smashes more often than losing pairs [22] and also make a greater number of winners [23]. In addition, the effectiveness of smashes, largely influenced by the contact point, is highest near the net and declines as players move further back [24; 25]. Therefore, investigating training protocols aimed at enhancing this decisive shot is crucial for optimizing players' performance. Training plays a fundamental role in refining motor skills, improving physiological function, and maximizing athletic performance [26; 27; 28]. Various training methodologies have proven effective in developing technical skills across multiple sports, including football, basketball, and golf [29; 30; 31]. In racket sports, research has extensively focused on optimizing the tennis serve [32; 33; 34; 35; 36], widely regarded as the most critical shot in the game [37; 38]. However, in padel, studies examining technical improvements in stroke execution remain scarce. To date, only one study has addressed technical enhancement in padel, specifically targeting the double-wall forehand [15]. To the best of our knowledge, no prior study has experimentally tested a training protocol to enhance smash performance, despite that this technical-tactical action is the most biomechanically demanding [39] and offensive shot [20] in padel. On the other hand, the shot put seems to have a similar movement pattern as the serve in tennis or the smash in padel. In fact, in tennis, it was found that the shot put with medicine ball [40] has a very high correlation with the speed of the serve in national level players and studies have concluded that training with a medicine ball improves tennis serve velocity [32].