How to Grip a Padel Racket: A Beginner's Guide
Your grip is the only contact point between you and your racket. Get it wrong and every shot feels off, no matter how good your footwork or positioning is. Get it right and the game opens up. So let's go through the basics: how to grip a padel racket properly, where your hand should sit, common mistakes, and when to swap out your overgrip.
The continental grip and why it matters
If you have played tennis, you might be used to switching between forehand and backhand grips. Padel is different. The continental grip is the one grip you need for almost every shot in the game, from volleys and serves to bandeja and vibora.
Here is the simplest way to find it. Hold your racket out in front of you with the edge pointing down, like you are about to chop something. Now wrap your hand around the handle as if you were shaking someone's hand. The V shape between your thumb and index finger should sit along the top edge of the handle. Some people call this the hammer grip because it feels like you are about to hammer a nail straight into the wall.
That is it. No need to overthink it.
Where to place your hand on the handle
Most beginners grip too far up the handle, sometimes right against the frame. This limits your wrist movement and makes the racket feel heavier than it needs to be. Your hand should sit at the bottom of the handle, with the butt of the racket just below your palm.
Leave a small gap between your fingers and the base of your palm. This is not a death grip. That little pocket of space gives you flexibility and reduces fatigue over longer sessions. If your hand cramps up after 20 minutes, you are probably squeezing too hard.
How tight should you hold the racket?
Think of a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 is barely holding on and 10 is white knuckle tension. You want to sit around 3 or 4 for most rallies. Tighten up slightly on impact, then relax again between shots.
A loose grip lets your wrist do the work. That is where your touch and feel come from, which matters more than raw power in padel. Players who grip too tightly tend to hit everything flat and lose the ability to play soft shots at the net.
Common grip mistakes beginners make
The tennis forehand grip is probably the most common mistake. If you rotate your hand so the palm sits behind the handle (like a tennis forehand), you will struggle with volleys and any shot that comes to your backhand side. The continental grip works on both sides without any hand adjustment, which is exactly why padel players use it.
Another one is the finger grip, where players hold the racket mainly with their fingers instead of settling it into the base of the hand. This feels nimble at first but you lose control on harder shots and your fingers tire out fast.
Wrist position matters too. Keep your wrist slightly cocked upward, not floppy or completely rigid. Think of the angle your wrist makes when you check the time on a watch. That natural position gives you the best balance between power and control.
When to change your overgrip
Your overgrip is the thin layer wrapped around the handle that gives you traction. It wears out faster than most people realise, especially if you play two or three times a week.
A worn overgrip gets slick with sweat and loses its cushioning. If your racket starts slipping during rallies or the grip surface feels shiny and smooth, it is time for a fresh wrap. Most regular players should change their overgrip every two to four weeks, depending on how much they sweat and how often they play.
Putting on a new overgrip takes about two minutes and the difference is immediate. If you have never changed one, start from the bottom of the handle and wrap upward with a slight overlap, keeping gentle tension as you go. Finish at the top, trim the excess, and secure it with the adhesive strip that comes in the pack.
The 12k Padel overgrips hold their tack well through full sessions and come in single packs or a three pack if you tend to go through them quickly. Honestly, a fresh overgrip is one of the cheapest things you can do to make your racket feel brand new again.
Grip size and how to check yours
Grip sizes in padel are less standardised than in tennis, but finding the right fit still matters. When you hold your racket, there should be roughly one finger's width of space between your fingertips and the base of your palm. If the grip feels too thin, an extra overgrip layer adds a small amount of circumference. If it feels too thick, try removing the original base grip and replacing it with just an overgrip.
Most 12k Padel rackets come with a standard grip size that suits the majority of players, but small adjustments can make a real difference to comfort over a full match.
A quick drill to lock in your grip
Stand a couple of metres from a wall and hit gentle forehand and backhand volleys using only the continental grip. Focus on keeping your hand relaxed between shots and tightening just at the moment of contact. Aim for 20 to 30 controlled hits on each side without adjusting your hand position at all.
If you can do that comfortably, your grip is in a good place. If the racket keeps twisting or you feel like you need to readjust between sides, go back to the handshake position and start again.
The short version
Use the continental grip for everything. Hold the racket like a handshake, keep it at the bottom of the handle, and do not squeeze too hard. Change your overgrip regularly. That is about 90% of what you need to know about how to grip a padel racket as a beginner.
If you are still building out your setup or need fresh overgrips, have a look at what is available in the 12k Padel shop.