Padel Nutrition and Hydration: Fuelling for Play

Aim for a balanced meal with carbohydrates for energy and some protein, eaten 2-3 hours before you play so it has time to digest. Think a chicken-and-rice bowl, pasta with a lean sauce, or porridge with fruit. If you're playing sooner and need a top-up, a small, easy-to-digest snack 30-60 minutes before - a banana, a slice of toast, or an energy bar - tops up your tank without sitting heavy. Avoid anything very fatty, very heavy or unfamiliar right before a match; the court is no place to test a new pre-game meal.

Hydration is the single biggest performance lever, and the easiest to get wrong. The principles:

• Start hydrated. Drink water steadily in the hours before you play - turning up already topped-up beats trying to catch up mid-match.
• Sip little and often. Take small drinks at every change of ends or between games rather than gulping a lot occasionally. Don't wait until you feel thirsty - thirst lags behind actual need.
• Add electrolytes for long or hot sessions. If you're sweating heavily or playing for more than an hour or two, plain water alone may not be enough; an electrolyte drink or tablet helps replace what you lose in sweat.

Indoor UK courts can get warm and humid, so don't assume you sweat less indoors - keep the bottle handy either way.

An entry-level tournament can run several hours with multiple matches (a Grade 5 day can last up to six - see our first tournament guide). That changes the game:

• Pack portable fuel. Bananas, energy bars, trail mix, a sandwich - easy carbs and a little protein you can eat between matches without feeling stuffed.
• Eat little and often. Top up steadily through the day rather than one big meal that leaves you sluggish on court.
• Stay ahead on fluids and electrolytes. Over a long day the fluid and salt losses add up, so keep sipping and use electrolytes.
• Have a proper recovery meal afterwards with carbs and protein to refill energy stores and support muscle repair.

After a hard session, the basics do most of the work: rehydrate to replace fluid lost in sweat, and eat a meal combining carbohydrates (to refill energy) and protein (to support muscle repair) within a couple of hours. Good sleep and a sensible warm-up next time do more for your padel than any supplement. Pair good fuelling with our fitness training and warm-up guides and you'll feel the difference in your stamina across a session.