Padel grip guide
The continental grip in padel: what it is and how to find it
Direct answer
The continental grip is holding the racket like a hammer: the edge of the frame points at the ground, the V between thumb and index finger sits on the top edge of the handle, and the face ends up perpendicular to the court. It is the base grip in padel, the one you use for most shots.
Marco LucasAURO
What the continental grip is
The continental grip is the hammer grip. You hold the handle so the racket face is perpendicular to the ground, without turning the wrist. The V formed by your thumb and index finger sits on the top edge of the handle, and the heel of your palm rests against the butt cap. Neither the palm nor the knuckles sit behind the handle: the hand sits on the edge. That is why it works for forehand and backhand without changing anything.
How to find it in three moves
Hold the racket by the throat with your free hand, edge down. Open your playing hand and lay the handle across the palm diagonally, from the base of the index finger to the heel of the hand. Close the fingers. Check the V: thumb and index finger meet on the top edge of the handle, not on a flat side. Your little finger sits just above the butt cap. If the face is flat to the ground, you have gone too far round.
Why padel is built on it
Padel is played close to the net and the ball comes back fast. Volley, bandeja, wall exit, smash: there is no time to change grip between them. The continental covers all of them from the same hand position. It also gives the underarm serve its natural angle and lets you cut under the ball on the bandeja and the volley. Coaches teach it first because everything else is built on top of it.
Which shots use it
Serve, forehand and backhand volleys, bandeja, víbora, smash and lob: continental. Forehand and backhand from the back of the court: continental as the base. Some players open the hand a little towards the eastern forehand to lift the ball with topspin from the back, and at their level that is fine. If you are starting out, keep one grip and learn to hit every shot from it. Changing grips before your volley is solid creates more problems than it solves.
Continental, eastern and australian: the differences
The table shows where the hand goes in each grip and what you gain or lose. The further the hand turns away from the edge, the better one specific shot gets and the worse the rest become. In padel that trade rarely pays: you spend most of the point at the net, and the net is where the continental wins.
| Grip | Where the hand sits and what it is for |
|---|---|
| Continental | V on the top edge of the handle. Face perpendicular to the court. Serve, volleys, bandeja, smash, lob and the base for groundstrokes. |
| Eastern forehand | Hand turns slightly behind the handle, as if shaking hands with the face. Flatter forehand from the back. You have to change back to volley. |
| Eastern backhand | Hand turns the other way, knuckles more on top. Firmer backhand drive from the back. Same problem: it does not work at the net. |
| Australian | Hand turns further round than the eastern. Some players use it to lift the forehand with topspin from the back. Uncomfortable for backhand, volley and bandeja. |
Common mistakes while learning it
The first is checking the grip only after a mistake, then letting the hand drift back to the old position as soon as the point speeds up. The second is squeezing: placing the hand correctly does not mean holding harder. The third is turning the wrist to fix a face angle that the grip should fix. And the fourth is changing grip in the middle of a competitive season, when you have the least room to absorb something new.
How to check it between points
Between points there is time. Let the arm hang, release the racket completely, take hold of it again without looking and compare with how it felt at the start of the session. If it feels different, the hand moved during play. That is far more common than placing it wrongly from the start. Doing this a few times a match is the cheapest correction there is.
Auro Grip: the continental you can feel
Auro Grip is a physical guide that helps your hand find the continental grip on a padel racket handle. Its relief sits where the heel of the hand and the little finger go, so when the hand is off you feel it before you see the result. It does not replace your overgrip: Auro Grip sits on top of the overgrip, and the overgrip stays underneath for feel and sweat absorption.
Position 01 and Position 02
Position 01 has the more pronounced reference and is the one to start with. Position 02 is reached by rotating the piece 180 degrees, which changes the orientation of the reference. Start with 01 until the hand finds the grip on its own. Then try 02 if you want a freer hold or have a smaller hand.
AURO
Frequently asked questions
Is the continental grip mandatory in padel?
No. It is not a rule. It is the most used grip because it covers the volley, the bandeja, the smash and the serve from one hand position. Some players move away from it on groundstrokes, where there is more time.
Do I serve with the continental grip?
Yes. The padel serve is underarm and below the waist, and the continental gives the face the right angle to cut under the ball without turning the wrist.
What grip for the smash and the víbora?
Continental for both. The smash needs the face to close over the ball at contact, and the víbora needs to cut across it. Both movements come naturally from the hammer grip, and you do not change anything between the lob you defend and the smash you hit.
Can I learn it without a coach?
You can learn the position on your own with the hammer image and the check between points. What is hard without a coach is noticing when the hand drifts during play, because it happens while your attention is on the ball.
What if I have played for years with another grip?
You can change. Expect the new grip to feel worse than the old one for a while, because the old one is automatic. Pick a stretch without important matches and check it between points until it stops needing attention.
What does Auro Grip do for the continental grip?
Auro Grip is a physical guide that helps your hand find the continental grip on a padel racket handle. You feel the shape under your hand instead of having to look.
Does Auro Grip replace the overgrip?
No. Auro Grip sits on top of the overgrip rather than replacing it: it guides hand position while the overgrip stays underneath for feel and sweat absorption. The order on the handle is base grip, overgrip, Auro Grip.