Padel Nutrition Guide – Pre, During & After Match

Want to be a padel champ? Want to rock on the court with strong moves like the top padel players? If yes, just searching for the best padel rackets or other equipment is not enough. You need to know how to program your body; that is the key. If your body is not properly fueled, your techniques and padel knowledge can potentially be useless on the field. 

No matter whether you are playing padel as a recreational activity or you are trying to walk on the competitive lane, the right padel nutrition plan can help you last longer in matches, recover faster, and feel stronger overall. However, the Internet is loaded with so-called experts who guide you to a course or paid nutrition programs. So, how to get padel nutrition tips that actually will make a difference in your performance? We are here to guide you. In this piece, we cover everything from pre-match meals to padel supplements, hydration strategies, and tips.

Pre-Match Nutrition

Starting your padel session on an empty stomach or without a proper pre-match meal? You will definitely feel the lack of energy during the matches. That’s why no matter whether it’s a normal match or a competitive match, having a pre-match meal before you enter the court is a must. It’s one of the main parts of your complete padel nutrition routine that ensures you get an adequate supply of energy throughout the match. With a pre-match meal, you will get higher stamina, energy, and focus on the field.

But the question is, what should you eat before you join the game? Ideally, we will recommend having a lean protein source that’s easily digestible and simple carbohydrates that will give you an instant power supply. Don’t eat any high-fat or saturated fat items, as they will slow down your digestive system and food breakdown in your gut. 

Ideally, you can have any of the following pre-match meals: 

• Grilled chicken breast with brown rice and steamed veggies 
• A bowl of oats with banana and peanut or almond butter 
• Whole grain toast with eggs and avocado 

Ideal time to take a pre-match meal? 

It’s best to take the pre-match meal two hours prior to the match. This allows a proper breakdown of the food and supplies for constant energy. However, if you missed it, take a light pre-match meal just 30 minutes before the match.

During the match

Staying fueled during the match is also super important. If the matches are long, you may feel exhausted after some time. So, getting a dose of energy is essential. It’s obvious that during a match you can’t have a heavy meal. That’s why you need to have simple carbohydrates for instant energy. Bananas are a great option to get that instant energy boost. You would have definitely seen many athletes enjoy the magic benefits of this fruit mid-match. However, another good option is a protein bar. But only if it comes from a good brand. There are hundreds of brands to fool you and sell you sugary products. So, make sure to invest in a good and high-quality protein bar.

That does not wrap up your mid-match padel diet. No matter whether you are taking bananas or protein bars, one thing that’s mandatory is to stay hydrated. If you want to play long sessions without feeling muscle strains or getting injured, make water your friend. If it’s a two-hour-long session, make sure to consume at least one liter of water. If you are playing in the hot sun, you can have electrolyte tablets or any good energy drink.

What to avoid during the match? 

• Carbonated drinks
• Energy drinks with high sugar content 
• Energy bars with high sugar content 

After the match

If you are missing out on the post-match recovery padel nutrition, get ready to face that sharp soreness in your arms and other muscles for the next few days. Although the game has wrapped up, your muscles are still in active mode. That’s where the importance of post-match recovery peaks out in padel nutrition. It helps your strained muscles relax and recover quickly.

Here are the options you can add to your post-match padel diet:

• Grilled chicken or fish with brown rice and steamed veggies 
• Greek yogurt with honey and berries
• Protein shake with a banana
• Egg sandwich on whole-grain bread 
• Sweet potato with cottage cheese or avocado
• Smoothie with oats, banana, berries, nut butter, and protein powder 

In your post-match meal, you must focus on three major components: carbohydrates, protein, and hydration. You can add simple carbohydrates to your Padel diet to get a refuel in energy. Protein is important for your muscles to recover quickly. On top, water is the most important thing to keep your muscles working, away from strains, and recover fast. 

Everyday padel nutrition

What you eat before the match and after the match can give you energy on the court and help you recover, but that doesn’t create a difference in your performance over time. When it comes to polishing your padel performance, it all comes down to daily padel nutrition. It’s all about consistency. Keeping yourself on a strict Padel diet is easy. But sticking to it for days is super hard.

Taking pre-match and post-match padel nutrition is not enough. You have to eat well on the rest days too. Why is that so? On rest days, your body utilizes the time to repair tissues, restore energy levels, and prepare for upcoming physical activities. That’s why giving it proper nutrition is important.

What to Eat Every Day? 

On rest days, you can require fewer calories, but you still need to choose a healthy variety of nutrients. Just stick to high-quality whole meals that support and heal your body.

You can incorporate the following into your daily padel diet:

• To maintain consistent energy levels, consume complex carbs such as quinoa, sweet potatoes, oats, and whole grain bread.
• You need lean proteins that promote continuous muscle healing, including fish, eggs, poultry, tofu, and lentils.
• Add healthy fats to your padel diet. Nuts, seeds, avocado, and olive oil are great options to lower inflammation and promote joint health.
• Fruits and vegetables high in fiber are beneficial for immune system function, digestion, and antioxidant defense.
• Even when you are not playing, stay hydrated. Drink lots of water to keep your body hydrated and to regulate cell function.

What to Eat on Days When You’re Not Training

On rest days, you can require fewer calories, but you still need to choose a healthy variety of nutrients. Just stick to high-quality whole meals that support and heal your body.

You can incorporate the following into your daily padel diet:

• To maintain consistent energy levels, consume complex carbs such as quinoa, sweet potatoes, oats, and whole grain bread.
• You need lean proteins that promote continuous muscle healing, including fish, eggs, poultry, tofu, and lentils.
• Add healthy fats to your padel diet. Nuts, seeds, avocado, and olive oil are great options to lower inflammation and promote joint health.
• Fruits and vegetables high in fiber are beneficial for immune system function, digestion, and antioxidant defense.
• Even when you are not playing, stay hydrated. Drink lots of water to keep your body hydrated and to regulate cell function.

Foods Not to Eat

You may indulge in a cheat lunch as it’s a leisure day. You will undoubtedly ruin your whole padel diet regimen if you believe this. Junk food and other foods might slow down your muscle recovery even on rest days.

The following foods must be avoided at all costs:

• Too much sugar adds extra calories and produces energy dumps. So, stay away from those tempting chocolates and other sugary stuff.
• Highly processed meals are low in nutrients and can cause inflammation. Don’t go for packaged foods.
• Excessive consumption of energy drinks or coffee might interfere with sleep. Don’t drink coffee or tea after evening. 
• Alcohol hinders muscle growth and hydration. So, try to avoid it.

Padel hydration

No matter how much highly nutritious food you stack in your stomach, if you are dehydrated, get ready for muscle stiffness, soreness, cramps, and a high risk of injury. Hydration is something that defines your complete padel performance. That’s why padel players should try to consume two to three liters of water each day, with their intake rising during hot weather or matches. Drink water often throughout the day instead of waiting for the time you will feel thirsty.

If you are using supplements like creatine, the water requirement of your body doubles. You can also use coconut water, sports drinks, or electrolyte tablets to replenish electrolytes like potassium and salt that are lost via sweat. Overall, staying hydrated is the key.  

Padel supplements 

Here are some quick padel nutrition tips in bullet points, tailored to player level, time of day, and location:

• Beginner Tip: You can have easily digestible carbs like bananas or toast 30–60 minutes before playing.
• Advanced Players: Include more protein and healthy fats in your padel diet to support muscle repair.
• Morning Matches: Don’t skip breakfast—opt for oats, eggs, or a smoothie for lasting energy.
• Advanced Players: To promote muscle regrowth, increase your intake of protein and good fats in your padel diet.
• Morning Matches: Don’t ever skip your breakfast. For long-lasting energy, eat oatmeal, eggs, or a smoothie.
• Evening Matches: To prevent feeling lethargic, choose a small pre-match snack.
• In hot weather, make sure to stay hydrated and take extra electrolytes to avoid cramping.

Summary

Mastering padel nutrition is not just about picking some random healthy food items. It’s about knowing which meal, which food item you should put in, and which ones to avoid.

Got the perfect Padel diet? That’s not enough. You need to stick to it consistently. That’s the key. Small changes in your nutrition can lead to big improvements in your performance. So, eat right and level up your performance on the court.