Padel is a sport made up of accelerations, changes of direction, explosive phases and recovery time But how many calories do you actually burn during an hour on the track?

There is no universal figure. The number of calories burned depends on the  weight, intensity of the match, player level, or even the duration of the rallies But for an amateur player, an hour of padel usually represents an expense of between  400 and 700 calories .

 Sometimes, playing worse means spending more 

The level of play plays an important role, but not necessarily in the way one might imagine.

An experienced player generally moves more efficiently, anticipates trajectories better, and avoids unnecessary movements. Conversely, an amateur who regularly arrives late to the ball may make numerous runs and changes of direction.

Result:  A less experienced player may sometimes expend more energy simply because its travel is less economical.

This obviously doesn't mean that a top-level player expends little energy. At high intensity, the speed of the exchanges and the explosiveness required can, on the contrary, significantly increase energy expenditure.

 Between 400 and 700 calories per hour 

For the majority of amateur practitioners, the expenditure can therefore be estimated at around  400 to 700 calories for one hour of play .

This range is only indicative. A very intense match with long rallies can exceed these values, especially for a person with a larger body weight.

Conversely, a game with many interruptions and short exchanges will logically require less energy.

 Weight and intensity change a lot of things 

Le  body weight  is one of the main factors. The greater the mass to be moved, the more energy is required for accelerations and changes of direction.

La  muscle mass, physical fitness and sex  can also influence spending.

The nature of the match is just as important. Very short points interspersed with long breaks don't impose the same burden as a match with...  extended rallies and a lot of travel .

Two players can therefore spend exactly one hour on the track and show very different energy expenditures.

 Smartwatches remain estimates 

To know one's own expenditure, the  sports watches and heart rate monitors  These remain the most accessible tools. By combining heart rate and personal data such as weight or age, they can provide a useful estimate.

But the displayed figure should not be considered an exact measurement.

Padel is a  intermittent sport with constant variations in intensity. Therefore, heart rate does not always perfectly reflect the actual effort produced during very short accelerations.

 Much more than just a question of calories 

However, reducing padel to its calorie expenditure would be to miss the point.

Its regular practice requires the  cardiovascular system, coordination, explosiveness, neuromuscular qualities and changes of direction .

And above all, padel has a simple advantage: its fun and social aspect can facilitate a  regular sports practice .

So, 400, 500, or 700 calories? The number will vary enormously from one portion to another. One thing is certain:  More than the exact number of calories burned, it is the intensity and regularity of the practice that count. 

Benjamin Dupouy

I discovered padel directly during a tournament, and frankly, I didn't really like it at first. But the second time, it was love at first sight, and since then, I haven't missed a single match. I'm even ready to stay up until 3am to watch a final of Premier Padel !

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