Padel Nutrition: What to Eat Before, During and After Playing

Victor Torres

Graduado en Nutrición Humana y Dietética, Universidad de Valencia. Monitor de Patinaje, Federación de Patinaje de la Comunidad Valenciana.

Padel nutrition can determine whether you maintain intensity throughout a match or experience declining energy, concentration and reactions. This intermittent sport involves accelerations, direction changes and matches exceeding 90 minutes, making food and drink planning before, during and after play important. 

This guide offers practical advice for starting with fuel stores ready, staying hydrated on court and recovering afterwards.

Padel characteristics and energy demands

Padel combines short sprints, direction changes, jumps and constant reactions. Matches can exceed 90 minutes with widely varying intensity.

Players therefore need:

• Rapid energy for explosive efforts.
  
• Adequate muscle glycogen to sustain the match.
  
• Hydration to replace fluid and electrolytes.

Pre-match nutrition

Nutrition preparation matters as much as warming up: food affects available energy, lightness and focus.

When and what to eat

Arrive with fuel stores full and digestion comfortable:

• 3–4 hours before: a main meal with quality carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, potatoes or wholemeal bread, some lean chicken, fish or eggs, and little fat or fibre.
  
• 1–2 hours before: a lighter snack if needed, such as a banana, toast with jam or a cereal bar.
  

Hydration before play

Drinking immediately before starting is insufficient:

• Drink throughout the day to arrive hydrated.
  
• Around 30–60 minutes before, drink 300–500 ml water or a light isotonic drink.

Starting well hydrated is even more important than drinking during play.

Nutrition during the match

Breaks between games and changeovers provide opportunities for fluids and small bites to sustain energy and concentration.

Recommended drinks and snacks

Match duration and intensity make small energy servings useful:

• Fluids: water alone or alongside an isotonic carbohydrate-electrolyte drink.
  
• Easy-to-digest snacks: bananas, dates, sports chews or gels, or carbohydrate-rich commercial or homemade bars.

The goals are hydration and sustained energy.

Post-match recovery: nutrients to prioritise

Replace and repair:

• Carbohydrates replenish muscle glycogen.
  
• Protein supports muscle recovery.
  
• Fluids and electrolytes restore fluid balance.
  

Examples include milk-and-fruit smoothies, yoghurt with oats, or egg on toast with fresh juice. If lunch or dinner follows, include suitable carbohydrate and protein portions.

Useful supplements

Diet, appropriate training and rest provide the foundation for performance. Improving these brings the greatest benefit. Supplements are optional, but some can help:

• Creatine: supports short-effort power. Muscle phosphocreatine is the first energy reserve used during maximal efforts.
  
• Caffeine: improves attention and delays fatigue when tolerated. Coffee, capsules or gels can provide it 30–45 minutes before a match.

Other blog posts discuss both supplements in depth.

Common mistakes

1. Arriving fasted or after a very large meal.

Start with full glycogen stores but comfortable digestion, so blood supports working muscles rather than ongoing heavy digestion.

2. Drinking only water in long, hot matches.

Prolonged heavy sweating also requires electrolyte replacement. An isotonic drink is useful in these conditions.

3. Relying on supplements while neglecting diet.

Improving training, rest and everyday eating is more effective than simply adding a supplement.

4. Skipping post-match recovery planning.

After intense exertion, restore glycogen with carbohydrate and repair muscle with adequate protein. Rehydration is essential. 

This matters especially with several matches in one day or intense daily training.

Conclusion: make nutrition part of training

Padel challenges body and mind. Nutrition can determine whether you finish fresh or struggle around court. Prepare food and drink as deliberately as strokes and tactics.

Sports nutritionists working with padel players can use suitable tools to personalise intake, match plans to training and improve follow-up. See our best professional nutrition software comparison to find the right fit.