A hand routine before a padel match
A routine to prep your hands before a padel match: dry them, cut sweat at the source, and keep a firm grip from the first game to the last.
Summary
A good pre-padel hand routine comes down to three moves: show up with clean, dry hands, reduce sweat at the source before the first rally, then reapply and wipe on the changeovers. The goal isn't to mop up endlessly, but to start on a dry grip and hold it.
The problem
In padel, the pala is often held without a thick overgrip, the hand works hard on volleys and off-the-glass shots, and matches stack up in a tournament. Palm sweat shows up fast: the pala slips on a bandeja, the wrist tenses, precision drops right on the shots that call for touch.
Most players handle this reactively, wiping on their shorts, blowing into a hand, hunting for the towel between points. It works for five seconds. A routine, by contrast, sets the ground before the problem arrives.
The mechanism
The palms hold some of the densest sweat glands in the body, and these glands respond mainly to nervous tension, focus, adrenaline, the stakes of the point. That's why hands can turn clammy during the warm-up, before you're even hot.
A film of water between the skin and the pala cuts friction, so grip. The hand compensates by squeezing harder, which tires the forearm and degrades control. In a touch sport like padel, that loss of feel is costly: it's often the difference between a ball glued to the fence and a ball that sails long.
A routine works on two fronts. It removes the water already there (wiping), and above all it limits the water still to come (treating at the source). The first alone is never enough over time; the second changes the shape of the match.
In practice
The routine, in order.
Before you get to the club. Clean, dry hands. Skip greasy creams just before playing: they form a layer that hurts grip.
During the warm-up, on dry hands. Apply [ULTIMATE DRY GRIP] gel, which reduces palm sweat at the source for a dry grip from the first point. With the hands: shake the bottle, turn the head to unlock the applicator, 1 to 2 pumps, rub in until fully absorbed, let it dry for a few seconds. Then take the pala: the hold should be firm, no film.
On the changeovers. Keep a small towel to remove surface sweat, and reapply the gel as soon as traction drops. One pump rubbed into dry hands is enough.
What it spares you: no powder flying in a covered court, zero residue on the pala or the ball, nothing bleeding onto your partner's gear. The menthol brings a cool sensation, welcome in a summer tournament. A 99.9% natural formula, dermatologically tested, made in France.
A useful reminder: the gel is for the hand that sweats. If the issue is more about blisters or skin wearing down, that's the wax, and you never combine the two, since each cancels the other's effect.
Verdict
The padel hand routine is nothing complicated: clean, dry hands, gel applied and rubbed in during the warm-up to cut sweat at the source, wiping and reapplying on the changeovers. You stop chasing the sweat, you start on a dry grip and hold it.
FAQ
Can I put the gel on right before the first point?
Yes, as long as the hands are dry and you let the gel absorb for a few seconds before taking the pala. The best moment is during the warm-up.
Do I still need a towel if I use the gel?
A small towel stays handy for removing surface sweat on the changeovers. The gel reduces sweat at the source; wiping handles what's left.
Is the gel applied as a spray, hands-free?
No. The gel is laid on and rubbed in with the hands. Only the SUNMIST, the face sun mist, is used hands-free.
Contenu éditorial TIVA Performance Lab · éléments donnés à titre informatif, non médical · testé dermatologiquement · Made in France.
