The People's Gym · Cork
Strength training for padel in Cork
Padel arrived in Cork fast and so did the injuries. Sore knees, a cranky shoulder from the overhead, a calf that went in the third set. The game is easy to start and hard on a body that has not trained for it. Our personal trainers build 30-minute sessions around the strength padel asks for at our Douglas and Ballincollig gyms.
Padel
The engine under the game
Padel is short sprints, lunges, twists and overheads for an hour or more, often several times a week. Strength is what lets you play that much without paying for it.
Legs and lunges
Padel is a lunging game. Squats, split squats and single-leg work build the legs that get low to the ball and get back up again.
Knees
Stop-start on a hard court loads the knees hard. Strong quads and glutes absorb it; weak ones send it into the joint.
Calves and Achilles
The classic padel injury in players over 35. Calf strength, built gradually, is the best insurance there is.
Shoulder and overhead
Bandejas, viboras and smashes wear the shoulder. Upper back and rotator cuff strength protects it and adds pace.
Rotation and trunk
Every shot turns through the trunk. Rotational strength turns into racket speed and takes the twist off the lower back.
Three matches a week
Playing more than your body has trained for is how most padel injuries happen. Two short strength sessions closes the gap.
Real Google reviews
From members who started where you are
In their own words, straight from Google.
"Excellently run gym. Sessions tailored to specific needs such as golf and tennis. Highly recommend"
"Great experience here at ATP. The trainer's are fantastic and they are very interested in getting the best results for you. They are very good at getting everything out of you for the full session while also making sure you are doing everything correctly so you don't pick up injuries."
"APT offer a great targeted personal experience to match your goals with an excellent depth of understanding of strength and conditioning from all their trainers and I would highly recommend."
"Excellent team of knowledgeable and motivating coaches. They can accommodate any level, from complete beginners to advanced athletes. Great stuff"
How it works
Padel strength training at ATP
Padel has a habit of pulling people back into sport who have not sprinted, lunged or hit an overhead in fifteen years, and then having them play three times a week. It is brilliant for that. It is also why physios in Cork are seeing a steady line of padel knees, calves, Achilles and shoulders. The court coaching covers the shots and the tactics. What sits underneath, the legs, the trunk and the joints that take the strain, is what we build.
What a session looks like
You train 1:2, one coach and two clients, each on your own programme, for 30 minutes. Leg strength and power for the lunges and the first step: squats, split squats, hinges and jumps. Calf and Achilles work every week. Upper back, rotator cuff and rotational trunk strength for the overhead and the volleys. Loads climb steadily and the session flexes around how many matches you played that week. Two sessions a week is the sweet spot, one if you are playing a lot and the body is tired.
Injuries
A padel knee, a calf that keeps going, tennis elbow from the grip, a shoulder that aches after overheads. If you are seeing a physio, we follow their advice and build the programme around it. Strength around the joint is usually the fix rather than rest, and getting properly strong before going back is what stops it happening again. Our after physio page covers coming back.
Getting started
Your first session is free. Claim it below and mention your club and how often you play in the form or when we ring. It is a real coached 30-minute session at Douglas or Ballincollig, no card and no commitment. If tennis is your other game, our tennis page covers the same strength from a bigger court, and if you are past 50 our men over 50 page and over 40 page are worth a read.
Memberships & pricing
Simple, flexible pricing
Personal training from €20.56 a session on a rolling membership, €35 pay as you go, and no-expiry packs from €289. See full pricing →
FAQ
Padel and training questions
If yours is not here, give us a ring. We would rather talk it through.
Do I need to lift weights to play padel?
Not to play, but to keep playing three times a week without a knee, calf or shoulder giving out, yes. Two short coached strength sessions a week is enough for most club players.
What are the most common padel injuries?
Knees, calves and Achilles, shoulders from the overhead, and elbows from the grip. All of them respond to strength around the joint, which is what the programme is built around.
Will lifting make me slow or stiff on court?
No. Done properly it makes you quicker into the lunge and back out of it. Stiffness comes from bodybuilding volume without mobility or speed work, which is not how we train padel players.
My calf keeps going. Can you help?
Usually, yes. Calf and Achilles strength, built gradually, is the best prevention for the classic padel calf. If you are with a physio, we follow their plan and build around it.
I play a lot. When do I fit training in?
Sessions are 30 minutes, so they slot in without eating a match night. Ideally not the day before a league match. If the body is tired, one session a week holds it.
Is it a class or personal training?
Personal training, 1:2. One coach with two clients, each on their own programme, so your game and your joints set the plan.
How much does it cost?
Rolling memberships start at €179 every 4 weeks for two sessions a week, and our no-expiry packs never lapse. Your first session is free, no card and no commitment.
Get started
Claim your free session
Tell us a little about yourself and a member of the ATP team will be in touch to book in your free session.
ATP Fitness App
Manage your sessions on the go
Book your PT & classes straight from your phone, manage your membership and top up credits any time.
Find us
Two locations across Cork
Douglas
2nd Floor, Unit A1, Donnybrook Commercial Centre, Donnybrook, Cork City
Tel: 087 649 4134
Mon-Thurs: 6:30am - 8:30pm
Friday: 6:30am - 7:00pm
Saturday: 8:00am - 2:00pm
Sunday: Closed
Ballincollig
Unit 1A, Link Road Business Park, Carrigrohane, Ballincollig, Co. Cork
Tel: 085 725 2370
Mon-Thurs: 6:30am - 8:30pm
Friday: 6:30am - 7:00pm
Saturday: 8:00am - 2:00pm
Sunday: Closed