Is Padel a Good Workout? What the Research on Heart Rate Says

TL;DR: Yes — padel keeps most players working at 70–80% of their maximum heart rate for most of a match, which puts it firmly in the moderate-to-vigorous cardio zone (Herrera-Gálvez et al., 2024; Castillo-Rodríguez et al.). A published comparison found padel’s average heart rate and blood lactate levels were statistically comparable to tennis doubles. There is no official calorie figure for padel specifically — it isn’t yet listed in the standard Compendium of Physical Activities used for exercise calculators — but given its measured cardio demand sits alongside tennis, a reasonable working estimate is 400–600 kcal an hour for a recreational player, more for competitive play.

Padel gets pitched two ways: as a gentle, social hour with friends, and as a genuine workout. Both are true, and the reason is the same — the sport’s enclosed court keeps rallies going far longer than tennis, which means far less standing around between points.

This guide sticks to what’s actually been measured: heart rate, blood lactate, distance covered, and how that stacks up against sports that do have official calorie figures.

What the research actually measured

Several Spanish sports-science groups have put heart rate monitors and GPS trackers on padel players during real matches. The picture that emerges is consistent across studies.

Working at 70–80% of your maximum heart rate is, by standard exercise-science definitions, moderate-to-vigorous intensity — the same zone targeted by NHS and WHO physical activity guidelines for cardiovascular benefit. This isn’t a light social hit-about from a physiological standpoint, even when it feels that way because you’re distracted by the game.

Padel vs tennis: the direct comparison

One study set out specifically to compare padel and tennis doubles under matched conditions. It found padel produced significantly more rallies, more volleys and longer play durations than tennis — but despite that busier rally pattern, average heart rate and blood lactate were statistically comparable between the two sports.

That’s a useful anchor, because tennis does have an official calorie value, and padel doesn’t yet.

The calorie question — and why nobody can give you an exact number

Here’s the honest gap in the data: padel is not currently listed as a separate entry in the Compendium of Physical Activities, the reference dataset most calorie calculators, fitness trackers and health sites ultimately draw on. Every “padel burns X calories” figure you’ll find online — including in this guide — is an estimate, not a direct measurement, because the direct measurement doesn’t exist yet.

What we can do is use the numbers that are official — Harvard Health’s published calorie chart, based on the Compendium — for sports with heart rate and lactate profiles measured as comparable to padel, and reason from there.

Since padel’s measured heart rate and lactate response sit alongside tennis doubles rather than the more sedate end of racquet sports, 400–600 kcal per hour for recreational play is a defensible estimate — broadly consistent with independent calorie calculators, which typically land in the same 400–600 range for moderate intensity, rising towards 700–800 for competitive matches. Treat this as an informed estimate, not a lab result.

Does skill level change the workout?

Indirectly, yes — through the mechanism the research actually measured, not through a magic multiplier. More experienced players play longer, more explosive rallies, cover more ground reacting to pace, and spend more time in the top heart-rate zones because points last longer before someone makes an error. Beginners tend to end rallies faster, take more breaks between points, and consequently see a lower average heart rate over the course of a session — not because they’re moving less efficiently, but because there’s less continuous play to sustain intensity.

This means the honest way to increase padel’s workout value isn’t to “hit harder” — it’s to extend rallies and reduce dead time between points, which is exactly what improving your back-wall play and shot selection naturally does as you improve.

Is padel good cardio for beginners?

Yes, with a caveat worth taking seriously. The same intermittent, high-intensity profile that makes padel effective cardio is also what the injury research flags as a risk factor when volume increases too quickly. Both major systematic reviews on padel injuries identify rapid increases in playing volume as a contributor to injury, alongside the sport’s very real elbow and lower-limb injury rates — see our padel injuries guide for the full data and a ten-minute warm-up built around it.

Practically, this means: padel is a legitimate cardiovascular workout from your first session, but the standard “start conservatively, add a session every few weeks rather than every few days” advice that applies to any new sport applies here too.

How padel compares to other racket sports for fitness

If you’re choosing a racket sport purely for cardio and can access all four, squash generally tops calorie charts. But padel’s advantage is sustainability: the doubles-only, wall-assisted format keeps rallies alive with far fewer dead points than tennis, which is a large part of why players report finishing a padel session feeling like they’ve had a proper workout despite the smaller court.

Frequently asked questions

Is padel a good workout?
Yes. Measured heart rate during real matches sits at 70–80% of maximum heart rate for most of a session — moderate-to-vigorous intensity by standard exercise-science definitions, and comparable to tennis doubles in heart rate and blood lactate response.

Is padel good cardio?
Yes, particularly because rallies are longer than tennis due to the walls keeping the ball in play. Longer rallies mean more sustained time in an elevated heart-rate zone rather than short bursts followed by long rests.

How many calories does padel burn?
There’s no official figure yet — padel isn’t in the standard Compendium of Physical Activities used for calorie calculators. Based on its measured similarity to tennis in heart rate and lactate response, 400–600 kcal per hour is a reasonable estimate for recreational play, rising for competitive matches.

Is padel as good a workout as tennis?
A direct comparison study found average heart rate and blood lactate were statistically comparable between padel and tennis doubles, despite padel producing more rallies and longer play durations. Neither has been shown to be clearly superior for cardio.

Can beginners get a good workout from padel?
Yes, from the first session — the intensity comes from the sport’s format, not from skill level. The main caveat is building up playing volume gradually, since rapid increases in frequency are a documented injury risk factor.

Is padel better than running for fitness?
They train different things. Padel is intermittent — bursts of high intensity within longer rallies, interspersed with lower-intensity moments — while running is typically steady-state. Padel also adds lateral movement, reaction time and social engagement that running doesn’t. Neither replaces the other; many players do both.

Sources

• Sanchez-Alcaraz Martinez BJ, Courel-Ibanez J, Munoz D. Physiological, physical and anthropometric parameters in padel: a systematic review. — heart rate data in amateur and semi-professional matches
• Evolution of Physiological Responses and Fatigue Analysis in Padel Matches According to Match Outcome and Playing Position. Sensors, 2025;25(17):5240. DOI via MDPI — distance, accelerations, average heart rate in amateur matches
• Padel vs. tennis doubles: a comparison of performance demands and game attributes. — direct heart rate and lactate comparison between the two sports
• Harvard Health Publishing, Calories burned in 30 minutes for people of three different weights — official comparison figures for tennis, racquetball and badminton
• Lawn Tennis Association, padel participation data, 2026

If you’re just getting started, our guide to padel for absolute beginners covers the rules, format and what your first session actually feels like.