Blog
Terms

Vibora

A vibora is an aggressive overhead shot with side spin
Updated
•
August 31, 2024
Vibora

Padel vibora key takeaways

  • A vibora is an aggressive overhead shot
  • Contact should be made at eye-level, higher contact will result in
  • Depth, low height, and spin are this shot's strategy, it need not be the fastest shot to be damaging

What is a vibora in padel?

Vibora is Spanish for “viper”. This is an allusion to the sidespin of this aerial shot as it evokes the way that a viper moves as it unravels from its coiled resting position.

The player contacts the ball at three o’clock when it is at their eye-level. The ball should land behind the service line.

It is usually targeted for the back glass, which results in the ball shooting to the side off the back wall and often making the contact with the side wall at the fence where the bounce is, of course, very unpredictable.

When placed deeply, viboras also prevent proper defense by landing where the defender’s feet would naturally stand when defending the shot.

Daniel "Sanyo" Gutiérrez and Alejandro Galán are famous for their expertise of this shot.

This page may contain affiliate links. Learn more

FAQs

How is a vibora different from a bandeja?

A vibora is hit with side spin where as a bandeja is hit with slice, or backspin. Viboras are more aggressive shots than bandejas as the use of the wrist increases the precision required in timing the shot.

What is a vibora?

A vibora is an aggressive padel overhead shot with a lot of side spin. The name comes from the Spanish word for "viper", an allusion to the movement of the ball through the air.

Hello and welcome!

I'm Timo, and I'm here to help you find the right padel racket. And if you want weekly padel news and tips, sign up for my newsletter.