Virgin Active Wants You To Pick Up The Padel

If there’s one gym company that’s at the forefront of health and fitness within South Africa, then it’s definitely Virgin Active. It may be winter, but that’s no reason for your fitness journey to take a back seat. So, to make sure that you stay fit during the colder months, Virgin Active South Africa’s Padel Club recently partnered with Epic Padel to launch a new product offering to Virgin Active members.

Picking Up The Padel With Virgin Active

Jessica Spira, the Managing Director of Virgin Active South Africa, shared how incorporating Padel into their offerings was an obvious decision, considering how the sport has grown exponentially, globally and in South Africa, 

“The ease of the game also makes it very accessible and inclusive for all ages, which is a key consideration for us when it comes to upholding our wellness philosophy for our members,”

Jessica Spira, Managing Director of Virgin Active South Africa

Epic Padel is one of the leading Padel companies in the country, having built iconic several clubs, including the country’s first multi-court indoor arena, covered outdoor court and singles courts. 

“We’re thrilled to bring this epic partnership to South Africans with one of the most iconic fitness brands in South Africa – Virgin Active,” says Elian Wiener, who together with co-founders of Epic Padel – Adam Fine and Richard Lewis – will continue to drive the expansion of the business. 

“Our focus is to build and operate Padel courts at Virgin Active clubs as well as standalone locations nationwide. We couldn’t be more excited to bring our passion for Padel to Virgin Active, enabling even more opportunity for people to get fit, have fun and build relationships,” says Wiener.

Padel vs. Tennis

Now you may think that Padel is another term for tennis since it involves a racket and a lime-coloured ball, but these two sports are actually quite different.

	Padel	Tennis
Flooring	Artificial grass or sports turf with a sand refill.	Clay, lawn, or artificial grass.
Court	Smaller court size 10m x 20m with walls	Larger court size 23.77m x 10.97m and surrounding safety areas
Racket	Short handle and head with holes	Long handle with strings
Racket Shapes/Sizes	Round: for beginners; more accuracy Diamond: for experts, more power Teardrop: for intermediates; balanced accuracy and power	Head Size: Small-sized (<550 square centimeters) Midsize (550-625 square centimeters) Mid-plus (630-680 square cm) Oversized (685-870 square cm)
Balls	Approved colors: Yellow, White Smaller Slightly lesser bouncing rate Lesser internal pressure	Approved colors: Yellow, White Larger Slightly higher bouncing rate Higher internal pressure
Team Members	Two players in one team	One player in one team
Playing Style	Quick reflexes due to smaller court size	Powerful serves due to larger court size
Gaming Time	Shorter	Longer
Playing Season	All-season	Summer

Benefits of Padel

“More than just training for your body, Padel is a training ground for life. It teaches you to pick yourself up, work together as a team, practice patience, adapt and graciously accept defeat.”

Elian Wiener

If you’re looking for a reason to pick up the Padel racket, here are a few:

• Suitable for all ages
• A great stress reliever
• Improve your coordination and reflexes
• Tone your muscles
• Improve your heart health
• Boost your mental health

Where can I Padel?

Epic Padel clubs at Huddle Park, Durbanville, and The Glen are currently rebranding as Virgin Active Padel Club. There’s also an aggressive roll-out of new Padel clubs at Virgin Active clubs and other sites across South Africa that will take place over the next year. 

Expansion at Huddle Park and progress on new clubs at Randpark Golf Club (Johannesburg) and Groenkloof Bowling Club (Pretoria) are already underway.

Virgin Active Padel Clubs are open to Virgin Active members and non-members, allowing anyone to book and play on their courts. Additionally, players will have access to bathroom and locker room facilities, food and beverage offerings, coaching, leagues, and tournaments. Moreover, a variety of Padel merchandise, most notably the largest range of Adidas Padel products, will be available to buy and rent in the company’s pro shops. 

Virgin Active members are eligible to become Virgin Active Padel Club members at no extra cost. This membership will entitle them to benefits such as: 

• 20% discount off court bookings
• Priority bookings – court bookings will be open to members in advance of non-members, so they have a better chance to book the court and times they want
• Discounts on selected merchandise from Virgin Active Padel Club pro shops
• Invitations to Virgin Active Padel Club events
• Access to Virgin Active Padel Club WhatsApp groups – great for arranging games and getting all the news first

More information on how to become a Virgin Active Padel Club member is available here or here.

“Our Padel clubs are intended to be spaces where anyone can come to exercise, have fun and socialise through the sport. Together with Epic Padel, we look forward to growing our footprint to provide safe, inclusive and healthy Padel experiences to communities across the country,” concludes Spira.