ATHLFT launches online platform to tackle rising injury crisis in padel with elite-level fitness coaching
New performance training platform equips padel players with professional-level strength, conditioning and mobility programmes to enhance performance and prevent injuries as the sport booms across the UK.
London, UK - 26 February 2026
ATHLFT, a new padel-specific strength and conditioning platform, launches today with a clear mission: to keep players of all abilities fit, injury-free and performing at their best, addressing one of the sport's most pressing but overlooked challenges, as rising injury rates continue to outpace access to the specialist training needed to prevent injury and improve performance.
By making elite-level strength and conditioning accessible and affordable, ATHLFT enables all standards of Padel players to move better, build strength and resilience, and spend more time on court - reducing injury risk while unlocking greater consistency, power, and performance.
Published research shows padel injury rates of approximately 8 injuries per 1,000 matches, with overuse injuries to the elbow and lower limb most common. For regular players hitting the courts three times a week, that translates to a potential injury every three to six months.
Expert coaching, accessible pricing
ATHLFT was founded with a clear ambition: to make the kind of strength and conditioning expertise that elite athletes take for granted available to every padel player, at a price that reflects that goal.
The platform partners with Move4Sport, whose lead coach Gareth Shelbourne brings over 20 years of strength and conditioning experience, having worked with Emma Raducanu from age 11 through to a year after her US Open victory. All Move4Sport coaches hold master's degrees in Strength & Conditioning and are UKSCA accredited.
"Every individual committed to a sport deserves the opportunity to play it for as long as possible and perform at the highest level their body allows," says Jack Kirkland, co-founder of ATHLFT. "We recognised the barrier that traditional one-on-one S&C coaching, typically £60 or more per hour, places in front of most players. ATHLFT exists to remove it."
Structured programmes for every level
ATHLFT's core offering is a suite of year-long programmes spanning three levels (Foundations, Intermediate, and Advanced), with sport-specific warm-ups, cool-downs, and structured training blocks focused on pre-season preparation, strength development, and injury prevention. Each exercise includes detailed guidance on proper form and a clear explanation of how it benefits padel performance specifically. Annual programmes are priced at £19.99 per month, or £199.99 paid upfront, a fraction of what a single hour with a traditional personal S&C coach would cost.
Looking ahead, ATHLFT will be adding a series of shorter, targeted six-week blocks within weeks of launch. Structured around specific periods of the sporting calendar, such as a Pre-Season Block available at Foundations, Intermediate, and Advanced levels, these programmes will allow players to dial in their training at key moments of the year.
Professional endorsement
Cameron Dollimore, GB No.3 and ATHLFT's lead ambassador, credits the platform with his recent ranking improvement: "I've been on the ATHLFT Advanced programme for three months and moved from GB top five to consistently top three during this period. I feel stronger, quicker, and far less stiff. Staying healthy is everything, and ATHLFT has helped me do that."
Launching into a fast-growing market
ATHLFT launches as a progressive web app (PWA), accessible via desktop and mobile across iOS and Android, with international availability from day one. The platform was built specifically for padel, a sport whose growth in the UK has been nothing short of remarkable, yet which has seen very little specialist strength and conditioning provision emerge alongside it.
According to data from Playtomic, the world's largest racket sports booking platform, UK participation more than doubled in 2025, with the number of players booking courts rising from 76,695 in January to 172,564 by December. ATHLFT is designed to scale alongside that continued expansion, in the UK and beyond.
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About ATHLFT
ATHLFT is a padel-specific strength and conditioning platform founded by brothers Jack and Finn Kirkland. Partnering with Move4Sport's team of accredited, master's-qualified coaches, ATHLFT delivers professional-grade training programmes designed to improve performance, prevent injuries, and extend playing careers for padel players of all levels. Annual programmes are available at £19.99 per month or £199.99 upfront, with a seven-day free trial available. Shorter six-week programme blocks will follow shortly after launch.
For more information, visit: https://athlft.mvt.so/
Follow ATHLFT: Instagram, TikTok & LinkedIn @athlft
MEDIA CONTACT: Ben Nichols, Founder, Padel 22 - ben@padel22.com ###
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