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Hey 👋,
Every day, I answer questions from members of ThatPickleballSchool.
This question comes from David:
In case you can’t see the image, the question he’s asking is “How do I create top spin? Mostly for my serve but with other hits as well.”
Great question from David.
My answer:
Here’s what most people do when they want more topspin.
They stand too narrow.
They keep the ball close to their body.
They swing harder with their arm.
And they try to “brush up” on the ball on purpose.
What usually happens is the ball gets pushed flat, the serve feels tight, and nothing really changes.
Here’s what I do instead.
I don’t think about topspin at all.
I focus on three simple things.
First, I widen my stance.
When your feet are narrow, your body can’t rotate. No rotation means no spin. A wider base makes you more balanced and lets you use your body instead of just your arm.
Second, I get the ball out in front of me.
If the ball is tight to your body, you’re stuck swinging with your arm. When you let the ball drop a little farther out and you reach for it, you create space. That space lets the paddle move faster, and that’s where spin comes from. Not too far though. If it’s way out in front, you’ll miss.
Third, I rotate through the ball.
Most players try to hit harder by swinging their arm faster. I try to rotate my body toward the target. When I do that, my paddle-side foot steps into the court and my body finishes facing where I’m aiming. That rotation is what turns a flat push into a spinning shot.
When those three things happen. . .
The paddle naturally tilts.
The swing naturally goes low to high.
And the ball starts spinning without me thinking about it.
That’s why I tell people this all the time: topspin is not something you add.
It’s something that happens when the setup is right.
If you want to work on this this week, here’s what I’d do.
Next time you serve, check your feet first.
Make sure you’re not standing narrow.
Then, let the ball drop a little farther out in front so you have to reach (slightly) for it.
Then, after you hit, look at your finish. Did your body rotate toward the target? Did your paddle-side foot step into the court?
If you do those three things and stop trying to “create” topspin, you’ll be surprised how fast it starts showing up!
And once it shows up on your serve, you’ll start noticing it on your drives too.
That’s when the game gets a lot more fun.
And if you want to go even deeper on this, here’s the YouTube video I suggested David check out (we talk topspin at the 7-minute mark).
-Kyle
P.S. If you have a question or something you’re working on, join ThatPickleballSchool and let me know. I’ll make sure you get what you need to solve it.