Every stroke you hit blends two directions of power: vertical for spin and lateral for pace. Get the mix right and you can swing with confidence from anywhere on the court. In this lesson, Coach Tim Brielmaier breaks down the two spins that come from that mix — topspin for height, safety, and depth, and underspin (the slice) that stays low, skids, and sets up your approach shots.
What Coach Tim covers
- The windshield wiper. Let the racket drop below the ball, then brush low to high — the wiper motion that creates topspin and lifts the ball safely over the net. Practiced solo with just a basket of balls.
- Racket parallel + the invisible wall. At contact the racket face stays parallel to your target, and the contact point stays out in front of you — never let the ball get past that wall.
- Vertical vs. lateral power. Close to the net it's mostly vertical (spin); as you back up toward the baseline you add lateral weight shift for pace and depth. Your position on the court decides the mix.
- Underspin for approach shots. Forward and down — on the forehand and the backhand — to keep the ball low as you move in.
- The offensive slice. Add lateral power and the slice becomes a weapon: low, skidding, and tough on opponents who don't move well or hit two-handed backhands.
Two spins, one decision
Most rec players treat spin as a single skill, but topspin and underspin solve different problems. Topspin buys you margin — swing hard, clear the net, and let the spin pull the ball back down inside the baseline. Underspin buys you time and position — a low, skidding ball that's hard to attack while you close in behind it. Knowing which spin the moment calls for is what turns rallying into point construction. For the deeper topspin-only breakdown, watch How to Hit Topspin: Forehand & Backhand.
Get a lesson to build on it
Both spins are built on the same fundamentals — grip, swing path, spacing, and contact point — and grooving them with a coach beats grooving mistakes alone. Coach Tim is a mobile coach across Florida's Space Coast and Treasure Coast and comes to your court. See lessons and pricing, or read what to expect in your first lesson.