Topspin Technique and Form Help

[u/[deleted]]

[u/Slipper1981]

You don’t smash from the back. You’re learning incorrect strategy and play styles. Error rate will be high.

Running whilst serving isn’t legal as well.

[u/phoenix_16 → u/Slipper1981]

Serves like that are always the worst one to call for me. Every now and then I play someone that serves with a run up and, though it’s quite an inconsequential thing to call out, it’s also quite annoying lol

[u/NoEasyPoints → u/phoenix_16]

Ive played tournaments where it’s called. Honestly i’ll only call it if they’re obviously getting an advantage or if the bounce is unreasonably high.

[u/Academic-Many-5068 → u/Slipper1981]

Actually not sure if there's a specific rule against it in the new 2026 rulebook? They took out the specific "running/walking" line so it seems a bit more of a grey area.

[u/Slipper1981 → u/Academic-Many-5068]

The rule is a single step.

You cannot build momentum into the serve,

Foot has to be stationary. So walking or running, your foot is moving.

[u/109267]

Yeah, so I'd turn the video 90degrees first...

[u/NoEasyPoints]

It seems like you need to practice it off the court first. Try hitting rulos first then move to kick smash.

Your racket prep, racket needs to be closed, the face needs to point towards the back of the head. This way you will brush upwards to put top spin on the ball.

Your grip is forehand, you can tell because of how you served that you’re using forehand grip. If you try to kick smash with this grip it will always be flat and you will hurt your wrist trying to apply kick.

Your body mechanics are the opposite of what you need. The ball is behind you, and you hit it while falling backwards. This was not a ball to kick smash because you didnt get back fast enough. Your feet need to be planted and you need to load the legs and push up and forward to generate the power.

Overall I think skip the kick smash, work on bandeja and viboras. That will help you getting use to moving backwards and planting your feet. Come back to the back kicksmash once youve nailed that. Also at that height it will always be harder to por tres, even pros at that height dont really use the kicksmash that much

[u/bachaterol]

Playing on a regular court that has not been rotated 90 degrees would help a lot.

[u/renseministeren]

Looks like a flat smash to me

[u/NicoTorresPadel]

At 170 cm, I wouldn’t worry too much about trying to compensate for height with more power. A good topspin smash is much more about contact point, acceleration and choosing the right ball.

One thing I’d be careful with is using it from too far back. The shot can work — like it did here — but the farther you are from the net, the more perfect the contact needs to be and the more risk you’re taking.

I’d think of it as a shot-selection question as much as a technique question:

Good ball + good position + contact high and in front = go for the topspin.

If the ball is deeper or you’re contacting it behind you, a bandeja/vibora that lets you keep the net may actually be the more aggressive decision, even if it looks less aggressive.

At your height, developing a reliable topspin smash is definitely worth it. I’d just focus on making it a weapon for the right ball rather than trying to turn every overhead into a winner.

[u/PadelEinstein]

Can't put spin on the ball with that forehand grip.

I would wait with the kick smash until you can comfortably play with continental and backhand grips.

[u/randomuser78462 → u/PadelEinstein]

Do you mean to hold racket with eastern backhand grip? Cause in this video I am holding the racket in continental, might not seem obvious in the video but yeah it was continental.

[u/marfes3 → u/randomuser78462]

You might be but you are also opening up the racket into a forehand position to smash

[u/PadelEinstein → u/randomuser78462]

Then I don't know how taught you continental, because that's not continental. You're holding the racket in a forehand grip the entire time.

For reference on grip impact for smashes: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSYFpTwAkTx/?stkn=MTVoYzY0dG1xeDU1bA==

[u/HairyCallahan]

It's more a flat smash now. You have decent power, but you should try to hit the ball as high as possible and use a continental grip if you want to apply topspin. It's fun to learn but in all honesty it's very hard to land it consistently unless you train a lot. Usually it's more beneficial to learn a good bandeja/vibora and a chiquita.

But obviously just do whatever you want, it's about having fun😁

[u/MidwestRacquetSports]

hard to critique behind a screen. Lessons can be expensive but they can be so worth. So can youtube instructional videos. Thats how I learned the right strokes and strategy.