Frequently Asked Technical Questions:

We are constantly receiving emails from people all over the world - coaches, players and parents alike who have being using The Bailey Method with great interest and great results.

David welcomes the feedback and often uses this to illustrate and highlight some of the problems encountered in many of his articles and lessons.

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THE LOW SPIN MOVE

Question:  Of all the 15 contact moves, why is the low spin one of the hardest to time but one of the most offensive?

Answer:
Firstly, because there is an aggressive spinning of the hips there is tendency to miss time the low spin by spinning too early or over spinning the hips.
Second, it is very effective when a ball comes hard and straight at you …so you must learn to shorten the backswing….keep the feet wide….let the ball come you and hit the ball straight. A lot of players panic ….the secret is know what to do and then just execute!!!!
 
The secret is to make contact before starting the low spin. Because the body becomes elevated there is a higher level of difficulty so I suggest a two foot pivot or 1 foot pivot if the low spin is not working for you.

That being said because the hips are snapped at the ball then there is the ability to hit the ball harder.

Question:  Can you compare and contrast the 2 foot pivot with the low spin as they do both look quite similar?

 Answer:

   1. Both the low spin and 2 foot pivot are hit of the outside foot and very similar approaching balls (low fast and deep)  though the 2 foot pivot is hit a ball that is a bit closer to the body (elbow is tucked in )and off more of an open stance. The low spin has the elbow further away from the body and hit off and semi-open stance.
   2.
      With both moves it is important to hit the ball at the side of the outside foot. Equally important is to make contact first before attempting the move.
      I love and always use the phrase “Let the ball come to you!”

      The best tip I can give when trying to compare 1 contact move with another is to shadow them both and FEEL the difference. 

Question: What is the best way to develop the low spin off court?

Answer:
I really like practicing the low spin with a 1 kg medicine ball that bounces. The medicine ball is then thrown into a wall or on the first bounce to a partner standing a few feet away.

Another great way is shadowing (mimicking) the low spin with a racket in hand and using resistance equipment. Resistance equipment that I use is vipers (bungee cord attached to a belt that is fixed to a wall or held by a trainer) or athletic trainer belts (bungee cords attached to the back of both ankles and fixed to a thick belt placed around the waist).

Question:   What are some common errors when attempting a low spin?

Answer: 

   1. Spinning too early. Make sure you make contact with the ball first and then make the low spin.
   2. Over spinning. When hitting the low spin cross court make sure the toe of the outside foot is pointing where the ball bounces. The same when hitting down the line.
   3. Not landing with the outside foot flat on the ground. When you over spin you tend to land on the toe of the outside foot.
   4. Not going beyond the ball i.e. outside foot to outside foot, but moving the weight from the outside foot to the inside foot. This usually means the ball is hit into the net and body alignment is lost.

Question:   Is the forehand low spin easier to hit than the backhand low spin?  

Answer:
I have always found that in my teaching that my students have always preferred the forehand low spin to the backhand low spin. In general hitting off the front leg on the backhand and hitting open on the forehand is usually preferred to hitting open on the backhand and off the front foot on the forehand. I also have found that 2 handed player prefer the backhand low spin to the single handed players.

Why?

I think it is just a matter of repetition. In general from a young age we are fed a lot more step down backhand than open backhands and a lot more open forehands to step down forehands. Look at the Williams sisters however they love the open backhand purely because it was drummed into them by their father at a young age!!!

 Question:   What are some good teaching points?

    * Keep the angles in the legs when hitting and finish the shot with the elbow of the hitting arm facing in the direction of the hit. A big problem in the low spin is to jump up... where it is better to actually drop after contact. A good tip is to be low enough that you can see the ball bounce under the white net tape at the other side of the court. This means you have stayed down on the shot.
    *  Keep the head still on contact. Whenever you spin the hips the head needs to be the fixed point that the body rotates around. Just like a spinning top ....the top will wobble and fall when it loses its’ alignment because the head falls out of its base of support. Having a vertical body axis is key to successful balance, weight transfer and control of the swing. It is also essential for watching the ball.
    * Hitting a low spin from a semi-open stance. Never try and spin the hips from an open stance as you will either over spin or fall from the outside foot towards the inside foot. Both these lead to hitting the ball into the net.
    * Contacting the ball first before attempting the low spin, landing slightly on the outside foot first and making contact with the ball in line with the outside foot. The bets two tips I can give here is  - ”Let the ball cone to you” and “Make contact first before spinning the hips”