I prefer the front kick, but one more opportune time, for a spinning kick is right at the beginning of the match, before either of you close the distance.One thing I've been told is to never throw a spinning kick on it's own as it's easy to see coming and puts you off balance. The best way is to use it after another kick preferably a roundhouse kick when you throw the roundhouse kick if you miss you're momentum will already be beginning to spin so follow on after the roundhouse with the spinning kick