Need help on badminton smash technique
- Thread starter Collin84
- Start date
Few things I notice:
It's good you're using some body rotation to throw your weight forward into the smash, but only a moderate amount. If you have time to get behind the shuttle, you should be rotating your right hip forward a lot more with your shoulder to get even more body weight behind the smash.
It looks like you're gripping the racket extremely tight the entire time. Having a looser grip and tightening the racket right as you're about to swing will give you more power focused at the moment of impact.
When you impact the shuttle, your arm looks VERY bent the entire time during your swing. What I mean is, if you start your elbow bent before the smash as you're getting ready, then straighten out your arm as you smash, but not completely straight, that will also improve your power. This movement is very minimal in your smash so your body looks very stiff.
That's mainly how I would describe your smash, it looks very stiff. Try to relax! The more relaxed you when you swing, you actually will be able to hit harder!
It's good you're using some body rotation to throw your weight forward into the smash, but only a moderate amount. If you have time to get behind the shuttle, you should be rotating your right hip forward a lot more with your shoulder to get even more body weight behind the smash.
It looks like you're gripping the racket extremely tight the entire time. Having a looser grip and tightening the racket right as you're about to swing will give you more power focused at the moment of impact.
When you impact the shuttle, your arm looks VERY bent the entire time during your swing. What I mean is, if you start your elbow bent before the smash as you're getting ready, then straighten out your arm as you smash, but not completely straight, that will also improve your power. This movement is very minimal in your smash so your body looks very stiff.
That's mainly how I would describe your smash, it looks very stiff. Try to relax! The more relaxed you when you swing, you actually will be able to hit harder!
Gollum
Regular Member
I can see a lot of good things in your technique already. 
I think you need to start by changing the exercise. The feed is way too frequent, meaning you never have time to set up properly. This kind of exercise is more for speed/pressure/physical training, not for training the basic technique. It's all rather manic, and that's not helping you practise.
I would prefer higher lifts and more time between the lifts. Also the lifts should go to only one side. At this stage, I think you would be better off not trying to hit so hard, so maybe practise a half-smash or a three-quarter smash.
It may help to get some movement involved, in which case you can do (say) forehand block to a forehand half-smash (moving from midcourt to rearcourt). Keep the movement low-pressure though.
In your preparation, I would like to see a higher racket position. At the moment, you are winding up from a starting point where the racket is about waist height. Prepare early, with your racket back and your body turned.
I don't think you're getting enough forearm rotation (pronation) as you hit. You might like to try practising some clip-smashes (shorter hitting action, with a rebound), to help get the feeling of what the forearm is supposed to do.
With that said, I'd mostly want to work on your overall stroke quality. The forearm pronation will come in time, if you get the basic "shape" of the stroke right.
I hope this makes sense. It's difficult to explain all these things in text -- I do have some videos on general overhead technique that might help.
I think you need to start by changing the exercise. The feed is way too frequent, meaning you never have time to set up properly. This kind of exercise is more for speed/pressure/physical training, not for training the basic technique. It's all rather manic, and that's not helping you practise.
I would prefer higher lifts and more time between the lifts. Also the lifts should go to only one side. At this stage, I think you would be better off not trying to hit so hard, so maybe practise a half-smash or a three-quarter smash.
It may help to get some movement involved, in which case you can do (say) forehand block to a forehand half-smash (moving from midcourt to rearcourt). Keep the movement low-pressure though.
In your preparation, I would like to see a higher racket position. At the moment, you are winding up from a starting point where the racket is about waist height. Prepare early, with your racket back and your body turned.
I don't think you're getting enough forearm rotation (pronation) as you hit. You might like to try practising some clip-smashes (shorter hitting action, with a rebound), to help get the feeling of what the forearm is supposed to do.
With that said, I'd mostly want to work on your overall stroke quality. The forearm pronation will come in time, if you get the basic "shape" of the stroke right.
I hope this makes sense. It's difficult to explain all these things in text -- I do have some videos on general overhead technique that might help.
Hi Tactim and thanks for your detailed response!! I really appreciate it. Been trying very hard to gather additional power but does not work.
For your first point, do you mean to rotate more so that my right leg goes a step forward as i hit the shuttle?
On your 3rd point, how bent should my arm be when i hit the shuttle? Are there any tips to aim for this?
And lastly , any tips on ways to relax before swinging ?
Nonetheless i really thank you for your observations and comments and ill try to keep this in mind next time.
Cheers!
Collin
For your first point, do you mean to rotate more so that my right leg goes a step forward as i hit the shuttle?
On your 3rd point, how bent should my arm be when i hit the shuttle? Are there any tips to aim for this?
And lastly , any tips on ways to relax before swinging ?
Nonetheless i really thank you for your observations and comments and ill try to keep this in mind next time.
Cheers!
Collin
Hi Gollum,
Thanks for your reply too! I just engaged this coach and she did not manage to give me the feedback that you guys provide to me! The reason why the coach feeds constant shuttles like this is because she said we need to deliver constant good smashes even when we are already in a fatique stage.
I will try to do a higher preparation motion in the future and see how that works. The pronation part is where im trying to work on as well but cant seem to incorporate this technique into my shots. I guess i need to watch more videos and practice on it.
Anyways thanks so much for your comments! Much appreciated!
Thanks for your reply too! I just engaged this coach and she did not manage to give me the feedback that you guys provide to me! The reason why the coach feeds constant shuttles like this is because she said we need to deliver constant good smashes even when we are already in a fatique stage.
I will try to do a higher preparation motion in the future and see how that works. The pronation part is where im trying to work on as well but cant seem to incorporate this technique into my shots. I guess i need to watch more videos and practice on it.
Anyways thanks so much for your comments! Much appreciated!
I can see a lot of good things in your technique already.
I think you need to start by changing the exercise. The feed is way too frequent, meaning you never have time to set up properly. This kind of exercise is more for speed/pressure/physical training, not for training the basic technique. It's all rather manic, and that's not helping you practise.
I would prefer higher lifts and more time between the lifts. Also the lifts should go to only one side. At this stage, I think you would be better off not trying to hit so hard, so maybe practise a half-smash or a three-quarter smash.
It may help to get some movement involved, in which case you can do (say) forehand block to a forehand half-smash (moving from midcourt to rearcourt). Keep the movement low-pressure though.
In your preparation, I would like to see a higher racket position. At the moment, you are winding up from a starting point where the racket is about waist height. Prepare early, with your racket back and your body turned.
I don't think you're getting enough forearm rotation (pronation) as you hit. You might like to try practising some clip-smashes (shorter hitting action, with a rebound), to help get the feeling of what the forearm is supposed to do.
With that said, I'd mostly want to work on your overall stroke quality. The forearm pronation will come in time, if you get the basic "shape" of the stroke right.
I hope this makes sense. It's difficult to explain all these things in text -- I do have some videos on general overhead technique that might help.
Gollum
Regular Member
Glad to help.
That is a valid reason, and this is a good way of training for that.
It's great that you are having coaching; that is the best way to improve your technique. We can only go on the video you show us, whereas your coach knows a lot more about you as a player.
It's important to trust your coach, and you should also feel you can ask her questions. I think your coach probably already knows everything I said. She may have a good reason for not telling you all this stuff yet! Often if you over-think your shot it can be harder to train. Give your coach more time!
That is a valid reason, and this is a good way of training for that.
It's great that you are having coaching; that is the best way to improve your technique. We can only go on the video you show us, whereas your coach knows a lot more about you as a player.
It's important to trust your coach, and you should also feel you can ask her questions. I think your coach probably already knows everything I said. She may have a good reason for not telling you all this stuff yet! Often if you over-think your shot it can be harder to train. Give your coach more time!
speCulatius
Regular Member
How is this supposed to be possible when you're not even able to deliver one good smash due to problems with your technique that even you yourself see? Tell her that you feel like your technique is not good enough.
Raising the speed will make flaws more obvious, maybe that's what she was going for. You can always come here to ask questions, but you need to be able to talk to your coach, ask questions, ....
Otherwise, you won't benefit from it. Be honest with her and tell her when you think that you should work on your technique first. If she disagrees, that's fine. If she doesn't tell you why, that will not help your trust in her.
Most coaches are used to deal with very different characters, but I've seen a great coach and a great player just being incompatible. Normally, both of them can deal with anyone, just not with one another.
If that happens, find another coach, but there's a reason you hired her, so give her a chance. Therefore, you need to ask questions to her.
Yes, i feel you are right! Its like learning to run before you learn how to walk.
Will feedback to her on this. Thanks
Will feedback to her on this. Thanks
If both of you just started working together, it will take time to build up the rapport.
That's a fair point but I also wonder if you do not have a good smash in the first place, what's the point of being fatigued?
Here is another point to consider. It also very much depends on the student. Obviously, we know very little about your coach and her previous experience. And we don't know what your target is. Some adults give a very vague answer to what they want... "I want to smash better ". That sort of objective will get you training to increase strength and stamina but maybe not much technique change. Why? Because this is a coach-get-me-better-quick answer. Changing technique is much harder and a more prolonged process.
Now if you say to her "I have a lot of technique deficiencies and I need to improve footwork and body posture to play the correct technique. Please help me. I know it will take time and I will be playing three times a week anyway", this sort of statement means you have insight into the overall requirements of improving your own badminton. You keep reminding her of this objective every few lessons and she knows you are the keen guy. Tell her you are going for a competition and then it gets serious.
If you only play once a week and get coaching one hour a week, the coach knows it is very hard to change a person's technique for the long term. And so, the easiest way to improvement is to do the stamina stuff. Your technique might not improve that much, but you can last longer in rallies.
I am watching a lot of kids (and very good ones as well). It's clear that learning to play badminton well is definitely not something that can be learnt in a few lessons. It does take more than a year with constant practice. Push to have classes with a coach two or three times a week plus other games will give you a lot of benefit within six months. You will probably be amazed.
Obito
Regular Member
are you satisfy with your current power that you deliver while standing in the same place? I satisfy my standing smash when I signed up for smash class with my coach. He fed me the shuttler and I barely moved, and just focused to smash. I felt satisfy with the power and I felt like I hit the ceiling now I just need to improve my body strength and coordination.
Then he start feeding the drill just like yours, but mine is that china jump from right to left. I do pretty weak on the overhead side, but doing fine on the forehand side even though I couldnt deliver the same amount of power comparing to standing smash. He told me that I just need to get used to the drill then I will be able to smash just as fine as my standing position. It takes time and practice, and he most likely to slow down the feeding speed after the third rounds or when he sees that I m exhausting.
PS. personally I think you could improve a bit if you could slam your body downward the shuttler. Most of your shot seem flat to me.
Then he start feeding the drill just like yours, but mine is that china jump from right to left. I do pretty weak on the overhead side, but doing fine on the forehand side even though I couldnt deliver the same amount of power comparing to standing smash. He told me that I just need to get used to the drill then I will be able to smash just as fine as my standing position. It takes time and practice, and he most likely to slow down the feeding speed after the third rounds or when he sees that I m exhausting.
PS. personally I think you could improve a bit if you could slam your body downward the shuttler. Most of your shot seem flat to me.
Thanks for this. I will try as much as possible to communicate with my coach to let her know what i want.
What do you wish to achieve?
Sharper, harder smashes with the correct technique
and move to jump smashes if possible )Sharper, harder smashes with the correct technique
Just increase your physical capability will be enough
Azmi Yusof
Regular Member
Do u mean like weight? Gym training? Or technique?Just increase your physical capability will be enough
Let this be a good example to everyone of what it means to be behind the shuttle. Not every smash can be taken in this way, but at contact his body is a LOONG way behind the shuttle, with contact point taken with his arm reaching fairly equally forwards and upwards (about 45ish degrees, with slight variations on each stroke). When you are learning to smash, or looking to improve, I recommend trying to get a feel for what this feels like. And always trust the coach
Good luck everyone.
Stamina and strength. The OP is a bit limited because he prioritises smash strength over footwork. It should be footwork first and then smash technique. You won't be able to smash properly if you cannot get into the right position. However, the footwork and movement patterns are quite fundamental but also take a lot of hard work to get correct.
I guess the OP is more focussed on short term gains and therefore stamina training like repeating smashes of the shuttle and a bit of gym will probably help the best. I think that's absolutely fine as well because most people might not have time or patience to practice footwork. It's a minority of players that put time into footwork.