I wrote a very detailed blog post recently about how to perform the jump smash. It contains some information that you will not find elsewhere on the Internet, because they are from my personal experience - common errors that people might make while learning the jump smash. Please let me know what you think. It has videos and images. Hope it helps. https://gtchow.wordpress.com/2015/1...to-performing-the-jump-smash-on-the-internet/ Thanks in advance for your comments and feedback, if any! I still have room for improvement.
The bit about hanging in the air is truly bizarre - you cannot decide to change gravity! I think you just mean not to delay the action. Nice article, though!
Yes correct, as in do not deliberately try to hang in the air but act on it immediately. Thanks for pointing it out =)
I'm still learning... but want to add three things. One: There's a significant increase in power of the jump smash when the timing is such that the shuttle is struck not at the rise nor peak of the jump, but in the falling phase. That's when your body weight can be added to everything else. But don't fall too long, otherwise you'll lose precious angle. Two: the kick is the end result of hip and trunk rotation. It's not completely necessary as long as you rotate your hip and trunk, but certainly helps in recovery footwork to lunge towards the net to kill any loose returns. Three: the importance of pronation. But then that's more specific to proper smash technique, and not necessarily just jump smash.
What visor is saying is opposite to what phydhel is saying about the 'hang'. I will chime in say I have been taught to do what visor says and not what phydel is promoting.
Thanks for the feedback visor and amleto. Really appreciate the feedback. Those are certainly things that I didn't pay attention to. I wouldn't say that it is the opposite of what visor wrote though, just different focuses. Note again that I learned it myself without being taught by a coach, these are things I have felt and experienced for myself, things that works for me. I really appreciate the things you all share in any case, because we all see different things and the collective wisdom will make everyone better. Thanks again and please feel free to add or correct me further. Cheers =)
I have read your posts. Great job, it is certainly quite detailed. Some players will really benefit from reading your thoughts. Nice to have the two smash tutorial videos as well. I do not think you are contradicting any advice I have seen regarding when to hit the shuttle - your focus is different and thats your personal preference. For me personally, I am coming to the stage where I don't like detailed explanations of techniques. Too much is lost when you put your experiences on paper, and what you feel and every detail is just lost with our use of language. Everyone - go get on court and practice You will all succeed!
Sure. It's only a description of a technique. I didn't quite understand at first and then the coach made the analogy with a basketball player jumping and shooting. If you think about the physics, there must be a point of deceleration when going up, zero velocity and then coming down. It's probable that when the stroke is started in midair at near zerovelocity, the lower body draws up slightly in height giving an impression of being temporarily suspended in the air.
MSeeley : Thanks for your comment. Yes, I understand what you mean by being at a stage where too much detail isn't necessary. A huge part of why I wanted to write this blog post was for my own personal record and reflection. I must agree that nothing beats actually hitting the court and practicing it. =) Cheung : Thanks for your comment. The reason why I mentioned about not hanging was because I personally felt that my shots were significantly more powerful when I didn't hang in the air. I was hanging for the longest time and only recently did I tried to channel my energy immediately into the smash and it turned out really well. Maybe I'm not doing something correctly. Please share more about why we should hang. I am still learning. I am thinking along the lines of deception since there is a delay when you hang and keep the opponent guessing? In terms of power? Thanks again for everyone's feedback. It really helps
If you read my description more closely, I wrote that it is an impression of 'hanging' - you can certainly hit the shuttle as you start to come downwards which is consistent with amleto. Certainly I don't try to 'hang as long as possible' as that defies the laws of physics. For me, the jump smash is only one option to bring the shuttle down steeply. I like to hit to different areas of the court with the same action. Since most people are expecting some power, my playing style is to give them something different.
We should wait slightly rather than trying to hit right at the jump peak because 1) minor added downward momentum into the shot 2) reduced time between smash and contacting the ground ie the follow-up is quicker.
further to this, if you look at the FHF cctv video, to my eyes he has the 'hang' at full speed. In the slow mo he definitely contacts shuttle on the way down. https://youtu.be/kwPTMLIBbTY?t=961
Thanks amleto and SSSSNT for highlighting that Actually, I never mentioned smashing at the peak of the jump but rather the focus was on letting the energy flow seamlessly by initiating the kick / core-twist as soon as you jump up, not waiting or hanging before you begin kicking / twisting. Note that this does not automatically mean that we should smash at the peak of the jump. Because I highlighted in my blog that the smash only comes after you finish kicking, not simultaneously, so by the time one finishes the kick the swing usually happens as one is falling anyway. To be honest, I never really thought about whether to hit it at the peak or as i'm coming down, I only understand that I should allow my energy to flow uninhibited and the smash will naturally be delivered with more 'sting'. Watching my own slow motion video again, it does appear that I am hitting it just as I am coming down. It's not something I paid attention to previously, so thanks for pointing it out! Everything happens so quickly it's hard to tell. I still have much room for improvement. Thanks again for all the feedback. If any of you have videos of yourself jump smashing, please share too. It's always good to see other self-trained jump smashers. Cheers
