question about thumb flatness

Discussion in 'Techniques / Training' started by ralphz, Oct 25, 2019.

  1. ralphz

    ralphz Regular Member

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    Would you use a thumb grip for a backhand net shot? And would your thumb be completely flat on the racket for the whole shot?

    Now net shots aside, when doing the thumb grip, for e.g. backhand net kill or backhand drive out in front.
    (backhand net shot..)

    I suppose it can be done with a flat thumb but then one wouldn't be using the fingers. So clearly ideally one should start the stroke with the tip of the thumb on there. But i'm wondering about after that.

    If you put the tip of the thumb on there, then would you use just the rest of your fingers for power by pulling the fingers in (so then the racket handle ends up flat with the thumb). i.e. so not pushing the thumb forward, but just pulling the rest of the fingers in. Or would you also push with the thumb? (Sure there's a bit of forearm rotation too but that aside, i'm interested in the fingers)

    And if you push with the tip of thumb as you pull the fingers in, then at the end of the badminton stroke, would the thumb be completely flat, or would there be a slight gap still(between the base of the thumb and the racket), or would that gap(between the base of the thumb and the racket) be about the same as at the beginning of the stroke?

    I did once see a player that hurt his hand, he had a great backhand and he used his fingers for it, and his thumb tip was on the racket, and maybe he injured himself because he kept the tip of it on there for the whole stroke, perhaps if he had let it naturally flatten during the stroke(by letting it flatten when pulling fingers in), he'd have been ok.

    I suppose you might get more power if you push with the thumb while you pull the fingers in.. but that does open the question of how much the thumb should flatten by the end of the stroke.
     
  2. Ouchie

    Ouchie Regular Member

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    Do you want power for a net shot???
     
  3. SnowWhite

    SnowWhite Regular Member

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    It's fine either way. You can play any of those shots with a fixed backhand grip and use your forearm to generate momentum. You can also use your fingers to aid in the shot in the way you've described. Using your fingers can give you more options on your shot and maybe facilitate deception a little better then using a fixed grip. However, using your fingers in deceptive shots is technically difficult.

    On impact with the shuttle you will want your grip to be solid, at least in the case of drives and lifts. You can still use your fingers to generate more racket momentum initially, but by the time the shuttle hits your racket, you will want to have a solid grip to play a consistent shot. However, after the shot is struck, it's not uncommon for players to relax their grip, or even to have it very loose in their fingers. The player you mentioned, does he really play the shot with his fingers, or could he have a very brief moment where he has a solid grip when he hits the shuttle and then immediately loosens it again? If he really plays with his fingers, including lifts and drives, that would put a lot of strain on tiny muscles (at least compared to the ones in the forearm).
     
  4. ralphz

    ralphz Regular Member

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    No.. And only the first sentence asked about net shots. Indeed net shots wouldn't use finger power as they are soft. The only thing I asked about net shots was whether thumb grip is used on backhand ones. Then I said "Now net shots aside, " And asked regarding things other than net shots.
     
  5. ralphz

    ralphz Regular Member

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    Obviously.. This was never in question.

    The question is regarding when using the thumb grip and specifically, doing it using finger power.

    No doubt the fingers pull. Would you say you get more power when the thumb pushes as well? Or would you say it's just the fingers pulling in?

    And if you say the thumb pushes forward, then would you agree that you place only the tip of the thumb on the handle? i.e. thumb not flat on the handle?

    And once the fingers have squeezed, then so the handle is now pushed into the palm, that moment, is the thumb flat on the handle, or is only the tip of it on there?

    That's what i'm asking.

    I'm not asking if a player would loosen their grip after impact. Of course they would. That's not in question. And i'm aware of

    No idea. I only ever met him once, and long ago, was during a game in a league. He used some finger power as icing on the cake in a well coordinated backhand clear that used all the other factors to get power. He didn't only use fingers. Using fingers in addition to other things, for a backhand clear, is normal, Your suggestion that maybe he used only fingers for everything is not the case, I can't really answer how he played all sorts of shots. And he did nothing as strange as you suggest anyway. He was a normal player with good technique. Pretty good county level. I can't really say anything more on that. So let's just put that player aside.
     
    #5 ralphz, Oct 26, 2019
    Last edited: Oct 26, 2019
  6. visor

    visor Regular Member

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    By the end of the stroke, the thumb will end up flat with full contact on the handle.

    Sent from my SM-G965W using Tapatalk
     
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  7. ralphz

    ralphz Regular Member

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    ok thanks, and during the stroke, besides the fingers pulling, does the thumb push or is it only the fingers pulling?
     
  8. khoai

    khoai Regular Member

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