I cant defend from a head smash

Yes I think you need to keep your racket higher and actually since you can predict or anticipate when the shot is coming to your head, you should even hold it at head level, protecting your face! Depending on where you're standing, nearer or further from the net, you need to adjust your racket height accordingly. Sometimes you may not have sufficient time to move backwards, therefore bending your knees (even very low) and body will help you achieve your desired result.

Indeed you need to bend your knees even lower to allow your racket to meet the bird head-on at about tape level if possible. This will give you a better chance to return the bird in court and not into the net or out of court. As stated, the professional Chinese lady players do this very well and they can counter not merely by blocks but by powerful overhead drives. They are of about the same height at you.

To do it more effectively, you should change from your habitual backhand grip to a forehand grip and practise more of the overhead or round-the-head forehand strokes, bending both knees and body at varying levels if possible to adjust to different situations. Bending low will help you avoid the smash hitting your head or body and instead you should visualize that your racket face is your head and as such, you should move the racket accordingly. As you progress, you should find more confidence converting mere blocks to counter-drives.

 

I typically just block the smash by protecting my face with the racket using a backhand grip. At the intermediate level, the smasher is usually too busy admiring his smash that he gets caught flatfooted when the return is a block that barely clears the net. The speed of the incoming shuttle is all the force you actually need. Sometimes also, I'll redirect the block to fall crosscourt.

 

Didn't read all the replies. But you're probably standing too close to the net because a head smash will no doubt end up outside of the court.

Good luck

 

Based on my earlier questions (as suspected by others) you are standing too close to the net. You should take a step back where you are almost between the front service line & the back lines, AND as long as you can reach the net for a drop shot!

Your defensive stance is good but let's look at your racquet positioning. It sounds like you hold the racquet in front of you with the backhand grip, BUT are you holding the racquet head below your hand (like you're serving) with the racquet 2 feet in front of you Then your attempt to block is like moving the racquet from 6 to 12 o'clock?

If you are comfortable using the backhand grip, try holding the racquet
- with the handle at waist level
- with the head of the racquet a little higher than your hand
- the racquet head pointing away from your body (like hand of a clock 11-5)

Then you need to
- bring the racquet straight towards your head
- at the same time bend your knees (further) so that from your elbow to the racquet head is aligned and straight
- the racquet head should be the height where your head was
- then you just flick your with the backhand grip

The best drill to practise this is to have you and a partner stand 2 feet behind the front service line on opposites sides of the court. You tap the shuttle straight towards your partner's head, trying to keep the shot flat and low to the net. When you feel more comfortable, both of you take one step closer.:crying:

Cheers!

 

I know this may sound stupid but how tall are you? I stand 5'8" and a jumpsmash from the far side of the court during a singles game that sends the shuttle straight to my head would definitely send the birdie beyond the long line. So unless your opponents are extremely tall like Yao Ming tall, then their smashes should cross the net about chest or waist level for the birdie to fall within the long line. Other than that, I'm guessing you're standing too close to the net during doubles play and you should shift to side-by-side from front-back when the birdie goes up... or you keep sending clears that fall mid-court... or, you're bending your knees too low.

I don't know if this helps but considering they go for your head, I'm sure you've tried dodging... and when you do, does the shuttle fall in or out the court? I've been hit lots of times on the chest and even on the head during doubles games before but only because I stayed front court even if the shuttle went up for a clear.

Good luck!

 

Always try to keep the racquet head higher than the handle. That will improve control of shot return (especially drives). The only time you do keep it lower is when you're at the backcourt defending.

 

Hi BMS,

I feel it is irrevelant where the opponent stnds to smash on his head.If the opponent is poor in strategy it is easy to bring him to the front and smash on his head. I am of this bad habbit of smashing on the heads and I deliberately make set up for the same though it is usual friendly club matches.
I also suspect Goku is standing too near to the front.If not,I suspect he can be easily brought to the front.
I think eye-arm coordination practice will help Goku 999 a lot. Experts will comment.

 

It's not uncommon to pick on a player who has crept too far forward by smashing towards their head or racquet-arm armpit area, especially when they have a habit of tucking their racquet elbow close to their body with low defensive racquet head position.

Or indeed against a player who defends with far too much weight on the front foot with a defensive racquet position too far across their body.

To counter this type of attack, the defender should adjust the defensive stance such that the racquet elbow is relaxed and remains in front but away from the body.

In this position, when a flat "beamer" smash comes along, you can drop your elbow and raise the racquet head into an upright position. Great for turning defence into offence.

 

This situation tells you something right? That you shouldn't be lifting too much to tall people anyways. In fact, you should try not to lift to anybody, unless you want to push them back. Even when you got no other options, make the backcourt players work for their shots by lifting away from them.

Some players just have amazing reflex. But yes, that's kinda how you should defend. Racquet head up and infront of you. Lean forward with your racquet foot slightly forward. Be careful though as the lower your stance is the more solid it is, so the harder it is for you to move around. That's why you see strong calf muscles on alot of good players.

 

Cappy is right. If the opposition is tall and able to play steep angled smashes or slice drops, then you should avoid lifting especially if the lift has too much air and isn't deep enough. You should always practice a good fast and deep lift anyway.

There's way too many league players who fail to lift accurately and consistently into the last "one foot" at the back of the court.

Try playing a flatter game against the taller players and where possible, keep that shuttle return in a steep downward angle.



If you find that the opponent is small but has quick reflexes and defends remarkably well, then just make sure you smash into clear open space making them cover distance to return it.

It looks as if your opponent has learned to manouvre himself well and has good balance. I'm not that tall (5'7") and find myself doing the same type of move as your guy, if I cannot move into the smash in order to add some interest into the return.

My aim is always to return a smash with some sort of creative interest - even if it's simply by positively pushing the racquet head through the shuttle from the wrist with little arm movement.

 

Ultimately, it depends on much time you have to play your shot. From the sounds of it, you're not reading the head shot too well at the moment. There's no right or wrong when you're defending in this situation where you have little time to react. If you're already using a backhand grip, try to deflect the headshot downwards towards the tramline. You'll probably find that it's easier to push this to the mid-court tramline area in terms of depth.

As you encounter this more often, you'll be able to step in and turn the shot more into a drive return with more pace by timing the shot better from the wrist.

Try practising flat drives more often with a partner keeping he shuttle no higher than one foot or thirty centimetres higher than the net. Start by positioning yourselves about 1.5 metres from the service line in half of the court. Using a half open stance with your racquet foot forward practice controlling your flat drives with a manageable degree of pace, such that you can maintain a steady rally. You should practice this on both the forehand and backhand shots. Remember, this is a practice and you shouldn't be trying to "win" the rally. Also try not to put too much weight on the front foot. If it helps, think of the shot as a gentle rocking action with your weight moving forward into the shot and returning back in preparation for the return.

As you get better, begin to increase the pace. As your skill level improves with the pace, both of you should take half a step towards the net.

Taking this to another level, start equidistant from the net - again about 1.5metres behind the service line. Playing the drives, take turns with one person slowly stepping into the net over the course of three or four shots, whilst the other person moves back .... remembering to try and keep the same distance apart. Once you have reached the net, begin to move back and let your partner come into the net changing from a defensive shot to playing the drives. Keep repeating it.

Key point is...try to remain equidistant from each other at all times.

This helps you practise steping into a flat shot and defend in the same sequence. It also allows you to learn what to look for when turning defence into attack and vice versa.

Once again, as this improvesand your technique allows more control and power, you'll gain the confidence to return the headshot with interest and accuracy as it's not too far away from what you are practising.

What you are effectively learning to do is to come onto the shuttle even if it's coming onto you quickly and allowing this reaction shot to become more deliberate and second nature to you.

This is just one of many ways you could be practising.

I'm sure others will have their own opinions.

Hope it's useful.

 

Hello,

Is it okay to just tilt your head and torso a bit to the side and hit the shuttlecock like a backhand shot? Or there won't be enough time to react? I seem to remember being able to return a smash to the head like that. (Returned it as a clear to the back of my opponent's court!)

Is that a bad thing to do?

 

Roadkill- I know what you mean.... we have the same problem before. What I did was continue that practice of defense coz its quite effective though thinking his next move would be a smash (directly to you or cross court), clear, flick, or fast drop. I always anticipate his move therefore return back to defense mode or in position very quickly. I don't mind what will be his next move but I do mind how am i going to return his 2nd or next shot. Anyways receiving a headsmash using backhand is quite impressive and can intimidate your opponent... don't worry, once you perfect that defense it would be easily for you to counter/receive all the smash with style.

 

If its a hard smash, and you're in the farther haft of the court the smash is out if it is directed at your head. Next time just dodge it and watch it go out .