Ok, my coach Lenny some of you might know, said something interesting yesterday, and after giving it a thought, i think its absolutely true "Good singles player are differentiated from the not-so-good singles players by their overhead shots and net play"... Looking at this, Taufik Hidayat and Peter Gade are living examples, they are both excellent at this... What I'm asking now is that how do you execute an overhead shot perfectly, without your opponent being able to guess your shot. I know Its impossible to teach it to me here completely but any tiny little tips would be welcomed... Btw the overhead shots I'm talking about here is not the alternative for Backhand kinda shots but instead every shot taken above the head's level...
a fun thign to try out, not in a competitive match. is to literally decide at the last moment... but what you should try is prepare for each shot in the same way. often you see people over-turnign their body for a power shot: use their torse a lot. you can see it coming. or when dropping they are very relaxed and bring their racket up slowly. to easily 'tap' against the shuttle...zero deception. try to "turn in" (left shoudl to the front, for righty's) exactly teh same wya for each shot. if you can smash but make it look leik a drop you'll make your opponent's crazy.... one fo the more basic forms that cna score a cheap hit or two is to move liek powering up. tense all muscles turn in hevaily and step out violently. and teh drop it. if your opponent doesn't see it coming he/she woudl ahev already taken a step backwards: big advantage for you. you coudl also try the reverse: move pu relaxed, and pull of a last-second clear. surprise surprise: your opponent is already at the net to see the bird passing over him...
well if u think about it overhead shot is a deceptive shot by itself u don't get the room for a proper full arm swing and u'r making a short in an more awkward position for over head shots to be effective , u need to be able to perform a swing that can generate a decent power given the limited space for your arm swing and shoulder action cos yr own head gets in the way. Plus the fact that in doing overhead shots, your body posture really is more difficult to transfer energy from the entire body to the racket. in another word, you need a good explosive short distance acceneration swing speed and a strong wrist snap to add on to generate force. Now since the wrist snap becomes maginfied in this particular shot. With proper control of your wrist action, you can alter the resulting Direction/Power at the very last moment, making it difficult for the opponent to enticipate the end result. plus the fact that the your arm/shoulder/elbow movement is short and limited, the shot is really deceptive as the swing action to any corner will look identical. It only makes a difference after you snap your wrist and that is at the very end (last moment) of the stoke. So if u can perform an over head shot effectivly, then u can generate a good explosive speedy swing and a good control of the wrist snap action. It contributes to all your other swing as well and so it nautrally upgrade your entire game level, besides overhead is only one of the strokes.. there is no way you can use just one stroke in every situation. Throw in a good mix and your game will only become more unpredictable
are we talking about "around the head" (replacing-backhand, sorta speak) or "over the head" meaning everything above shoulder level?
i don't know.. but in my own badminton experiences, overhead shots is being used to refers to the "around the head" swing in order to cover some back hand area. Or that u r really THAT lazy to just take a step to the side inorder to use a more natural swing or simply refuse to turn your 40" waist and actually do a back hand swing
I'm not that familair with english-baddy-terminology.... In Dutch there's Underhand and "above hand". so I kinda figured in english that would be under-head and above-head.. oh wait..teh original poster added something...so that's cleared up..
how come an extra step is "lazy"? i think there's a situation for each swing: 1: enoguh time to step extra, and even jump, and hit it plain forehand..this si the easiest technique-wise 2: you're quick enough to get under it and do the more complicated around-the head shot. 3: you're too late and catch up by doing a backhand... so the mroe time you ahve the easie rteh etchnique becomes
was just joking on last part, but i actually do use overhead because of that sometimes. i would rather literally bend over and reach way out to get the bird with overhead instead of sending orders to my feet to start moving. guess i was kinda rooted to the ground ^_^ it works however when u just come off exhausted, from an exciting game which lasted 30mins and your girl friend can't wait and drag you down to the court so she can show off her new found technique.. which is basically "How to do a lame clear that always land in the centre of the court" then claims she had mastered the "Drop/Clear/Smash...fill in the blanks" shots.
as in within a radius where you can reach the bird without taking any step not that its any good plus totally off topic but she does process this strange technique, no matter how many times i tell her to diverse the shots.. or how much she Wanted to..she always manage to hit it back to where i stand in the middle....
For one, I think one of the advantages of an overhead shot (round the head) compared to a backhand is you can see more easily where your opponent is positioned or as your racket head makes its motion for the shot where he/she is moving. For overhead shots (be it round the head or the simple forehand thingie), I think that one should almost always go for the smash first. However, if you see that your opponent is well established defensively or that he has taken a step or two back in anticipation of a smash, then that is the time when you contemplate a deceptive drop (be it crosscourt or otherwise - depends again on your opponent's position). This could 1. give you an outright winner or 2. take your opponent out of position enough so that the momentum of the rally shift to your end. Of course, a well-placed smash will also take your opponent out of position and force a weak return as Lin Dan and Taufik Hidayat like to do. As to your question about deception, what I do is I always go through the motions for a smash/jump smash and then at the last moment, after snatching a glance at my opponent's position/movements, decide if I should go through with a smash or go for a drop or a clear. If successful, you should have control of the rally.
Im find the quick-glancing veyr hard to do...I can't get my eyes of the birdy...not that i'll lose it: I can clear blindly. but just pschycological...it's hard to explain *must follow birdie*
Hard to explain but in a lot of sport there is such a thing that experienced players generally look at the BIG picture even when u'r focusing onto a particular point, (In Kendo they even go the extreme and tells you to LOSE yr focus all together **look at the far mountain intead of your opponent** ) Its hard to explain but when u start to look and focus on the bird. you are still reciving information from the big picture. Even though objects other then the birds are off focus and bury, your brain still processes the image, and subconsiously u are aware of where your opponents is. Even when u look straight up to return a high clear, while yr head move up u still have a brief split second that u can confirm where yr opponents are. besides, get behind the bird is generally prefered and so the "Big picture" will include your bird and your opponents all together. I don't think it really a skill or nething, u just do it naturally. So if u say once u focus on the bird and u lost track of everything else.. then maybe you are focusing too hard.
It's not really always peripheral vision as you are already facing your opponent although yes, sometimes you have to use it. I think one of the key components of a good deceptive shot is you knowing where your opponent is, towards what direction he/she is moving, and where he/she is anticipating your shot will be. You can go through all the motions of deception but if you keep on firing the shuttlecock directly towards your opponent albeit deceptively, sooner or later, he's gonna control the tempo of the rally. Then you're in serious trouble. I only focus at the shuttlecock the split second before my racket head hits the shuttle. The other times I am busy 1. looking at my opponent's position (and looking for the open space), 2. determining what the best shot should be, and 3. if the ball is going out of court. Hehe. This is in an ideal position where you get a lift and you have all the time in the world before the shuttle comes down to a level where you can hit it. Of course in drive exchanges where the reaction times are shorter, it will be harder to do this. But if you watch the professionals play, they can do all these in almost every situation.
i didn't add something, it was always there, at the bottom i made it clear saying I'm refering to every shot made above head height and NOT just "around the head" as in replacement for backhand...
2 tze yang And what is left of all the possible shots less overheads and all the net play? Blocks and drives? Both players you named have excelled in these aspects. Especialy Peter! I presume he can easily move for doubles and can be a formidable doubles player... I think what yr coach said is tha same thing to say as "Good singles player is differentiated from the not-so-good singles players by (the quality of) ALL of their shots"... It is clear that technique (for all kind of shots) is a basis for anything you do on court. And when you play alone and there's noone to rely on but you this makes the quality of yr shots crucial for success...
now u got me there.. over head's height shots? humm so u'r talking bout ALL Upper hand swing i suppose guess i totally mistaken it So if u take all shots above head's height add that with all net shots.. There ain't too many swing left, maybe the flat drive and intercept block which is still an upper hand swing just that u can do it at your head's height if u'r tall enough.. but u use those in doubles mostly, those and under hand smash return i guess (probaly the only one that is important enough to be mentioned and not already included with your boundary) So yah of course i'll be a great single player if i can achieve godly level on 95% of all the useful swing and technique. (given that yr foot work , physical and the other 5% doesn't suck totally) kinda odd why yr coach said such thing cos its so general.. its like saying this must be a great racket if it is powerful, light, fast, accurate and durable.
