Backhand clear/smash, follow-through or not?

We've discussed this in previous backhand threads before.

To summarize, there shouldn't be much follow thru after strike... mainly because the shoulder joint has almost reached the limit of its extension and external rotation at that point, and so doesn't allow follow thru to occur!

Coach Lee in that first video however, in his attempt to emphasize a point (just like most coaches), has purposely compacted his strike. In reality, there's a bit of follow thru after strike as the shoulder collapses under relaxation and also because the momentum of the racket still continues. It would not be wise nor helpful to stop your stroke like Coach Lee does every single time you play a backhand, as this would lead to joint injuries.

When you see pros play this, especially singles players, you see them turning the body and shoulder into the strike so that they can rapidly recover to face the opponent after strike. What you see then is not shoulder follow thru but the incorporation of a body turn maneuver into the backhand shot. Makes sense?

Here's the master in slow mo

 

here's Baiyi coach's explanation:

[video=youtube;bNvGWHhSDxQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNvGWHhSDxQ[/video]

 

btw, where should i place my thumb? i heard of three possibilities, but don't know which is best.

 

Thumb: position is so to make the shuttle go where you want to.

 

oh i've seen this vid from coach lee and it's sortta not thorough at all. of course when you take the shuttle in midcourt or just a little deeper, and when you're comfortably hitting it at your side, you won't need the followthrough to clear it to the opponent's baseline. But when you're a little late and you're chasing the shuttle to the very baseline, not only you need some followthrough, but you need to speed up the racket by making a leap, which you can clearly see LCW doing in the animation.
'Bout the thumb - pros don't place it on the backhand side when hitting backhand but they have a very good racket head control, the recommendation for an average player is to use the normal backhand grip like Tadashi describes.

 

Thumb:
When I do remember occasionally to use the bevel grip ie thumb at bevel, I do get a tad more power. I think it's because it frees the thumb and allows more thorough supination.

 

thanks.. it's a very interesting discussion... i found this also

http://www.badmintoncentral.com/for...1-Pan-handle-grip-vs-Normal-grip-for-backhand

 

lin dan is not following through

he brings his racket back nearly immediately after impact


it just LOOKS like he is following through because he turns his body and lets his arm move in the direction of the stroke AFTER the he did not follow through

i hope my explanation makes sense


im very surprised about the lcw technique in the linked video, does he do it that way always?! looks unusual for me
but he also does not really follow through but turns his body very quickly

 

I use the bevel grip for most of my backhand overhead strokes, it doesn't give me any more power than a thumb grip does but it allows me to vary the angle of the shot much more.

In terms of following through, I think I do both. But it's not really a follow through as we know it. It's not really to decelerate the racquet and arm, but more to turn my body as someone mentioned above.

Providing you have the right BH technique already, I'd say just do what you feel is natural.