Perfecting my jumpsmash...

[Kelvin]

Hi all...

I'm asking this to a few of you who, work on your technique a lot...
As some of you know.. I've been training to improve my jumpsmash, accuracy, power, and control, which I assume would fall under accuracy....
Also timing... which I'm starting to nail down completely...

I want some tips... what do you guys do when preparing for it?
I've watched the pros... and they put their entire body into it.
In practice I do not mimic this as this would totally drain my energy too fast, however I noticed I don't exactly do that in my game situations either.

First I look at the court across from me to see the positioning of the player/players, and then I look towards the shuttle, and then leap up when I see it's on it's downward ark..
I jump... and bam.
Nothing to it right?
However like I said... I'm a little hesitant to throw my body weight behind it...
I don't want to land off balance, but then I remembered to keep a wide stance... so I did that...
However I'm still afraid to throw weight behind it.
Do any of you know something I can do to get past this psychological block???

Last week when I was playing with friends I believe I did this... but just with one shot... I was goofing off, and leaped up for a jumpsmash, but this one broke through the net cord... non-regulation net with a cord roughly 1cm thick
NOT the previously mentioned 3cm... (yeah yeah.. I know what you guys are going to say... my drinking... heh)
This I don't think was possible because it was honestly too thick to hit through, and the holes aren't even that big... but for some stupid reason it broke a hole near the top of the net...
anyways... in that instance I was sure I blocked out this psycho-phobia of throwing my body weight behind the shot.
Perhaps I shouldn't concentrate too much on my form then when I go for a jumpsmash???
what do you more experienced jumpsmashers think?
Also to be honest with you... Cheung, and Ricky you guys were right.
I do hit the shuttle a lot sooner when I jump up, and it takes my opponents off guard as they have shorter time to react to my attack. hehehe... :o
Something I am definitely now using to get quick points.
My endurance is also increasing further since I've been training this shot.
It's kind of hard for someone like me with a 182lbs frame, 12%body fat guy to jump up and perform such maneuvers, but I noticed that along with my strength training... I could really take my skills to a new level, if I dedicate myself to improving. I mean my long lay off was bad enough, but I think I can move on now, especially since I acquired this one skill.
If any of you guys/gals could tell me how you prepare for your jumpsmash, I would really appreciate it.
Now for myself I just need to work on this mental block... thats hindering my hidden potential.
-Kelvin

[Dale]

Do or do not. There is no try. - Yoda =)

[shaun]

hmm Kelvin, i never really think about how it would look when i do a jump smash....i do what works best. Yes i throw my weight into the bird etc. But i believe that if u THINK about it, it will make things all the more worse....Its best if it comes naturally that way u can concentrate more on timing of the smash and airtime. Anyway because I dont really think about the technique of the shot while executing it, i did a jump smash today, hit really really hard, lost balance while in the air and landed sideways on the floor(HAHAHAHAHA i sound like an idiot now "[). Anyway, my point is that it would work better if u dont think about technique while doing the shot. Try one without thinking about it and see how it goes...ask ppl what u did/didnt do...and then improve on it.

[Cheung]

182 lbs?? how tall are you? Must be very tall if you only have 12 % body fat.

Of course there are different types of jump smashes.

Are u talking about a doubles jumpsmash or singles jumpsmash?

[Kelvin]

both...
Jumpsmashes.
not tall... extremely thick, and muscular.
and I think that's a typo, it should read 17 not 12
hmm..
I shouldn't log on this late anymore, because I obviously am too exhausted to really make much sense.

anyways... any tips at all?
I know the singles jumpsmash would be foolish to throw all my weight behind it, because that would honestly take me out of position in case, my opponent was fast enough to return it.
I know for doubles, it's more effective, but again... I know on the landing, that I've got to be ready to pounce up to the front, in case of a hair pin return... If I'm mean enough I will blast it into my opponents face, not really giving them much time to duck, if not... I'll look for a nice corner to shoot it towards. Usually the ladder is more effective for me, as opponents will not expect very many sharply angled in a different direction type smashes.

Oh yeah... one thing I should mention... I went for a round the head smash, and well... I didn't snap my wrist on the down swing, instead, I twisted my shoulder... I think I've torn something, and I'm a little hesitant to stretch it right now, for fear of further tearing...
Do you think I should put a hot compress on it?
My shoulder isn't swollen either.
Thanks for any medical advice you can offer.

[Cheung]

Not sure why you would want to cover for a hairpin drop. Shouldn't it be your partner covering that shot?

I noticed recently that doing jump smash in singles(lee hyun il), he jumps and somehow suspends in the air. Only then his arm seems to move with somebody rotation. The main impetus of the smash is arm acceleration in a whiplash effect with some body movement. Accuracy and steepness are the main requisites, not power.

Well, if you really weigh 182lbs maybe jumpsmashes aren;t a good shot for you. Risk of foot/achilles tendon injury.


Maybe your arm just needs a rest and slow stretching.

[May]

don't u know that nothing's perfect????
If u put ur whole body into it, it's gonna cause lotsa injuries too.

[jhon]

jumpsmash is a tough thing, isn't it ?
well, first of all when you try to learn or improve a technique you DO have to
think about what you're doing.
a very important thing about smashing is the angle you give to
the shuttle. when making a regular smash you should always try to hit the ball
as high as possible, so the opponent has to take it very near to the floor.
and this is where jumpsmashing comes in.
the purpose of jumping is to get a better angle, not to gain more power.
you can smash as hard when standing as you can when jumping.
( i often hit the shuttle just short before i'm landing, which is ,of course, nonsense
because i wouldn't have had to jump). so timing is an important thing to it.
the second thing is to keep control of the ball (direction), because it's more
difficult to make the body rotation while standing in the air.
this is also why more (power) has to be done with the shoulder, elbow and wrist.
anyway, you still have to somehow build up tension in your body for powerful
performance of a jumpsmash.
the best thing would be to grab a partner in training and let him make high serves
in halfcourt, so you can concentrate on your jumpsmash. with this isolated
exercise you can keep focus on what your doing. if you have a camcorder you
should record this and watch it over, analysing what has to be improved.
the best thing would be to do this together with your coach (if you have one, of
course).
so, when training you have to keep thinking about what you're doing,but when you
do so often and regularly enough, you will finally be able to do it without thinking.
in a match you won't have time to think about what you want your body to do,
you just do it.

[jhon]

god, can it be that i forgot to say hi in the last message?
i'm sorry !!!
so, HELLO to everybody. i'm from germany and new to the list.
special greetings to olli.( next week we'll start endurance-training, and no more
excuses, buddy).