Hi there, before i begin let me insist that i have made use of the forums search feature but could not find the answer i was searching for. Bit of background, i am 20 year old university team player, been playing casually for around 8 years but now taking the game seriously and learning the science behind the game to achieve and build an exceptional game. I have a good grasp of the basics and now looking to really step up the finesse and aggression. Now onto the question, im now looking to master the jump smash. My foot work is good, side on, power from the back foot, but its the role of the waist in mid air i have trouble with. Do i rotate it around 45 degrees so im ready to hit, then add the additional rotation of the forearm behind my head and unwind just as im about to hit the birdie? I thought the abdomen was best kept straight to transfer the power from the legs up to the arm during the jump? Also i find myself not always landing with my racket foot forward, what could the reason for this be? i Follow through 180 degrees. - on a side note, i hardly follow through 90 degrees for the overhead clear, which i think is normal. I just ordered a NS9900, and am hoping the combination of knowledge and racquet upgrade will better me as a player. Kind regards. Sid
If you are already meeting the shuttle side on, the twisting should be enough. The important thing about using your body power is arching your back as you prepare to hit, and then bending forward as you hit. So in a double-foot jump smash (as in, you jumped up with both your feet as opposed to with just your back foot), it is important to see whether your legs are bent when you jump up. If you arch your back, your knees will naturally bend to balance yourself. The abdomen does not have to stay straight, as using the abdominal muscles during a smash is necessary to un-arch your back. To summarize, body power comes from both twisting of your body (which you should be naturally doing if you meet the shuttle side on and follow through facing the other side of the court at least) and the arching and bending of your body. If you do it right, your lower back and lats on your right side (assuming you are right handed) should be sore after hitting a lot of smashes (or you should be able to feel yourself using those muscles).
