Serving under and between your legs

Discussion in 'Techniques / Training' started by odjn, May 24, 2003.

  1. odjn

    odjn Regular Member

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    My friend did this wierd serve....and now i'm starting to do it to crack people up...

    I usually do this in mixed doubles, first you hold the birdy then drop it till it goes under your waist, then you flick the racket under your legs and between them to serve the birdy over the net. I know you can do this shot during a rally, (I do it all the time!:cool: ) but is it legal to do it while your serving?

    Anyone ever tried returning a smash doing this?? It looks so cool!
     
  2. Cheung

    Cheung Moderator

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    Sounds OK but you can check the rule book to see if you are still within the laws.

    And yes, I guess most regular players have returned a smash like this at some point or another.;)
     
  3. Joanne

    Joanne Regular Member

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    Lol... I see people do it all the time... but I never thought anyone would take it seriously... ;) You're the first person I've met who's actually serious about trying it in a real game!!! :)

    Looks cool eh... most likely it'll just make people think you're playing a fool. :p
     
  4. x-er

    x-er Regular Member

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    hehe..

    yea i've seen a couple of people do it
    and alot of people trying to attemp to make the shot during the game.

    i've seen more crazy ones..run backwards for a high clear..and the wait til the bird drops low and hit the bird behind you through the legs..
     
  5. Nanashi

    Nanashi Regular Member

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    probably the funniest thing is to do some really ridiculous serve (in a tournament mind you) and then have the other guy just stand there thinking that ur just joking... and when it lands in, and you change sides, you get into a huge arguement... haha....
     
  6. UkPlayer

    UkPlayer Regular Member

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    Funny! But if you make it a habit you might get used to it!
     
  7. Yodums

    Yodums Regular Member

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    Oh man, that'll be funny if you got an ace like that on game point or something!
     
  8. txyu

    txyu Regular Member

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    how about for the receiver to do a little deception?

    I've seen the receiver pretend to reach for the bird with their hand as if to catch the bird, then use their racquet to hit the shot.
     
  9. Nanashi

    Nanashi Regular Member

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    actually, i was curious about this one thing i did when i was playing with my friend....

    we were playing, and i made her laugh really hard and she missed the bird... i didn't say anything, it was all because of my crazy movements in an attempt to do some deception.... does that count as a fault on my part?? cuz i did intentionally try to make her laugh =)
     
  10. Yodums

    Yodums Regular Member

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    Hmm since it was intentional then I think that's against the rules since you can't like distract the opponent but, what if it's your technique or something e.g. Monica Seles screaming after every hit! LOL!
     
  11. Californian

    Californian Regular Member

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    There's nothing illegal about serving that way as long as you keep to the rules, esp. the one about not interrupting the forward motion of the racquet. You might have the element of surprise going for you at first, but you basically make it harder for you and easier for the receiver. Besides the fact that it would much harder to control than a standard serve, you're hitting from a lower position and from further away from the net than if you contact it out in front of you.

    As for doing this in a rally, I knew a very good player from Thailand who returned all smashes hit low to his body this way, and smashes hit to his backside, he returned with a behind-the-back shot. He wasn't clowning around--that's how he always returned these shots.
     
  12. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Like Californian, I think it is a disadvantage to serve between the legs, other than the element of surprise. Unless one has "perfected" the serve, the contact point is way below the 'waist' and therefore the bird will fly in a more acute upward direction, presenting the opponent with a better chance to attack it. Unless the server stands further away from the service line to 'flatten' the flight path, the service will be more defensive than otherwise. Most doubles servers try to serve from as high as possible, not low, to make it harder for the opponent to kill the serve and some of these serves ended up as illegal serves.

    I suppose this between the legs serve is not illegal if they are within the framework of the rules. As stated, on the contrary, such serves are more likely to be a disadvantage, especially when used more than once, since your opponent will get wise to it.
     
  13. jwu

    jwu Regular Member

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    hard to imagine how this shot could be an advantage besides surprise factor. :rolleyes: whatevers works for you i guess. :p
     
  14. odjn

    odjn Regular Member

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    Not only is there a surpirse factor when your serving under the legs, but theres also a cool factor:cool:
     
  15. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Hi jwu

    Nice to hear from you. I guess things are working OK with you now. Hope you enjoy your new job and the company of your new colleagues.

    I've only returned shots between the legs very rarely but slightly more often from behind my back. Those returns were done usually out of desperation and when I in a tight spot rather than of choice, as in the case of service.
     
  16. Yodums

    Yodums Regular Member

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    haha, and if you miss? LOL, there goes .. your future. . .
     
  17. viver

    viver Regular Member

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    Well a little bit off topic but also serving.

    A few years back a kid was not allowed to play in a tournament because he had one arm underdeveloped (polio?). The officials mentioned he possibly would not serve properly since he could not fully use his not racquet arm. And I then asked, was there any rule that stipulates that when serving you have to hold the shuttle with your non-racquet hand?
     
  18. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Hi viver

    I guess the kid can use his mouth (teeth) to hold the shuttle and drop it towards his racket when serving. I won't be surprised that such kids can also use one of their legs, replacing fingers with toes. Should not deprive such kids from enjoying the game.
     
  19. ArchDevil145

    ArchDevil145 Regular Member

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    I agree. That's like ostracizing the poor kid from the great sport.
     
  20. jwu

    jwu Regular Member

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    hey Loh, thanks, good to be back and yeah everything is going well now. New job is great and income is back is support this badminton obsession :D .

    well, i return more shots behind my back then between the legs because well, I think it's kind of a "risky" shot. :p
     

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