how good is your technique? if you're technique is not very strong then that is the first thing to improve. you can do wrist strength exercises, ab workouts, and other stuff to add more power to your hits also.
Power comes after skill. Without the proper technique, trying to hit hard will end up hurting yourself.
ideally, you would compare your technique to a pro or online coaching videos (videotape yourself and watch yourself) or post it up here for us to help you. you probably know this, but i'll go over it anyways. the power of the overhead shots comes from body rotation, arm extension, and forearm pronation. the key is to have explosive power rather than huge muscles. i'm no expert on badminton fitness, but i'll list some exercises i keep telling myself to do. to train body rotation (Core strength), do ab exercises like crunches, sit ups, leg lifts, etc. the arm extension can be trained by lifting dumbbells or weights. i'm quite sure that the triceps have a lot to add to it since your arm is extending. you can also use the weights to train your wrist strength. or use your badminton racket (with its cover) and swing it aroudn with your wrist (up down, back and forth, figure 8). air resistence will make it more difficult and strengthen your wrist. never forget to stretch after exercising too!
When you are getting ready to smash, relax your wrist and fingers, when your racket gets to around 12 - 1 o clock tighten everything and follow through, The shuttle should be in front of you
Go to the racket section of the forum and read those useless threads about which racket (brand and model) is the most powerful , buy it and you are sorted . or as an alternative , Go on youtube and type in Coach Lee and watch those wonderful videos
The thing is, I'm not sure there is a male player anywhere in the top 30 that smashes like ljb teaches. I would be interested to know of any examples. 'even' the ladies dont use LJB simplistic technique. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYwCdj_SVQQ
think of your entire arm as a whip. specifically, you should loosen your wrist. watch taufik smash. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiaA__hN_hQ
careful when mentioning wrist. Sometimes people will think you mean motion like on motorbike for controlling speed.
You can spot a LJB coached player straight away- I won't make any comment as to whether the technique is better or worse, but it is certainly not the widespread technique
I agree. All the more advanced players and the players with biggest smash I know don't smash like LJB shows. LJB uses a grip towards panhandle, uses more wrist flexion and a less pronation. Infact in one of his vids he shows the smash slowly and there is no chopping action, pronation (ie the racket strings always faces the same direction throughout the stroke!). I used to smash like that and still tend to. It is naturally more accurate but with loss of power and flatter smashes. He's got lots of other vids online and they are really good plus hes coached internationals. Its strange. Maybe its because hes always taught higher level players rather than beginners.
yes , I am sure you have been a national player like coach Lee and been coached by a national coach , lol
you done this? [video=youtube;Vmn5Eh80reQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vmn5Eh80reQ&lr=1&feature=mhum[/video]