As the title says, I'm trying to help my friend become a better badminton player...I am not a coach, so my advice is limited and he doesn't really get my explanations coz I'm an intuitive learner...Question 1. Why do people stand so close to the service line in singles when it's easier to stand further back to cover long serves and it's easier to move forwards than backwards to get short serves... Question 2. Every time I smash or clear I hit my knee when I cross the racket across my body...why is that? Question 3. When I smash or clear, should I be hitting the bird square on my racket or should my racket be angled a certain way...(he hits all his smashes and clears like flat on the strings...looks weird to me) He doesn't understand the proper grip for holding the racket, he questions it's logic, and I cannot explain the reasoning beyond, it's just better that way...I showed him how I hold my racket, which I believe to be correct, (I'm an expert level singles player btw) but he says it would look like all my shots would be slicing the bird...(which they aren't) Any help is much appreciated...sorry for the lack of spacing, my keyboard is messed up..Cheers. I am planning on posting videos of him and myself playing singles, so you can see what's going on. Might be helpful.
Wait... are those your questions or your friend's? Because they don't sound like questions an "expert level singles player" should be asking, if you know what I mean...
"expert level singles player" if u really are an expert in singles,you should have easily answered his question....
Club level singles player then. that is besides the point though. can u answer these questions of my friend? I tell him my reasoning but he doesn't seem to accept it because my answers don't seem logical to him. thanks
(1) The reason for standing closer to the front is so you can reach low serves earlier, and play more effective returns. Obviously this must be tempered by the need to move backwards for flick serves. The professionals are very fast moving backwards, and this allows them to stand farther forwards. (2) Probably your swing is too long, and you are following through across your body. Try using a shorter swing, and following through initially in the same direction of your shot, before allowing your arm to relax across the body. (3) The racket face will need to rotate during the stroke -- it should only be facing the shuttle at the moment of impact, not for the whole stroke. As for the reasons, there's quite a lot to say; try my grips guide and forehand clears / smashes articles.
Gollum has good answers already. Maybe I can add... 1. Professional doubles players stand even closer, just millimetres behind the service line. 2. Keep your follow thru compact. You should accelerate and explodeo into the bird at strike, but then immediately cut out power and relax right after strike. Whatever power is used after strike is unnecessary.
