Shuttle position before u smash

Discussion in 'Techniques / Training' started by Psycho V, Dec 22, 2003.

  1. Psycho V

    Psycho V Regular Member

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    Yo guys, i did a search on smashing stance etc. But did not find any on the birdy position before one smashes.


    Assuming that the body is facing the net (shoulders parallet to it), do u folks let the shuttle fall
    1) in front towards your face
    2) in front towards your left shoulder
    3) in front towards your right shoulder
    when u smash?

    I was wondering if it should be the left shoulder, since the upper body is twisted leftwards during the smash.
     
  2. cooler

    cooler Regular Member

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    it depends on how steep i want it and what part of body i want to hit on the opponent
     
  3. iluvthesun

    iluvthesun Regular Member

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    yo, i am no pro, but i think that the best position for power is above your right shoulder. this ensures that you make full use of hip rotation (even when you are parallel to the net). it also allows you to change the direction of your smash more easily, e.g. if you are standing on the right a crosscourt smash to the left would be quite deceptive.

    whereas if the shuttle is to your left, your only comfortable shot would be to smash to the left. less power is gained this way.

    just try it and see for yourself!

    talking about position of the shuttle what would you say is a good shuttle height for a smash? height of full arm extension or less? am i right to say that the former does not involve any forearm pronation?
     
  4. xofrevlis

    xofrevlis Regular Member

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    I'm a jump smasher (well, when I find the time to jump, anyway) and this is how I feel most comfortable when I go up for a smash. Also, note that I'm a righty.
    So I'm standing on my side of the court with my shoulders parallel to the net and my opponent plays a clear to let me smash. I would position myself so that the shuttle will drop a bit wider of my right shoulder than the perpendicluar line my right shoulder makes with the net. From there, I would do a 90 degree turn clockwise. When the time is right, I jump up and my body will rotate anticlockwise and will probably make contact with the shuttle when my body is parallel to the net again. I can get all angles of the oppositions side in any posiition I'm in without hardly any inconsistency with my power.

    I would not recommend letting the shuttle drop to your left shoulder for a regular unless you're a lefty. The only time I would be smashing when the shuttle is in that position is when I'm trying to do an around the head smash, and my body would remain parallel to the net at all times of this shot's execution.
     
  5. Psycho V

    Psycho V Regular Member

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    Thanks dudes, those were some very clear descriptions!

    For me, i usually smash when the shuttle is directly over my head with my arms bent (about 120 deg. between forearms and biceps). it always seems that the lower i take the smash (more bent arms), the more power generated.

    But i'm still unsure as to smashing the shuttle when its on the right hand side. If the shuttle is on the right, and u perform a full swing, the racket has to move diagonally from your right shoulder's top right to your left leg's left (so that the racket head does not end up hitting your body).

    As to why i smash it when its over my head, its because i tilt my upper body to the left so that i can swing the rackets and it moves directly downwards from the top of my right shoulder to the left leg's left for a follow thru.
     
  6. cappy75

    cappy75 Regular Member

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    You might not want to take it too low because you might get tennis elbow that way. Any lower and your 'smash' will turn into a drive shot... ie. flat returnable trajectory. Good footwork will improve your options and allows you to take optimium swing at the birdie almost anywhere in the court. Ideally, you would want to take all your overhead forehand shots infront of you. Any shot that passed your head/shoulder should be cleared.

    As for smashing the birdie while it's over my head, I do it sometimes when I get tired or lazy. It's a bad habit of mine that persisted to this day. The power generated from this technique is not as strong as a proper full body rotation smash. It's also has a tendency of leaving me flat-footed if my shot is driven back or dropped due to the backward momentum from my posture (longer recovery).


     
  7. bigredlemon

    bigredlemon Regular Member

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    i try to take it in front of my head because it'll be easier to smash right side as well instead of being limited to smashing forward or to the left.
     
  8. iluvthesun

    iluvthesun Regular Member

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    Same. That's probably why my smashes are less powerful than my drives. To get the same amount of power, but steeper, I have to jump and 'drive' it into the ground from as great a height as possible.

    Jump smashing all the time is very tiring. Anyone got tips on smashing steep and hard with your arms straight, without your feet leaving the ground?

    Sometimes I end up with lots of red marks on my knee :D

    I see lots of pros do this when the shuttle is to the right of them: jump to the right and smash cross court whilst still in the air. This is a very good shot because it takes very little time to execute (gives them less time to react) and looks awesome. Timing is crucial though. Anybody else use this shot?



    So do you lift your right leg up just as you're about to hit the shuttle, so that you're just standing on your left leg? That's what I do.
     
    #8 iluvthesun, Dec 23, 2003
    Last edited: Dec 23, 2003
  9. Psycho V

    Psycho V Regular Member

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    haha, hittin your leg, thats funny! I think it can be avoided by bending de upper body leftwards more, so that theres a gap under the left shoulder for the racket to go.

    when those pros smash cross court, the swing is diagonal from right to left, hence i think its actually easier to execute than a normal smash. The hard one's when dey cross left to right (but its more effective since the shuttles ends on your opponent's left).

    and no, i don't smash with 1 leg, either i do it with right leg sligthly in front for smashing at the net. from midcourt or behind, i have to jump or hop to kick the right leg to the front.
     
  10. cappy75

    cappy75 Regular Member

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    Heh! I get red marks/cuts on my racquet side knee and thigh while defending, no issue like that while smashing:eek:.

     

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