leaning in to receive the service

Discussion in 'Techniques / Training' started by mjwhitfield, Feb 3, 2004.

  1. mjwhitfield

    mjwhitfield Regular Member

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2003
    Messages:
    109
    Likes Received:
    0
    Occupation:
    Postgrad University Student
    Location:
    Essex, UK
    I’ve noticed a lot of pro’s stand on the front line and lean right in to receive when playing doubles.

    Whenever I’ve tried this the person serving lifts the shuttle over me and to the back, and all I've done is make life harder for myself as I’m leaning in so much. :confused:

    Does anyone have any advice?

    Thanks :)
     
  2. Gollum

    Gollum Regular Member

    Joined:
    May 23, 2003
    Messages:
    4,642
    Likes Received:
    298
    Location:
    Surrey, UK
    You need extremely strong legs and quick reactions to be able to receive service like the pros. To get closer to this ideal, practice leaping rapidly towards the back of the court when you receive a flick serve. Remember that you must prepare by loading your leg muscles, rather than just standing comfortably.

    You should content yourself initially with getting closer to the front service line, not right at the front. Build it up gradually.
     
  3. mjwhitfield

    mjwhitfield Regular Member

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2003
    Messages:
    109
    Likes Received:
    0
    Occupation:
    Postgrad University Student
    Location:
    Essex, UK
    That's what i'd been doing previously. I'll your leaping advice a go before i play on thursday.

    Thanks for the advice :)
     
  4. Gollum

    Gollum Regular Member

    Joined:
    May 23, 2003
    Messages:
    4,642
    Likes Received:
    298
    Location:
    Surrey, UK
    The other thing to practice when receiving right at the front is reacting to drive serves. I'm particularly bad at this! You need to be prepared to hit a drive serve instantly, because you won't have any time to get behind it.

    Also, developing a good round-the-head forehand can help improve your responses to flick and drive serves directed to the backhand side. I tend to stand almost right at the front line, but in the left service court I stand further away from the centre line because otherwise I can't deal with serves directed to the backhand side. Ideally I would stand right by the "T" on both sides.
     
  5. mlvezina

    mlvezina Regular Member

    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2002
    Messages:
    108
    Likes Received:
    1
    Location:
    Montreal, Canada
    This is one part of the doubles game that I am particularly good at (i.e. attacking serves while not being caught flat-footed by flat drives and high serves to the back).

    Here's some food for tought:

    1\ Short vs long serve: When "leaning", the aim is to achieve a balance that will allow you to move quickly to the net as soon as you detect a short serve while also being able to push off from your front leg if the serve is high and to the back. In other words, you do not want to "cheat" in one direction only, by leaning forward for example. Your weight should be more or less centered even though you may look like you are leaning to an outside observer.

    Personnally, I achieve this by extending my rear leg enough so that a push from the back foot will suffice to propel me to the net, while also remaining light enough on the back foot so as not to impede the weight transfer to that leg if I need to move back quickly.

    2\ Dealing with flat serves: I'm 6'3" (1m90) but the place where I used to go when I first started playing regularly (i.e. 5-6 days per week) was heavily attended by Asian players. As a result I quickly learned the value of crouching down to negate my height "disadvantage" ;) against all those flat drives aimed at the body.

    So, to deal with flat serves, I simply crouch as low as needed (some players I play against stand further back than usual when serving to achieve very low flat serves) to be able to use round-the-head strokes, smashes, block shots, etc.

    3\ Avoid being caught out of position: I'm very seldom caught by surprise when receiving serve, simply because I've visualized the various potential scenarios and my planned replies while waiting for the serve. Then, I focus on the bird and ignore everything else. As soon as the bird takes off, reflexes take over because I've removed the slower "thinking mind" from the equation.

    Hope this helps,

    Mike
     
  6. mjwhitfield

    mjwhitfield Regular Member

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2003
    Messages:
    109
    Likes Received:
    0
    Occupation:
    Postgrad University Student
    Location:
    Essex, UK
    thanks for your advice Mike.

    if anyone else has other suggestions i'd like to hear them. I'll print this thread out before my next game and take it with me so i can read over it while i'm off court to remind myself of proper pratice :)
     
  7. Brave_Turtle

    Brave_Turtle Regular Member

    Joined:
    Oct 27, 2003
    Messages:
    1,230
    Likes Received:
    1
    Occupation:
    Student
    Location:
    Montreal (514)
    Hi guys!

    man this thread is very very very interesting, I always wondered why pros stand so in the front!!!

    Me I always stay way in teh back and rather move in the front, since im faster that way, its logic no? Why in the front???
     
  8. chub2003

    chub2003 Regular Member

    Joined:
    May 12, 2003
    Messages:
    102
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    California
    the pros want to catch the shuttle as high as they can to stay on the attack. Also, if the serve is in any way a little too high they can kill it, so no room for error.
     
  9. taneepak

    taneepak Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2004
    Messages:
    6,526
    Likes Received:
    25
    Occupation:
    Designing and producing quality feather shuttlecoc
    Location:
    Hong Kong
    When returning a service in doubles it is vital to gain the attack from the outset. Standing in front is a means to achieving this. Standing way back only ensures you are on the defensive, for the simple reason that by the time the shuttle reaches you it will be way below tape height, and any return shot can only go up-exactly what your opponents are looking for.
    However, standing right in front of the service line and leaning foreward with your racquet up towards the net is easier said than done. Your concentration and focus as well as ability to spring back, if necessary, must be impeccable. Be very careful of the deceptive flick.
    Also, standing in front can be very effective if you move foreward the instant the low serve is executed; it is less effective if you move in with some hesitation. Again, if you move in too fast, you might misread the server's intent and will probably find yourself stranded with the shuttle landing behind you.
     
  10. cappy75

    cappy75 Regular Member

    Joined:
    Sep 21, 2002
    Messages:
    3,502
    Likes Received:
    26
    Occupation:
    Depot Support Representative
    Location:
    Burnaby, BC, Canada
    This issue may have been discussed before, but well worth revisiting again...

    Just to clarify the matter more. What should the percentage of the body weight be at when preparing to receive near the line? (front%:back%) 60:40, 70:30?

    With regards to drive serves, I have issues with people who serve illegally, especially when they do forehand serves. It's not so bad when they serve further away from the service line, but it really peeves me off when they drive serve it while near the line:(. Oh well, can't do much when it's just friendly games...
     
    #10 cappy75, Feb 4, 2004
    Last edited: Feb 4, 2004
  11. dlp

    dlp Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2002
    Messages:
    963
    Likes Received:
    1
    Occupation:
    Accountant / Coach
    Location:
    uk
    As you move towards a better standard (higher league but not county in uk), you will find most players stand close to the front line. At the same time the better players will predominantly backhand serve and mostly short serve (ratio maybe 3 to 1).

    Therefore if you stand close and are able to pressure the short serve , always gaining the attack if not an outright winner you will be winning a very high proportion of the rallies where you receive. When you are flicked as long as you can play some sort of return which isn't immediatley killed you still can win a fair share of those rallies. If you are caught out by a flick twice in a game , of maybe 20 serves to you, then statistically that doesn't matter , although you may feel stupid. So my point is that better league players aren't necessarily better at moving back to receive the flick serves, they just realise the value of getting the attack, and hence play more aggressively.
     
  12. Neil Nicholls

    Neil Nicholls Regular Member

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2002
    Messages:
    2,908
    Likes Received:
    10
    Location:
    Cannock, UK
    The pedant in me won out, and I feel I should say if they short serve you should leave it as it will be out.
    the low serve on the other hand...:p
     
  13. Neil Nicholls

    Neil Nicholls Regular Member

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2002
    Messages:
    2,908
    Likes Received:
    10
    Location:
    Cannock, UK
    And so as to actually be of some help, I'll point out that there is an article on return of serve in the "Techniques" section of BadmintonCentral
     
  14. dlp

    dlp Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2002
    Messages:
    963
    Likes Received:
    1
    Occupation:
    Accountant / Coach
    Location:
    uk
    thanks a lot for pointing out my error mate :eek:
     
  15. Neil Nicholls

    Neil Nicholls Regular Member

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2002
    Messages:
    2,908
    Likes Received:
    10
    Location:
    Cannock, UK
    Sorry.
    Why did you distinguish between higher league and county ?
     
  16. dlp

    dlp Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2002
    Messages:
    963
    Likes Received:
    1
    Occupation:
    Accountant / Coach
    Location:
    uk
    Well I'm just trying to identify that the difference between better league players and lower league players in receiving serve has a lot to do with aggresion and standing nearer the front. But in top league players who may also be county players pretty much everyone is standing near to the front line and tries to take the shuttle early , but can also probably jump back and smash the flick.

    Of course you can't specifically divide the badminton players into set groups of standard but I was trying to give some context to my point. Certainly a lot of physically / technically good younger players can't play a county level game of mens because their first 3 shots in a rally are poor.
     
    #16 dlp, Feb 4, 2004
    Last edited: Feb 4, 2004

Share This Page