For doubles, when we smash should we be rushing forward to attack the return?

Discussion in 'Techniques / Training' started by Birdy, Jan 14, 2014.

  1. Birdy

    Birdy Regular Member

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    The reason I ask this is because yesterday someone examined my straight line front to back and back to front drill, and he said that from the back when I scizzor jump to come forward, I am slow and my momentum is not going forward enough (rushing forward).

    Because I am mainly training to be a doubles player, I am wondering if after you hit a shot from the rearlines should you actually be rushing forward.. (I know for singles, you should always return to base line as fast as you can after you hit which follows his advice, but for doubles, I'm pretty sure it's different and that rushing after you smash is not good?)

    In my own opinion, I was thinking that it would NOT be a good idea to practice rushing forward after you hit because if your momentum is going forward too much, then against a good return (one that gets lifted back past you and fast), it'd be harder to get it. Since now you have to shift back your momentum to go backward. Instead, I rather prefer hitting (not moving too much forward) and waiting to see where the bird is coming back before I decide where to go. If I see that my smash is good and that I anticipate a low midcourt return then I will rush forward. But before having not seen where the bird is being returned to, I disagree that we should be putting all our momentum forward. Instead, we should obtain a neutral position ready to get the next shot.

    On the contrary when I asked another friend, he agreed with the first person who gave me the advice and said the reason you should move forward as fast as you can after you smash or hit is because assuming your smash is good, then you will be quicker to attack a weak return. And that I should not worry too much about having to move back even if the return is good because moving backward is actually easier than moving forward in that scenario. Is this true?

    I see that it's good to go forward quickly if your smash is good, but I think if you shift too much momemtum forward you will have harder time to react to an unexpected return shot.

    Can you guys tell me what you think? Sorry I am just starting to learn so there's so much I still don't really understand.
     
    #1 Birdy, Jan 14, 2014
    Last edited: Jan 14, 2014
  2. M3Series

    M3Series Regular Member

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    If you think as a double player you wont have to move forward, you are quite wrong there.

    But if you are arguing upon what your friend said, i say he might be right. From my opinion, what is he trying to say is your recovery after the smash can still be improve. Scissors jump is introduce for more faster recovery. And i believe those drills of yours are made to retrieve the shuttle faster ( in case of weak return ).

    If you still think that you dont need to go forward after the smash, take a bright side, it's gonna improve your reaction and recovery anyway. You'll certainly be more faster once you master it.

    Just my 2 cents.
     
  3. nokh88

    nokh88 Regular Member

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    Nope, you should not rush forward after your smash. Your partner should be the one to anticipate and kill those weak returns. But if the return is above and over him, then you are the one to go for the next shot. With this formation, it is a must that you should smash straight, not cross court.
     
  4. nokh88

    nokh88 Regular Member

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    A straight smash will reach the target faster and with less time making it more effective and if your opponent were to return high cross court, you will have more time for the next shot.

    Whereas if you smash crosscourt, it will take longer for the smash (giving more time to your opponent to return) to reach the target and if the return is straight, it will take a shorter time for the shutle to land. You also need to be faster to retrieve the return.
     
  5. Orangie

    Orangie Regular Member

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    My take is : If you have a front back attack formation, there is no reason for you to rush forward. Your partner should be going for the kill. However, you have to cover the whole of the rear court. By, rushing forward, I've got caught many time by my smashes being deflected back to the other side of my rear court.
     
  6. raymond

    raymond Regular Member

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    In Singles, you don't always rush back to your base. Doing so would subject you to a "repeat" attack shots that could tire you out faster over time. In Doubles, you rush forward to continue your attacks after your smash if you smash from mid-court.
     
  7. ZeroSOFInfinity

    ZeroSOFInfinity Regular Member

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    This. Once the person at the back starts smashing, the one at the front is to note any returns which goes less or up to half court, and make the kill or net shot/drop. The smasher will only rush forward if he hits the shuttle to the opponent's back court (i.e: handing the attacking advantage back to the opponent).

    The smasher should NEVER rush forward unless if really necessary (like the front court player is unable to reach for the shuttle at mid court), for two reasons:-

    1) If the opponent manages to return your smash to the back court (especially the sidelines), you are forced to do a save - and most of the time, it ends with a free "kill" for your opponent.

    2) Racket clashing... I have seen this happening many times, and some of it ends up really bad (one clash even broke BOTH rackets).
     
  8. raymond

    raymond Regular Member

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    Correction: In Singles, if you play a clear, you don't always rush back to your base for the mentioned reason. Since we're talking about smashes here, yes you do need to rush forward, but might not be straight to the base, depending on your anticipation of opponent's reply. E.g. if you know you've hit a good straight smash that your opponent needs to take at his side (or behind), your opponent probably can't cross, and you should rush straight, not to the base.
     
  9. visor

    visor Regular Member

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    if you're not sure, just watch a couple of pro md games on youtube...

    if you're already in the attack formation, you almost never go forward after smashing from the back *

    but if you're smashing from a side by side formation and the return comes back to your side whether short or loose mid court, then that's when you need to go forward, if your partner is not fast enough to anticipate it or get there in time

    * i should add that the only exception is if you need to rotate out with your partner so that you go front and he goes back. this occurs in order to relieve the smasher or to put the stronger smasher to the back or the faster forecourt player in front
     
    #9 visor, Jan 14, 2014
    Last edited: Jan 14, 2014
  10. jencon13

    jencon13 Regular Member

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    I dont know what in God's name you've been learning... lol but Nah I had a coach who enforced this type of logic into doubles too come to think of it. Its kind of bad. very bad. When your smashing... the person at the front is at the front for a good bloody reason. To return any shortfalls from your opponent. you rushing forward COMPLETELY contradicts the point of him being there lol. Unless its on a drop, because ur tired at the back, in which u would communicate that to your partner... I never see this nor implement this.
     
  11. M3Series

    M3Series Regular Member

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    Badminton isn't a textbook sports. Some circumstances are needed for u to go forward. You don't have to rush anyway. It will definitely backfired if u rushing forward after each smash. In badminton, not everything is based on text book.

    P/S : mens double gameplay mostly are flat n fast, drive n smashes. But that doesn't mean lifting will definitely make u lose points.
     
  12. |_Footwork_|

    |_Footwork_| Regular Member

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    Please guys, don't answer if you have no idea what you are talking about!!

    the correct answer is: it depends!!

    there are situations where you follow through after a smash and there are situations where you stay in the back and your partner covers the net. There's no simple answer to that question...
     
  13. amleto

    amleto Regular Member

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    If you're smashing a short lift then you follow it in and your partner rotates out. If you're smashing from the very back, then no, you shouldn't be following it in. BUT that doesn't mean you should *always* be the one to take the next rear court shot - there is such a thing as doubles rotation ;)
     
  14. MSeeley

    MSeeley Regular Member

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    You have received lots of answers, and my apologies for not reading those.

    In doubles, if the shuttle is short (mid court), or you sometimes if you are playing mixed doubles, you should smash and come forwards to the net (rotation in mens doubles, just covering the court in mixed).

    In singles, if you smash, you can either go back to base OR you can gamble that the shuttle is coming to the net and rush forwards without waiting to see where the shuttle is.

    In both singles and doubles, you should not rush back to base, because you should not be rushing anywhere ;) you should be in control, not rushing. The most important thing is you recover quickly! Recovering is the act of being ready for the next shot, not necessarily getting back to base (you do not always have time!!! Just get ready to move!).

    Finally though, if you are simply practising, then I would suggest making sure your body weight transfer is good, and that you come forwards after you smash in order to get into the net (realistically, you do not need to work this hard in most games, which is why we do it in practice!).

    Good luck!
     
  15. Birdy

    Birdy Regular Member

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    Thanks! :)
     

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