I guess this is whatever feels most comfortable right? Well, I've seen some pretty strange things in my time. Personally, I just open my hand and the palm of my hand tends to face towards the shuttle. My old coach likes to point at the bird, and one person I've played recently likes to twist his arm in a karate-chop fashion (but the bottom of his hand faces backward so it looks like he's chopping his face ) So anyway, what do you guys do right before executing a clear, smash, etc?
Raising your non-playing hand has, as a matter of fact, some sound scientific reasoning behind it. You raise your non-playing hand to help you gauge the best spot and height to contact the shuttle. It also automatically brings the shoulder of your playing hand back. Lastly, it helps to counter-balance your body.
well plain and simple my left hand the free one just tends to retract uptowards the body with the palm of my hand over my heart and just stays there tight, i find that if i dont do that i lose power in my smashes and well thats all my arm ever does when i smash.
how to aim and time? hi, im new to here i got some question abt aiming wif ur non-racket hand and timing pls giv me sum tips ty
You're definetely right, but it seems different people have different methods of doing this... It's really interesting what some people do. (ie. like the above posters)
This sounds more reasonable answers to me. I have been asking my coach this question and his reply is always it is a matter of personal style. I do not think it is a personal style because every player from Indonesia does that and they all follow the same pattern. I know there is something behind this.
I never looked at it this way - been doing it again and again and again without thinking about it. I always remember that it's more of a matter of balance, where you are supposed to shift your weight forwards for power, but keeps the left up to balance so that you don't fall face down (imagine that...). But what taneepak said about gauging the best position (arm and body) to hit is very true. I had that experience last Friday and I totally agree that without doing so, hitting properly will be 'impossible' and could actually cause injury to the back.
The non racket arm should be a mirror image of the racket arm until you move back or forward to hit the shuttle, the non racket arm should be up in the air almost pointing at the shuttle if you want. This gives an indication of distance and helps you guage where to hit the shuttle as someone posted above. At this stage the arm should be brought down or swung round to help you bring the shoulder through and bring the body round in the complete hitting motion.
Heh, it's supposed to balance your racquet arm so says my couch. Always had a dead arm and cannot get out of the habit. Dead arm = non-racquet arm hanging down against the body - as if dead.
Typically, as you bring your racquet back (FootWork1), your non-racquet hand is extended out in front as if pointing towards the shuttle and also acts as counter-balance. As you start stroking forward (FootWork2), your non-racquet hand's elbow tucks tightly against your sides (like doing the motion hockey players/golfers do when they make a goal/hole). The position of your hand is personal preference, it could be flush against the body in a fist or palm against the body/heart. (FW1) there is a shift in weight in which approx 2/3 of your weight is on your racquet foot (FW2) weight now shifts from racquet foot to non-racquet foot, ending with the racquet foot on its toes with the heels up. Pending on the shot, the shift in weight could also end with the racquet foot taking a step forward. Hope this is clear! Cheers!
This, of course, applies to overhead strokes. You see the same thing with tennis serves & overhead smashes. As the racket head drops behind the back (actually, behind the hitting shoulder) to start the racket-throwing motion, the non-racket arm is tucked in fairly close to the body as if you were hugging yourself. This action of the n-r arm helps you to rotate your upper torso faster for a more powerful stroke. For shots at the net such as a net drop (where a rapid torso rotation is not important), the n-r arm often extends backward as a counter-balance (somewhat similar to a fencer might do).
Scientific Reasoning???LMAO Having your non racket hand out really doesn't do much. Some people say it can help counter balance, but not really. Having it tucked in, it would weigh no much of a difference. Maybe abit less due to leverage. Its just a habit for some people. But having your arm out makes u look silly, and unexperienced. My unexperienced coach taught me that. But having it tucked in a bit would provide u with more room for ur swing. If u got your hand there, where's the follow through? Ur gunna wack yourself in the arm. I've wacked myself in the knee with follow throughs, because my swing was so big. But to get good power. Do what my experienced coach taught me. Raise your elbow first, then follow with your arm and wrist. An easier was to do this is to tuck in your elbow, have it tucked and sticking 90 degree from u, and then release your whole are and wrist into the shot.
Scientific reason = inertia If you want a scientific reason for why tucking in the arm for certain power shots is important than look into the concepts of moment of inertia &/or rotational inertia. The position of the arms do make a significant diff. For an example of how moment of inertia influences speed of rotation consider the ice skater who has gone into a spin (about her own axis). When the skater has her arms outstretched, the spin is a moderate speed but as she pulls her arms in tightly to the body her speed of rotation increases dramatically. This concept of moment of inertia is used in many sports such badminton, tennis, baseball, boxing & other martial arts to name a few.
having your non racket hand out on the contrary is very important , not only for smash and clears, but also all your other shots. It does help keep balance, and give you more control. If you watch any decent player that has any decent coach, or even the professional players, you will see, their non rakcet hand is out somwhere, depending on the kind of shot they do. Such as a close net drop , before they smash, drives , etc. Their hand is always out dare somewhere to keep them balance, before they hit. people who whack themselves in the arm, are obviously , unexperienced, and is doing it wrong. pratice doesnt make perfect, perfect pratices, makes perfect. If you are praticing something wrong, whats the point.