Which arm to use

Discussion in 'Techniques / Training' started by Schneider, Feb 28, 2005.

  1. Schneider

    Schneider Regular Member

    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2005
    Messages:
    122
    Likes Received:
    0
    Occupation:
    Student
    Location:
    England
    I'm a left handed person and write and do alot of other things with my left. But when I play badminton I play right handed so does this mean that I will never be able to play my full potential as I should be left handed?
     
  2. m_poppema

    m_poppema Regular Member

    Joined:
    Feb 23, 2005
    Messages:
    176
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    The Netherlands
    I'm not a pro but I'd say it wouldn't matter...
    If it comes natural to you to use your right arm playing badminton,..
    then it's probably the best arm for you to use :)
     
  3. chungsquared

    chungsquared New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 2005
    Messages:
    4
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    bayarea, CA
    Oh wow i have the same problem. I'm lefty but my right arm is stronger so I have no power with my bad techinique >_<. I say you shold just stick with the hand your eplaying with now because youre this far in.
     
  4. j_e_thompson

    j_e_thompson Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2004
    Messages:
    123
    Likes Received:
    0
    Occupation:
    Software Engineer
    Location:
    Herts, UK
    Same thing here. I'm a lefty but play right-handed. It all depends which arm feels most comfortable playing with.

    Was playing in a tournament a few weeks ago and played against a guy who served left-handed, then swapped hands and played the rest of the rally right-handed.:confused:

    Each to their own...
     
  5. Schneider

    Schneider Regular Member

    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2005
    Messages:
    122
    Likes Received:
    0
    Occupation:
    Student
    Location:
    England
    When I first picked up a racket I used my right arm so I guess it is my natural arm. Thanks for your views I was worried about this issue but it's good to hear from people who are in my position. :)
     
  6. manduki

    manduki Regular Member

    Joined:
    Feb 5, 2005
    Messages:
    433
    Likes Received:
    0
    Occupation:
    Student
    Location:
    Canada, Mississauga
    I heard that each person has a sport or such that they use their opposite hand. For me, its snowboarding (my left foot goes first even though im right handed) and I've seen lefties playing golf, ping pong, and such with their right hand. All these people were excellent and it shouldn't affect ur playing (perhaps other than the fact that your arm may tire faster).
     
  7. Benasp

    Benasp Regular Member

    Joined:
    Nov 5, 2003
    Messages:
    306
    Likes Received:
    3
    Location:
    canada
    play both that will be a big weapon
     
  8. badminut

    badminut Regular Member

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2005
    Messages:
    8
    Likes Received:
    0
    Occupation:
    Youth Care Worker
    Location:
    Canada
    switching hands!!!!

    i have to agree with Benasp. If I had the ability to use both hands I would try to develop my stroke with both hands. Think of some of the advantages. changing hands against certain oponents, changing during a match to mix things up, if one arm gets sore during a match you could kinda have a spare like a second racket sort of. I once played against a guy who could switch hands and I found out the hard way. It was about midway through the first game (mens dbls...). I had hit a few shots into this guys backhand area, he was playing left handed at the time. He had hit a few backhand drops and i thought to my self maybe I can clip them so I started to creep towards the net. i was about 3 inches behind the short sevice line when the next thing I know he switches hands :confused: SMASH :eek: I was eating feathers that day !!!!!
     
  9. TheGr8Two

    TheGr8Two Regular Member

    Joined:
    May 31, 2004
    Messages:
    411
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Canada
    Use the one more natural for throwing a ball. The motion of swinging a racket and throwing a ball is very similar.
     
  10. SystemicAnomaly

    SystemicAnomaly Regular Member

    Joined:
    Sep 21, 2004
    Messages:
    1,298
    Likes Received:
    26
    Occupation:
    pre-Occupied
    Location:
    Santa Clara, CA
    That would seem to make sense, however I play racket sports (as well as write & most other things) left-handed but I throw much better (more naturally & with more accuracy) with my right arm. Go figure!

    Schneider, the stuff that you do lefty... is it mostly just your hand (& forearm)? Perhaps when you employ your upper arm and shoulder, you are more comfortable with your right side. It's possible that even footwork & body rotation preference are factors in your arm pref.
     
  11. Schneider

    Schneider Regular Member

    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2005
    Messages:
    122
    Likes Received:
    0
    Occupation:
    Student
    Location:
    England
    I'm much better with footwork with my right side for e.g I kick a ball with my right foot, spin throw/throw a rugyball better on my right, bat at cricket facing with my right so yes. And yes what I do with my left is mostly with my hand and forearm.
     
  12. Nanashi

    Nanashi Regular Member

    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2002
    Messages:
    649
    Likes Received:
    0
    Occupation:
    Student
    Location:
    Toronto, Ontario
    the u19 gurls singles national champion of canada is left handed, but plays with her right....

    so no, it won't limit your potential.... (well.. maybe she could be world champion if she played with her left?? *ponders*)
     
  13. drmchsraj

    drmchsraj Regular Member

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2009
    Messages:
    492
    Likes Received:
    24
    Location:
    local to the coast
    ^^ what's her name?
     
  14. vctrku

    vctrku Regular Member

    Joined:
    Feb 6, 2009
    Messages:
    130
    Likes Received:
    1
    Location:
    Canada
    Well, Nadal in tennis is right handed and his uncle randomly told him to start playing with his left hand and look where he is now. LOL

    Also for me, I was born left handed and my parents switched me over to be right handed. I can pick up learning to do something with my left hand really fast but I still play all my sports with my right hand because I learned right handed footwork and just stuck with it. Footwork is very hard to change and reverse.

    If you were to lift the bird to where I am standing and I use my left hand, I can unleash quite a scary smash without practising or training it in comparison to all the time I played badminton with my right hand. It just ends up being comfort preference.
     
  15. visor

    visor Regular Member

    Joined:
    Dec 7, 2009
    Messages:
    16,401
    Likes Received:
    2,001
    Location:
    Vancouver, BC
    Left hand players definitely have more advantage. Because their opponents usually play against right and haven't developed tactics against left.
     
  16. mater

    mater Regular Member

    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2009
    Messages:
    514
    Likes Received:
    24
    Occupation:
    Nomad
    Location:
    Badminton Central
    In Singles, definitely, but in Doubles, it can lead to some confusion and hesitation especially if one plays with a variety of partners. I'm a left handed player so I see it first hand too much unfortunately, although, it's great when my partner's also left handed. :)
     
  17. MSeeley

    MSeeley Regular Member

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2009
    Messages:
    2,049
    Likes Received:
    735
    Occupation:
    Professional
    Location:
    England
    I must confess, I always find it a little bit weird when people say things like this. The reason I think its weird, is it doesn't matter whether my partner is left or right handed, it doesn't change who goes for what or who takes what. If a shot comes down the middle (e.g. a smash comes towards the middle), then the person who is cross court takes it, regardless of who is backhand or forehand or anything else. This is the same for any level of play.

    If a lift goes up the middle, then the closest player goes for the shuttle, regardless of which hand they play with. Or, if you prefer, the strongest rear court player goes back for it, regardless of which hand they play with.

    So you see, in doubles, it doesn't matter who my partner is or how they play, the rules are the same, and the rules don't rely on someone taking shots forehand or backhand.

    Just a thought ;)

    For those considering which hand to learn with... do 10,000 perfect repetitions of each shot with your chosen hand, and you won't care which one you picked. It will be damned good at all the shots.

    Good luck!
     
  18. visor

    visor Regular Member

    Joined:
    Dec 7, 2009
    Messages:
    16,401
    Likes Received:
    2,001
    Location:
    Vancouver, BC
    I'd say in singles, it's easier to play against a lefty. Whereas in doubles you have to keep track of the lefty and right opponents, to make sure you're not placing the shot or return on a forehand side. That's why there are so many top left right combos in doubles.
     
  19. visor

    visor Regular Member

    Joined:
    Dec 7, 2009
    Messages:
    16,401
    Likes Received:
    2,001
    Location:
    Vancouver, BC
    It's now your own partner I'm referring to being lefty, but your opponents. Playing against left right combo opponents require more concentration in placing shots and an adjustment in tactics.
     
  20. mater

    mater Regular Member

    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2009
    Messages:
    514
    Likes Received:
    24
    Occupation:
    Nomad
    Location:
    Badminton Central
    I guess you're right for the most part, in our games, the stronger rear player usually handles the lift in the middle, but in a fast game, for me, it's not so clear cut for drives/smashes down the center.

    In defensive positions with left / right players holding rackets on the outsides of the court, fast shots down the middle of the court is harder than say with both partners with same hand, right/right or left/left.

    Being a rec player, it's something I have not practiced consistently enough (smash in middle handled by cross court player). Sure there are games where this happens, but also are the cases where in case of down the middle, the forehand player commonly takes it.

    Granted, I don't have the experience and years compared to many others. I play in a club ranging from teens to players in their 50s and will typically have different 3-5 partners in a night. Some players that have little knowledge in rotation and positioning to ones that have great knowledge of that and shot selection and placement. Some willing to learn, others not so much.

    So there are games where my partner and I are in sync and games where a new partner and I are totally out of sync.

    Do you have more info on that rule regarding who takes the smash down the middle, regardless of forehand/backhand? I don't have formal training so I want to "have a look". ;)
     

Share This Page