When you're about to hit the birdie, do you swing very quickly or have a long slow stroke? I mean, do you wait at the last moment to hit, so that your whole backswing and forward stroke movement is very fast? Or do you time your hit for a long smooth stroke? I think the quicker one has the advantage of deception, but you hit more with your wrist.
For me, it depends on the shot. For clears, a long stroke clear is more defensive than a short quick swing. It helps to change the momentum and the pacing of the game. Drops, I always seem to use long swings, and smashes, depends on how quickly I can get there. Overall, I seem to find long shrokes more controllable, and shorts quick shrokes less so. But maybe thats just me...
i usually find slow swings to be more of a defensive thing. a fast swing (attack clear) compared to a slow swimg (high defensive clear). you always have to adjust tot he new situation. same thing with smashes, but i don't think it will be good with drops. drops should always have a fast and deceptive swing because if you make a slow swing, your opponenets can read your actions and be ready at the net.
Just look at how Lin Dan does it. You never know if he is going to clear, drop or smash. Huge arm movements and swings can be seen by your opponent a mile away.
If you have a different swing for different shots, that's something that gives a clue to the opponent about what shot you're going to play.
You guys are right. I tend to do my clears, smashes and drops with the same long stroke, but my shots are too easily readable because of my huge arm movements. I've noticed that I am easily deceived by players who make their stroke quick and short, yet are quite powerful. Ever noticed in doubles, when you're in the back and your partner is just in front of you, you make a drop shot and your opponents are easily deceived by the shot? I think it's because they can't see what I'm doing, since my partner is blocking their view.
