Leg position during jump smash

**david14700** · 09-08-2005, 09:06 AM

Watching most pros, when they go up for a jump smash and they bend their legs, their lower legs are parallel and pointing straight back, with their body turned to the side, so that their shoulders are perpendicular to their waist.

But, some pros, and Fu Haifeng immediately comes to mind, when he jumps up, his legs are often facing sideways as well, i.e. his whole body is pointing sideways. Does this produce more power, as it requires more movement of the whole body in mid-air?

There's a good photo of him in one of the earlier jump smash discussions where you clearly see him go up and his legs are not facing forwards.

**egibooga** · 09-13-2005, 07:21 AM

well doing wut fu haifeng does allows you to turn ur body, so it produces more power.

**david14700** · 09-14-2005, 05:47 AM

Yes, but I've been watching a lot of videos of different players, like Tony Gunawan, Halim Haryanto, Taufik, Lin Dan.

They all turn to differing degrees, but most still have the hips facing more or less forwards on most jumps. They turn mostly from their waist and shoulders.

This can't be good for their spines. Fu Haifeng's smash looks harder on the legs in terms of muscular effort, but easier on the spine because there's less twisting.

Shouldn't this be the way most amateurs jump smash if they want to play into their thirties/forties?

**egibooga** · 09-14-2005, 06:37 AM

well keeping ur body facing forwards allows you to have a faster attack, say when they hit something pretty flat, you wont have much time to turn ur body, u just step over, jump, and smash

**goku999** · 09-14-2005, 08:30 AM

experiement yourself

Everyone is different and one person has a different degree of flexibility to another person.

Sometimes doing this your own way would be more beneficial to you as a player, you know which stance gives you more power etc...

**DinkAlot** · 09-14-2005, 09:20 AM

Originally Posted by egibooga

well doing wut fu haifeng does allows you to turn ur body, so it produces more power.

Yep. I'm working on that too but I have a long way to go.

**GunBlade008** · 09-14-2005, 11:29 AM

Does anyone have a visual example of this?

**goku999** · 09-14-2005, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by GunBlade008

Does anyone have a visual example of this?

try looking at the mens doubles matches by downloading them

**KronE** · 09-15-2005, 07:40 AM

where to download ?? any site to recommend ???

Originally Posted by goku999

try looking at the mens doubles matches by downloading them

**Daylightkiller** · 09-16-2005, 06:02 PM

firstly, i think that it depends on the amount of time you have to prepare this jump smash, second, what kind of smash do you want to do. as stated before, body can be parallel to the net if you are trying to smash back a fast flat drive, but if it's a lift you can be more perpendicular to the net and put more power into it. Also if you want to smash to certain points on the court, you don't need that much power so you are more parallel to the net. if you want power then you obviously are more perpendicular to the net