For a few years now i have taught myself on how to play badminton. But lately some good county players at my club tell me that my smashing technique is wrong that i dont unleash my full power in my smashing. I kinda smash not when the shuttle is vertically above my head but about a 45 degree angle from the vertical like at 2 o clock. Like the shuttle top right of my head with the arm extended. I smash hard but they tell me i can smash harder and i cant wait to see. Are there any links that do a slow motion on how to smash properly. Im so used to smashing 'my way'. thx
When i smash, i think the shuttle is very slightly infront of me! so then i can follow through to the centre of the court! Doing it that way you can put your body weight into it and full fill your power!
Are you sure they were commenting on the placement of the shuttle as the issue? Personally speaking, I was using the same smashing technique for over 15 years, and one day while I was resting between games, I observed a beginner's class getting lessons... and I saw something different. for years, I used to swing with the face of my racket facing forward as I smashed, and I had a decent enough smash, but the teacher was showing the class to swing with the edge of the racket forward and then rotate the face forward at impact... which allows for a MUCH steeper smashing angle. I'm now trying to correct this in my play, but I had no idea such a seemingly little change could make such a HUGE impact.
No they weren't commenting on the smash placement but rather my technique. The way I smash the shuttle is completely different to the restof the club members No one smashes like me :crying: Anyway the way i smash is when the shuttle is not vertically above my head. They did say I have a rather wide arm swing when i smash and said its very good for mid court as i never miss and its very strong but when they lift to the back deep, then i have problems. They said you should change the way you smash... Im kinda atm trying to find this 'way of smashing' out but im so used to the 'wrong' way for a few years that its just natural... Im jus hoping i can look at a slowmotion clip or sumit..
I think you should watch a few DVD's of top players then you will see how to smash. But remember what ever works for you will be the bast way.
I have a friend who smashes like you do and he has a VERY strong arm, but he loses out on so much power because he is, like you, taking it at a 2 o'clock position. If you imagine the line across your shoulders as the hour arm and your racket arm as the minute arm, then a proper smash should look like a 7 o'clock. But at the moment, it seems you are hitting it with your arm position in a sort of 10 past 8. Does that make sense or am I getting too elaborate with the clock face analogy? Try to have your shoulder as high as possible and your racket arm vertical when you make contact, not diagonal.
Perhaps, but if you wanted to throw something really fast you wouldn't bring your arm through vertically, there would be some angle there. I agree that this is wrong for badminton as you want both power and angle, but I'm not comvinced it is the angle that the arm comes through that robs you of power. I suggest you pay more attention to your preparation position and your grip. There is a reason that you have found it necessary to bring your arm through at that angle, if you change it you are likely to have to change other things as well. I am guessing that if you do change you arm angle, you will slice things to the left of where you're aiming for a while until you learn to change the grip or pronate more fully.
I think you are right about this. If you watch cricket fielders, they tend to throw from the side for distance (power), but for accuracy (aiming for the stumps) they throw from in front like a badminton smash.
Being a cricketer I have to question your theory on throwing. The side ways throw is for accuracy and releasing the ball as quickly as possible. The front to back throw is for power.
I agree - angle is key to a good smash. One way to get angle is to use more wrist action and to fully flex the wrist after you smash. I learned this from this awesome resource - www.badmintonsmashsecrets.com .... it's well worth the money... They teach you drills and solutions to common problems
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKC1Depuf6Q heres a Smash Compilation, if you check this guy's channel out he has a more detailed one. hope this helps a bit
One of the mistakes many players make is smashing is hitting the shuttle way out at the side. This will actually rob power from your stroke and is a common mistake beginners make. Please bear in mind and just remember 4 important principle about smashing: 1. Always try to hit the shuttle as high as possible. 2. That means straight up vertically from your right shoulder if right-handed. 3. A smash is hit slightly in front and slightly towards the right side of your head where the shuttle will fall. 4. Raise your left hand as this will automatically bring your right shoulder back and it will also help to counter-balance your body.
My hardest smashes happen when I contact the shuttle directly above my shoulder at about the 1 o'clock postion and I'm able to get full extention with my elbow rotating through at the same time my forearm does.