Pronation

i'd say approx 90 degrees of rotation up to the contact point. the edge of the racket initally approaches the shuttle; as the shuttle draws nearer, the forearm & racket are rotated so that the stringbed hits the bird squarely (assuming we are not attempting a sliced shot). There is some additional pronation after the shuttle has left the racket; this is a result of a natural, unforced follow-thru.

something similar happens with supination on the backhand side. the amount of rotation on the follow-thru is somewhat less than with the FH.

 

I have a feeling some people are worrying too much about pronation/supination. It's not a magic trick: in fact, anybody who can produce a hard shot is using this technique -- whether they are aware of it or not.

 

you are correct for the most part. it really doesn't matter that much if pronation is perceived as an 80 degree rotation or as a 100 degree rotation. but I'm sure that many who are unfamiliar with the concept have no clue at all on approx how much rotation is involved.

it is possible to produce hard shots w/o pronation, but it is too innefficient and probably too taxing on the arm and shoulder. i've seen tennis players hit hard overhead shots that normally requires pronation do it without. I hate to think how long their arm is going to last hitting in that manner.

 

gregr,

I think I understand pronation. What I'm still a bit confused about supination in
BH. If I don't do supination, I'd end up cutting the shuttle, playing a cross court
sliced dropshot. But if I do, I'd contact the shuttle more or less square on.
Is that it?

I got a feeling that I've always been using the same pronation on my BH.

 

Power comes from flexibility. Watch the Williams sisters play tennis, despite the muscle advantage of Serena it is Venus who hits the ball harder. Consequently you must have a relaxed arm to allow full pronation/supination as tension restricts flexibility. The degree to which you perform this action is determined by your physical characteristics and these differ from person to person.

For each action that constitutes a particular shot there are differences between individuals. One player may have a full forearm pronation, wheras another may bring the shoulder through very quickly. I may get a reputation for this, but I am going to use another advantage from golf. Instruction for golfers beyond the basics is not about adding power by teaching new moves, it is about reducing power loss through inefficient moves.

It is the same for badminton. The hardest smashes are from players who get to the shot early and then use their body to swing the racquet along the target line as quickly as possible. Given that this ability exists within us all it is now about analysing the shot for lazy footwork or a bent arm or slicing the shuttle to find out where power is lost.

 

Re: Maybe this will help

Cheung,

I think my forehand pronation is OK. It's my BH that I'm not clear on.

 

Supination...

is the opposite rotation of pronation. In contacting the shuttle we pronate the forearm (& racket) on the FH and supinate it on the BH.

now try to follow this closely... when we take the racket back behind us for a FH overhead shot, the arm & racket are first supinated; as we accelerate the racket up to contact the bird it is then prontated. this is just the opposite for the BH. we first pronate in taking the racket back and then supinate to make contact squarely on the BH stroke.