Is anyone crazy enough to decipher Fu/Cai's hand signals and their corresponding strategies? Their hand signals are definitely not just the "gonna-flick-serve" type of stupid signals... i'm sure their signals is more like which "plan" to use, rather than just one single shot/move... I'm just interested in knowing what are they really planning whenever they give a signal? And how many different signals/strategies do they have? Time to watch the videos OVER-AND-OVER again until we hack their secret completely.
Zhang and Wei are also doing it (there are pics on my site). We looked at it but were unable to decipher it... Four fingers was from time to time a short serve and then a long one... One we deciphered though... five fingers was a serve in the net
then what do u think other than that? signal of flicking to opponent's forehand side and signal of flicking to backhand side. that's all i can imagine! actually, it isn't necessary to have more. that's meaningless. coz u don't really know how your opponent's gonna return the shuttle. so, i think the function of hand signals are very limited in badminton. unlike playing volley ball. there are a lot of combination of tactics. such as, a "long", "2.5", "quick spike", "backset 2.5", "backset quick spike" etc etc... the setter will set a ball to a right level and position according to spikers' hand signal. so, they are really functional and useful! that's why the variety of hand signals are more in volley games.
i think they do give the signals after the opponents get ready and based on that they can take an estimated guess and cutting down the options of the possible returns thus allowing themselves to be more anticipated with the (possible) incoming shots
It is very interesting and useful to have signals in double. I always play "communicate" with my partner with signals. Here is what I do: -After my opponents get ready (I take an estimation from where he stands). I always put the bird behind (near my back, so my opponents can't see) before service. -If I don't put the bird in my back, it means normal short service to the middle. -If the head paralel to the floor, it means short service to the outside. -If the head down, it means flick to the middle. -If the head up, it means flick to the outside. I do this only with my trusted partner. Otherwise no secret anymore ;-)
I am sure that their hand signals are different types of strategies... Or else why would they use it? I use hand signal with my partner in games, and it's quite effective since we have been practicing with it for a while.
i don't think the signal is just simply for flick serving and which side to serve to... Fu gives a lot of hand signals, but he rarely flicks... which makes me think that it's more of a strategy/formation change... i'm guessing at that level, they must have setup a lot of scenarios and practice counter-strategies to handle those scenarios... it's part of the anticpation... if they anticipated correctly, they'll win the point quickly... but if they're wrong, they just need to adapt... it's cool to have a plan before you serve... and i think Fu/Cai always have a plan for each rally... this allows them to "cheat" on every rally... giving him control... making their opponent falls into their trap... it's like playing chess...
Na... it's ok to share... at least ur opponent will never know what tricks u're pulling from ur hat... u just need to have enough tricks to keep ur opponents guessing...
I wonder, is it a code that the pairs work out just for themselves, or is it coached to the entire team? i.e. could Fu or Cai switch doubles partners and still use it with another Chinese team player?
nah, ahaha, i'm sure it's not just purely psychological ... i think it may also depend on who their opponents are. there must be different tactics that work particularly well against different pairs.
It is so easy to decipher. Well, after I see them used a few times. When the hand is spread out, it means play side to side. When the hand is closed, with one finger point out(down), it means play front/back.
that'd be too easy...in doubles players go from front/back to side/side all the time within a rally.. I believe they do a 1, 2, 3 signals to tell the partner wich serve: straight short, cross short, flick (maybe 4: flick short) mayeb the spread-out hand is done when flicking, I dunno. But going side/side after a short serve seems....counterproductive...
