The Half Smash

The half smash is a great shot if you use it correctly. Even more effective if you have a hard smash. The half smash is basically a set-up shot. Ideally, a half smash has good angle and has a low trajectory over the net.

When you do the half smash correctly, your opponents are caught a bit off guard and have to lunge forward to lift the shuttle because it's short with steep angle. Their lift will be shorter with less angle. This is when you crank the shuttle.

I'm sure our resident technique expert Gollum will chime in when he has time.

 

half smash is less talk about because it is usually reserved for higher level stroke tactic, where a real smash has meaning. At lower level, most smashes aren't hard enough to be scary and half of something already weak is not really deceptive. Also, half smash is less effective when plastic is used and plastic is often used at recreational plays.

 

a half smash can be effective at any level the simple ability to say to yourself i want to put the shuttle there and do it using a half smash can be very effective. not only that the half smash gets the opponent moving so how can that be bad.

as for the technique i personnally can do it but cant put it in to words so sorry for that but i wanted to enphasise my feelings on the subject

 

The half-smash is most often used when you don't have enough time for a full smash; although, as Dink said, you can also use it as a variation to catch the defenders off balance. It has the pleasing property of dipping slightly as they are about to hit the shuttle

Er, no That's not a smash -- that's a fast dropshot. You can't land a smash on the (short) service line unless you are at the net

It's worth being aware of the differences between slow and fast dropshots, as well as full and half smashes.

Anyway, for the half smash, it helps to play the smash with a shortened racket swing. In this way, you can play a half smash even when the shuttle is behind your body. This swing does not use the normal shoulder and body rotation, but instead uses a shortened arm action, often with a rebound motion at the end. Much of the power comes from the turning of the arm, from a start position with the racket facing inwards to a finish position (after hitting) with the racket facing outwards.

You can think of this technique as a "bare bones" smash technique, where you have pared down the movements to just the essentials (mainly rotation of the arm). This means you can stilll play a smash when your body is not in a good position for smashing.

To play a half smash when the shuttle is behind you, a block jump is often useful (jumping backwards with body turned sideways, and smashing while the body remains turned sideways). In this situation, the half smash is often called a "stick smash".

 

Great post as usual Mike, I even learned something new. Thanks!

 

a sticksmash is used a lot on higher levels, but also at medium-high (I'm not calling myself advanced...I wouldn't dare) to medium levels. When you ahve a good/adaquete smashign power and a doubels partner who can set you (regularly) and you smash 'a lot', then sometimes you can catch the defenders offguard because they take a step back to aid them in returnign a full blown smash..sometimes you can half-smash (dutch call it 'prikken' or poking/sticking/stabbing, due to it's sharp angle) an outright winner...

half smashes in signles are also great when you're too far off position to smash full throttle and you dó want to keep the pressure on your opponent (a slower drop gives hik recovery time) a half-smash with good angle does a fine job.

 

IMO, the half smash is very effective in single. In double it is normally a set up shot, whereas in single it's a killer shot if you can play it to the side line.

As Gollum has said, the half smash is often played above the head or slightly behind the body. Also I often change my grip a little bit: It's basically forehand grip but the angle is slightly shifted towards a back hand grip. This way it help me use more wrist.

 

Yes, this grip change is necessary when you are hitting the shuttle from farther behind you than normal. The farther back the shuttle is, the more you have to adjust your grip towards a "backhand" grip angle.

 

This is an excellent post, should be one of the Top 10 things to look out for, adjusting more towards the backhand grip, the further back the shuttle.

 

I liken the half smash to a change up in baseball.

I have two approaches - the first is somewhat like Gollum's description, however, I don't change my grip. I set up my wind up like I'm going to hit a attacking clear, then at the last second step into my shot and snap my wrist down. (I think of it that I "slap" the shuttle out of the air). it catches even the top players off guard.

The other one it take my normal wind up and at the last second with hold my full wrist snap/forearm rotation - the shuttle tends to hang up with less angle, but most the time guys wiff way too soon.

When I was originally taught the shot many many moons ago (as in 1984) I was taught that it was a simply a smash motion that had no power ("let the weight of the racquet carry your swing") and was taught as a high percentage return off a high serve in singles.

The shortened swing description Gollum wrote is what I know as a "cut smash" - ie you cut the shuttle off with a quick downward angle. Basically a wrist snap at the end of a straight arm. Shuttle hits the floor very fast.

It's interesting how the essentially same techniques are given a slightly different names - depedning who you learn them from.

 

Note the strange diagonal symmetry between the backhand and forehand overhead grip adjustments, when the shuttle is taken farther back than normal:

• For overhead forehands, the grip adjusts towards the "backhand" thumb grip, which is normally used at the backhand net corner;
• For overhead backhands, the grip adjusts towards the panhandle grip, which is normally used at the forehand net corner;
• The degree of adjustment for a rearcourt "shuttle behind you" situation is the same as the degree of adjustment for the opposite forecourt "shuttle in front of you" situation.

It makes sense if you compare the body positions across the diagonals. For example, take a player who is hitting a late backhand overhead clear; there are two equivalent geometric transformations that will give you a player who is playing a forehand net kill (except the shuttle is on the wrong side).

Transformation one: reflect him twice (in the width and length court dimensions).

Transformation two: rotate him 180 degrees about the centre point of the court.
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I find this symmetry satisfying in an abstract way; I believe it reveals the logic behind the grip changes, because it shows how they relate to one another in the overall system.

Okay, so this is completely irrelevant to most people, but I like it

On a more practical note, this half smash/stick smash with block jump technique is very useful for returning flick serves. Indeed, you cannot expect to return a good flick serve with a full smash (assuming you are standing right at the front), so most of the time you need this skill.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIdXEtOt1JE

Check it out - this video has Zhao Jian Hua demonstrating the half smash.

 

To find the panhandle grip: put your racket on the floor, then pick it up without turning it.

The panhandle grip is illustrated here in the BC grips guide: http://www.badmintoncentral.com/badminton-central/content/view/81/35/1/5/

If you are using the panhandle grip for overhead forehands, then you have a big problem with your technique. Forehand clears, smashes, and dropshots should all be played using the basic "forehand" grip. The BC grips guide does not give a perfect illustration of this grip, but it's still good: http://www.badmintoncentral.com/badminton-central/content/view/81/35/1/2/

Note there is a big difference between the forehand and panhandle grips. Coaches hate "panhandling"; it's the most pernicious technique error that we have to deal with. That might sound like an exaggeration, but consider this extract of an FAQ page from this month's Power&Precision coaching magazine:

Using the panhandle grip cripples your power for smashes and clears. If you're using it, you need to switch to the "forehand" grip and learn the correct hitting technique.

 

Also note that the same logic applies to smashing in front of your body: ideally, the grip will be adjusted towards pandhandle (more so the farther in front the shuttle is). This is what Lee Jae Bok teaches with his smash grip (actually, I think he overdoes it).

But players must be very, very careful about making this adjustment. There is a serious risk that they will go too far. This technique is very bad for beginners, or anyone who has not already established the correct basic grip: they will almost inevitably end up panhandling all their overhead forehands. Even a slight panhandle bias can be very bad.

 

his videos are really good

 

Zhao Jian Hua was perhaps the most deceptive and skillful player in badminton. Please note his emphsis on developing a strong wrist snap first before arm and body strength. I think Asians tend to concentrate on wrist snap first. The rest comes naturally.

 

hong kong open 2006 video

hey all... does anyone have hong kong 2006 videos between lin dan and chong wei? and Japan open 2006? thanks..