Hi guys, This is my major problem in badminton .. which is backhand clear.. I really cant do it ... Fyi, I can take the smash using backhand and because of it, i think, i have a power in backhand .. but .. comes to backhand clear, I really have problem there. Maybe I wrong in position, or the way to hold racket or maybe the timing .. can u guys help me in this? anyway, if my hand is not enough power for backhand clear, how u guys do to improve your wrist power?
what i do is i get behind the shuttle - so that i'm reaching back to hit it (this is how i can get the most power), then i take a big swing and then hit, of course using the backhand grip where the pad of my thumb is on the widest part of the handle. i'm pretty sure i use a bit of finger power as well
Heres a video this should help you for learning how to clear. I posted this a while back, hope it helps. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSEL0V5RXwE
for me, my position relative to the birdie really determines what type of shot comes out of my backhand, when i hit a backhand clear, i usually and in line with the birdie, and when i want to do a backhand smash, i am behind it.
You should do a search, and the thumb grip isn't the best for the backhand clear. It's better used on short shots. As for the proper grip, I'm no expert, so I won't try to explain that part, as many other people are more experienced.
from expirence and many talks from my coach yeah backhand being a shot that isnt often played is a junk shot to keep the rally going, cause if your opponent hits to you backhand and the rally is over right then and there thats not good at all you have to be able to atleast get it back if you can actually use it to your advantage and play a really good shot thats even better. Personally yeah i dont use the standard backhand grip with thumb on the flat part i cant even imagin hitting a backhand that way just case of the way your arm and wrist have to bendliek its possible but woudl be so uncomfortable. Anyways fro grip we modified grip so its kinda like a forehand except you thumb is on the side of the racquet pointing/laying up instead of curled around it. hard to explain actually easier to show but yeah you can see that in many places and its been discussed before somewhere im pretty sure. also if your hitting a backhand right above your head thats kinda pointless since you could have played a forehand shot off of it anyways thats how were taught not to use backhands when you dont have to only when its necessary and to play around the head if you can to get it. But good luck on learning backhands it takes lots of practice for sure. same thing with other shots dont force it relax when doing it and all that.
My recommendation: Improve your footwork so you are able to get to your backhand side quickly, (Before the bird passes you) so you can play an around the head shot!
Work on developing power and length of your backhand clears, they don't need to be ridiculously deep like forehand clears. Just focus on hitting to the baseline. But in competition, mix it up with some crosscourt drops and drives.
thats ok dont worry about it all you have to do is work on it and get the technique down and bam then you will have it no problem. So backhand basically what part of your whole racquet arm your using is only from about your elbow up to your hand (holding the racquet), no power really comes from your upper arm (bicepts and all that) its all from the forearm area. Alright demonstrating it is was easier that trying to type it without any demo haha but ill do my best. So i posted that video earlier on thats a good one to look at you can see alot in there on technique and should help a bit. Things not to do is DONT follow through cause your gonna end up hurting your shoulder so dont turn when you hit to see where it lands or try and watch the shot after you play it. Think of there being a wall right above you and when you play a backhand you go up and then you stop before you hit the wall cause if you dont stop your racquet will break and that snap when you stop and the racquet keep going a little bit is where the shot is played basically and then you can play from there using the different angles of hitting it for your clear, smash, drop, slice, and all that too. If thats to complicated and you want more help or clerification i can post some pictures or something that will hopefully make it more clear.
so your trying to say dont follow through with your arm. i get that part. but is the point of visualizing a ceiling above u made so u wouldnt over stretch too far up?
visualizing a wall thats comming right up your shoulder so you stop before you hit it so that your arm doesnt follow past that point. | | | > wall | | -- Shoulder this way you stop and dont make you arm go further than it has to which can cause injuryt and once you stop at the wall you will get that whip action like when you roll up a wet towel and snap it, that snap at the top is where you play the shot and get power from. NOTE that you shouldnt be playing a backhand if you are contacting it right above your head a backhand is ment to be played when its all the way in the backhand corner and you have to lunge to get it else you should just play an around the head but yes you do need good footwork and speed to do that.
I only have 1 thing to say, and I don't even know if it will work for you. For the backhand clear, if you can clear to the middle of the opponent's court, Just do it and practice. That's what I did and I'm almost there =) You will gain more power.. it's not about if you did somethin wrong.
one thing i have to say about that is that if its to the middle of the court and is a clear in any game there gonna just smash it down at you since a midcourt clear is what your looking for to kill since its effective. so you kinda want to try and get it all the way to the back after a while if at 1st you hit midcourt but build it so you can hit to the back thats ok but your backhand clear shouldnt only go midcourt it shoudl go all the way to the back.
alright when he said "middle of the opponents court" that kinda made me think midcourt since thats the middle of the court and not the middle of the back of the opponents court. if he ment middle of the back of the court my bad then just what i got from reading it.
I just want to add a couple of things that might help. Badminton England used to advocate the use of the thumb down the widest part of the racket but have now changed their advice and they now advocate placing the thumb to the side on the angled part of the handle. I think, but I'm no expert, that most coaches teach this when hitting a backhand where the shuttle is in front of the players body. If you're playing a backhand where the shuttle is behind you then you'll need to play the shot with the pan-handle grip (like holding a frying pan). There isn't such a thing as a single backhand grip, it all depends where the shuttle is. Have a look at Gollum's grip guide. Secondly. in terms of developing power for your backhand clear when you are not on the court, one of the books I have recommends holding a small towel in your racket hand and then playing the backhand shot whilst trying to get the loudest "snap" that you can.
