Backhand Clear Direction

Discussion in 'Techniques / Training' started by killest, Dec 17, 2007.

  1. killest

    killest Regular Member

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    Hello,

    I have finally through lots of practise managed to get a backhand clear i am somewhat happy with. The advice on this forum has proved invaluable and i would like to say thank you!

    I can now finally hit a backhand clear back to back provided im not under complete pressure.

    As a standing practise, i place the shuttle on my racket, throw it up high and hit it.

    Description of technique:

    I keep my racket in a Universal Grip (not sure if this is the correct term). Its not quite a forehand and not quite a backhand. Its somewhere in the middle.
    I step into the shuttle with my racket leg and strike the shuttle a couple of feet outside my body while the shuttle is above head height. My back is almost facing the net. My elbow points up and i unravel my racket very quickly and im assuming is it what gives me the power. I have also noticed that i tend to pronate(supinate?) at the point of impact.

    The one problem i have is that when under pressure the shuttle tends to go extremely wide. It will end up in the other court. I dont know what to do about this. Do i modify my grip? or do i modify my stance (ie do not face my back completely to the net?)

    Any tips would be great! Thanks!
     
  2. RichF

    RichF Regular Member

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    By "under pressure" do you mean that the shuttle has gone further past you, i.e. it's further behind you?

    Do you slice it wide or is it a clean hit wide?

    My first hunch is that you need to modify your grip to keep the racquet head 'square' at impact.

    To see what I mean try holding the racquet with a full backhand grip and imagine you are trying to hit a straight shot on your backhand side (obviously!) but slightly in front of you, do the action slowly and pause at the imaginary point of impact, you will see that the racquet head is 'square' to the net. Now repeat with the same grip but imagine that the shuttle is slightly behind you, notice that this time at the point of impact the racquet head is not square, to make it square you either have to bend your wrist (wrong!) or adjust your grip - turn the racquet slowly in your fingers until the head is square and notice the new grip position.

    Does that make sense?
     
  3. RichF

    RichF Regular Member

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    btw, the grip you're describing is/was known to some people as the multi-grip.
     
  4. killest

    killest Regular Member

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    Yes that makes sense!!!! sounds tricky however..... im not sure how this would work!!! probably take quite alot of practise!!
     
  5. RichF

    RichF Regular Member

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    Excellent - practice, practice, practice - you'll be surprised how quickly it will become natural ! Practice being able to turn the racquet using your finger and thumb (not your whole hand) and you'll find progress more rapid.

    Good luck :)
     
  6. killest

    killest Regular Member

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    thanks! what do you mean by moving racket with thumb and finger? are you talking about at the point of impact? or when changing grip?
     
  7. RichF

    RichF Regular Member

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    When changing grip, you turn the racquet primarily using your index finger and thumb, the other fingers just provide a little bit of support...
     
  8. killest

    killest Regular Member

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    Ah! i see! im going to have to give this a try later today!
     
  9. weekey

    weekey Regular Member

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    this might be a little off topic. can anyone in this forum do a backhand jumpsmash??
     
  10. xt6666

    xt6666 Regular Member

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    Backhand jumpsmash... lol

    Why don't you play a forehand smash, when you have enough time to do a backhand JUMP smash... :))

    So this would only be a "fun" stroke, and absolutly senseless in a real competition!
     
  11. UncleFester

    UncleFester Regular Member

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  12. Oldhand

    Oldhand Moderator

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    I remember seeing Chen Hong do that in a tight match against Lin Dan.
    Pity I can't remember the tournament :confused:

    And, yes, it was a backhand jumpsmash. :)
    But, hey, aren't we going off-topic? :p
     
  13. xt6666

    xt6666 Regular Member

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    OK, so if you have one of the best backhand smashes in World badminton and trained your backhand for about 15 years, then you can also do that strokes 2 times a years in a real competition... :))

    I mean I also can do a backhand jump smash, and I did that in same training matches and perhaps make 1 or 2 points out of it (but how much points did I lose because of that? much more), but is really senseless to try to learn that stroke.

    Because I know 100% of the members in that forum should increase their normal backhand clear/smash/drive instead of learning a backhand jump smash...
     
  14. RichF

    RichF Regular Member

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    I've probably done some by accident when the shuttle's been way out of reach on my backhand side and I've had to launch myself at it to hit it!

    If I've been stretched that far then I'd probably go for something less risky like a backhand jumpclear :p

    It's certainly not something I'd ever practice nor encourage!
     
  15. weekey

    weekey Regular Member

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    backhand jump smash was just a fun shot crossed my mind when i was reading this thread. :)Probably, I should open another thread to share the fun with you guys:D
     
  16. Badmintan

    Badmintan Regular Member

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    Backhand Clear

    Cool. It's a good weapon. Usually I clear to my opponent's backhand. If he's a righthander...it's a crosscourt clear. Therefore I use the forehand grip so that the angle is crosscourt. Be sure to 'peek' where your opponent stands before deciding to clear to his backhand or forehand.

    Just be sure to throw in a backhand drive to the net...straight or crosscourt if you are under pressure....don't go for the clear....coz the opponent is baiting you to hit a weak return to halfcourt for a killing smash.
     
    #16 Badmintan, Dec 18, 2007
    Last edited: Dec 18, 2007
  17. killest

    killest Regular Member

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  18. xt6666

    xt6666 Regular Member

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    Yes of course...

    This is very important for all "hard" backhand strokes in the rear-court (clear, smash)
     
  19. gingerphil79

    gingerphil79 Regular Member

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    I have worked at the backhand shot for about a year now trying to get it reali gud. I have now actually gt it where i can clear it back 2 back or close enough but only if the shuttle is infront or above me. I use the multi-grip.

    I stil have a prob when I am in trouble & the shuttle is behind me & i have to use backhand. I can drop it over the net but generally the opponent starts to notice this. Lately ive tried to clear it but it goes half court if that. Even the sound of the shot sounds bad.

    Any advice, I think its my grip but im not sure. Can any1 help me out here.

    (I seen lin dan is trouble wit the shuttle way behind & he used backhand thinking he was goin to drop it, he cleared it 2 the back line :eek:. Cudnt believe it. Amazing shot. He seemed 2 use his wrist but the power 4 unbelieveable)
     
  20. coachgary

    coachgary Regular Member

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    I notice that the pros tend to let the shuttle drop further down when they're in trouble in the BH corner, sometimes because they're late to it, but sometimes they want to arrive a little later to give more power. Something like a flat drive technique. So the flight path is more like a drive to clear, than a clear to clear.
    Something like a Danish swipe but more focussed power with todays lighter racquets
     

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