I'm interested to know at what point coaches from other Countries teach backhand and what priority it is given. In the UK it is well down the priority list. Backhand is taught at a late stage if at all. Overheads are used in preference and it is rare for even the top Juniors in the UK to have a backhand clear at 16. As a result I think UK players suffer from poor backhand skills. What about your Country? UKP
Backhand?? What backhand?!? You are allowed to hit the shuttle from your back hand side?!?! Jokes aside, I am still learning the art of backhand clear this very day.... I wish I was told how to do it properly when I was younger. I am ashame to admit that I choose to hit backhand drop 9 out of 10 times than a clear as I can't hit it high and deep enough..... Have to depend so much on over-the-head swing shots instead... HELP!
first lesson ha! I'm considered as an above ok player where maybe 3 times a week in clubs, rotating games. I don't know what came to me, planning to take one individual lesson, only once, just to see what those coaches are teaching. Well, first the coach introduce himself bla bla bla, then he start going through what he is going to teach me, by the end of that I go "NO BACKHAND???!" in my mind (I'm actually taking this lesson to learn how to hit a good backhand". My coach reply, better not play with backhand. bla bla bla... after our warm-up... I insist to learn backhand as I told him that that was my weak point, then he said once u can hit a good backhand u'll always use it and u'll put urself in defensive possition. after all the bla bla bla, he finally agreed. use ur thumb's strength to hit, still not enough, add some waist turning and so on. So, if you really want to learn backhand no one will stop you, your coaches won't teach, ask others then, get one of ur friends to help you. I guess coaches out there should put backhand around the top of their teaching list because ppl out there always think their opponent's backhand side is the weakest. Even if you can do good drives, smash drops, at some point, you need ur backhand.
Don't remember the exact moment the backhand was taught to me, but every season, at least one training session is focussed on it. I've had different trainers, as far as i can remember they all think the same : Use overhead, but if you are in trouble and too late to hit it overhead, you have to know how to play the backhand.
backhand comes after footwork and wrist strength normally i teach the backhand after a student has shown success in footwork movement and has sufficient strength in their wrist and forearm. the concern with teaching a backhand is as boyboy's coach mentioned, that you can become lazy and dependent on it, rather than staying aggressive and attack with an around the head forehand. to perform a strong backhand you need two conditions - 1. getting behind the shuttle, 2. having sufficient wrist/forearm strength. Unfortunately most times 1 is difficult (or else you wouldn't be doing a backhand), in which case having a strong 2 is a necessity. basic backhand stroke though is taught as early as possible to develop form and technique.
badrad yeah, i had tasted your medicine alright One more thing to add about backhand - Timing. Since backhand stroke is the weakest, every ounce of power must be transferred to the shuttle.
having some fun with the backhand heheheh - i was just fooling around with backhand when we got together. normally i would not smash with the backhand unless i had no other option. the recovery from a backhand smash leaves the forehand court exposed. that was a lot of fun though, and lots of games...
I was taught about 2 years ago, and last year i really got the hang of it. Now i can backhand clear, backhand smash, and backhand cross-court for the back with ease.
backhand? what's a backhand? seriously, my back hand is non existant... anything that goes over the net from my back hand is a fluke...
This evening my Coach echoed much of what has been said here. Backhand training can cause the player to get into the habit of turning rather than overheads, and thus weakens the attack. Backhand smash leaves the court wide open, although backhand is more efficient.
When I first started playing in college long ago, the best backhand I could do was to take a long swing and drive the shuttle. The team coach mentioned I did not have a backhand, but didn't show me or tell me anything about how to do it (she was not a player herself and probably didn't know the technique). Then, one night I went to an exhibition at a nearby college put on by top US national team members. I was amazed at how Stan Hales could hit an overhead backhand clear from the back of the court with his back to the net. I studied his movements very carefully. For the next few weeks, I would take several shuttles out the the practice court, pop them up high up, and when they came down, just try to hit them as far as possible with the overhead backhand stroke. It was awkward at first, but I perservered, improving each day a little. Eventually I got to where I could overhead clear from corner to corner, slice drop, and backhand smash harder than many people forehand smashed. I eventually learned the around-the-head forehand too, but I was not afraid to use the backhand. I know that the overhead backhand is not recommended by some coaches. I also agree that it can be overused. But I disagree with how it is de-emphasized. If it is mastered and properly executed in technique, placement, and choice, it is still a perfectly legitimate option. I think the greater quickness of modern players has lead to the preference of using a forehand shot because they are better able to get into position for it. In the "old days," if someone tried to hit those shots forehand, it would be said that they were trying to protect a weak backhand.
they're awesome! the problem with not learning the backhand early on, is that if the opponent can see that there is a weak backhand, and the opponent is accurate in picking out the backhand, the opponent can just stand 1/4 court, ready for the 1/2 courter, or the highish drop, and wack it down. And there's nothing like having a backhand clear, with the booming sound of a forehand clear - your opponent may go go 'wow, wish i had that' Got a question for you Matt, and others: when you are caught at the net, and the opponent lifts it to your backhand corner, what do you do? Do you have the power to clear? (running backwards, shuttle FAR behind you, your power is MUCH lower than getting behind the shuttle and clearing). I saw Wong Choon Hann at the TC qualifications, and he got in this position twice. Once he dropped it to his nearest side, it was a LITTLE bit too high and got slammed down. Second time he cross-court dropped it, which was very nice. I know it's a rarity to get into this position, and it's best to stay out of it, but if you have to power to just go 'WHAM' and clear it... why not? The opponent always stands around 1/2 court waiting for the drop (as in this case) anyway. I know i don't have the power to clear like that. And on backhand smashing, do you wait for the shuttle to drop slightly more? or do you hit at the same point, as if you were clearing? thanks
Yes i have enough power to clear. Smashing- same as a normal smash, just instead of flicking foward flick back. hard shot to master
ok. I can clear when i'm behind teh shuttle, but not when running back. So if you're put in that above situation, DO you clear???
I tend to try and get round the shuttle to play around the head. Yes, ok backhand is impresive, but REALLY you should use if not very often, and take the shuttle round the head. ONLY use backhand when you have to
