Backhand Serve or Forehand Serve?

Discussion in 'Techniques / Training' started by pyaarawala, Nov 25, 2008.

  1. pyaarawala

    pyaarawala Regular Member

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    Hey. I've been playing badminton for a while now and am confident to call myself an intermediate player. All the other intermediate players I play with usually do a backhand serve rather than a forehand.

    I believe that the backhand serve has this main advantage:
    -It's easier to keep the shuttle as close to the net as possible since your raise the racket above your waist, making the racket and shuttle closer to the top of the net. This way, there is less of an arch in the shuttle's projectile motion.

    However, the reason why I don't want to start practicing the backhand serve is because it becomes extremely obvious that you're going to do a short serve. I still do a forehand serve because that way I can do a short serve or a long serve and the opponent has much less time to tell which serve I'm going to do. I can even pretend to bring my racket back for a long serve but end up slowing down and doing a short serve, tricking my opponent.

    My question is, is my logic correct? Is it better to get a better short serve and not care whether or not my opponent knows what kinda serve I'm gonna do? Or is it better to keep my opponent guessing and just practice my forearm short serve. I'm actually quite good with my forearm short serve. It's not better than a good backhand serve but it's close. I guess forehand serves kinda demonstrate that I'm not experienced in the game, but I guess that can fool the opponent too lol. And I believe the rules say the shuttle has to be below the waist or something.

    Thanks.
     
  2. jhirata

    jhirata Regular Member

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    Forehand serves are what women's singles players do alot. It's absolutely fine.
    You can also trick the opponent with a backhand serve however by flicking.
     
  3. ryim_

    ryim_ Regular Member

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    I think that a player with a good backhand serve may even be more deceptive. If a player serves forehand, I am much more ready to receive a long serve but that's just me.
     
  4. crescence

    crescence Regular Member

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    Ya, I'm wondering the same thing. I was taught to do forehand serves in singles and backhand serves in doubles. I might switch over to backhand for singles since it gives you chance to play close to net (which I like) but my backhand serve sometime ends up too high and getting it back at my face.
     
  5. Oldhand

    Oldhand Moderator

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    Learn both.
    It will come in handy.
     
  6. jhirata

    jhirata Regular Member

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    It's funny how in doubles, when I do a very high ( almost touching ceiling ), the opponents just leave the shuttle but it ends up landing in. Otherwise, they also have trouble even attacking the shuttle because it's travelling directly downwards. I do not do these in competitive games though.
     
  7. weeyeh

    weeyeh Regular Member

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    It used to be always forehand (mostly long serves) for singles and backhand (mostly short serves) for doubles but we now only see forehand serves in Ladies Singles. It's too dangerous at high level MS right now to loose your offensive advantage by using a long deep serve. For most of us commoners, I think long serves are still okay.
     
  8. weeyeh

    weeyeh Regular Member

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    I do notice that too... and the opponents tend to clear rather than attack those serves. I think it's a confidence thing. If I notice that, I'll keep serving long since I do attack clears.
     
  9. koyeng

    koyeng Regular Member

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    I do backhand serve in double play and fore hand serve in single game because forehand serve is much more powerful to hit the bird to the base line. How ever backhand serve is much more deceptive. I can pretend to do short serve and hit the bird higher to the back of the opponent. It is very effective to get easy point.
     
  10. jhirata

    jhirata Regular Member

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    Young, beginners~intermediate players tend to do alot of short serves with their forehand for easy points against an unsuspecting opponent.

    In doubles, I think it's a common thing for everyone to serve with their backhand.
     
  11. pyaarawala

    pyaarawala Regular Member

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    I guess I'll have to start practicing my backhand serve. Thanks for the tips guys.
     
  12. Athelete1234

    Athelete1234 Regular Member

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    Backhand you can flick serve high...more effective than a high forehand serve. If you have a string wrist, your backhand serve can be around 75% height of a high serve.
     
  13. pyaarawala

    pyaarawala Regular Member

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    I can try that too, but my backhand strokes are very weak so I don't think I can do long serves using backhand strokes.
     
  14. Gemcat

    Gemcat Regular Member

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    Both backhand and forehand serves can be deceptive. It all comes down to your technique of making a posture that looks like a short serve which turns out to be a long serve. One of my friend with better technique can trick me very easily with that kind of serve, which I usually lose to him in every game....
     
  15. diopter

    diopter Regular Member

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    When playing single, if ur backhand are weak, forehand serve to the baseline will be a better option.

    Because if u play short serve, when ur opponent return it to ur backhand, u dun have sufficient time to prepare and need to use ur backhand.
     
  16. Destricto_Ense

    Destricto_Ense Regular Member

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    It is possible to serve long with a backhand by moving your hand slightly higher up the grip and using a sharp flicking motion. Also, if you serve short you should probably stand a bit back from the service line in case they do an aggressive clear and you have to recover to the back of the court quickly.

    Edit: Do remember however that the serve is considered a "defensive" shot. I don't really try to score directly from the serve, just put the opponent in an awkward position where their return is not optimal.
     
  17. taneepak

    taneepak Regular Member

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    In the old days all serves were served forehand. Then followed a period of backhand and forehand serves. In the modern game, almost all doubles and mixed doubles serves are now backhand, and for a very good reason because of today's fast doubles game. A doubles backhand serve will deliver the shortest serve, by as much as a foot when compared with the forehand serve. This has two vey important implications. One is the time factor or the response time of the receiver, which is now reduced when compared with receiving a forehand serve. The other is the trajectory of the serve, because a backhand serve will rise higher and drop more steeply than a forehand serve which is more flat, making the former serve if well executed impossible to attack.
    In MS the backhand short serve is now used more with the ocassional backhand flick serve and forehand high serve also being used. The short backhand serve signifies an intent to attack; a high forehand serve is more defensive. or is used when the short backhand serve has not been effective.
    In WS, high forehand serves are used more than in MS because women do not attack as much as men. The short backhand serve is also used in WS.
     
  18. Danstevens

    Danstevens Regular Member

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    Great advice. You need a variety of serves.

    Backhand short is my favourite serve to use in doubles unless the opponent I am serving to is standing on the net, I don't want it to get killed back in my face. I usually serve to the outside corner, as close to the service line as possible. My backhand short usually has quite a flat trajectory to prevent it from being easy to pick off. This is important. As is consistency, approach the serve the same way each time and take the same sort of swing, then your serve should be more consistent and generally, better.

    Backhand flick is the serve I use as a surprise in doubles. It should look exactly the same as the backhand short for maximum shock and go as deep as possible. As an alternative, sometimes I serve flat, fast and long down the line. I use that when my opponent exposes one of the lines and appears to be waiting for a backhand short serve. The traditional flick serve needs to be high and long but the most important thing is to make it look exactly like a backhand short. Do exactly the same things and don't give any indication of what you're going to do. If your opponent knows, he/she will probably smash in through the floor. Also, if it doesn't go deep, it will easily be killed.

    Forehand short is a serve I find fiendishly difficult. I just can't seem to keep it down. I use it when my opponent (in singles) is standing too far back and opening up the front court. I never use this serve in doubles, or very often in singles, just because I can't keep it low enough. If you can, like my coach does, then it is just as effective as a backhand low serve.

    Forehand high serve (singles serve). This is my favourite serve for singles as it pushes my opponent as far to the back of the court as possible. It is imperative that you keep it high and deep to stop it from getting smashed or killed. If you repeatedly serve a forehand high serve, then your opponent often tends to wait to receive the serve further back on the court. This opens up an opportunity for a disguised forehand low serve.
     
  19. mtr1993

    mtr1993 Regular Member

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    backhand flick can be very effective in singles, just to keep your opponent on his toes.
     
  20. Danstevens

    Danstevens Regular Member

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    Yes it can, but I hardly ever serve backhand in singles and my flick isn't great either. It's not bad, but could be better. Personally, I feel that forehand serves are more suitable for singles and my game.
     

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