Have any of you played singles against people who love smashing? Particularly, whenever I serve long, my opponents often smash down the side lines. It's really frustrating. Yes, my serves are high and deep and I do anticipate the smash return. Their smashes are not steep - they land at the back of the court, near the double's service line. Even if I do manage to return the shuttle, it's a block return, and I'm totally out of position and cannot recover. I feel that I don't react quickly enough. I have tried serving short, but I don't feel very confortable when I do that. I tend to end up on the defensive whenever I serve short. Also, I've tried drive serves, but the "surprise" effect wears off and becomes a disadvantage to me. As for training, I do those footwork drills which move you laterally, from side to side, but that's mostly (in my opinion) meant for smashes which land mid-court and not at the back. I was once told not to "track" the shuttle, meaning that you don't follow the shuttle w/ your eyes after you hit it. Instead of focussing only on the shuttle (narrow field of view), it was suggested to have wide range vision and look at the other side of the court entirely, which should help you react more quickly. I was wondering if any of you would have suggestions on how I can overcome this difficulty? - strategically? -mentally? - training drills? - physical exercises? Thanks.
does that smasher has weak drops? if so, maybe u can stand a bit back for more reaction time for you. If the smash is flat and landing in the back corners, u should able to intercept some of them, i think
Hi, If your serve high and deep, theoretically is hard for your opponent to smash and succeed frequently unless he is from a different level. Going back to your post I would like to ask the following: - where are you positioned to receive the smash: i.e. right in the center of court; more to the right/left; front/back?; - how is your posture before receiving the smash?; stand upright to receive the smash or not; - you mentioned if you managed to return it would be a block and you're out of position; why? Do you have to stretch out to reach the bird? Returning smashes is not always easy. If they come along the sidelines you must really have quick reactions: proper technique to the sides (footwork and hitting technique), good overall coordination (there's something mentioned about this in another thread -- centre of gravity ...), hips mobility and legs strength. About exercises to improve/develop hips and legs mobility (and also strength) you might probably look at what basketball and football (soccer) players do. The dribbling of the ball (turns, quick change of directions and pace) by a basketball/football players is something you could do to improve this area. There are other exercises (weight, plyometrics, etc) but some of them are not recommended for young players, say younger than 16-18. Hope this helps
I have come across this problem many times. The most successful play in my experiences, were ALWAYS very short blocked shots. I'm talking about risky bordering on not going over the net blocked shots. You have to figure into the equation that it takes time for the opponent to recover from smashing, and therefore it will take them more time to skip forward to retrieve that drop shot. You also might want to make sure you're always on the balls of your toes, because mobility is the key to interceptions. If you can not get to a shot, believe me, usually they end up in failed attempts with the opponent just smashing it back down my throat for my laziness. I play very short blocks, and also play the tape (I've got tons of experience when I was younger always hitting the tape with just the right amount of force to get the shot over...). but I guess you can't rely on it, unless you are seriously interested in practicing this type of shot. (it worked for me.) The reason for my strategy has to do with the fact that it's actually pointless for me to go all out on a shot return, when the opponent is spending all his energy into a shot. Why tire myself out right? Another point i wanted to make was that it is correct, that you should keep the entire court in view as much as possible, due to the fact, when you do this, you see the entire field, and can strategize where to place your shots. This really comes in handy when using the drop return in singles, and it's a killer for the opponent to have to do that for even 4 points in a row. I'm not sure if there are any certain drills you can practice to improve on this type of shot return, unless you get a friend to keep smashing down the sides on you, or unless you practice shot blocking or playing the tape. Oh yeah... your footwork drills... that's what I want to touch on... work on your pivoting like the one guy said. one thing does come to mind though... when I think back about why I chose to block rather than trying to make any sort of high clear... Let me ask you this... what is the toughest thing on the human body? some people say bones... but that is not true... it is in fact your tongue. when your old your bones are pretty weak, but your tongue will still be just as tough as it was when you were young. What about in nature? is the tree tougher? or is the grass? When a big burst of wind comes, it can snap the tree in half, but the grass is still there blowing in the wind. So my point is... it's better to be soft on your opponents hard shot. blah blah, I'll shut up now, cause I'm half drunk.
My opponent (uh, also somewhat of my training partner) has a very deceptive slice drop, esp. cross-court. It is for that reason, I am hesitant to stand too far back to receive his return. Also, he is relatively accurate w/ his smash. It usually lands in a 1ft by 1ft square at the back corners. It would require 1 1/2 steps to go from the centre to either side (perfectly horizontally - i.e., midcourt) to intercept it, but super quick reflexes and speed, or 2 large steps to get it at the back of the court (diagonally from centre to the corner).
I am aware that a strong and accurate smash is not likely if my serve is deep enough to the back line. However, I will admit that this opponent is tall (6 feet +) has a strong upper body, and thus a very powerful smash. I, on the other hand, am weak on smash return (compared to my level of play, my smash return is one of my weak points). And although serves should technically go to the back line, to be safe, I aim 1 foot in (so slightly behind the double's service line). We are about the same level of play. To answer your questions: POSITION: When I serve, I'm about 2 feet from the service line. After contact is made, I take 1 step back, with my racket foot forward (I'm a lefty). So I'm about 4 feet behind the service line. I feel comfortable w/ this distance from the net as there is always the possibility that he does a fast drop or an attacking clear to the back. I consider this to be my centre base. I generally straddle the centre line, but if I served to the left, I am slightly more on the left to better intercept the straight smash down the line. Similarly, if I serve to the right, I shift my centre base (for his return) slightly to the right - So I'm offset from the centre by about 1 foot. The main place where he catches me is w/ his "cross court" smashes to the back corner. I serve down the centre T and he goes to the "opposite" corner sometimes. POSTURE: I am in a ready position. Head looking up, knees bent, weight/shoulders/centre of gravity slightly forward and am on the ball of my feet. In this position, I am better prepared for a smash or a drop - due to my "forwardness"; it is a bit more difficult for me to move back for clear returns. My racket is up and is slightly biased on the side of a straight smash return. RECOVERY: Yes, I am way out of position if I do manage to return the shuttle. As taking the 2 steps diagonally to the back corner is too slow, I try to intercept it at midcourt (before the shuttle passes me). I move perfectly laterally. Although I require 1.5 steps to reach the side line and have proper footwork and be in a position for quick recover, my reaction is too slow and I only have time to take 1 step/hop to the side. I tend to make contact in a pathetically outstretched position while still in the air (block to the net), and when I do land, his return is already made cross court. FOOTWORK: I am aware of the proper foot work/lunging required to go from the centre to the side lines. I practice it occasionally. I also do those "turning" footwork (off-court) drills, where you "hop" and change direction, left-right in a lunging position. But as mentionned above, instead of doing proper footwork during the game, I tend to "hop" and lunge in 1 long step instead of taking 1.5 quick steps. I have the same problems when I'm "scrambling" for net shots - primarly due to lack of time. I guess my main problem is my reaction time. Are there any drills to improve this? (sorry for my lengthy responses and thanks for your thoughts/suggestions)
if the shuttles land in those rear corners, it sound more likes drive shots than smashes. The flat shuttles should slow down enough when it reached your mid court area. One large step left or right steps should catch them, unless your opponent is close being professional who can hit them really hard and consistently. Even the pros i dont see them land their smashes inside a 1x1 foot square at the rear consistently. All IMO of course.
Hi, I am very impressed of your advice even when you're 1/2 drunk. You have a very clear mind! Yes, the tight block to the net should be an effective technique to counter his smash. You mentionned that your blocks were "short", and therefore I assume, very close to the net. My blocks, on the other hand fall "far" from the net (even as far as the singles service line), but are "low" (almost skimming) the tape. My understand on the trajectory for blocks is as follows: For "low" blocks, you must sacrifice the distance the shuttle falls from the net. For "short" blocks (falling near to the net), you sacrifice height above the net (the shuttle doesn't skim the net, rather it "floats" over and "dies" just after it crosses the net) to make it land near the net. Even w/ the "softest" of hands and the shear power of a smash, this energy must be "conserved" and directed one way or the other. As an analogy, think about the tragectory for fast/slow drops. So, since my blocks fall quickly and are low, but land far from the net, and since my opponent is tall, he is able to get my block. And since I "hopped" to return this smash, I am out of position for the following shot. I have given some thought in trying the other block trajectory, but am worried that if the shuttle is not low when crossing the net, he might be quick enough to tap it down. I think right now (and as mentionned in my previous posting), that my greatest problem for this would be my reaction time. If I reacted more quickly to his smash, I should be able to get there w/ proper footwork and recover. Perhaps it's the way I shift my centre of gravity. My understanding is that for footwork, the key is to shift your centre of gravity in the correct direction quickly, and use the momentum to help you move. Instead of using momentum to my advantage, I tend to use my muscles (stomach/back/leg/arms). Compared to some of my buddies, I am quite the "rigid/tense" player (footwork-wise). Do you have any advice for improving the use of momentum?
I guess they don't land in a 1x1 ft square at the back, but I was just trying to illustrate the flatness and depth of his smashes. The main point is that they're straight down the side lines (and perhaps not as deep as I had described them). I wouldn't consider his returns to be drives since he takes it from the back of the court, they're very powerful, and w/ a perfectly overhead stroking motion. Yes, 1 large step to the side should be able reach it, but I don't end up in a position for quick recovery. Haha, no, he's not close to being a pro. He is (according to him) one of the better players in the provincial university circuit for men's singles (Ontario, Canada). Thanks again for the reply, but I realize now that my weakness is reaction time, rather than footwork. BTW, what those IMO stand for? I've seen that many times, and can't seem to figure out it's meaning.
I wouldn`t worry so much about trying out the "short" blocks to his smash - although the shuttle seems like it`s going quite high over the net it`a a difficult return for your opponent to deal with. I`ve watched Morten Frost on video and he used that return all the time to counter opponents who had hard smashes and most of the time they were scrambling to pick up his return. One other idea is to try and block cross court and here you can use your low blocks because your objective is to get the shuttle away from him. I would suggest though that to make this effective you would need to serve high into the corners. If your a lefty then on the even court serve high into his forehand corner and if he smashes straight you should have an easy time blocking cross court - you just need to have "soft" hands and use his power by angling the racquet to move the shuttle cross court. This is probably more difficult from the odd court ( i.e smash onto your backhand) but not so much more. If you want to serve high into the middle then try and block into the middle front court - you`ll cut down on the angle of his returns. Hope this helps!!
You have received good advice on a lot of points. I have only two things to add. Do not track the shuttle you have just hit is good advice. I took a badminton clinic in January, and the head coach said "Once you hit the shuttle you have no more control over it, so don't watch it. Watch your opponent instead, especially his racquet. This will give you a good idea where he is going to hit. Also, watching the shuttle can make you lose concentration, since there's nothing you have to do until he hits it (or so you think)." I'm trying to break myself of the shuttle-watching habit. When I do remember to watch my oppponent instead, it gives me some info on where to go, which amounts to faster reaction time (really, earlier reaction), The second thing, when you're watching your opponent, try a small split step at the same time he hits the shuttle. This loads your muscles and gets you started fast. I just remembered one more thing the coach said: Tighten your grip at the moment you hit, to apply more power; keep a loose grip for softer shots. Maybe that might help your soft blocks. I'm not sure, but I'll ask him later if this advice applies to blocking smashes. Good luck.
From what you describe in your post, you really have a hard time retrieving his smash and fast drop. If he can frequently smash and go to the net to get your return easily while you struggle to get into balance/position... I could believe from the details of your post, you could have good knowledge about the techniques in badminton, probably better than your opponent but strenght is part of the game and it also defines your level of play. The way I see it, there's no point about return being closer/farther to the net. You pointed the pros/cons of each of them. For me what matters now and probably what you have to work on is how to get to the smash earlier/faster. If you're able to reach the bird earlier and have a decent return your opponent should be struggling to return it. The trick is to anticipate his strokes. If you are not able to do that I would suggest you to work harder on the basics. I would say you already answered your question: in under pressure conditions your footwork is not completely correct. I'd say it is fundamental you have correct footwork specially under pressure circumstances. In a game involving good players like the actual case, both players play the game in under pressure (I mean under pressure struggling to get the bird and trying to build an advantageous situation to oneself - for example, if your opponent does a fast drop you rush to return the shot in a under pressure situation - if you return it well you will be in a advantageous situation if not like the case of you returning the smash you will be under attack again) situations. I would say in a game like this, you will probably play 60-80% of the game in this situation. I think you know the first 3 stroke theory. The one with better returns will win the game. Do analyze your returns. How do you return the smash, what is your posture or what steps you take to reach the bird. If you see there is no problems in the technical part you could move on improving your fitness level. This part is really a difficult area as it would depend your age, technical skill level, your actual conditioning, etc. Well this post is getting to long and I am not sure if I am right in my opinions. Hope to hear your feed back on this.
Strategy: I would try to avoid giving your opponent the opportunity to smash down the line. Low serves,. and vary the length so sometimes the serve will "jam" into the body. Sorry I have to go . Will come back later
Thank you everyone for making such great suggestions and for reminding me of the importance of the basics. On the weekend, I played someone with a weaker smash. And when he smashed down the line off my serve, I was able to reach the shuttle early enough to block/lift it decently. Also, I had proper footwork to get there and recovery wasn't an issue. Viver: As you pointed out, in pressure situations, I don't have time to use proper footwork to return the smash and that's why I'm having problems. Would there be any way of fixing this problem? During drills, we have the benefit of knowing where the shuttle is going to be hit. Also, somehow, though drills are meant to simulate real-life competitive situations, they're never exactly the same. I think the next time I play singles, I'll consciously make an effort not to track the shuttle, anticipate his return, and most importantly, use correct footwork. Thanks again.
The key is not just in your momentum, it's actually to stay moving. It sounds like this strategy may make you more exhausted, but it's like walking... I don't know too many people who get tired from walking for about 10 mins... As mentioned by viver, I was going to say that you must stay focused in your drills, and pay attention to what you are doing, once your body is "trained" properly, your footwork will automatically help get you around the court very smoothly. One way you could look at it is like fencing... they need to slide back and forth. This also helps to cut down on steps needed to take when moving around especially going to the back of the court. I have a drill for you to try, but you've probably already done this before... place a shuttle at the far corners of the court, then stand in the middle, and place two more shuttles directly to the left and right of you. Now you'll first have to start off by not holding your racquet. Take no more than one and a half steps going to the two front corners, and touch the shuttle. It should not take any more than half a step to 1 full step going to each of the sides, and once again touch the shuttles. Now for the last two shuttles behind you, alternate between either the shuffle step, or sashaying all the way back to each shuttle, no you don't have to touch these ones unless you plan on killing your back. Now alternate your pattern, and if you want to make a game from the drill label each one with a number, and create a sequence that you wish to follow during your next practice time. I recommend practice for a good 10mins each day for at least 2 weeks. This will really help you out a lot. When you're ready, bring in your racquet, and practice your strokes at each corner like that, and watch your technique with your footwork as well as your strokes. I garauntee you within a month you'll notice a huge difference, and you'll be a much more mobile player to boot. Plus this builds up your cardio, and when game time comes, your blood and body will be used to the rigorous training, and you'll see the game probably no tougher than your warm up. Hope this helps. PS: I gave up a few years ago on wanting to go for coaching certification, however I've been doing it for free with younger children that I see sometimes just for fun. I've got a few young proteges now. hehe.
Furthermore, if his smash is very effective down the side, why deliberately feed the stronger part of his game? Putting up clears in the centre line of the court will provide less of an angle for the opponent to work on and the slice drop will be less effective.
I'm a little pressured on time so I hope what I say make sense to you. If you under pressure do not perform your technique well it only means 1 thing in my opinion of course - you have knowledge of the technique but not confortable enough. An analogy if like in martial arts, you know the move to block a punch let's say, but when the punch comes quick you do not perform the block correctly. The reaction is not yet "automatized". To achieve this you have to work harder. You would need help from your friends to practice - a friend with weaker smash, you can use a serve not as deep as your usual and try from there. Also I mentioned drills basketball/football players do when dribbling. They use a lot of hips and feet movement - these movements will help you develop the coordination and as a result you may move quicker. At last the most effective way is to have knowledgeable coach. He would have for sure a lot of drills to achieve the desired result. Talk to you later and good luck
If the smash lands near the baseline, that means it is pretty high. If you can intercept it (that means going laterally) and take the shuttle high and drop it, it would be very difficult for your opponent to retrieve.
did it take you 6 years to type that next time, look at the date code, they're small and written above the names
