Video: How to pronate and execute an overhead stroke

**thejym** · 08-03-2010, 02:30 AM

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNVC5PVJyPQ

Hope you find it helpful! Feel free to leave any comments.

**taneepak** · 08-03-2010, 02:39 AM

I think all overhead strokes require that you supinate at the backswing and pronate at the foreward swing. Pronation alone is not enough.

**thejym** · 08-03-2010, 02:47 AM

Good point taneepak. I guess I forgot to explicitly mention it, although I do it without thinking when actually hitting shuttles.

When doing clears, I tend to lessen the amount of supination because I can already clear it the full distance without it. When smashing, I supinate a ton in the backswing in order to get the most power out of my shot. Ideally, I should supinate the same degree with both and just pronate at a slower speed with clears.

**shooka** · 08-03-2010, 07:52 AM

@thejym Thanks for the video. It corrected my error.
Is there any proper technique to return drive shots that flies past your side (side shot?).

**staiger** · 08-07-2010, 02:10 PM

Good video , alot of players dont know how to hit an overhead properly and they always wonder where can you find that extra power in smashing and to strike that shuttle clean .. your video is the answer !

**staiger** · 08-07-2010, 02:12 PM

Originally Posted by taneepak

I think all overhead strokes require that you supinate at the backswing and pronate at the foreward swing. Pronation alone is not enough.

one thing at a time ! this is too much for most players anyway

**London_Player** · 08-10-2010, 11:04 AM

Interesting looking at the footage that you strike the shuttle 'sideways' rather than stright. Does that create more power and is that the way, Pro's hit the overheads? As there are so many ways to hit the overheads that, now I'm confused which is the 'right' way!

**thejym** · 08-10-2010, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by London_Player

Interesting looking at the footage that you strike the shuttle 'sideways' rather than stright. Does that create more power and is that the way, Pro's hit the overheads? As there are so many ways to hit the overheads that, now I'm confused which is the 'right' way!

While there may be many ways to hit overheads, this is the only proper way for a power shot. The same stroke (or very similar at least) is done in tennis for serves, although tennis serves can have spin on them which means that the player is purposely hitting the ball with the racket face at an angle.

Check out this video of Lin Dan and Lee Chong Wei smashing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKC1Depuf6Q

**Mikael** · 08-10-2010, 04:53 PM

thegym: perhaps make a little more focus on starting positing (stroke), and further more bodyrotation.

**London_Player** · 08-10-2010, 05:20 PM

Thanks for your explanation and making an effort to educate us with this video.

**thejym** · 08-11-2010, 05:06 AM

Originally Posted by Mikael

thegym: perhaps make a little more focus on starting positing (stroke), and further more bodyrotation.

That's true, although there are so many aspects that go into executing an overhead stroke effectively that it would take forever to explain it all. This video was simply for the overhead swing itself and nothing else.

On another note, I put together a rather poorly made grip guide: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBzn3jyEs5k

I figured it might help some of you understand the four grips better if you could see them from various angles. The grips guide on Badminton Bible does an excellent job of explaining everything with photos, so you can look there as well.

**Mikael** · 08-11-2010, 05:12 AM

Yes better keep on a few points for beginners

And sorry I forgot to say, it is a nice video though...

**thejym** · 08-26-2010, 05:13 PM

Thanks for the support guys

I should have mentioned in the video that it would be useful to practice in front of a mirror or record yourself with a camera so you can see whether your motions are correct. I think some people can recognize proper form when they see it, but they've never seen themselves play so they don't recognize their own errors.

**Mikael** · 08-27-2010, 02:34 AM

Good idea with mirror actually, properly suitable for strokes. I would like to watch my footwork too, but unfortunately I don't have that large mirrors

**thejym** · 08-27-2010, 03:30 AM

A warning: be careful not to hit anything when you're swinging in front of your mirror!

Most digital cameras (and even cell phones!) can record video, so recording yourself on court is a great way to watch your footwork, strokes, and even choice of shot. If you don't have one, I'm sure you could find someone to lend you one or shoot a video of one of your games. I don't think you can ever "outgrow" the use of a video camera, since watching the video will enable you to see exactly what your opponent is doing to react to your shots, and whether your choice of shots is correct given the circumstances.