Yea....about smashing

here's to help everyone else help you, do you have a video of you smashing?
will you post one?
it will surely pinpoint the problem, if there is any

 

I had the same problem.. whenever the shuttle went up into the air I thought so much about hitting it right that my timing was all wrong. Had the same embarrassing problem of the shuttle falling on my head.

When I stopped thinking about the smash - I mean I am not worried about whether I hit it powerfully or not -and just looked at the shuttle and let my body do its thing, my timing got much better. I stopped trying to hit it hard, instead I focused on meeting it at the top of my swing and then 'snapping' my wrist to get the angle.

 

just a hunch based on what you've said, if you're not hitting the shuttle correctly (such as hitting your head) you're probably too tense and your timing is off. if you're hitting the smashes out, your not rotating your forearm/wrist properly, so you're relying on flexing/extending your arms instead of using the power from rotation. so your shots are coming off as drives instead of smashing downward.

best suggestion is go slow, start with relaxed position and smooth relaxed motion. focus on getting the technique right instead of absolute power, then gradually build power into your shot.

 

Your probably scared of missing thus making you swing earlier and making you miss. First you have to know the right technique then you must practice because it's not really timing as in you count 1 2 3 4 5 and smash at 5 everytime. It takes practice and after a while you feel it, rather than "time" it.

 

Hope these helps

1) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIbGK0-iQGA
2) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QlW8_PdYbw&feature=related

 

One thing I would take note of from your post is that the shuttle hits your head? This means, in my opinion, you are not BEHIND the shuttle, and thus you will NOT be ABLE to play a smash. The angle from the smash comes from being behind the shuttle and contacting it out in front. The accuracy from the smash comes from being BEHIND the shuttle and being able to SEE where to place it as you strike it (as you will be MORE aware of what is in front of you, rather than looking at the ceiling).

If you struggle with timing: relax, use the correct grip, reach up nice and high, and make the swing as simple as possible i.e. don't turn too much, the swing should be fairly "compact".

Finally a point regarding getting angry on court: generally when we get angry, we say bad things to ourselves. We criticise ourselves. We tell ourselves we can't do it. The brain controls the body. When the brain hears you telling it it can't do something, it takes it as an INSTRUCTION and thus helps you muck everything up. Please address this issue as soon as possible. A bad attitude is disrespectful of your partner, of your opponent and of yourself. When things go wrong, go over all the technical things you WILL do next time. And by telling yourself you WILL do them, your brain will make it happen more often, and you will avoid playing inconsistently. The key is to TELL yourself you are going to do better/perform well. Then you will.

Hope this helps.

Matt

 

Crucial question : are you able to clear?

 

Stay positive, it helps a lot. What MSeeley said about the grain controlling the body is true. It is scientifically proven that people who believe that they will be cured will heal faster than people that don't. So YES indeed, the brain can control the body. Also, when someone is angry, their cognitive abilities are hindered (scientifically true too). Concentrate on the task at hand, not the future, not the past, but the present.

About the inconsistency, there can be a lot of factors. For now, I suggest you practice the basics to make yourself a firm foundation (excellent step to consistency).

 

A clear is often called a lob in asian countries.

 

A clear his a stroke that sends the shuttle high and deep into the opponents backcourt (around the backline).

 

In Malaysia, it's called a lob.

Maybe it's because of your bent racket? Or maybe too much football header?

On a serious note, it's probably just the timing.