So there are some 2-3 players using the same tactics. What they do is they serve with a really high serve. Then whatever I do, they always return it high to the back court.. Also they are using slow shuttles (i dont know if their shuttles are too slow or i am myself using a fast shuttle), so I am not able to clear them to their back court, no matter how hard I hit it. Although I can have beaten them many times using my own shuttles but their slow shuttles is the problem. I can't clear their clears to the back court. Seriously I want to know what to do, they always return the shuttle very high and no matter what I do - drops, smashes, or anything... They return it with a high shot to the back.... So they get plenty of time to recover. Help me! :crying
practice to hit hard enough to reach the back, if they can do it and you can't... then it's not the shuttle's fault. Multiple players are pushing you back with great success. It's VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY (did I emphasize that enough?) clear what your weakness is. So until you are strong enough to hit to the back court, you're out of luck against these players.
Clearing to the back court is 1 of the basic strokes. On my previous experience, i had a hard time to do it due to high string tension. After lower it down i had no problem with clearing. Just my 2 cents
Hi there, Looking into a more positive perspective, if you've managed to beat them many times as stated earlier then theoretically, you have already all the qualities there are in how you play to beat them again. Even how frustrated it is that you're feeling using their shuttlecock while playing against them, if they can produce descent qualities in all their hits to you and at the same time you couldn't.....and knowing that you can beat them also previously.......IMHO, its either mentally you're restricting the way you're projecting your own strength into a more positive manner into your own game play will be one of the cause for such result Or your technique is still not good Or both. Put aside whatever shuttlecock that you're using while playing against them unless, if they are using a shuttlecock which it's cork is made from rock and it's feather is made from an endangered avian species which if you're caught, it comes with a death penalties but if it is not.....rather then mentally focus on how to deal with the nature of the birdie it's more beneficial to mentally focus on how you will play to the best ability from the past experience of your encounters with them to bring a more positive approach into how you play. In any case that if you lost, and such defeat happens as a results which the qualities of all your hits are not as what you've expected then brush up your technique again to further sharpen the qualities in all your hits. It may be little bit harsh to mention here that, if you're blaming the shuttle as the main issue of your defeat which it's velocity has unable for you to produce descent qualities in all your hits while your opponent could then logically they have a better control and power in all their hits as to compare to you and translating this by using a more faster shuttlecock, it is most likely that you will be beaten again but not the way around. Regardless of whatever shuttlecock that you're using, if you can't deliver the birdie to your opponent with a descent qualities that will make them a hard time to retrieve it but in in fact, it's an easy retrieval from them all the way, regardless of what will be your strategy of play, the fate of your game will be on their mercy as its an easy work for them while playing while it's a hard work for you. Practice harder my friend. SS
Here is an interesting article and a clip http://badminton-coach.co.uk/261/why-incorrect-badminton-shuttle-speeds-are-killing-skill-levels/ http://badminton-coach.co.uk/274/testing-badminton-shuttle-speeds-coaching-video/
one of the most basic shots in badminton is the clear... if you can't do a forehand clear baseline to baseline, then you're either a beginner or your racket is not properly set up assuming you're not a beginner, for discussion sake, then your racket must be too head light or string tension too tight... fix those and you should be ok
When seeking help or opinions, the rule of thumb to follow is: the more information you give about yourself, the more correct information you will receive in return. How would you classify the level of play - yours and your opponents? Intermediate? Advanced? Beginner? On a scale of 1-10 where do you think you'd stand? How good is your footwork when playing a match? How would you rate your technique? Do you think your racquet is strung at a tension much higher than your opponents? Are you comfortable with your racquet's string tension? Have you tried doing a few clearing drills with the same shuttlecock that you opponents use? What were the results? Edit: Sikkim is high-altitude, but is also not too cold at this time of year; so your shuttles will generally fly normally... maybe you should also learn to practise with slower birds by "tipping" you shuttles...
^^oops sorry for that reply ... I was quoting a reply and failed somehow.... [MENTION=57143]visor[/MENTION] I am using a Yonex voltric 5 @ stock strings which I know is head heavy. And I don't think that the stock strings are too tight for me as I can play very well with my friends 26lbs but never tried that tension on mine though [MENTION=64347]cobalt[/MENTION] If 1 is for a beginner and 10 is for advanced player thenI am around 4 or 3 maybe... And about my footwork and technique... I think that I can execute every shot with good speed and control (except backhand smash, which is slow but still most players appreciate the power of my backhand) About my racket and strings, I have bought this voltric 5 recently and before this I used a cheap aluminum racket which I believe was strung at 18lbs...and the tension on voltric 5 is around 23lbs (not sure as its the stock string). So maybe I am not used to the tension of the strings
no offense intended, but the most important stroke is a baseline to baseline clear. 13-year old girls can clear from baseline to baseline with headlight rackets, so it's NOT a matter of power or whatsoever! it's a question of swing and technique. if you're not able to clear properly, you will never make the next step in badminton, because your (better) opponents will always be able to outplay you if your clear is short. get some training, improve your basic strokes, that's all you can do! there's little magic in the basics of badminton, you just have to learn the technique and pratice. there's no shortcut...
Agreed with this. The secret for clears is to punch it (firm short stroke) with very little swing. Believe or not, I actually had to hit it with less force to be more effective. Of course this is best done when you are behind the shuttle. When you are tensed, all the energy in the hit gets dispersed somewhere else. Maybe you are tensed or late to the ball?
I suggest that you practice the strokes like what others have suggested above. get a block of wood or metal (<2 kgs) and swing it using your wrist everyday. helps to improve your control and power.
Another way to practice generating more power is focusing on the the underarm clears during drills. Just underarm and wrist power, do not lower your arm or use your body to generate power. If you master that, you can clear from any position, even far behind your body.
Once you can hit the slow shuttle to the back of your opponent's court, rest assured they will probably have the same problem when hitting it back to you.
If you're having difficulty clearing then it could be because of these few factors, you do not have enough strength, or you are not getting the swinging technique/ contact point correct, or the shuttle is just too slow. Either ways, from your description it seems that your opponent is able to easily control the pace of the game and push you baseline at their wimps and fancy (Your smashes and dropshots have minimal effect). From this i conclude you don't need just strategy to beat them, you need a TRAINING first before you could beat them. You could train with a friend, watch badminton tutorial videos, read books and even hire a coach to work on your skills! Anyways, good luck with beating them someday Don't mind a short promo of my own site here, i made it myself http://www.art-of-badminton.com/
So let's assume that i can clear To his baseline... Now as thehe strategy used by him is to hit the shuttle really high to my baseline... So he will always do lifts and clears... He never goesnear net area and smashes only from mid court and fore court... I know, to pressure him I need to hit my own smashes rather than clears, but since the shuttles are so slow I can't produce much power... So what tactics do I use against him? A drop and then a clear to the opposite ornery, and then smash? Or what?
If your opponent is hitting the shuttle "really high to the baseline" then you should have enough time to get behind the shuttle and counter-attack. Maybe you're getting too carried away here with smashing, in the mistaken assumption that it will win you the point. Badminton on the court is about constructing the point, not trying to force your way through. In singles especially, be aware of the fundamental tactic of moving your opponent to all the 4 corners of his court. That will create the opening for you, and you will be surprised to find that you don't really have to even smash to win a point. In fact, using well-placed and well-directed half-smashes will help you to set up the point much better. Practise is the key, as mentioned in the posts above. Practise your drops as well. If your drop is fast (not lazy and loose and slow) it will get your opponent in trouble immediately. Bring your opponent to the forecourt to learn more about his strenghts or weaknesses there, and you can then have the exposed rear-court open to put him under more pressure. You have to think your game. But before that, you must practise. You cannot practise during a game. You must find time, and a willing partner or coach to do drills.
seem's like you are too obsessed with smashing. In singles you can win lots of points with no smashing at all. Just move your opponent around. I must suggest you should test the shuttles and tip inwards if they are too slow, though.
Agreed! It appears the OP was used to smashing with his own birds likely they were fast, and he got full value for smashes as a result. Here is a video on how to correctly test for shuttle speeds; hope it helps... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AZbQBR90Yw
