What are the tips to keep your swings small?

Discussion in 'Techniques / Training' started by Birdy, Jan 9, 2014.

  1. Birdy

    Birdy Regular Member

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    My coaches are always telling me for mid court drives to keep my swing small, but I have a hard time paying attention that. My swing is always too big of course.. but I don't notice it when I am swinging since I don't get to see myself from someone's elses perspective and I can't really feel the difference between a big swing and small swing.

    What are some things I can do to be consciously aware if I am making too big a swing or not?
     
  2. R20190

    R20190 Regular Member

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    Find yourself a wall and practice playing against it. You will not only develop wrist strength, speed but do it with short and quick strokes.

    Start with slow gentle shots until you get better and hit hard fast drives. Mix them up with high lifts and net drops.
     
  3. MSeeley

    MSeeley Regular Member

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    Its easy :) - place your racket where the shuttle will come (in front of you + slightly to the side) and make sure that you can always see your racket. If your racket leaves your sight, then you made a big swing.

    Make sure you only use the wrist/fingers and forearm, and do not use too much elbow extension (lots of elbow movement means a big swing!).

    Good luck!
     
  4. kwun

    kwun Administrator

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    hitting against a wall is a good exercise. a big swing won't allow you to have enough recovery time to hit the next shot.

    another tip is to aim to contact the shuttle as far out away from your body as possible. that not only forces you to use a small swing, (as big swing won't have enough leverage) and also it develop a habit to hit the shuttle early.

    always think about wrist and fingers. not arm.
     
  5. sautom88

    sautom88 Regular Member

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    Big swings are only for singles games. In doubles u can have big swings if u are 99% sure that yr partner can cover up yr front VERY-VERY well n u will be ready to repeat another smash if necessary.

    Yr partner must also be able to INTERCEPT almost all low returns in front, no matter how fast they are.
     
  6. malinosega

    malinosega Regular Member

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    Try keeping ur elbow as close as possible to ur body. Only reach out when u need to. This way all strokes will be small and more efficient.
     
  7. Birdy

    Birdy Regular Member

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    Thanks! Oh yeah, that's what my coach made us do too, no wonder it's for that. Thanks!
     
  8. Birdy

    Birdy Regular Member

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    Thanks!!! I will try that hehe
     
  9. Birdy

    Birdy Regular Member

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    Is a small swing the same as a tap?
     
  10. malinosega

    malinosega Regular Member

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    I thnik small swing is more of a 'compact movement' with efficient strokes. In tapping all u use are fingers which provides speed and accuracy only not so much power. Either it s tap drive or net kill.
     
  11. Birdy

    Birdy Regular Member

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    Thanks. I don't understand the difference between a drive that is using a tap vs a drive that is using a small swing. What do you mean by compact movement with efficient strokes? When do you use a tap drive vs a drive that is using the proper small swing movement?
     
  12. visor

    visor Regular Member

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    Just focus your energy into a shorter and faster movement. Concentrate on speed, not power.

    The keyword is explosive.
     
    #12 visor, Jan 10, 2014
    Last edited: Jan 10, 2014
  13. MSeeley

    MSeeley Regular Member

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    Im not sure that this advice will actually build beneficial habits... I actually encourage players to keep their elbow away from their body, so they can take the shuttle as early as possible, and because in this way you take it early, it forces you to keep a small swing. I would see keeping the elbow close to the body as promoting a large movement.

    However, your point about ensuring strokes are small and efficient is absolutely spot on!

    On a seperate note, a tap drive and a drive with a small movement are basically the same. I think it is unhelpful to dwell on these details. What your coach is trying to do, is to stop you swinging as hard as you can at drives, and to keep your shots smaller and more controlled. Most of the time, you won't have time or opportunity to use a full arm swing, so its best to practice short and sharp crisp movements!

    Good luck.
     
  14. Birdy

    Birdy Regular Member

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    Thanks for alot! I guess I was just starting to get confused by all the new terms here 'Tap drive' etc and small swing, but your response cleared it up. Thanks!
     
  15. jencon13

    jencon13 Regular Member

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    Seems uve got alot of help but.. Uh.. Simply put: Short Swings: More Disguise/Less time for opponent to react, less movement and thus easier to hit. Big Swings: Easier to generate power, and evidently slower... much more emphasis needed on shot selection, Smash at the wrong time with a big swing and ur in the dump. hope it helps, xoxo
     
  16. raymond

    raymond Regular Member

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    There may be good reasons why some people use big swings -

    1. their arms (and maybe other parts) are not relaxed enough, thus they lose power.
    2. they don't pronate/supinate to generate power.

    As you make your swing more compact, you'd find you lose power if you don't have above two. Pay some attention and integrate them into your shots.
     
  17. malinosega

    malinosega Regular Member

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    May be not 'as close to the body' but more 'keeping it inside'. I feel by keeping my elbow closer to my center of gravity gives me more power and accuracy. Yes indeed we need to take shuttle as early as possible but not with fully strecth elbow like 180 degrees straight as it will lose power. Unless it s a desperate blocks.
     
  18. malinosega

    malinosega Regular Member

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    The only thing comes to my mind describing this elbow position inside and outside is inside when u slap sth, outside when u do punch sth.
     

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