Been playing recreationally on and off for a long time. I think I have the correct clearing technique if those youtube badminton videos are any good. And I think I am fairly powerful, average at worst in the strength department. I find it very hard though to make a clear from my backcourt to the opponent's backcourt no matter what racket I use. What gives?
the clear is hard to master. A talented young girl can have a stronger clear than a big guy, so it's not about physical strength. The footwork is important, so that you're positioned behind the shuttle. body rotation and weight going forward. Don't try to muscle the shot. Your wrist loose and relaxed. You can also try lower string tention
My string tension is 23 lbs. I'm sure it has lowered to about 20-21 lbs by now. Even if my friend set me up so I'm in perfect position it's still hard to reach the other backcourt. I'd think I should be able to go beyond the backcourt quite easily but that's not the case. I'll try to record it when I play but I think it's a pretty standard textbook clear. I watch youtube instruction videos and follow them such as this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhe_rRJR9_Y
Even if you follow the instructions no one can tell if you exercise them correctly. There might be some flaw in you technique that you don't notice but a good coach would see.
If your strength is enough, the shuttles are the right speed and the court the right length, it must be technique..
Could be the shuttles... I find it extremely hard to clear baseline to baseline with a damaged "slow" feather shuttle, but with new ones its okay.
I think my technique is pretty nice, i make sure that i go elbow first and then pronate my forearm. I can clear from the baseline near me to in between the two baselines on my opponents court, i can even make the shuttle reach farther, andi play with nylone slow shuttles (mavis 350). But i wanted to ask something, we are always asked to hit the shuttle flat and square in the direction we want to hit. But i think that when i pronate, my arm rotates a bit too much and the racket is not flat when it mets the shuttle, but makes an angle due to the over rotation/pronation of my arm (maybe the face os the racquet that meets the shuttle has already statred to face left). Maybe its just placebo effect, but how do you make sure that you meet the shutle flat and not over rotate/pronate?
If you 'rotate' you risk to hit the shuttle with an angle. But the pronation involves no angle, or no change of angle. The racquet is flat all the time
If a player can clear to the baseline consistently when under pressure, even advance players will find this player hard to crack. Consistently clear to the baseline (under all kind of circumstances) is hard to do. No joke.
Make sure you are using the basic grip, with the V of your thumb and forefinger slightly towards the diagonal bevel. This grip will make sure that when you pronate, the racket strings are parallel to the net.
quite elementary but needs worthwhile mention. footwork... be sure you are not late in taking the shot and the shuttle is in front of you (rather than directly on top or behind)...
But isnt pronation/supination basically rotation of the arm about the bone(imagine the axis of rotation to be a line passing throught the bone along the length of the bone)? I mean, initially, lets suppose for a forehand clear, the forearm is supinated a bit, then you try to hit the shuttle like a knife with the rim, but before the point of contact you pronate the forearm so that the racquet hits the shuttle flat. I read this: http://www.badmintoncentral.com/forums/showthread.php/2412-Forearm-Pronation What i fear is that while pronating, i either over pronate, or during the point of contact, i initially meet the shuttle flat, but the pronation is still taking place and i kind of make an angle towards the end of the point of contact, OR MAYBE, maybe because the face of the racquet that hits the shuttle faces right(i am a righty) at the end of the stroke, i think im not hitting it flat.