Great points! Additionally, one more little thing I've also noticed is hitting the shuttle offset from the sweetspot to generate more power. I've posted about it here. http://www.badmintoncentral.com/forums/index.php?threads/172690/
my backhand clear was garbage when i tried to just muscle the shuttle (im 6'4 245) I got proper coaching on technique and now i can full clear the shuttle Learn proper technique and youll be fine
I don't really agree with this one - but the rest of your list seems spot on! Being side on to the shuttle, or facing fully away from the net - the player should be able to easily hit a backhand clear as far as I am concerned.
I think I can agree with you that technique is key here. Just look at the lady professional players, I am sure many of us are much stronger than them. I feel 2 aspects are required to produce that power. The timing of the hit and the angle of the racket striking the shutter. It is very much similar to playing squash. Of course, the above will be supplemented with the racket, strings, power of the individual. I am considering with all equal, the above will be the deciding factors. Having said so much, I am yet to achieve them. haha
effortless backhand is something that i used to be able to do. a few factors that made it work. - proper technique. unlike my forehand, my backhand was taught from ground up by a coach. while I don't claim to have the best technique, at least it was taught properly. - strength training, i don't do a lot of weights. the last time i do weight regularly was decades ago. however, i did do tricep curls and use a device to train finger strength. - however, what i did, when i was around, 25 yrs old, was to swing squash racket. I had a low ceiling so i would knee down at home and just swing it. i guess at 25 it was easy to gain muscle strength and not get injured. (not any more now at 40+). the result is that i was able to do corner to corner backhand clear even when the shuttle was behind. and to do baseline to baseline straight clear while in position (like doing back hand clear drills) was relaxing. what i found was that it is not about muscling it, with the proper strength, a relaxed tricep accelerating the forearm plus a quick snap using wrist + finger power is all that it took. The whole kinetic chain building up like a whip and the result is a very relax looking clear. much easier said than done and lacking in regular training i cannot do that anymore.
Yes, I agree with you, but when I am talking about backhand, I am referring to clear or lob shots that are taken under pressure and require the player to turn to do the backhand. Some people go round the shuttle and try to position themselves on the side of the shuttle. This is not right as they do additional steps to go to this position.
Seen 12 year old girls doing it in training, no big mussels, just perfect te technique. Can do it myself mostly, lots of practice. Good set of videos.
i used a gripmaster: https://www.amazon.com/GRIP-MASTER-Gripmaster-Hand-Exerciser/dp/B0085MX3SG it is the best as it has individual spring per finger. there are also different colors for different resistance.
Whatever you do, don't do any strength training until you have the proper technique. If you don't have the technique down and develop strength, you'll be tempted to muscle your way through the swing. It works if you're strong enough but its not efficient. Unless you're super weak, you already have enough muscle to perform a backhand clear. One of the most vivid memories I have from training in Indonesia was arriving at the courts for the first time and seeing a 12 year old girl hit a backhand crosscourt clear. Backhand swings depend a lot more on torque power than forehand swings because swinging from that side of your arm is weaker. Its difficult to explain. Basically if you're doing the footwork properly, as you turn to your backhand you should be using that speed to "wind up" your core, and when you place your foot down once you reach the backhand corner, you should use your foot as a counter balance and turn your core into the shot. Its interesting because a deep backhand shot is usually the hardest shot for beginners but as you move up the ranks your deep forehand becomes the hardest because you learn to use your core when swinging, and the forehand shot doesn't let you wind up the way your backhand does with footwork.
Recently broke my vt80 voltric racket and bought a more flexible racket and have too much power, now backhand clearing out the court. So might be worth trying different types of racket.
Most of the "super stiff" branded rackets are built for pros and unless you're exerting relatively the same amount of force of them you're going to be missing out on a ton of power because you wont be able to bend the racket.
Bought first babolat racket ipulse blast, so much more power on all shots and faster in defence for a third of the price.