Doubts regarding smash technique

[Udbhav]

I have some doubts regarding my smash technique. It would be extremely helpful if someone cleared them to me:-

1.While hitting smash should the hip rotate first followed by elbow coming forward or the hip rotation and elbow coming forward happen simultaneously.(Please specify the sequence of body rotation)

2.While hitting a smash should I jump up and forward from my readying position or jump up at the same position while hitting a smash.

3.Should I elevate my shoulder while smashing.If yes then by how much?

4.Should my body make a straight line at the point of contact of racket with the shuttle.

5.Should the point of contact of shuttle with my racket head while hitting a smash be above shoulders,out of shoulders or overhead for maximum power.

6.Should I be jumping from forward to backward position while smashing or back to forward position while smashing for maximum power.

 

[amleto]

1.: Hip first.
2. Whoah there! If you're trying to develop your smash, then lets leave jump smash off the table and concentrate on getting a solid kinetic chain first.
3-5.Not gonna answer these...they're too specific/minutia and not really going to help you develop a good stroke by thinking like this.
6. Obviously if you're moving forward you have more momentum in the direction you want to hit. This should be kinda obvious!?

 

[ralphz]

1.While hitting smash should the hip rotate first followed by elbow coming forward or the hip rotation and elbow coming forward happen simultaneously.(Please specify the sequence of body rotation)

hip would move before elbow

but there are things about the leg and the hip and the way the hip moves, there may be different methods but regardless, the hip moves before the elbow moves. And there's detail also about how the elbow moves.

3.Should I elevate my shoulder while smashing.If yes then by how much?

Do you mean should you shrug your shoulder up / letting your shoulder shrug up?

No I think shrugging like that might happen if you did something like the anna rice demo with the arm to the ear, but it was established here that she doesn't do that in practise and nobody has shown any pro or anybody that does.

4.Should my body make a straight line at the point of contact of racket with the shuttle.

I don't think the torso would be at the same angle as the arm. I think the arm is more forwards.

5.Should the point of contact of shuttle with my racket head while hitting a smash be above shoulders,out of shoulders or overhead for maximum power.

Well all those are vertically above the shoulders, you mean where in that "horizontal axis".

Most answers i've seen here have suggested just outside the racket shoulder.

2,6 ...jump...

Better to get it right without the jump first. Jump smashing is a bit advanced for me

There's enough to try to get right, including getting sufficiently behind the shuttle... stopping properly after moving back... (You definitely lose power if you have any momentum gong backwards during the badminton stroke). And other things to get right like aiming it. And being able to get a good steepness if you want

 

[Udbhav]

hip would move before elbow

but there are things about the leg and the hip and the way the hip moves, there may be different methods but regardless, the hip moves before the elbow moves. And there's detail also about how the elbow moves.



Do you mean should you shrug your shoulder up / letting your shoulder shrug up?

No I think shrugging like that might happen if you did something like the anna rice demo with the arm to the ear, but it was established here that she doesn't do that in practise and nobody has shown any pro or anybody that does.



I don't think the torso would be at the same angle as the arm. I think the arm is more forwards.



Well all those are vertically above the shoulders, you mean where in that "horizontal axis".

Most answers i've seen here have suggested just outside the racket shoulder.



Better to get it right without the jump first. Jump smashing is a bit advanced for me

There's enough to try to get right, including getting sufficiently behind the shuttle... stopping properly after moving back... (You definitely lose power if you have any momentum gong backwards during the badminton stroke). And other things to get right like aiming it. And being able to get a good steepness if you want

By elevation of shoulder I meant tilting the entire ribcage while smashing.

Also do we have to do the kick before or after hip rotation during smash?

 

[ralphz]

By elevation of shoulder I meant tilting the entire ribcage while smashing.

I've had a similar question myself. I have some answers on this but hopefully others can chip in..

The two things I can say on this, are

It's definitely not always done. For example if the shuttle is very much on the forehand side then it's definitely not done.

It definitely gets more reach sideways.

Also do we have to do the kick before or after hip rotation during smash?

This is another great question... I also have questions about the hip.. and some related things..

I hope others can chip in..

I can say one thing for sure though.. you don't always do the kick!

I once heard that, for some reason, ladies tend to do the kick on the forehand side, and the round the head side.. Whereas men tend to only do the kick on the round the head side.

Another thing to consider, and i'm not totally sure about this, but I think that on the round the head side, you can do a forehand shot, or a round the head shot... And they're different shots. On the forehand side, i'm not sure about this but I think you'd probably not do a round the head shot.

So when you ask about the tilt, I think maybe that applies only to round the head shots.

The kick could apply to shots on the round the head side, or on the forehand side. On the round the head side maybe a kick is normally the right thing to do.

 

[ralphz]

I meant tilting the entire ribcage while smashing.

i.e. you're asking do you do it.. / when to.

The following may be wrong, and I'm no expert, but I heard what sounds to me like a good answer to this..

You tilt when two criteria are met A)It's Round the head. B)It's quite a bit out to the side. So not just a little bit round the head.

Would you ever tilt if it's not round the head? I don't know..I heard from a good player that you don't so I will go with that for now..

don't tilt so much that you fall over in the direction of your tilt ;-)

Also do we have to do the kick before or after hip rotation during smash?

For a scissor kick, I am not sure but I think it may be that if necessary the front foot lifts up a bit and may move across a bit and would be to make a scissor kick possible(so that your legs won't bang into each other when they cross each other), then when the legs are like a scissors you swap both feet at the same time, maybe launching off the back foot first. I have seen a video of somebody keeping his hips turned as his non-racket foot came back though.. I think you don't want your hips to "uncock" before launching forwards that's a main thing.

Also, it's impossible or almost impossible to do the hip rotation after the scissor kick has finished! 'cos once you have done the scissor kick, your hips are already turned!

I think "at the same time" would be a good answer to that(but there can be details).. I have seen some people move their non-racket leg back a bit while keeping hips cocked, but i'm not sure if that's right. But even if they do that, they should keep their hips turned / cocked, until they launch off forward with their rear foot and turn their hips at the same time. That's from what I understand.

 

[edogaktop]

3.Should I elevate my shoulder while smashing.If yes then by how much?

4.Should my body make a straight line at the point of contact of racket with the shuttle.

5.Should the point of contact of shuttle with my racket head while hitting a smash be above shoulders,out of shoulders or overhead for maximum power.

6.Should I be jumping from forward to backward position while smashing or back to forward position while smashing for maximum power.

First of all, let me say that it's almost impossible to judge someone's technique without at least reviewing the video. If you are serious about fixing your technique, then you should tape yourself, and perhaps then review it yourself (trust me you will be surprised!).

for question no. 3-5 - when you have all the time in the world, you should line up yourself right behind the shuttle. The racket should go straight up (12 o'clock) while the top of your head is at 10 o'clock. Don't forget that your elbow has to be straight at the point of contact. See how Goh V Shem did it below:

 

[LenaicM]

Don't forget that your elbow has to be straight at the point of contact.

Almost straight. A slightly bent elbow allows more pronation, therefore more power and it reduces the risk of tennis elbows.

https://www.badmintoncentral.com/fo...anics-study-presentation-of-the-smash.173273/

 

[edogaktop]

Almost straight. A slightly bent elbow allows more pronation, therefore more power and it reduces the risk of tennis elbows.

https://www.badmintoncentral.com/fo...anics-study-presentation-of-the-smash.173273/

If by slightly bent you meant "basically straight but don't lock out your elbow" (>175 deg) then we are in agreement.

 

[ralphz]

..when you have all the time in the world, you should line up yourself right behind the shuttle. The racket should go straight up (12 o'clock) while the top of your head is at 10 o'clock. Don't forget that your elbow has to be straight at the point of contact. See how Goh V Shem did it below:

for that scenario you mention "when you have all the time in the world,"
does that tilt of torso to where head is at 10'o clock only apply if the shuttle was on the non-forehand side /left side? or if you had all the time in the world would it be ideal to get past it to hit it with a tilt? (putting aside recovery position afterwards)

and do you think that tilting gets more power and height than any smash done without tilting eg more power and height than a smash done with a block jump?

 

[edogaktop]

for that scenario you mention "when you have all the time in the world,"
does that tilt of torso to where head is at 10'o clock only apply if the shuttle was on the non-forehand side /left side? or if you had all the time in the world would it be ideal to get past it to hit it with a tilt? (putting aside recovery position afterwards)

and do you think that tilting gets more power and height than any smash done without tilting eg more power and height than a smash done with a block jump?

If you have all the time in the world, then ideally you want to line up your body just behind the shuttle before a smash. You will naturally tilt your head to the left (assuming you are right handed) when you hit a forehand clear/smash.

Example: Goh V Shem's smash (yellow shirt). See how he lines up his body just behind shuttle, and how his head is tilting to his left when he swings his racket. I already timed the video below so you don't have to watch the whole thing


You want to do that because that will give you the most height (the racket head will be at the highest elevation point) and power (from pronation). Well, I said "want" but tilting your head is not really something that you consciously do. Instead, it is more of how your body will move naturally assuming you use the right technique. However, if you consistently smash shuttle from the side of your body then that's a sign that your forehand technique may need some fixing.

I am not sure what you meant by a block jump.

With the risk of sounding like a broken record, try recording a video of you smashing and perhaps you will get more useful advice.