Choose either of the two YouTube links above and skip to 5:29. How on Earth does FHF do that? I see that a lot in singles with LCW too when he has to return a far backhand shot. I'm an intermediate-advanced level doubles player and I really want to learn how to perform that low backhand shot. Any help is appreciated, thanks!
Im curious too. I only see people with very strong wrist and technique (mostly ex-professional) able to perform that shot.
It's an all out whipping motion and you do need to get behind the shuttle to get effective body weight transfer. Often times you'll see female singles player do that as a desperate shot in their deep backhand corner. Eg. TTY Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk
If you can play a backhand clear from a late contact, then you could play that shot - maybe yours would only go 3/4 court, but thats still good enough. If you played with the speed of shuttles the pros play with, you may also find it a lot easier. If you can't play a backhand clear, then start by learning one. You will quickly understand how to play that shot.
My backhand clear is pretty decent, and I can do an ok backhand smash. But when I try to attempt that low backhand shot, it always turns into some weird drive that our opponents could easily return with a smash. How do you make that backhand shot go farther up like FHF does?
If I were to test the shuttles used in most professional tournaments, they would land around 1 metre further than my normal club shuttles. Being able to control these shuttles is part of the skill they possess. It will also be completely different speeds at both ends (up to half a metre different). I don't think I would be able to keep the shuttle in court in those conditions. Sounds like you have the skills you need, assuming you are talking about having a good full court late backhand clear i.e. once the shuttle has done past you. If that is the case, I would expect you to be able to attempt the shot - and it sounds like that is true if I understand you correctly. You said your opponents can easily smash the shuttle - if the shuttle goes high, then it is always easy to smash - I assume you mean your shot goes short? If thats true I would simply encourage you to attempt the shot more often, particularly in singles where the situation happens more often. I reckon you are lacking 1. timing, 2. practice, 3. the same shuttle speed used in these tournaments. From what you have said, I think you should be able to get a very good length with your current skills, just by improving your timing (through practice) by practicing all backhand strokes. If you can't hit a "decent" backhand smash, then there is more to learn with regard to timing. Things that might help your timing include: using a training racket carefully, using a racket head cover, just shortening the swing on your backhand overheads as your perform dedicated practice. But let's be clear: when i play this shot, I rarely get it past the back doubles service line, but I don't think it needs to go that far for me to be able to adequately continue the rally. On a good day, I can get it to the back, but the opportunity to play the shot is rare on a good day. Good luck!
I see... no wonder then they need such high tensions to control their lengths. But wait, then aren't we all using about the same underhand forehand stroke and power to test shuttle speed? Why should pros test with *less* power, it would seem ?? If so, then shouldn't we also use less power in testing? This is quite a revelation to me... Why should there be such a discrepancy of 1m, that's what I'm curious about... Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk
You are correct - they are barely touching the shuttle and it will land at a proper length. My personal view is its more a matter of experience - they will have to deal with faster shuttles, slower halls, sideways drifts etc. To get a clear to land in the corner you have to hit at a different power level from both ends, and aim to the left or right up to a metre different to where you would do so with no drift. Thats why they are so good. The best in the world (e.g. Lin Dan) can cope with all this rubbish, versus chinese number 10 who will be amazing in training, but won't be able to cope with the conditions in the same way during a tournament (and remember different courts in the same hall will have different conditions!). I think once you have been required to play in all these conditions, you just walk up to the court and hit the shuttle to test it and see where it lands. I can guarantee that I use less power for testing the shuttle now than I did a few years ago, or when I started playing, but the shuttle lands in the same place. The shuttle speed I use is the one that all the various clubs use - everyone plays with shuttles at more or less the same speed - there is no need or benefit to me using faster shuttles as nobody around me would want to. Its more about who you are playing with - you will conform to their speed, not the other way around. edit: I think its easy to forget sometimes that badminton is a game of control, not power. Hitting full court is no difficult. Keeping it in the court is extremely difficult (the opposite problem to being a beginner).
Wow thanks for the insight! I didn't know conditions could vary so much. I can't hit a clear out when hitting it from the end of the court, looks like I still have ways to go - thought I had that shot down!
Agree with this and I would add that you do need very good strength to be able to play this fairly explosive shot late, to the baseline. It is very similar to the late forehand clear but the stroke is less compact. There is generally two ways you can play this. You can take a very large (relatively straight) swipe at the shuttle, which a lot of women pros tend to do but also some men. I have seen players like LD and LYD play this shot like this. I would say it is more crude way of playing the shot, as it is less accurate, gives less variation, requires less technique but requires less strength and you don't need to get down as low. The way that FHF plays it in the video is the way I prefer to play it. It is essentially the same stroke as the normal backhand clear but played with your arm more horizontal and less shoulder movement. It is a more compact stroke with the racquet head travelling less distance before impact (compared to the BH clear) and therefore requires a lot of strength to generate the high racquet head speed needed to get the shuttle to the baseline. It isn't actually a difficult shot to play, but the problem I see with a lot of players attempting this shot is they struggle with getting the racquet face square on impact, and so loses a lot of power.
*Hits shuttle from base line* *It falls about 2 feet short of the doubles service line* "SEEMS FINE TO ME" Any questions?
