Smash is the most direct and lethal way to gain a point when playing badminton. Smash also is a type of stroke that has the most demand from the aspect of physical requirement and mental precision. In view of this demand, it is surely frustrating that while you've given all your effort to ensure that you can gain that point from your smash but in the end, the outcome is not what you've expected, then its just a waste of effort. Therefore, especially for beginners, the path to improve your smash also requires you to understand what are the qualities there are about a smash and then learn to master all the of this qualities first. In your effort to improve the quality of smash, make sure that while learning and practicing, the quality of your smash follows the below sequence by priority: Validity ----------> Accuracy ------------> X 1. Validity There is no point to execute a powerful smash if the outcome is not valid i.e regularly out or stuck into the net. It will just be a waste of physical and mental effort. Learn first to make sure that your smash is 100% VALID. While practicing, ensure that your smash: - Could pass the net cord 100% and - Land IN inside the court 100% While learning and concentrating on this effort, it doesn't matter if your smash is: - Not steep - Not powerful - Land mostly in the back court As i said earlier, there is no point having the above qualities in your smash but most of it is not valid. 2. Accuracy Accuracy in smashing is all about how accurate you will place the birdie to the area of your intention while playing. It can be into an area beyond your opponent reach or to a specific area towards your opponent physical structure or to a specific strategic area that will make the most difficult retrieval that will open to a winning opportunity for you later. Among all the quality that exist when you execute a valid smash, accuracy has the most important impact to the outcome in any of your smash. Having a high accuracy in any of your valid smash is so important because: - it can yield a higher chances of giving a winning point by itself or - opening an opportunity for a winning point later. The level of accuracy in any of your valid smash also will dictate the level of effectiveness of your smash since if you combined your valid and accurate smash with the other additional qualities such as power then it will be very lethal. Effective smash = Valid + Accurate Lethal smash = Valid + Accurate + X ( power, steepness etc) Therefore, its very important to diligently learn how to improve accuracy in any of your valid smash. Since it is not a over night effort that you can simply master how to place accurately your smash so therefore, its imperative for you to continuously train hard through numerous smashing drill if you have the opportunities. Mastering a high level of accuracy in any of your valid smash is not an easy skill to do and even world class player also practice hundreds to thousands of smashing drills to conquer that accuracy. 3. The other qualities (X) If you are a beginner and starting to learn how to smash then ignore this this section for a while but if your smash has all the descent validity and accuracy qualities then lets move on to this section . The end sequence to learn in regards about improving the qualities of your smash will include: - Power - Steepness - Deception Adding this qualities while already able to execute a high degree of validity and accuracy in any of your smash will indeed make your smash a more effective one. This are the additional qualities that is necessary to be learn especially if you're a type of player that involves competitively in any tournament since you need that extra flare in your smashing department in your game play. If you have fully understood, its more easier to upgrade the qualities of your smash by following this sequence. The only issue is how dedicated are you to willingly learn and practice continuously hard until you can master those qualities. Since the technicality aspect about smashing preparation, technique of execution and footwork has been numerously discussed elsewhere here in BC so, it will not be explain furthermore here and this post is just emphasizing the aspect of what are the qualities there are that you need to focus while learning to improve your smash. Good luck. SS
Agree very much on the importance of accuracy. Especially at higher levels of play where all players on court can effectively defend and counter attack, this is more important than power or steepness. If you can consistently and accurately hit the sidelines or the middle line when required, or the racket shoulder/chest/hip of your opponent, then that is more effective than an all out powerful steep smash right onto their rackets that are just waiting to counter back without much energy input on their part. But this will also require an acute sense of court awareness of your opponents' positions and openings. Additionally, mix this up with an occasional deception (eg. faked smash drop a la Jung Jae Sung) when your opponents are forced to defend deep and your smash will become very effective.
Its is also worth remembering that a smash at half power can be a good set up for teh next full power smash if you dont quite have the ideal position to execute. Really enjoyed watching morgensens sliced smashes during the London OG.
Yeah ... both... ... but only if one is acutely aware of where the opponents are standing. Ie if deep then fake drop, if closer then body smash or down the middle.
Coming back to this again, *variation* is also important at higher levels of play. Variations in power, height, angle.
Can you list the variety of smashes to the BCers ? (e.g. power smash, slice smash, check/half smash, and reverse slice smash, and not sure about this one - delay hit smash)
thank you very much for this article. this is a reminder for someone like me who has the tendency to just go with power first instead of accuracy/validity. Thus, most of my shots either go out of the court or hit the net. now i am more aware about the quality of my smashes. validity>accuracy>power>steepness.
Nope. Net kill. However I do agree with the rest of your post and it is a good read. I see a lot of people going for all out power. I have and still do this sometimes.
I am always hitting the shuttle at the net while smashing. I am not able to judge the shuttle correctly as it will cross the net or not while smashing. Also, though my intention is to contact the shuttle at the highest point in its flight while smashing, still I am hitting in the net. My footwork is good both while smashing at standing position and also while jump smashing. I want to first practice smashing at standing position so that I get the technique correctly.How to improve or judge or predict the trajectory of the shuttle and also the height of the net while smashing ?
Practice. I aim at the body a lot more as it means the shuttle travels higher for me and I hit fewer into the net.
I am practicing a lot by making my partner to toss the shuttle but repeating the same mistake over and over again. So want to correct it, first by clearing the net and then focus to improve the quality of my smash. Any suggestions to do this?
This is just my suggestion. You can visualize a target board (opponent) standing in front of you. In order to improve the validity part, it will be easier for you to aim for the target board body instead of aiming for the floor. Once you got your validity part nailed down, you can start getting your accuracy. As the thread starter says,"focus on getting it across."
Yes. First slow down your smash. As Pirelli put it... "power is nothing without control"! cheesy, but true. Now, assuming your general technique is good, it sounds to me that what you're not doing, is imagining in your head where the tape is. You need to be able to visualize the proximity and height of the net/tape in your head with every shot. Start by playing a few gentle tap smashes, and observing the trajectory as the shuttle crosses the net. Remember the angle in which you hit the shuttle. As you become more comfortable with this, gradually add more power with a full smash stroke. Practice this more and more until you get to the point when you don't need to think where the net is, your subconscious mind knows where it is, and all you think about is where the shuttle will land.
Thanks for the reply. How to predict the height of the net while hitting a smash as all shots are lifted above whereas in smash the shuttle is targeted downwards
Now, I am focusing to clear the net while smashing rather than accuracy or steepness but in due course repeatedly hitting the net.
I am going wrong in this part - "need to be able to visualize the proximity and height of the net/tape in your head with every shot." Also in some shots, my point of contact with the shuttle is very poor which I think I can correct it with practice but the above one, I am making it repeatedly
