Recently I've been coming up in the situation where I have flicked a lift to an opponents backhand (right hander), and they have returned a very flat straight clear. I generally intercept these with a jump-out and play a stick smash/drop either crosscourt or straight and typically do well in these rallies. It seems almost a no-brainer. Last night I did a drill where my training partner stands in the rear corner on my forehand side and I play every stroke back to him (lift/clear), his options are straight drop, crosscourt drop, and straight clear. My problem comes when I receive a flat clear - I typically pivot + jump out for this stroke, but my normal response is as above (stick smash/fast drop), and a clear back to the forehand I find difficult. Specifically for this exercise, i started to try pivot + step out, playing a stroke as my racquet foot landed. This got me closer to correct length clear, but I felt I was taking the shuttle low enough that a stick smash/fast drop was no longer much of an option, and my responses looked more like tapped drop/weak clear. Should I be training to: 1) continue the jump out and stick smash/drop variations, acknowledging that the clear is not a useful stroke in this situation? 2) continue the jump out, but learn to play a clear from this position? 3) learn the step out variations, and improve my drops/clears from this position, foregoing the stick smash/fast drop options? 4) do something different from 1/2/3?
In my view, 3 is the most important. When you are tired, you will need it. Fact. To be honest, you have it easy in your drill that they are only limited to straight clears and the drops - much harder if they can cross clear and smash as well! (sometimes done with two feeders so you can lift/clear cross court or straight). However, in the long run, you should be able to: Play a clear from the jump out movement Play all shots (including a flatter full smash/drive, and a steeper stick smash) from the step out movement i.e. you should be able to play all shots from those positions. That you can't is just a sign that you haven't practised and learnt those shots yet. With a bit of practice, you will be able to do it fine. For the moment, I would learn the step out defensive variations. If you can't clear consistently well from this position, you are an easy target. If you can clear consistently well, you become the ultimate singles nightmare that cannot be outmanoeuvred! Good luck! p.s. my guess as to the reason you cannot perform a good clear from the jump out is that you are very used to using an abbreviated "stick" smash hitting action. Thus, you currently do not have enough power to clear using this action (which you should have!), and you are not currently using a full overhead hitting action for this jump out (which you should be able to do!). So lots of options for you to improve, and they are all important! But I think the step out is most important for singles.
Thanks for the detailed response. You have stated well the elephant in the room and answered what my real question was; I should eventually (ideally) be able to do all of the above, but should prioritise the step-out neutral movements to at least keep me in rallies, then work on my attacking options from both step-out and jump-out. I will have a look at my short action (which I think you are right about). I am unsure if it is because i'm beginning my stroke too late, being too tense, muscle memory, too much arm, or some other reason...
From memory of your videos, I believe there is nothing wrong with your short hitting action. The key with the short hitting action is people reach up overly early compared to a "full" hit (reaching up early in this instance is correct) - this means you generate power primarily from the arm and wrist, but without getting much torso power or arm extension. The key to hitting a "full" overhead stroke would simply be to make sure you maintain your "ready to hit" position as you jump out, then swing when appropriate. To enhance the power of your "short" hitting action, just be a bit more explosive with the wrist, and fingers - focus on "tapping" the shuttle with a short, sharp action with a rebound after contact - this is really just improving the quality and speed of the shot that you can already do, no real change required.
This is normal. Unless you are supremely fit, it is very difficult to keep jumping out for this shot. It is in fact one of the signs of tiredness you should look out for in an opponent. Make sure you are doing a quick side step after the pivot (if necessary) before the step out to make the distance. Crucially, this statement is not precise enough. Are you striking the shuttle as the foot lands? Bascially, you have to practice hitting the high clear from this point and also have the options of cross court drop and straight drop. The straight drop option is played with some slice to take it past the service line. The same shot as I described in another thread of yours.
Half and half on the timing - that is what I meant by beginning my stroke action earlier for the step out. As it stands I think I may be using an abbreviated overhead action because I'm not giving myself enough time to play the full stroke such that I can contact the shuttle as I land. Understood about straight sliced drop. I think my action is so short at the moment that I can't even manage slice. On the longer late forehand returns (or less attacking clears), I have the time to play a full stroke, but on this (very) flat clear, I seem to revert to the jump-out stick smash action, yet on pivot+step-out footwork...
