Generally, I find it quite difficult to imitate the pros and change technique. Most of the time, I am talking with pros during sessions in person and then relating what they say or what I learn from them to what I see on the court.
For instance, I have always wondered why I have problems with a doubles backhand half paced midcourt push. Amongst lower competitive players my push is quite OK. But I need a margin of error of about 1 and a half feet over the net for the shuttle to go over consistently. Also, if I haven't played for a few weeks, it's one of my weakest areas until I get the feel back. I was doing some training with a ex international doubles player explaining the problem and he showed me a technique of an undercut into the shuttle. It makes the shuttle shoot off with a very flat trajectory. Whether I can use it in a game is another matter but at least I have more insight and I can see how it works with all the matches I have watched in the past but never been able to figure out.
it it very hard to imitate the pros. I try to copy LYD backhand defence. LYD can switch between forehand and backhand defence.. Nah can't work out in real games. i am only social player after all.
I think (but not certain) that he isn't changing grip when he switches between forehand and backhand defence - which is why he can be so quick.
Try to focus on how it feels to do it right, and then get this feeling in matches. Focusing on extending the arm is just not possible during matches, but focusing on the feeling of being balanced (which includes extending the arm) should be more manageable.
But you are right - after lots of practice, it will become natural because its the easiest way to cover the court.
Since this thread has popped up again, here's just a quick update regarding my personal "use other arm for balancing"-project. During drills and training sessions, I literally forced myself to practise this excessively and slowly but steadily it seems to be creeping into my match-mode as well.
And during some matches lately I discovered that it works for me as a focussing point to pull myself together during bad phases. We all know the situations when you all of a sudden start to struggle and making a couple of unforced errors in a row, like hitting easiest smashes into the net or out of the court and just somehow loosing it mentally. Whenever I feel to get caught in this mode, I actively start to focus on using my balancing arm and this seems to somehow get my system back to normal.
On one side, my mind is then occupied with a certain topic and can get out of a negative loop, on the other side it physically helps to play shots from a more balanced position and thus gaining precision. And just like you said @MSeeley , it has an impact on my overall feeling on court. Maybe it's the better balance in my movements that also gives more mental stability.
Important though - don't come to rely on this: if you start thinking to yourself "when I think about my arm in matches I start playing better", then you will only add to the negativity if you try this in a match and it DOESN'T help. So just keep it as a trick that sometimes works, to avoid any future disappointment.
I am confident he does change his grip, but in a sense you are correct: the grip change from backhand to forehand is so easy and so small and so quick, there is no reason not to. Starting with the backhand grip, just relax your grip and cock your wrist to the side for a forehand - you basically have the correct grip (it doesn't need to be a panhandle grip, which is perhaps a more significant grip change). The indonesians also change grip easily. So, he is changing his grip, but really the two grips are so similar, its not that difficult to do anyway.
Obivously LYD is also very good at using his backhand on the forehand side, which is more limited in terms of which shots you can play, but still exceptionally skilful.
Yes, he does change grip normally - I know, but when under severe pressure in defence, I have noticed that he doesn't always seem to change grip - usually on the right hand side of the court. He would play a forehand cross court with what looks like a backhand grip.
Can you find an example video? You are probably right, but I am nosey and always want to have a look for myself. I am also lazy and can't be bothered to watch several hours of videos to find one where he does it that gives me a good view!
Many of my defensive shots on the forehand side use a grip that is closer to "backhand" than forehand, but that doesn't mean I haven't adjusted it a little bit, usually by moving my thumb slightly to loosen up my wrist. And of course for some shots on the forehand side, maybe you want to use a more backhand style grip (especially when hitting cross court).
My point is that the grip you change to is often actually so very close to the backhand grip anyway, there isn't really all that much pressure to change - just a readjustment of the fingers which is done during the backswing.
Anyways - this is one of those kind of pointless discussions I think. Many players defend in different ways with different grips. There is no "best" way, there is only doing lots of practice and making sure you are a brick wall in defence and can execute a full repertoire of shots when under pressure. If Setiawan can do that one way, and LYD does it another, who cares what is "best"?
What annoys me when people talk about defending is as if one player doing it one way is better than another way. Especially when people start talking rubbish about not having enough time to change grips. They are nearly always wrong. They often don't have time to consciously change grip - thats fair enough. But grip changing from backhand to forehand in defence (for example) is so small, and so easy, it can always be performed as you move the racket towards the shuttle to play the shot. The only time it can't change is if you stand committed to a shot and hence are not actually ready (and your defence isn't actually rock solid!).
I want to see less talking about what is best, and what is right, and more about what is possible, and what we should aspire to! And personally speaking, defence is the biggest area for me where players are not doing enough to improve their game, and the area I neglected most when I started playing, and have benefited most from fixing.
I'm going to struggle with that request! I've not noted down when I saw him do this, but I just recall seeing him do it before and thinking to myself that it actually made sense - as I've always wondered how he can defend so well. It may not be a full BH grip, semi-BH grip perhaps - I can't remember exactly but it wasn't a FH grip. If I come across it again I will post it up but I really don't fancy going through hours of youtube videos looking for it!
Given that one of the tactics we employ in XD is to kill wide to the lady's forehand first, then if a weak return is produced, kill on the backhand side. This is because usually in defence we would defend with a BH grip. When asked to play a wide forehand smash return, the lady can usually switch to FH grip without much problem. But when asked to change from BH to FH and back to BH in quick succession it is quite difficult. Most men can often get away with it by playing a BH return with a compromised FH grip or a BH return on the FH side due to their extra strength but a lot of women do struggle.
You're right though, in most defensive situations - when the smash is coming from rear to midcourt, there should be enough time to change grip. It's only net kills or exceptionally hard smashes that may prevent you from changing.
Not really. Just a slight undercut with the racquet face going towards the direction of the net.Hitting on the side (part cork part feather) ? So as if you are "sending" it out instead of hitting it ? Is the sound different ?