LEARNING THE BACKHAND CLEAR

Learn Backhand Clear In Badminton - Click here for the most popular videos

The high backhand clear is one of the most difficult shots in badminton. The above video shows you in step-by-step frame how to execute the shot. Take note of the following:

1. It is important to get into position properly and early.

2. Remember to shift to your backhand grip.

3. Take note of your hitting zone (where the birdie is hit in relation to your body), which should be on the right side of your body and should not be far away from your racquet arm shoulder.

4. As you raise your racquet to hit the birdie the elbow should lead your arm, to be followed by the whipping or rebound action of the forearm and wrist.

5. Do the shot in a relaxed manner; don't tense your muscles so your arm movement will be swift and snappy.

6. Of course timing is important.

7. Finally, after the shot don't stay in that position, but rather immediately get back to the center and get ready for the next shot.

8. Oh one more. Don't get into the habit of hitting backhand every time; remember the advise of badminton sages, "the best backhand is no backhand at all." It simply means that if you can avoid it, do it by getting into position early to be able to deliver a forehand shot, which is concededly more powerful and easier than the backhand. Do the backhand only when it is difficult to take a forehand shot. But then again, if your backhand is as powerful as Taufik Hidayat, you'd have no problem about it.

TACTICAL MATTERS - Doubles Rotation

1. Front-and-back attacking mode formation.




2. Back-to-back defending mode formation.


Playing badminton doubles requires teamwork and flawless coordination for success. Both players must be in sync and know each other's moves. This is only achieved after some time playing together. But this does not necessarily mean you have to do some guesswork in the early stages to establish coordination with your partner, especially if you play with different partners most of the time, thereby preventing you from getting to know a partner's playing style and adjusting to it.

It pays to know the basics.

1. When a partner is serving low, the other partner is usually behind and prepares himself/herself for an attack, either by smashing or dropping the return. This puts you in a front-and-back formation (see picture 1 above). In other words, the server takes care of all shots at the net while the one behind takes care of the shots at the back. If the return to the serve is a clear, the partner at the back should either smash or drop to maintain the attacking mode. This way the opponents will be forced to lift the shuttle cock, unless they answer with net shots, that will again provide opportunity for the back player to attack.

2. If the serve is high, the server should immediately move to his/her side of the court after the serve, while the other partner should immediately position himself/herself to the other side so that the two players will be on a side-to-side formation or a split (see picture 2 above). This prepares them for any possible attacking shots, such as a smash. It is easier to defend against a smash in a side-to-side formation, and usually the partner whose forehand side is closer to the direction of the birdie or shuttle cock will be the one to return the smash.

So, let me summarize the above rules: (1) when a partner serves low the partner assumes a front-and-back formation with the server staying in front to block all shots to the net while the other partner who is behind staying at the back to deal with all the shots there, preferably through a smash or drop; (2) when a partner serves high the partners assume a side-to-side formation by splitting the court into two in preparation for an attack.

3. All throughout the game after the serve, the rule on assuming a front-and-back formation (attacking mode) whenever a partner smashes or drops or assuming a side-to-side formation (defensive mode) whenever a partner clears or lifts should generally be observed.

SHUTTLER NOTES - Philippine Open Badminton

On July 1-5, shuttlers from all over the world will be competing for the Bingo Bonanza Philippine Open Grand Prix Badminton Tournament which will be held at the Philsports Arena in Pasig city, Metro Manila. As much as US $120,000.00 will be at stake in this much awaited event, which was shelved last 2008 to give way to the Beijing Olympics. According to Philippine badminton honcho Amelita "Ming" Ramos, winners in this tournament will earn points to compete for the next olympics. Top asian players, like Beijing Olympics men's single runner-up and current world number one Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia, have already confirmed their participation.

TACTICAL MATTERS: RETURNING THE BIRDIE

For most beginners, returning the birdie into the opponent's side of the court is the ultimate objective, rather than scoring a shot or putting the opponent out of position. But for a more rewarding play, however, it is important to return the birdie with an objective other than merely being able to bring it into the opponent's court: to win.

The following are some of the ways by which this can be achieved:

1. Bring the birdie to a spot that is not covered by the opponent or will be hard to reach. A lot makes the mistake of returning the birdie to the opponent himself which gives him/her the opportunity to return a winner or defensive shot. Wouldn't it make more sense to send the birdie to a spot away from the opponent?

2. Send your clear deep into the back line of the court. Never send a clear or lob shot (one that is high) to the forecourt (infront or close to the net) or midcourt only (between the forecourt and the back part of the court) as this will be easy for the opponent to kill it with a smash, which will be hard to defend against. So practice your clear by sending the birdie way to the back part of the court, taking care of course not to bring the birdie outside of the court. This clear can work both as a defensive and offensive move: it is defensive when your only objective is to return your opponent's attack; it is offensive when your opponent is infront and away from the back court. Also, if your clear is deep it would be much easier to defend even against a smash. The laws of physics will work on your side: the farther the biride the slower or lesser force it reaches you.

3. Try to bring the birdie to the corners on the back court. A deep clear shot to the corner of the back court is difficult to return, especially if it is the backhand side of the opponent (to the right if opponent is right handed; to the left if left handed).

THE JUMP SMASH

Who said only in basketball do we see players flying off the court? In this picture Lin Dan, 1997 Olympics gold medalist for men's singles event, executing a high jump smash. The jump smash is usually done when smashing from the rear part of the court to give a player more stiffness to the smash, which cannot normally be accomplished due to the distance from the net. Although I have seen beginners do jump smashes in midcourt or even in forecourt! To me this is waste of precious energy because a normal smash, given your proximity to the net, could accomplish the same thing, and with even greater accuracy as a jump smash requires perfect timing to do.

Anyway, if you have the strength to do this highly advanced shot, I suggest you check out this link involving a demonstration of the jump smash by Danish player Peter Rasmussen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12Xe5Qtrq90.

SMASHING IT! - PART 3

In the postings below, you will see a series of pictures from the ready stance to the smash shot, with brief explanations, for a further understanding and mastery of this very important and potent badminton shot.