SMASHING IT!

(Lin Dan executing a smash)

The smash is said to be the ultimate shot in badminton, because when executed with power and precision it usually ends a rally. Even top players are defenseless against a well executed smash. So all of you weekend warriors out there, you might as well include this shot in your array of badminton skills. The following instructions or guides are culled from tons of information about the smash and synthesized to give you, as far as my abilities allow, the clearest possible information about this killer shot.

There are two types of smash: forehand and backhand. Here we will only deal with the forehand - the most common in view of the fact that a lot of players have difficulty doing the backhand, let alone the smash version of it.

As with other forehand strokes, the foundation for the forehand smash is the forehand clear, previously discussed in the post "Clearing with the forehand." For ease of understanding, the pointers here refer to the right handed player so if you're left handed, simply reverse the process with the left hand and it will be the same. Also, the arm that holds the racquet is called the racquet arm or hand, which for our purpose is the right arm, while the other arm (left arm) is the non-racquet arm. Therefore, the right foot is the racquet foot and the left the non-racquet foot.

Here's how it is done:

1. Assume a ready stance. Face the net, feet spread apart at about shoulder width. The right foot is slightly forward. Both feet are raised a little with only the balls touching the court floor to allow you to easily spring into action. It is not a good idea to stand with your feet flat on the floor as it will prevent you from immediately moving into another position.

The racquet should be raised infront of you, crossing your body diagonally where the racquet head is about your left shoulder. You may also want to hold it a little lower to ready yourself for a steep smash. You could hold the racquet with either the forehand or backhand grip, depending on your preference. For a more defensive posture, however, it is advisable to use the backhand grip so it will be easier to block or return a smash.

2. Move to a ready position. As you see the birdie fly off your opponent's racquet, move your right foot back such that you will stand almost sideways to the net. Simultaneously raise your left and right arms above your shoulder while turning your torso to the right; your left arm is now infront of you to act as a balancer and your racquet arm behind you with the racquet head high pass your head. Your weight is now shifted to your right foot.

The way your arms are positioned now is like a capital letter "U" or the sides of a box with the upper parts of your arms and shoulder forming the bottom of the box. You can assume either, but for me I prefer the letter "U" because with my arms higher I avoid the mistake of hitting low.

Of course it is assumed that while doing all these movements your eyes are focused on the incoming birdie.

3. Unwind for the shot. As the birdie comes to the right position, unwind for the shot. The right moment to hit the birdie is ideally at the highest possible height when it is above and infront of you. Take note of the phrase "above and infront of you," which means that the birdie is high up but not directly above you. Rather it is infront of you preferably five to six inches away. This is called a one or 11 o' clock position. A birdie directly above you is at a 12 o' clock position, which is not the position you like to hit the birdie. The reason for this is to allow you to hit down the birdie to the other court, rather than hit it upward as is the case with a clear. It allows you to move toward the birdie with all your weight and stroke for that killer smash. Also, when you hit the birdie make sure it is along your right shoulder, because if the birdie is wide away from your shoulder your shot will not be as powerful and may hurt your shoulder. So, the right position is above and infront of you along the right shoulder.

Having found the right position of the birdie, you are now ready to take the shot by:

a) Cocking the racquet, which is done by dropping the head deep along your back;
b) Turning your torso to the left or toward the net;
c) Unwinding your racquet from its cocked position by whipping your forearm upward toward the birdie (your elbow is now locked - meaning your racquet arm is straight up, as can be seen from Lin Dan's picture above);
d) Snapping your wrist so that the racquet face (stringed area) contacts the birdie in an explosive manner (For the wrist movement, see the video in the post "The Wrist Action");
e) Allow your swing to continue naturally downward for the follow-through until your racquet ends up either to the left or right side of your body.

Normally, the racquet head ends up to the left side of your body as a result of the turning action of your torso to the left or toward the net. In other players the swing may end up to the right side of the body. There is no problem with either case. What is important is do not stop your stroke upon contact with the birdie; make sure there is a follow-through for added power to your shot. Also, immediately after the follow-through be sure to assume back your ready stance to prepare for any return shot by your opponent.

Step a) is done immediately before hitting the birdie. It will be a fast action where you will normally see the racquet in but a blur when a good player executes it during a game. This dropping of the racquet head is a cocking action that supplies power to the shot. It is also done simultaneously with steps b) to e). Steps c) to e) are done in immediate succession or in one continuous motion. Make no mistake, these steps are but a breakdown of the shot; you may do them one by one to make sure you are properly doing each movement, but in actual application these are all done simultaneously and in succession - in one smooth and continuous flow.

Furthermore, as you do steps a) to e), you are doing a forward motion where your weight shifts to your left or non-racquet foot. It is also alright if your racquet foot moves forward and lands in front as you execute the smash. Now, you might be asking what happens to your left arm throughout this whole movement. You don't have to worry much about it as it will naturally drop and get out of the way as you perform the shot.

Notice in these steps that it is not only the wrist snap that provides power to your shot, but the twisting of your torso through your hips, the shoulder turn, the cocking of the racquet, whipping of the forearm and the weight shifting forward. All these contribute to the power behind the smash. Seasoned players who have developed powerful wrists, though, could still deliver a fatal smash even with the wrist snap only if they find themselves out of position.

There is a variation to the forehand smash in what is called an overhead smash. The overhead smash is done with the birdie being hit on the left side of the body, along the left shoulder, as when the birdie is sent to your backhand side. Instead of the forearm traveling straight up along the right shoulder, it will pass along the back of the head from its cocked position. This shot is done as a substitute to a backhand shot, especially if the player has a weak backhand. But even if your backhand is good it is still preferable to use this shot as the forehand is still more powerful, like what Lin Dan does who sparingly uses his backhand.

There is also the jump smash, but for now this will not be tackled as it is an advance shot already.

Finally, the smash uses a lot of energy so if you are not in tip-top physical condition or your opponents have strong smash defenses, use it sparingly; as much as possible use it only when it will deliver a kill as when the birdie is high up in midcourt when the opponent delivers a giveaway shot. But if your opponents are not as good in returning smashes and you have that reserve of energy, by all means smash whenever there is chance for this will put you always on the offensive and your opponent on the defensive. In doubles, even if the opponents can return your smashes there will be times when they will make weak returns that set them up for an indefensible smash by your partner who is positioned in front. So a smash is not only intended to deliver an instant kill but also to force your opponents make weak returns or giveaway shots.

For an illustration, click on the link below and check the video tutorial to see the smash in motion. Remember, there will be variations in what you will see from what have been discussed here. In this video the player jumps a little and the racquet is positioned differently in the unwinding for the shot. Focus on the racquet and arm movements as the shot is delivered.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/yt-8QlW8_PdYbw/badminton_technique_forehand_smash/