Badminton Smash
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Introduction
A badminton smash is a very powerful offensive shot.
Many people might think that "I am a pro if I can do a 300km/h smash with a tremendous sound".
THIS IS NOT HOW IT WORKS!!
When Should You Smash?
The general rule of thumb is that every time you are about to smash, ask yourself whether your smash will make your opponent lose a point.
If you REALLY think so, GO AHEAD!
Although a smash is very powerful, it has certain disadvantages and it's important that you are aware of it. I'll talk about this in a moment.
The Disadvantages of a Smash
While a smash is powerful when executed correctly, it can also be a dangerous shot to take.
DO NOT SMASH unless you are confident that the smash will help you win a point or at least do some 'damage' to your opponent.
There are two simple DISADVANTAGES of smashing:
Slows down your footwork: Smashing requires you to do a strong and complete swing. The strength of the swing will then make you lose balance.
You'll then concentrate on maintaining your body balance while you lose time returning to your base. If your opponent is able to defend your smash, it'll be difficult for you to reach the shuttle in time.
Have less impact if it's executed from the back of the court: A smash executed from the back of the court will not be strong because there will not be sufficient angle to produce a steep smash (look at the picture above).
This type of shot can be easily defended. At the same time, executing a smash will weaken your footwork because you lose some degree of body balance. You might also have trouble retrieving your opponent's return shot.
Tutorial
1. Prepare
- Stand on a firm position. If you're not stable while executing a smash, your smash won't be too powerful because your body will concentrate on balancing first rather than doing a strong swing.
2. Pre-load
Take the shuttle when it is still high. This creates a steeper angle for your smash down to your opponent's court. Commence your badminton stroke when the shuttle reaches X. (see picture above)
Remember, the key is not about how strong your smash is, rather, it is the result of your smash.
There's no point hitting a strong and powerful smash if you are not able to return to your base in time to prepare for your opponent's return shot.
3. Strike
Extend your chest and arms to the widest extend possible.
This ensures that you'll be doing a 'full arm swing'. At the same time, extend your non-racket arm to balance out the weight of your racket arm.
Perform a full arm swing. The correct way of doing the badminton smash is as simple as performing a full arm swing. Of course, smashing will require you to assert more strength in your swing (while you maintain your body balance).
Take the shuttlecock when it's still high and slightly above and in front of your head like the above picture. A full arm swing will naturally hit the shuttlecock downwards.
See the badminton basics page to see how to do a correct badminton stroke.
- Maintain good body balance. Since smashing requires you to exert a lot of strength into your stroke, the force of your stroke will push your body weight towards the front. Maintain your body balance and quickly return to your base right after you execute a smash.
This is VERY IMPORTANT if you want to maximise the power of your swing because the non racket arm serves a very important purpose in helping you maintain body balance. (see picture above)
Important Tips/Advice
- Master the Basics: I suggest you master the badminton clear/lob and badminton drop BEFORE learning the badminton smash.
Perfect Your Technique for Smashing: As long as you have the correct technique, increasing the power of your smash will not be a problem. Good technique is waaaaay more important when doing badminton smash.
When you begin to train your smash, try to do soft badminton smashes first to familiarize yourself with the correct technique. Once you are familiar with the technique, gradually increase the power of your smash over time.
It's VERY important that you do not start off using your full strength. Your focus will be diverted to doing strong swings and balancing rather than executing the correct technique.
- Non-racket Arm: Always remember to make use of your non-racket arm to help you maintain body balance. When you lose balance after a smash, you won't be able to exert power into your smash. Therefore, your non-racket arm serves as a balancing mechanism. You'll be able to exert more power into your swing and at the same time, maintain body balance.
Do not smash every time! This is a VERY COMMON mistake. Maybe because most people think that the badminton smash is the 'coolest' shot.
DO NOT execute a smash unless you're confident that your smash will be a strong one. In other words, smash when you have good balance.
A badminton smash is like a double edged sword, it's difficult for your opponent to defend it. BUT if your opponent manages to defend it, you may need to regain your balance quickly to be able to retrieve his return shot.
Use a badminton clear and badminton drop shot to force your opponent to make mistakes. Be patient and WAIT for your chance to do a smash. In this situation, your smash will be very strong and difficult to defend.
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