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Hopefully you've got the
forearm technique going. Eventually, you should be able to clear the
shuttle from one end of the court to the other without swinging your arm -
might sound impossible, but you can get a lot of power out of your
forearm.
To
hit it harder, you need to get behind the shuttle, and move your body hard
into the shot. Tennis players demonstrate it well when they serve.
Analysing the physics of the game, to hit the shuttle further and more
quickly you need to get the racket head moving as fast as possible.
Regard the racket as being part of your arm. With your shoulder as
the pivot point, the point of contact (racket head) has a fairly long
extension from the pivot point. Thus, by moving your shoulder faster
the racket head will move a magnitude of times faster (the longer your
arms, the better!).
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| Women
can hit it pretty hard, too. Zhang Ning of China demonstrates a
powerful forearm turn |
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Here's
another high jumping forehand (left handed in this case) |
You
should be able to hit the shuttle from one end of the court to the other
(and not just with a fast shuttle!). You might like to try hitting
it from a metre of so further back - the added power will be invaluable
when you're under pressure, or playing with a particularly slow shuttle,
or on a cold day.
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Backhand:
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The
best way to play the backhand, is not to play it at all. Use your speed to
play overhead shots 'around the head', that is, to move as far to the backhand
side of the court and play a forehand shot. It'll help you to avoid
getting into trouble if you can't clear with your backhand. Bend your
back!
If
you can't get around (either because it is practically
impossible or undesirable), the technique to use is identical to
the forearm technique, only in reverse. Most people have
no problems executing this on shots at shoulder level or lower,
but many have difficulty when the shot is above their
head.
To
gain extra power in your backhand shots, first get into position
by turning your back to the net. Then spin around, hitting
the shuttle flat down the line. Always use the weight of
your body to maximise power transfer.
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Peter Gade of Denmark
intelligently plays around
the head |
Back
To Part One Service
Tips
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