BACKHAND TECHNIQUES
Remember the following concerning the backhand:
- tactically, a cross court backhand from full court is not wise to attempt by even the best in the world. It is best to intercept your opponnent's clears at your 3/4 court area.
- practise your backhand only a few minutes each session on court. You will notice improvement only if you are not trying too hard. Best results come when you are relaxed.
- try a grip change. For backhands that get behind you, place the thumb straight up along the side of the handle and hold the racquet in the fingers. For backhands which are hit beside you (between you and the sideline), place the thumb up the bevel of the handle closest to your body. For backhands hit between you and the net, place your thumb straight up the rear flat side of the handle. Another way of looking at that is that as the contact position of the shuttle changes and moves from closer to the net to closer to the rear of the court, your racquet rotates in the fingers so that the face of the racquet is always parrallel to the net, thus causing the thumb's position to
alter with respect to the parts of the handle. Was that clear?
- many players make the error of bringing the racquet back leading on the backswing. Keep the racquet higher than the forearm and draw both back together until the very last moment. The mirror image of this is on the forehand where the elbow is drawn back first before the racquet, like drawing an archer's bow. The racquet should not be taken back over the shoulder. The same thing applies for the backhand....the racquet should not be taken back on the backhand so that the elbow is stuck up in the air with the racquet pointing to the floor. This would be biomechanically innefficient.
- think of "spanking the shuttle, not stroking the shuttle.
- many players find it effective if they place their racquet foot on the floor at the instant they hit the shuttle, not before.
- key word to think about: "WHIP"
- key things to remember: loose grip, keep the elbow bent on contact, keep an angle of less than 90 degrees between the wrist and the racquet shaft for better supination of the forearm (rotation of the forearm and hand so that the palm faces forward or upward), keep your back to the net, relax!!
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