Secret to the Backhand Clear in Badminton!
The backhand Clear is definitely one of the most difficult skills to acquire on the badminton court. You may have seen some players hitting a crisp backhand and just wished, if only you could hit it with such precision. Taufik Hidayat, Lee Chong Wei, Victor Axelson, all of them have such good backhands that it seems such an easy and effortless shot watching them hit it. Let’s dive into the details of why this shot is difficult to master and, in the process, learn in few simple steps of how to hone the skill of a perfect backhand clear.
There are four major points you need to keep in mind:
The Grip, The Wrist, The Position, and Execution.
We will talk on these points in detail. But even before you step on the court, you need to have a belief in yourself that Yes! I can hit this shot. You will have to picture yourself doing the thing you want to, a million times in your mind before you actually perform it. That’s it! You are ready to learn one of the most revered skills amongst the shuttlers.
The Grip
Most of the time this section gets overlooked just because your coach may think that, Duh! Holding the racket is just the most basic. You should already know it. But I know how you feel when you have tried the shot a thousand times but still failed to achieve that precision. It is of utmost important that you pay attention to how you hold your racket. It is a real game changer.
Now most of us have been taught that there are two grips in total: forehand and backhand. But the secret is that these two grips can be further divided into several other forms. For this particular shot, the backhand clear, you can’t remain stuck with the normal backhand grip where you place your thumb on the flat part of the racket handle. This is not right. The thumb this way prevents you from executing the wrist action and generating power in the best possible way.
The correct grip, as depicted in the picture should have your thumb in the edge of the flat-narrow part of racket. This will give your wrist the freedom to whip it when making the contact with shuttle. Rest of the fingers should be comfortably placed around the handle, with the index finger just below the level of your thumb. The thumb should be pressing in on the handle while the overall grip should be a little loose and comfy.
You need to remember that in an actual game you won’t be holding the racket in backhand grip always. You will need to switch from a different grip to the on mentioned above, in just a fraction of a section. Thus, first it is important for you to practice the switch several times over and over again, so that you are prepared for the real in-game situations.
The Wrist
A good forearm rotation is the key to the perfect whip wrist action. It is often misunderstood that the power needs to come just from the wrist and players keep chasing the untrue fact. The secret is in the forearm rotation where you twist the entire arm down the elbow right before making the contact with the shuttle. Till this point the wrist needs to be cocked and firmly held in the same position.
The moment you are going to hit the shuttle, at only that time you need to release your wrist with forearm rotation with a whip-like action keeping the racket at a slightly upward angle. This motion is essential in utilizing the energy that you generate with a good swing and to maximize the efficiency of your stroke. Thus, it very essential for you to practice the forearm rotation with a cocked wrist multiple times, keeping the racket steady and firm in your palm.
Body Positioning
It is very important to keep in mind that when you will be receiving the shuttle on your backhand, it will not always be an ideal position with an ideal grip for you. You will have to adjust yourself to the flight of shuttle, take a stride towards the corner of the court anticipating the trajectory and eventually you will be facing away from the opponent while hitting the backhand clear. To have the best foundation for hitting the shot, you need to keep your core tight and knees should be bent a little in order to have good stability. You need to try and keep yourself well balanced and as calm as possible to execute the with precision.
While position yourself to hit the shuttle you need to have an optimum distance from the shuttle. It is best to catch the shuttle just above your head at an arm’s length. The timing is the key here. You will have to be in the correct position for making a great contact. A little to early or a little too late can make a huge difference. Your eyes should always be on the shuttle the entire time, but you should always be aware of the opponent’s position. Ok! You are all set to execute a crisp backhand.
Execution
Once you are in the correct position with a stable base, you need to generate a good swing to hit the shuttle. For this, you need to point your elbow towards the trajectory of the shuttle and then open your arm. You will have to imagine a spot in the air where you will contact the shuttle. When the shuttle is almost near that spot, release that swing in one fluid motion. The wrist is still cocked until you are just about to make the contact.
As soon as you are just about to hit the shuttle you need to release the forearm rotation with the cocked wrist and then whip the wrist with some force to generate the right amount of power. You will have to make sure that you catch the shuttle on the sweet spot of the racket with a slightly uppish trajectory.
Remember to lock your elbow tight while releasing that forearm rotation. This will not only prevent the dissipation of the power you generated with the swing but also prevent the elbow from getting any injury from the jerk action that can damage the joint in a longer run.
That is, it! You have just hit a perfect backhand clear.
The four major points mentioned above should all be kept in mind to hit the shuttle in one perfect, smooth action to achieve the maximum efficiency from the shot.
Hidayat’s secret to success in hitting such clean backhands has been the fluid motion with which he executes the shot. It is his consistency that has amazed the world. You can see in this picture how his forearm muscles are tensed before hitting the shuttle. If you get this coiling motion of the forearm right, then it all just comes down to the timing where in you must make sure to catch the shuttle on the sweet spot of the racket.
Voila! There you go. You know now everything to hit that crisp backhand clear and come out of the embarrassment of not being able to hit a backhand. Remember, the backhand clear is an emergency shot and most players only take it when they cannot get it overhead in time. But, having a strong backhand can take your game to the next level of achieving excellency in the sport.
