A badminton smash is used against your opponent’s weak response as it can reach speeds up to 565 km/h. It is a downward attacking shot aimed at winning the rally.
To execute a perfect smash, position yourself behind the shuttle when making contact, grip the racket near the bottom of the handle, and rotate your hips, torso, and shoulder to create rapid racket head speed, while shifting your body weight forward.
How to hit a smash in badminton?
To hit a smash a player must follow these few steps:
- While hitting a smash a player must jump into the air to deliver a powerful smash on the shuttlecock, ensuring that the player considers both the angle and his/her landing position, which is said to be within the court.
- The smash should be executed with full force and straight down into your opponent’s side of the court.
- It is most effective when the shuttlecock is high in the air.
- The smash is difficult to defend due to its high speed and trajectory which flows downwards.
- You can challenge and make it difficult for the opponent to play the shot by aiming at his upper torso, leaving them stunned and difficult to respond.
What are the different techniques to smash in badminton?
There are different techniques of smash in badminton which are as follows:
Forehand Smash Technique – A forehand smash is an overhead smash in badminton in which the player smashes the shuttle forcefully downwards. Mastering the smash can enhance your game but it is only possible if you have a solid throwing technique or can throw with good speed and angle. A well-executed smash is always challenging for the opponent to return, but you have to be prepared for the counterattack.
Steps to perform Forehand smashes in badminton:
- Start raising your non-racket hand and position it above your chin to achieve a steep angle on your shot.
- Shifting your weight onto the back to maintain balance will help you track the downward angle of your shot accurately while reducing the risk of hitting it incorrectly.
- Keep your elbows straight and swing the racket in strong motion.
- The grip on your racket is crucial for a successful smash and a player should stay on his toes ready to play forehand smash at any moment.
Backhand Smash Technique –The backhand smash is a powerful downwards shot hit from the backhand rear court and is hit with a backhand motion rather than a forehand motion like in the other smashes. This is typically more common in singles (or for the lazier players who automatically turn to take a backhand)!
How to execute backhand smash in badminton:
- Mastering the backhand grip is crucial, the transition from forehand to backhand grip is very complex and requires awareness of swing, angles, and shots.
- Timing is the key, while it is tough for your opponent to return the shot, it’s equally challenging for you to return the smash with the right pace and angle.
- Without wasting your time rotate your body so that your back faces the net.
- In a forehand smash your weight is balanced on your backfoot and for the backhand smash your weight is balanced on your racket foot.
Jumping Smash In Badminton – A jumping smash is a powerful overhead shot in badminton that’s typically played from the rear court to the opponent’s mid-court. When executed well, it can be difficult for the opponent to return.
How to execute jumping smash in badminton:
- You need to act and react quickly, as timing is crucial. Give your opponent little or no time to respond.
- The closer you are to the shuttlecock the more power you can generate, and if the shuttlecock is higher it is harder to hit.
- Using forehand grip for better control and balance.
- While jumping, a player should keep his body firm.
- Drive down your racket foot forward for a powerful jump.
- A player should keep his racket foot forward to maintain balance.
- Anticipating your angles while jumping to ensure your shots land accurately within the service court.
Best Badminton rackets to smash your opponents:
Now that you have learnt the tricks, let’s finalize the weapons you would need to ace the badminton smash.
- Yonex Astrox 77 (Play/Game/Pro) badminton racket
- Yonex Astrox 99 Play badminton racket
- Yonex Nanoflare 1000 Z badminton racket
