One important way to improve our chance of winning in any badminton game is by increasing the power of our smash. We could do multiple adjustments to increase the overall power and accuracy of our smash. Here are ways to do that:
1. Improve Footwork
This should be quite easy to understand. If we don’t have the speed before we hit the shuttle, it is unlikely we have reasonably accurate smash. We should move quickly so our body mass will be in the right direction before we launch a smash. More power can be achieved by adding our bodyweight. We should know how far we should stand behind the shuttle to launch the smash properly. We could also do proper alignment with our racket shoulder.
2. Try to move fast enough
We should be able to move fast enough and get behind the shuttle properly. We could ask someone to hit the shuttle repeatedly towards us and we could train on how to position our body properly before hitting. At this stage, it is still not necessary to hit the shuttle. We should focus on how to put our body properly to achieve the most efficient position. We could try to move faster every time and make sure that we could reach proper position quickly, regardless of where the shuttle lands. This training should help us to define one key element needed to add significantly more power to our smash. We should repeat such an exercise, until we are fully comfortable.
3. Don’t be tense
Many amateurs and new players tend to move and swing the racket with excessive tension and unnecessary effort. This could put our body to unneeded physical pressure and it is also likely for us to experience frustration. We will not be able to perform in an optimum capability, if our body is thoroughly tense. Tense body won’t be able to move fast and we will not be able to move as powerfully. We could see that more relaxed players could actually be more flexible and deliver more power in each shot with graceful swings.
4. Improve grips
One important adjustment for people who want to improve their smash is by gripping their racket properly. A grip should be able to accommodate both backhand and forehand strokes efficiently. People who grip their racket too tight, could put their muscles under tension constantly. This will make it harder for them to move with the flow and adapt to changes. Tight grip could also limit the amount of power we deliver in each smash, so we could get poor results. It is also possible to run the risk of injuring our elbows if we grip the racket too tight. This is especially true, because the size of handle is typically smaller than our normal gripping radius. We should try to hit the shuttles with a more relaxed grip. The racket should be held just firm enough that it won’t slip out, but not too tight that it would hurt our hands.