Backhands!
First a few rough tips for most of the backhand shots, before we go though them in more detail.
1. The backhand grip should be used (with a few exceptions), to achieve this hold the racket in the basic forehand grip. Relax that grip and with your fingers turn the racket about 30 degrees right. You can now place your thumb flat along what is going to be the back bevel of the handle. This will give you extra leverage and control. Practise this change from forehand to backhand and back again off-court until it is automatic. In play, it will require no conscious thought. It will just happen.
2. The right foot is always placed towards the shuttle's line of flight.
3. At the same time bring the right hand near the left shoulder (arm bent; wrist cocked back) so that the racket may be thrown flat, down or up at the shuttle.
4. Begin the forward swing by thrusting the right elbow 'into' the shuttle, then wrist, and racket.
Let's start with the simple lob and work our way up to the overhead shots.
Backhand Lob
The lob is an underhand shot used to return a shuttle which is well below tape-level, in the forecourt. Its aim is to hit the shuttle high and deep to the back of the court to give you time to regain your control base and to blunt your opponent's attack. In other words it is the underhand counterpart of the clear.
Move to the shuttle taking a final long lunge so that you are not cramped and keep your back foot near base. Point the right foot at the drop of the shuttle. Bring the racket to the left side of the body with right hand by left shoulder, and racket, by means of bent arm and bent wrist, held vertically at shoulder level. Sweep the racket-head down with the elbow leading, the arm straightening and, in the 'zip' area, wrist uncocking to make impact just to the left of the leading foot. Let the racket flow with straight arm above head level on line with the target area. Recover quickly to your position of readiness by thrusting off strongly with the bent right leg.
Remember you are hitting the shuttle only just half the length of the court so 'lean on it', stroke it, rather than hit it. Be all elegance and grace. If the shuttle is dropping very near the net you will have to angle up your racket face to give the shuttle's flight the necessary verticality to clear the net.
Remember too, unless you wish to experience the ignominy of a shuttle in the face as you retreat, that length, height and recovery are the Three Virtues.
Backhand Drive
The drive is a splendid attacking shot, hit fast and flat generally down the sidelines. It is used mainly in mixed doubles by the stronger player.
All the principles previously mentioned apply again. This time however instead of diagonally facing the net you are sideways onto it. The right foot points directly at the sideline, slightly distanced from it so that the shuttle can be struck at full arm's-length. Right hand is again by left shoulder, but the racket shaft is horizontal to the ground and virtually across the shoulder.
Fling the racket-head at the shuttle, arm straigtening, body turning, wrist uncocking, to make impact just in front of the body. If the shuttle is at tape level the racket-head will be absolutely vertical to produce a flat, net-skimming shot. (If the shuttle is slightly below, the racket-head is very slightly angled up; if above, down.) Lean into the shot so that you can keep the racket-head square to the shuttle and flat as long as possible to drive it down the side-line. (To play a cross-court shot meet the shuttle 0.5m (18in) in front of the body and hit across court.) Follow through to above the right shoulder and, pushing on the right foot, recover quickly. Remember, do get that right foot across.
Another Type of Drive
Often called the 'Danish wipe' or 'Sweedish swish' these are a cross between the drive and lob. Played from the back of the court, the shuttle is allowed to drop to waist height. Drive action is used but instead of the flat swing the racket is swept down then up under the shuttle to loft it right to the baseline. Use plenty of 'wipe', body action, and 'swish', wrist action. Its disadvantages compared with the overhead clear are that by letting the shuttle drop, downward angle and variety of shot are sacrificed. Worse still your opponent is given more time!
Overhead backhand shots: Clear, drop-shot and smash
The most elegant and apparently effortless of shots as the power ones rely largely on the use of the wrist and timing. But they need a commensurate amount of practice. Clear, drop-shot and smash can all be played as the forehand.
Some old principles: So, pivoting on your left foot, almost turn your back on the net (though still watching the shuttle carefully over your shoulder) and point your right foot to the left hand, back corner 'box'.
At the same time, right hand yet again to left shoulder, arm bent, elbow up, wrist cocked so that the racket-head is roughly on a level with the small of your back. Bend the knees slightly, spiral the body upwards, snap the arm straight, uncock the wrist and make upward impact just in front of the head. Since so much of the shots power is in the wrist snap, this must be very exactly timed neither too early nor too late - but within the 'zip' area 0.5 (18in) each side of the impact point.
For the smash, impact is some 0.5m in front of the head. And as the backhand smash is very much less powerful than the forehand you should not attempt it from further back than mid-court, from where it can be an efficient snap-shot. As an alternative from deeper in court there is still the drop-shot, in which the wrist is gently rolled over to make impacted in front of the head.
Compiled by JC Gomez for eGallerie
