What are the essential elements to a great overhead
A friend asked me to comment on a player’s technique
What would look for?
I struggled to know what to say
I’d never seen the player before, what should I comment on?
How do you asess the effectivness of a great overhead
The coach asked the question because on one of their players had just played this opponent and reported that they found it difficult to ‘read’ and respond to their overhead strokes.
Luckily we both had an opportunity to watch this player again in the next round of the competition.
I knew that I’d had plenty of time to observe but what should I say and what should I look at?
What does the perfect badminton overhead technique look like?
Does a model exist?
What criteria do you use when analysing an overhead technique?
What would you instinctively look for
Faults & errors – techniques that you don’t like or that are different from your ‘model technique’
Or
Positive aspects– techniques that, even if you are unsure about, produced an effective stroke even if they were beyond the limits of what you think is ‘acceptable’.
Or
Not have an opinion – you believe that there isn’t one favoured model technique, believing that if it produces winners any technique is ok.
Or
Identify Key points – those positive and negative aspects where you could in time make a difference
Consider these thoughts and questions
- Can the technique produce power, without causing injury
- Is the preparation similar to other overhead strokes – but not necessarily exactly the same
- When under the pressures of time and body position, does the technique hold up.
- Is the outcome of the stroke more important than the technique used as long as there are no injury concerns. The technique may look strange but is it effective?
- Be careful of having your ‘preferred’ model, especially if it is highly specific and allows little room for variation. Body shapes vary, growth spurts happen, power is produced in different ways.
What are the critical elements for overhead striking
The technical ‘must-haves’ for a badminton overhead
What would be on your list, click on this image to read mine
No matter the age group or playing standard
you need a set of thoughts to assess when and how to act
Do you want a conversation?
I’d like to hear from you if you have a viewpoint on anything that you’ve read
We don’t need to agree, but explore viewpoints.
It would be great to hear from you, send me an email : contact@badmintonandy.com
This is part of a series of conversation starters.
Although not in detail, the posts are written to get you thinking and talking with others.
![Introducing the badminton overhead – Challenge No.3 - Duplicate - [#36874]](https://badmintonandy.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Badminton-Forehand-Overhead-3-scaled-1.jpg)
![Introducing the badminton overhead – Challenge No.2 - Duplicate - [#36821]](https://badmintonandy.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Badminton-Forehand-Overhead-2-scaled-1.jpg)
