Forehand overhead clear technique

Setup

1. Lay throw-down lines to mark a rear target zone on the far side, from the doubles long service line to the back line.
2. The hitter starts at base, in the middle of their half; the coach feeds from the far side, near the sideline and well out of the hitter's swing.
3. Waiting players queue off court to the side, not behind the hitter.
4. Warm up the shoulders with arm circles and easy overhead swings first.

How it runs

1. The coach serves or hits a high lift to the hitter's forehand rear corner.
2. The hitter turns side-on, moves back behind the shuttle and clears it high and deep into the target zone.
3. The hitter recovers to base before the next feed; 8 to 10 feeds, then rotate.
4. Once most clears land in the zone, move on to a cooperative clear rally with a partner.

Coaching points

• Turn side-on early, with the non-racket arm up and pointing at the shuttle.
• Racket drops behind the shoulder, then the elbow leads and the forearm rotates up into the shuttle.
• Contact high, at full reach, slightly in front of the racket shoulder.
• Weight moves from the back foot to the front foot as the racket swings through.
• Hit up and out so the shuttle climbs steeply and falls almost vertically at the back.

Common mistakes

• Holding a panhandle grip, which blocks the forearm rotation and costs length.
• Letting the shuttle drop behind the head, so the clear goes short.
• Staying square to the net and hitting with the arm only.
• Watching the clear land instead of recovering to base.