Shuttlecock velocity during a smash stroke in badminton evolves linearly with skill level

Highly ranked badminton players seem to have a different stroke technique compared to lower ranked players (Sørensen 2010). Up to now, no studies have analysed the evolution of this velocity with expertise. So, in this study it is hypothesised that the maximal velocity of the shuttlecock during a smash evolved linearly until a plateau corresponding to the optimal smash movement. Moreover, the aerodynamic of the trajectory was investigated to understand how this velocity evolves during the whole trajectory.