Coach or no Coach, how do you improve?

[wildstyler]

Hi to all

There's always a question in my head, asking myself does coaching really help you play better badminton? I mean yes ofcourse, because international players have them, but say... you can't find a coach, this is true for me, how would you improve? Would you have the will power to push yourself to do drills? Ofcourse coaching is good for you because you have guidance, but does this make you like a robot being programmed? Why does one need coaching? and Do you think it is to your advantage?
If you have money, coaching is a no problem for you, but what if you don't? How can an ordinary person become a good player?

wildstyler

[xofrevlis]

I don't quite agree with the ordinary player turning into a good player part as it falls into the category of opinions.
Coaches are obviously there to share their experience and knowledge to their players as they often know what's best for building the fundamentals to play the game well. They also act as observers to see which aspect(s) of your game need improving or correcting.

I myself have never had any coaching but I consider myself a decent player and got promoted to the university squad very recently. I've always moved on by self-assessment. Basically, I always picked fights with people who I knew were better than me. During the process of getting my backside majorly kicked, I would make my own observations as to what it is that I'm not doing well enough to beat that particular person. If it is a straight forward thing which can be improved with drills, then drills I will do. If it's about technique then I would ask around the club members on their views. I'm sure you're familiar with the saying that "above people are people, beyond sky is sky."

And of course I'd have the willpower to do the drills. I wouldn't miss badminton for the world. :D I guess it all boils down to my obssession for victory, and with style too.
Not too sure about the robot being programmed part though. The point of doing drills is to strive ever closer to being able to do something to perfection. Robots can never replace thinking humans as human emotions can affect the way you play, albeit sometimes in a bad way as well as good.
Well, good luck to you.

[jayes]

Originally posted by wildstyler
Hi to all

There's always a question in my head, asking myself does coaching really help you play better badminton? I mean yes ofcourse, because international players have them, but say... you can't find a coach, this is true for me, how would you improve? Would you have the will power to push yourself to do drills? Ofcourse coaching is good for you because you have guidance, but does this make you like a robot being programmed? Why does one need coaching? and Do you think it is to your advantage?
If you have money, coaching is a no problem for you, but what if you don't? How can an ordinary person become a good player?

wildstyler

Let me get this straight. So you want to know whether an ordinary person (is this like a beginner?) can become a good player without a coach, given all the mentioned circumstances? I think that all depends on you whether you have the discipline, tenacity, and willingness to push yourself to be a better player with or without a coach. Without a coach, it will be more difficult and may take longer time to be a good player. I am sure if there is a will, there is a way. Coaching doesn't make you like a robot being programmed if you don't allow it. I have been coached before and never felt like a robot. ;)

Cheers.

[cappy75]

You wanna be a good player? You need to get a good coach to start you on the right track. When you're getting trained, you'll avoid all the dead-ends and bad habits that'll slow you down. Best is to have a good coach who has been in your situation before to guide you straight to efficiency (proper techniques and experience).

It's possible to be a good player w/o having a coach, but do you have the requisite qualities and desire to be a champion let alone a self-taught one? A player is only as good as what he's learnt, if you have no coach... or even worse, a bad coach... you won't get too far in the development.

[Cheung]

Originally posted by xofrevlis
I myself have never had any coaching but I consider myself a decent player and got promoted to the university squad very recently. I've always moved on by self-assessment. Interesting. I had much the same experience but couldn't improve much from the University level. Kept losing a lot and not making any progress until later on getting a coach. I think it's up to an individual how much progress you can make without a coach. A coach is there to facilitate learning. i.e. you'll learn much, much faster with a coach with good basics and who can pass it the knowledge on.

[Gollum]

Clearly very regular coaching is part of the ideal training for badminton. In order to be the best player you possibly can, you need constant advice from a coach. However, most of us are not in this situation: we are not professional badminton players, and are not prepared or able to devote all our time to badminton.

What is more interesting is how to maximise your progress as an amateur player, within the context of your other commitments and your resources. Coaching can be very expensive. However, self-motivated practice sessions are not nearly so expensive (although they do require a time commitment). I think that for most amateur players, a very effective way to improve is to carry out self-motivated practice with a similarly-minded partner, supplemented by occasional (but regular) coaching sessions.

During the coaching sessions, you will get excellent advice about things to practice - bad habits that you need to exorcise, new shot techniques to experiment with, and even specific practice routines. This initial coaching will be very efficient, but if you go back the next day for another coaching session, the coach won't be able to help you as much since you won't yet have done the practice.

Instead, go away and devote serious practice time to the ideas and inspiration that the coach has given you. At your next coaching session, you will return full of ideas and questions that have arisen from this practice, and your coach will be able to guide you once again.

In this way, you can benefit a great deal from relatively few coaching sessions, thus saving a lot of money. Clearly if money is not an issue or if you have access to affordable or free coaching the situation is different, but I suspect that only applies to younger players, *a few* sponsored players and of course all professional players.

[woop.]

I've been playing about 18 months and for the last 6 have been having coaching. It's made an enormous difference. However even before the coaching I had pushed myself into a couple of club teams. I'm a slightly odd newcomer in that I am 28 so have taken up the sport very late, and am now playing with and against players who have been involved with the sport for many many years. As far as I'm concerned a very pleasing achievement.

I think this points to the fact that it IS possible to become a good player without a coach. You need commitment, determination and time, and you need to use the other players around you as your coaching tools.

However if you have these qualities then there is no argument that you are going to progress even faster and soar much higher if you have a good coach in the equation.

[wood_22_chuck]

In my situation, it's quite simple. If you play tournaments or competitively, get coaching. If you're out there just for pure enjoyment of the game and play in "social" (I use this term loosely) settings, then it's up to you to get coaching or not.

Ultimately if you want an edge, execute strokes with finesse, move with no wasted movement, recognize two "high probability" locations of shuttle returns, slip into stroke preparation mode without consciously thinking about it ... then eat a sandwich ... JUST KIDDING! ... yah get coaching.

Otherwise just play more, but have an agenda or outline in mind, more or less with the points above, and rate/evaluate yourself if you hit those points or not. Organize, assess, evaluate, improve.

-dave

[Dill]

If you don't have a coach you have to sit, watch and practice things you see and adapt them, it is always better to get help from a coach, many will give their advice freely if you don't start bugging them continually that is!

patience is your friend because of the learning curve for badminton.

[wildstyler]

Sorry guys, I must have expressd myself wrong. I didn't mean to say that Coaching = a robot, but just having a coach to guide you, and without him/her, you are lost and will struggle in performing shots or whatever it may be. Without a coach, it is like a path that is not lighted and you won't know what comes next. Though a bit hard, improvement will progress a lot slower. The coach takes care of everything you'll need to learn when it comes to that session.

Obviously coaching is good for you, but I mean if you don't have a coach, wouldn't there be a lot in your mind to worry about?

[wilfredlgf]

Originally posted by xofrevlis
I myself have never had any coaching but I consider myself a decent player and got promoted to the university squad very recently. I've always moved on by self-assessment.

You, on the other hand, could have natural talent in the game compared to wildstyler. You just know what to do by instinct when you're out there on the court or you just learn faster than everybody else with observation and less practice.

This is not unusual and it happens not only in badminton but in football, basketball, hockey, swimming etc.

As for wildstyler, I guess the only way you can improve without coaching is by experience and technical advice, as well as hundreds of hours of experimentation (in opposed to less if you have a coach).

I have a colleague who had never had any proper coaching in his life but plays like he had been doing it for eons, all by playing players who are superior to him in terms of skills and experience. He can give trained players a fight for their money.

[jayes]

Originally posted by wildstyler
Sorry guys, I must have expressd myself wrong. I didn't mean to say that Coaching = a robot, but just having a coach to guide you, and without him/her, you are lost and will struggle in performing shots or whatever it may be. Without a coach, it is like a path that is not lighted and you won't know what comes next. Though a bit hard, improvement will progress a lot slower. The coach takes care of everything you'll need to learn when it comes to that session.

Obviously coaching is good for you, but I mean if you don't have a coach, wouldn't there be a lot in your mind to worry about?

I think I see now about the robot part that you mentioned. I think it all depends on the relationship between you and the coach. Let me elaborate a little bit more from my own experience.

I was coached for many years for competitive purpose. Initially the coach will correct my flawed fundamentals and also suggested various tactics and strategy. As I progressed, the coach encouraged me to think things through so that I became a little bit more independent and the coach became a sort of consultant/mentor/advisor - correcting minor things that I missed, giving any input on playing against certain opponent, etc. For latter years, I was encouraged to practice against newcomers and gave them pointers too. This way, I was not totally dependent on my coach. As far as I remember, the coach was always there during tournaments. However, once I stepped into the court, I already have some sort of basic strategy in mind and would modify the strategy a little bit, depending on what tactics worked at that time.

HTH.

[Saiful]

For me wheather with or without coach is depend how far you are willing to in the badminton world. Just take me for example, I take badminton just get execise so my body will get sweat. During those old days when i was a kid, I use to play in fornt of our house with friends. Never cross into my my mind to be serious in badminton. Just to let every one in BF to know that i start seriously playing badminton about 12mts ago at that time i was 34yrs old. Start buying racket, invest in a good pair of shoes.

I still can recall the first time i am playing badminton, the whole part of my body was aching. I do not have any personal coach. What i did was looking and studying the body movement, foot steps, swing and etc when my friend is playing. I also bought books regard badminton and start the drill with some our our friends. Then there is some improvement on my game.

Don't get me wrong i play badmiton is only for leisure but i you are realy damp serious to be a badminton player for your college or scholl or whatever i would suggest start at early age and get a good coach to train you guys. With that the coach can guide correctly from your foot steps to your tactics and technique.

Currently trying to get a coach for my 10yr old dougther.

[cappy75]

If it's for exercise only, why bother improving? Because as one plays at a higher level, there's more physically strenuous exertion and more mental stimulation. It's hard to beat the highs produced from a game well played. I find that I got better appreciation of the game as I grow older, so it's not surprising to find many getting hooked to the game at a later stage in their lives.

[Saiful]

Agree with you chappy, that is what hapen to me

[ruth1]

If you don't have a coach, yeah it's going to be harder. But those things that are harder are sometimes sweeter when you get them. Watch other people play. Most people aren't coaches but if you ask a better player one question on his technique or style, his answer will probably be good. He may not explain it the same way or as effectively as a coach would, but that's why you start asking other players. Also, go to tournaments and after each game, critically think about why you beat them or why they beat you. If you lost, ask them what they did to beat you. Most badminton players are nice people :) and I'm sure they'd be willing to help you out. Also, search the forum for drills on strokes and footwork. There are footwork drills you can do without anyone at all to play with. They numb your brain after awhile, but try and push yourself to do them. Basically, it takes a determined and passionate player to find ways to succeed without a coach.

Good luck