My list of 'need to improve'

[BombaTwIsT]

You might be wondering why the title sounds wierd... i couldn't come up with a good title. sorry x.x


The badminton season for my school is over, and im wanting to be way better next year. I guess i'm kinda intermidiate/advanced... somewhere in between.


For the things i'm having trouble getting down are

-Playing Tall People (i'm 5'3, what kind of shots should i use more? what are the advantages of being a short player?)

-Not having enough stamina (I have the whole footwork thing down but I usually start getting tired towards the middle of the 1st set. whats a good way to increase stamina?)

-Backhand shot placement (Its kind of hard for me to aim where my backhand shots will go, i can only either clear it, drive it straight, or drop it. I can't curve it.)

-Increasing the power of my smash (My smashes are OK, i'd like to increase the power. What are good ways to increase wrist muscles? Are there any other muscles i need to increase?)

-Returning a powerful smash (I just can't react fast enough... I guess this just takes practice from playing people who have a really powerful smash.)



I kinda have an idea on how to train myself in these areas, but my biggest problem of all is that, I have no access to courts or gyms nearby. The closest to me is SGVBC, but thats about 60 miles away and OCBC(about 50 miles away) from where i live and i can't drive yet, i'm only 15. x.x

So whats the best way to improve all these? What could i do inside/outside the house to improve these?

-Thanks :)

[Joseph]

-If you're having trouble playing tall people, then just continue to play tall people until you get used to playing them.

-Running is a good way to increase stamina. You can also practice loads of footwork. Maybe do about 100 to each corner or something.

-Using your backhand just takes practice. That's all there is to it. What I say to do won't do any good unless you practice.

-Weight train to increase your power. Work on your core muscles especially.

-If you can't react fast enough practice driving against a wall to increase reaction.

The only way to improve is to practice...

[BombaTwIsT]

i know it takes practice.

The things i'm asking is how to practice all this with no access to courts, well at least not more than 2 times a week. Like what could i do besides being on a court, certain drills, the type of shots i should execute on tall people.

Heres what i got down from your post
-Running
-Practicing Footwork(100 to each corner)
-Weight Training(what specifically?)
-Hitting the wall(drives)

Others i have down
-Swing backhand with my racket about a 100 times... (maybe every other 2 hours a day while im awake.)

[Mark A]

Playing solo against a wall is a good way to hone specific strokes (I use this to increase the power of my backhand drives) - just make sure you use old and/or cheap shuttles, as I have destroyed brand new M300s in less than 20 mins on many occasions.

[waldo98]

Where do you live Bombatwist? I am pretty certain that there is a badminton gym closer to your area than SGVBC and OCBC. Here is a link to check out a closer area to play at.

http://www.worldbadminton.com/whereToPlay/unitedStates/#sca

[BombaTwIsT]

I live in the IE.

I can go to the Colton High School gym but i can only go there once a week. can't go on the sundays, only monday nights.

and i know i'll need more practice than just 1 day a week.

[waldo98]

Riverside Community College also plays on Saturday nights from 7-10pm.

[SaintDragon]

I'm from the Inland Empire area as well. I used to play at Colton High School Sunday mornings and Monday nights. Riverside Community College is also open from 7PM-10PM on Saturday.

I might know some of you guys, leave me a name or something :D

[drowsysmurf]

hitting against the wall will greatly increase ur reaction time and ur arm muscles if u can do it consistently and make sure every shot u do is a drive shot =P stand no further than 5 feet away from the wall (this will increase ur backhand too if ur using a backhand grip to drive). more footwork cuz it seems like u have to use a back hand. always try hard to not use a backhand because a forehand shot can generate more power than a backhand obviously in terms of smash and clear. smashes... if u can get withing 4 feet of the wall and drive hard and consistently, i'm pretty sure you can catch smashes now... itz mostly hand eye coordination (if the smash is coming at you) if the smash is going away from you... that's where ur footwork comes into play.

[BombaTwIsT]

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone!

Whats the best way to play against someone tall? should i keep lifting birds high and far? straight and low? more drops? more drives? more clears?

Riverside Community College is kinda far.... well not for me but my parents don't really wanna take me that far and wait till 10 to pick me up.

I can try going on some saturdays.

[drowsysmurf]

none... there's never one particular strategy to beat someone because once u do it too often (typically with good opponent, about 3 points (max) will do the trick) the opponent will catch on and will get you back anyway. the best thing is to mix it up and things will fall in where they should if you are the stronger player.

[waldo98]

I'm from the Inland Empire area as well. I used to play at Colton High School Sunday mornings and Monday nights. Riverside Community College is also open from 7PM-10PM on Saturday.

I might know some of you guys, leave me a name or something :D
There is only one person that I know that is from Redlands and goes to UCLA. Too bad I'm not better competition for you and/or your family, haha. :o This is Walter BTW.

[SaintDragon]

There is only one person that I know that is from Redlands and goes to UCLA. Too bad I'm not better competition for you and/or your family, haha. :o This is Walter BTW.
Haha, I had a hunch that it was you :D

Your sister doesn't go play that often anymore?

Edit: To make sure that this isn't off topic. Personally, when playing against tall people it's probably easiest to drive at their bodies. It's harder for them to get since they aren't as maneuverable.

[BombaTwIsT]

Thanks for all the help.

And also, SaintDragon, since you were from Redlands? did you go to Redlands High School? i think i know who you are. ;)

[SaintDragon]

Yeah, I graduated last year.

[BombaTwIsT]

This is Kevin, don't know if you remember me but you helped me with boys doubles earlier this year. btw i hate doubles x.x

[drowsysmurf]

This is Kevin, don't know if you remember me but you helped me with boys doubles earlier this year. btw i hate doubles x.x

u'd rather play singles :eek::confused::p

[drifit]

go for swimming to enhance your stamina. return smash? try play table-tennis. might help you on focusing the target(ball/shuttlecock).

[BombaTwIsT]

@drowsysmurf

-Yes i'd rather play singles. Mixed doubles is not a problem either.

For me, doubles is really fustrating. I find that i'm not playing to the best of my ability, not that i don't try, doubles just feels like a different game. Doubles is just wierd for me. Maybe its because i really hate being in the front of the court during rallies, only cause i can't react fast enough to return drives, I rely on my partner too much or not enough. Also, i get angry easily for some reason. I'm the type of person that points fingers alot, which in this case is my partner, even if sometimes i messed up more than him. I also lose alot of focus.

In singles, im more relaxed, even after a rally that i should have had and was turned over, i still have that calm play style and i don't lose focus.

But thats just me. :)

@drifit

-i don't have/know anyone with a table-tennis. lol, i would go for it if i did.

swimming is not a bad idea either. especially since summer is just around the corner. :D.

[drowsysmurf]

doubles is actually harder than singles in some cases because it relies on trust and also speed and rotation. it is easy to point fingers in doubles (i do it quite often) but at the same time, u gotta think about how you can help ur partner out in different situations, how u can set it up for ur partner to do a good return or even for urself to do a good attack at ur opponents. doubles is actually quite good in terms of training for reaction time. singles is for footwork. most great doubles player starts off as singles player and are quite good at singles (footwork and shot selection) before the concentrate on doubles (speed, footwork, shot selection, coordination/cooperation, rotation). overall i'd say singles is harder for me cuz of laziness and stamina. if it wasn't for both of those, i'd prolly play singles alot more =P

[BombaTwIsT]

yea...

i guess i don't like it now because i've never played with a partner i've really liked.

[drifit]

try drowsysmurf as your partner, maybe it will work out....

[BombaTwIsT]

haha i only wish.

I would just bring him down. :O

[kwun]

can you guys stay on-topic and limit the chit-chat to PM? thanks.

[drowsysmurf]

try working with one partner only. make sure you try out different ways to play while training together. try different rotations until you find a comfortable rotation that will give you optimum strength. sometimes u'll find a partner that just fits. other times, you have to work together and it will eventually fit quite well. dun just give up just after like a few games just because it is not working out. talk it out... something you can add to ur list of to work on =) play with older guys, they often teach you a lot you can learn about doubles in terms of choosing shots, unless ur the better of the player ;)
* i seldom have one particular partner so my style still needs work

[illusionistpro]

im in riverside at ucr, and the club meets tues and thurs roughly 6-10 but sometimes later. There's 3 courts open almost everyday upstairs. They're usually empty until 6. then they start to fill up. gym membership is required but its free to all ucr students.

[gingerphil79]

you could try buying a squash racket and shadow play with it. Do all the stokes especially backhand and stuff. This will increase strength.

You want to work out your chest as this is used quite a bit in smash so do push ups and,

Buy a hand grip and use them to strengthen up the hands, wrist and forearms. This will def improve strength big time.

Do all this for like a couple of months & u will c a big difference. Hope i'm not replying too late. :D