best way to improve your game, not racket, nor your smash.....

**RSLdude** · 12-20-2008, 12:33 AM

correct footwork is indeed very important to retrieve dropshots, to enable you to "back pedal" to counter baseline clears and essentially, to get "first on the feather" to achieve the proper form. more importantly, strengthening the legs before and after your games should be considered as well. do a sustantial time exercising to achieve this and to prevent injuries.

**Gollum** · 12-20-2008, 04:39 AM

Originally Posted by nicknackman

start doing net shots...and every 30 shots or so...take 1 step back and do 30 there...and take another step back and do another 30...and so on...do that as ur training and eventually u'll work out how much power and speed u need to hit a drop shot perfectly...

That's a useless practice. Drop shots are almost nothing like net shots; the technique is completely different.

You might as well say, "To improve your smash, start practising serve. Then gradually make your serve more like a smash."

**Ruth-Less** · 01-16-2009, 02:01 AM

Yeah, I realized that only after buying a new racket. T_T

**Temestocles** · 01-24-2009, 01:18 PM

I'd say strategy is pretty important; what's a 300km/h smash right down on his spot? a great way to open your field for turn back you won't get. I mean that if you can see the flaws and exp-loit them, you must not be a great player to beat everyone out there as most of the players lacks in two major points: positionning and footwork. As you all mentionned, it's damnly important.

I'd rather change the idea and reconstruct it as being the best defensive improvement. Even though oyu might be better placed for a shot afterward, you need to outplay the opponent and therefore, where the shuttle is going is more important than how many time you have more to perform your shot as it won't increase deadly the time you have to spend on it.

Then, Strategy might be the best offensive improvement you might do as you place the opponent in difficulty more often, your shots don'T have to be goddly to be effective as they are located where he has difficulty to reach it. By this, I mean the capacity to see and exploit an opponent positionnisng or moving flaws. Yes it involves accuracy, but yet you have a greater margin for errors as you get the birdie on his weaker spots.

I'm not a pro, but it's amazing how many errors people commit in many sport due to their positionning and they later make strategic errors of not exploiting other's similar flaws. As it is the hardest parts in many sports, position, movement and getting back into place effectively, it is rather easier to look for these than look to outplays him with trick shots, cross-court, dekes, outward slices or any trickery you might find players do. It also applies to Hockey, Soccer, Tennis, Football and many other racket sports. However these are where the position is the most worthy in defense.

**aamir** · 01-27-2009, 04:06 PM

You need to know what footwork you need to practice, which will make it easier and faster on the court with less effort, some people do some of this footwork but the world class players always use it, a coach cant tell you this cos, I worked with quite a lot of different coaches. check out my web site amirg.com and go to the you tube link. amir

**duboss** · 02-03-2009, 12:48 AM

It is a good method to exercise footwork, I think if you can do 50-100 times easily. your footwork is good.
my footwork is not good, but I'm no willing to take a drill because it is so sore and painful although you do it only a few minutes.

Originally Posted by yonexfanatic

Yes, footwork is the key to success in the game of badminton. Of course the proper strokes do matter and obviously play a part in the game but as you play more often, those strokes and secondary characteristics of the mechanics will improve.

Like many of you have said, footwork is not a one day pick up thing. Sometimes it takes years to perfect it. For me, when I started, it was a hassel and i honestly thought it was a waste of my time. Now I believe i'm pretty good at my footwork (at least i believe i'm at the level i should be at the moment) and i'm thankful for the time spent on improving my footwork as it obviously is NECESSARY to playing in a competitive game/tournament.

I would like to name some of the footwork drills that i've done that have gotten me to the level of footwork i'm at right now. Although I train at a club and do these drills with a coach, these drills can be done by yourself or with a friend in a regular gym (whether you book it or do them at a casual club or anywhere..and if you think it's embarassing doing it in front of some others that think you look stupid..don't mind them cause it's only helping your cause if you practice on your own time).

Firstly, when I get to my club, sometimes my coach tells us to do a FOOTWORK warmup. This is when we each person occupies a court and practices their footwork for a certain amount of times. For instance, my coach will tell us (the badminton group) to do 50-100 corners, therefore on the court, we practice our footwork moving to each of the six corners randomly (two fronts, the two sides, and teh two backs) until we've done a total of 50-100 corners. (this is basically an INDEPENDANT drill)

Secondly, another footwork drill that i participate in is when my coach or a friend will stand at the front of the net and will direct me to each of the six corners on the court randomly. He/she will point at various speeds to work my endurance and how fast my footwork is around the court.

Like I said, if you don't have a coach, there's always a friend that can help you with the second drill. There are many more drills you can do to improve your footwork. The one's i mentioned above may be well known to a lot of you and you really need to have the basics first in order to execute them well (basic footwork can be taught to you by a friend that knows what he or she is doing). But like kwun and everone else has mentioned, footwork is a key to the game and I've just mentioned a couple simple drills you can do to improve the speed of your game, correct footwork mechanics and much more. practice makes perfect..

i hope that contributes

**Scarlet Black** · 03-19-2009, 12:31 AM

Hey everyone!

I'm looking to become good at badminton. I've been playing the sport for a couple of years, but I find that I have not been moving up in skill.

Is there anything that I can do at home to improve my play on the courts?

**Loetsunton** · 03-28-2009, 06:43 PM

This topic is more useful for me

I will practice footwork more than in the past

Footwork so important!

**indrato** · 04-05-2009, 04:46 AM

I am currently trying to improve my footwork. My friend told me that my shot is good but my footwork quite bad. I realized it when i play against a good opponent, i started to trashing about and it slowing me down until i can not get to the shuttlecock in time to do a good shot.

**peter_patrick14** · 04-10-2009, 08:04 PM

I improved my footwork in the last 2 weeks and it's true that my game improved, but I need to get more strenght in the legs as I get my legs a little soared after 15min. and i run and walk for 45min. or more. It depends if in the same day I had a train, if i had I will walk 45min. or more if I hadn't I will run 45min. or more, it also depends If I have to study very much, if I have to study really hard forget it I won't even run or walk.

**indrato** · 04-10-2009, 08:58 PM

A good footwork will make you faster to get the ball so that you will have option which shot to take. If you are late to get the ball, you can only take a lift shot or a clear.
Stamina is also important because if you are short on stamina it will make you slower too. Ofcourse good footwork also means that your stamina will run much longer because by having a good footwork you will spent less energy to move around.

I am still have to train my foot work. I still have to think what to do to move around, so i am still a bit slower.

**Cookies** · 04-22-2009, 09:51 PM

Thanks for the tip, I understand what you're talking about!

**bradmyster** · 04-22-2009, 10:58 PM

Originally Posted by indrato

A good footwork will make you faster to get the ball so that you will have option which shot to take. If you are late to get the ball, you can only take a lift shot or a clear.
Stamina is also important because if you are short on stamina it will make you slower too. Ofcourse good footwork also means that your stamina will run much longer because by having a good footwork you will spent less energy to move around.

I am still have to train my foot work. I still have to think what to do to move around, so i am still a bit slower.

More or less "Efficient energy distribution" through your footwork will extend your stamina

The 3 C's of footwork Consistant Controlled and Correct!!!! hahaha

**kkliong** · 04-23-2009, 11:05 AM

why badminton player earn less than tennis player

**SuperBird** · 04-23-2009, 07:29 PM

A rackets in the hand of an Experienced person like myself make it a DEADLY WEAPON-->>>>I disagree with a statement that a racket is a Mental thing or it won't make a different!!!! REALLY--> As for me , I have 5 different rackets: with 5 different personality: LIght, heavy, extra heavy, balance, longer shaft.(different tensions))I used them to my advantage.......KNOW YOUR WEAPONS...KNOW WHEN TO SWITCH ONE FROM ANOTHER..........this is when you are more knowledgeable + experience in your GAME. If you are beginer, stick to the basic first and be consistence in your swing and technique + footwork.

**micochmama** · 07-03-2009, 06:29 AM

I think "Shoe" also play important part when it comes to footwork.....i used to wear this cheepo made in china shoe (Butterfly) which provide me with the important grip.

**logicalguy** · 07-03-2009, 07:17 AM

Footwork is very important, yes, but if I wanted to improve my game drastically in 1 week, this is what I would do:

Work on your fitness and muscle strength!!

Having very good footwork won't give you the improvements you're looking for if you can't keep going for more than 15 mins...