Slippery Floors: solution?

Discussion in 'Techniques / Training' started by benn08, Apr 27, 2013.

  1. benn08

    benn08 Regular Member

    Joined:
    May 12, 2012
    Messages:
    16
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Vancouver
    Okay, so basically at my school where I play the floors are extremely slippery. I carry around a towel and wipe down my shoes, however it doesn't help very much. Even when people mop the floors, they are still slippery. I literally cannot play well on slippery floors, as my shoes don't have proper grip, and my game is probably like 60% of what I can do on proper floors.

    My questions are.
    Is this because of my shoes? I've been wearing them for maybe close to a year? They're fine on other surfaces like actual mats, only at my school.
    Is there a way I can make it not so slippery? Anything I can add to the shoe to make it have a better grip?

    Thanks for your help and advice!
     
  2. visor

    visor Regular Member

    Joined:
    Dec 7, 2009
    Messages:
    16,401
    Likes Received:
    2,001
    Location:
    Vancouver, BC
    do other players also have the same problem or only you? if only you, then you need new shoes... otherwise aerosol hairspray works well on the soles... basketball players do this all the time
     
  3. Desouled

    Desouled Regular Member

    Joined:
    Apr 2, 2011
    Messages:
    125
    Likes Received:
    1
    Occupation:
    Desk
    Location:
    Singapore
    An old timer once told me to go to the toilet, use hand wash on the soles of my shoe and then dry them properly after washing.

    Worked pretty well!
     
  4. MSeeley

    MSeeley Regular Member

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2009
    Messages:
    2,049
    Likes Received:
    735
    Occupation:
    Professional
    Location:
    England
    Fizzy drinks on the soles of the shoes makes them a bit more "sticky". Maybe too sticky... maybe... Also, making your base slightly less wide on the floor will help you to push off - I know its not great to change movement technique given the floor conditions, but it does help. Also, when moving to the shuttle, try to use your ankles more than your legs.
     
  5. Gollum

    Gollum Regular Member

    Joined:
    May 23, 2003
    Messages:
    4,642
    Likes Received:
    298
    Location:
    Surrey, UK
    Although you can try some tricks to mitigate the problem, you can't escape the simple fact:

    Slippery floors are common and slippery floors are bad.

    If the slipperiness is due to dust / mud / dirt (as often happens when outdoor shoes are used in the hall), then it can be solved by brushing the floor (if you have a suitable brush available).
     
  6. DuckFeet

    DuckFeet Regular Member

    Joined:
    Feb 22, 2012
    Messages:
    2,033
    Likes Received:
    320
    Occupation:
    Computer rebooter
    Location:
    Swindon
    I clean my soles with a squash ball. seems to work but if the floor is bad you just get dusty again. Beer works wonders... best badminton at my club is to be had after a rock concert the night before (saw Alice Cooper at that venue, surreal to play badders there) and the floor is sticky. I've not tried applying the beer to the shoes though.
     
  7. lordrogue

    lordrogue Regular Member

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2012
    Messages:
    200
    Likes Received:
    8
    Location:
    sweden
    One hall I sometimes play in has this wooden slippery floor. It's very soft so that you feel like you are flying when you jump, but very slippery.
    Players use to wipe and drag their feet outside of the court every few points. It helps a little, but if it's not due to the shoes the only real solution is to remake the floor.
     
  8. craigandy

    craigandy Regular Member

    Joined:
    Aug 9, 2011
    Messages:
    2,363
    Likes Received:
    19
    Location:
    UK
    Lay a damp towel on the ground at the side of the court, quickly go stand on it in between every point.
     
  9. bradmyster

    bradmyster Regular Member

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2008
    Messages:
    744
    Likes Received:
    1
    Occupation:
    Customer server network Support
    Location:
    Australia, Brisbane
    Dust buildup on wooden flooring especially in a school hall is very common. The floors obviously need to be cleaned and rewaxed properly in order to fix the problem. However this will happen at the decision of the school and then the problem will return within a few weeks of being fixed.

    As craigandy mentioned get a damp hand towel and lay it on the side of the court next to a dry handtowel. Every 1 -2 points stand on the damp towel and then stand on the dry towel. You will feel as if there is no dirt on the floors for the next 1 -2 points depending on how bad the hall is.

    Aside from this as old as your shoes may be Its the dust on the floors which is the real issue. I would never reccomend applying any substance to the base of your shoes or the court. It may give you more grip however the chance that at the right angle of movement the shoes will not have the natural give needed due to the extra adhesive it could be the cause of a very significant injury.
     
  10. DRead

    DRead Regular Member

    Joined:
    Oct 16, 2012
    Messages:
    13
    Likes Received:
    0
    Occupation:
    Level 2 Coach
    Location:
    London
    For a quick solution, I wipe the sweat from my forehead and rub it on the sole of my shoe (just under the ball of my foot). Sounds a bit odd but it works for me :p
     
  11. craigandy

    craigandy Regular Member

    Joined:
    Aug 9, 2011
    Messages:
    2,363
    Likes Received:
    19
    Location:
    UK
    Lol nice recycling. I have never done that but i have used the sweat from my lower inside leg to rub the sole of my opposing shoe as well.
     
  12. OhSearsTower

    OhSearsTower Regular Member

    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2011
    Messages:
    436
    Likes Received:
    59
    Location:
    Germany
    i use my left hand to "clean" the soles quickly

    i think its disturbing to go to the towel at the sideline every 2-3 points..and i fear it might make my lower legs hairless if i do it like craigandy :D
     
  13. craigandy

    craigandy Regular Member

    Joined:
    Aug 9, 2011
    Messages:
    2,363
    Likes Received:
    19
    Location:
    UK
    Lol oh yeah, caution do not try this untill your legs have ample sweat and not too often or you will wax your legs in the most painful way.

    You are right about it being disturbing to dampen the soles off court but not half as disturbing snapping your hamstring on a big lunge that slips. Some halls it is just necessity the hand won't cut it.
     
  14. yeeah

    yeeah Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jul 16, 2008
    Messages:
    60
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Canada Somewhere
    hehe. I do this too. Gotta wipe the sweat anyways. Works for about 2 or 3 hits, then it can get dicey again. I've also seen a guy wipe the bottom of his shoe on the top of this other shoe. Works for him. Would be better if we could say put a removable velcro towel there or something....someone invent this, I give up the patent.

     
  15. craigandy

    craigandy Regular Member

    Joined:
    Aug 9, 2011
    Messages:
    2,363
    Likes Received:
    19
    Location:
    UK
    Maybe Adidas will, I read somewhere else they are incorporating a towel style pad for wiping hand sweat on their shorts i think?
     
  16. visor

    visor Regular Member

    Joined:
    Dec 7, 2009
    Messages:
    16,401
    Likes Received:
    2,001
    Location:
    Vancouver, BC
    This works for the first time, but after that your forehead will start getting covered with dirt as you transfer dirt from the soles to there. :p
     
  17. Nicky_Boy02

    Nicky_Boy02 Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jul 28, 2012
    Messages:
    156
    Likes Received:
    5
    Occupation:
    Space Explorer
    Location:
    Earth
    But it doesn't last long right? What if it go slippery again?? Your hand is dirty to swipe the sweat from your forehead.. LOL
     
  18. extremenanopowe

    extremenanopowe Regular Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2005
    Messages:
    13,704
    Likes Received:
    271
    Occupation:
    Chief Coach. The best and still active.
    Location:
    www.extreme-power.org or xtremexn.blogspot.com
    i use soap powder. ;)
     
  19. DRead

    DRead Regular Member

    Joined:
    Oct 16, 2012
    Messages:
    13
    Likes Received:
    0
    Occupation:
    Level 2 Coach
    Location:
    London
    Haha, yes that thought does cross my mind when I do it - but if I sweat enough the dirt on my forehead gets, uhh, 'washed' away!

    I might try craigandy's method next time, but worried about my hairy, hairy legs.

    Sweat transfer aside I suppose an effective way to deal with slippery floors is to adapt your playstyle. I've noticed that players who regularly play in a dusty old hall have lots of deception and double actions, moving opponents around whilst keeping their own movement efficient.

    However it's all too easy to forget when I just want to leap aroud, jump smashing like a maniac.
     
  20. BernieR

    BernieR Regular Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2009
    Messages:
    87
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    house
    Write a brief and super-polite letter to the school's safety department or janitor pointing out that the floor is dangerous even when the correct footwear is worn.
     

Share This Page