Hello, I'm 16 and play badminton at intermediate level and lately, when I play certain shots, I'm unable to play them. For example, When I play a forehand lift at a certain angle my whole arm jerks in an odd fashion causing to to go out, or go into the net or just a less than midcourt smash for my opponent. Also, more frustratingly, a backhand drop shot at midcourt below waist turns into an easy kill for the opponent cause I''m unable to control the soft shot. These are all shots I could do very easily before but are now turning into a frustrating easy point for my opponents. It doesn't hurt and at first has only happened to my forehand, but now my backhand. As it's now on my backhand I felt that the need for some advice is more concerning. Please help.:crying:
Sorry, didn't know what category to put it in and felt it was a problem at least to me. How do I delete a thread?
This happens more commonly than you realise and to many, many players. The harder you try to correct it, the more difficult and frustrating it becomes. There are a few things to realise: - practicing properly will improve - don't play games all the time - feedback is essential - seek opinions from around you. Unless you post a video, an Internet forum is not going to help much - players play certain shots better than others - so these might be your weak areas where you need to put more time in to get the feelin of the shot.
How's your footwork been? Perhaps you aren't moving to the shot in time in order to play it. For example, you are taking the lift from too far below the net, and getting to your backhands late
I am slow on the forehand lift I had to admit, so I'll try to improve footwork but the backhand happens most commonly in service and return situation where they drive at the backhand and my arm sort of twitches making it difficult for me to control the shot. Thanks for the feedback btw.
Take a break. Don't quit alltogether, but don't expose yourself to repetitive failing, otherwise you un-wire your existing skill. Re-do the strokes slowly after the break. Since your 16 ... your brain is changing and may play funny things with you (never heard s.o. looses control over motoric skills though). If you fail with hand writing, throwing, holding the fork ... NHS is the way to go.
Keep your eye on the shuttle and your mind picturing the geometry of the court. When I get into those "bad spells" I focus harder at hitting the shuttle cleanly by really looking harder at the shuttle as it comes towards me and also imagining where the net and the lines are. Sounds very basic stuff - which it is, but when things don't go right, you need to start from the basics. Also use your peripheral vision more to help you perceive the position of the net, lines and opponent. Not sure why your arm jerks when playing some shots, may be you can post a video?
I'm not sure this helps and might just be me but when I imagine myself play like a smash, I can imagine it quite easily but when I imagine the shot I mentioned, I have difficulty in imagining it. Not sure if that made sense or was significant in any way.
This happens to me occasionally, I'm able to do a shot perfectly but on one day I'll be terrible at it. Its just an off day so as one of the posters suggested, just take a break for a couple of days or something and try again, don't try force yourself to correct it. If it keeps happening, its probably a result of wrong technique or bad footwork or both, its best to get someone experienced to show you what you are doing wrong or post a video so we can all see.
This is the most important thing you have said. Your subconscious is in charge of playing shots - not your conscious mind. If you cannot imagine yourself playing the shot, then it means your subconscious does not know what to look like/feel like/do. The best thing you can do, is either switch off completely and just practice a few, thinking about how it feels and how the shuttle is going, OR to go and watch footage of a professional hitting the same shot, and then try to imagine that you look the way they look, and move the way they move, and the shuttle trajectory is the same as what you want. Then just focus on these things - the feel, the image of you doing it, and the desired shuttle trajectory. Then practice whilst thinking about those things. The more you focus on what is wrong and not working, the more you think about that and the more emphasis your mind will put on it. Think about what you want to achieve, how it should look and feel, where the shuttle should go, and just focus on that. As others have said, an easy way to help you understand what you SHOULD be doing, is to find someone knowledgeable (a coach) to SHOW you how it looks and describe to you how it feels. In all honesty, I would not be surprised if this "problem" has "spread" from your forehands to your backhands, BECAUSE you are thinking about it, and it gets worse BECAUSE you are worrying about it. Just change your thought process to focus on what you WANT, and then you will improve quickly Good Luck.
