I joined a tournament this week, it ended today. In semi finals, I met a girl who is supposedly a state player. This tournament actually didn't allow state players or trainees, but somehow they didn't disqualify her even when some parents protested. So I met her in semi finals. She was obviously the stronger player between the 2 of us. I had to really crack my brains to figure out how to score points. Mind you, I said score points, not beat her. I got thrashed the first set, 2-11. But in the 2nd set I did manage to give her a bit of a fight, there were several long rallies. When she was leading 10-5(1 more point to win), I managed to get back the service several times. But as expected, she won that match. The thing is, has anyone ever felt mentally drained after a match? Physically I was okay, not tired. But mentally I was practically exhausted, trying to outsmart this better player. I've read about players ready to faint after a match due to physical tiredness. How many here have experienced this 'mental drain'? Or is it just me?
yes, mental exhaustion is real. Joanne, sound like u made mark improvement since ~1 year ago. Taking points from a state player/trainee as a recreational player is quite a achievement. Since u said ur not that physically exhausted, u still have potential headroom for more improvement through continue coaching. At my age, potential headroom is almost nil, keeping what i got is a achievement already Keep on badding
I can't say I have ever experienced the mental drain you talked about. However, there were times when I experienced something akin to what tennis players call "playing in the zone". Those were the times when my stares at my opponents got steely, my senses were keen, the bird seemed to come in slow motion no matter how hard the opponent hit it, I felt taller than my actual physical height, and I was so confident of my play that I instinctively knew what reply shot I was going to play as soon as I saw the bird came off my opponent's racquet. But playing in the zone always left me energized and rejuvenated, rather than drained. For me, that's what keeps me going back to the courts even if it means driving 30 minutes through a snowstorm at -35C. I know your experience of "playing in the zone" will go a long way in balancing your mental drain. Keep playing and improving. Sounds like you have great potential!
Part of what you felt may have been the adrenaline you will have got from being in that situation. It can leave you feeling a bit light-headed after a strenuous match, especially if you started thinking 'im probably not going to win this one' which you may have done. A solution may be a short relaxation and meditation excersise when you have a few minutes free between matches. If you do it right, you will even gain energy. Tell me thats not great!
I think you stressed out yourself during the game. That is why you left the game mentally drained. But good news is that there is still alot of room for improvement. Basically from what i know. The state player is controlling the game all the time. She is dictating the game. And that is why you cracked your head playing the game she wants you to play. Only way change that is to varies your shot and play your own game. Is she play fast.. try to slow down the game.
I've experienced the same thing as JCanada, but in baseball. I've had some days when everything works, I can do exactly what I want and I seem to always out-think the opponent. Right after the game I feel two things: 1. I don't remember almost anything about the game (I actually had to ask about some details - during the game I only thought about the next pitch) and 2. I feel absolutely great, like I had energy to play two more games! But after 30 minutes or so I feel mentally dead tired: physically I could continue, but my head is totally empty. Perhaps number 2 was what happened to you Joanne as well? When you are 110 % concentrated on something for a longer period of time, it leaves you more mentally than physically tired. And I think it is quite normal - just don't take an exam right after your game .
Well, actually I did manage to force a state player(or trainee, unsure) into a rubber set about 2 months ago in a tournament. Still, I didn't manage to beat her.. No, I definitely did not feel taller, or saw the shuttle moving slower. Lol. It moved too fast actually when she smashed. Yes, I did feel kinda light-headed after that game. Meditate? I had but a minute rest. I asked for permission to wipe my face(is that what you call it??) and took opportunity to think then. And how on earth do you meditate?? My opponent seemed like she wanted the game to end fast, she smashed a lot, trying to kill the shuttle. I was trying to keep the game going, I wanted more rallies. I did manage to get several rallies.. but not many ended in my favour. She was powerful, and she smashed my forehand side quite a number of times. At least I know my weakest point now. Lol. So it's possible that badminton is mentally exhausting.. I probably never had it before because only just lately my coach has been telling me to play and think. I knew I was supposed to do that, but he told how to counter this and that, and I was trying to use everything he taught me. Exams don't prepare me for this kind of thinking. Lol! Sad to say, in exams you just 'vomit' out everything you studied and memorised. In badminton you've got to think how to beat a player, it can't be memorised like an exam. Which is probably another reason why I love badminton.
Playing smart badminton is just like playing blitz chess or just chess alone. It's tiring even though in chess you just do not move much other than your hands mostly. So it's no surprise that you actually feel tried as not only your brain has to work, your body has to keep up also.
Yes!!! Well maybe mine's a different case.. You see, around February or so, I had my first badminton competition in my new school. I lost because I was too nervous... Then when I got home, I just couldn't sleep because I kept thinking, "How could I hit it that way!" "Why did I hit it that way!" "THAT WAS SO STUPID TO DO IT THAT WAY!!" and etc etc, blaming myself.. I was so very tired of this mental exhaustion and I just began to have a headache... My new policy, If you lose, just say you lost.. Don't keep thinking about it!!! LOL P.S I also had this stupid picturing thing.. And I kept "seeing" badminton... Badminton badminton badminton!!! Like I was possesed or what! WHY!!! lol
Chess.. now chess is really a mental game. Let's just say I hope I don't have too many of these kind of games anymore. I ought to train my brain to somehow respond automatically without having to think(much anyway). Is that possible?? Actually, you SHOULD think about why you lost. Better still if you write it down, and have a discussion with your coach(provided you have one, of course). This way, the next tournament you join you won't make so many mistakes.
Try taking up chess then!! I mean, it will really train your mind and you can cope with stuff like that more easily!
I use to play competitive chess. My chess teacher use to say an intense game requires twice the brain power needed than for a university exam. I totally agree with him, for after 2-3 chess games, i need a mental rest. I never experienced this in badminton, but I did experience "the zone". Every shot nailed the sweetspot, and dam, it sure feels nice .
Badminton can be mentally strenuous too... I think I can see Joanne's point. Badminton is a physical sport as well as a mental game, not as much a mental game as chess, but still requires concentration and thinking to stay in the game and out-play your opponent. You are not necessarily in an inferior position if you are smarter than an opponent who's physically or skilfully stronger than you. In the time when the shuttle is at the opponent's side but before your opponent hits it, you have to TRY to read his move or anticipate the return shot. When the shuttle leaves your opponent racket, you have to react to the shot (your feet move) as well as to decide how to play the next shot... would it be a drop, a lob, a net kill, a smash, or perhaps judging if the shuttle is "out" or "in"? All these, are BRAIN EXERCISE. You can be mentally drained in a sense that you start losing concentration, or your brain can become slow in reacting to or deciding for the next shot, eventhough you're nowhere yet near your physical limit.
The brain takes up a disproportionate larger share of your body's energy and oxygen than it's mass to total body mass ratio. Using your brain consumes huge amounts of energy and oxygen, resulting in 'mental drain'.
definitely experienced this in a league match. my physical fitness carried me a long way - reacting fast enough even though i couldn't read the game, but my brani was working overtime to force my opponent to play my game. i tried everything - but by the middle of the second game i was mentally exhausted, i was at a loss, i didn't know what else i could do to win the game. it took it's toll on my body shortly after. a lot of me didn't want to give up - but i had tried everything and couldn't control the game. we hung on for a while, but in the end we lost. i wasn't so upset afterwards though. i was happy that i had done everything i could, and that i simply needed to practice more, expand my range of shots, and train harder. and i have done i don't want it to happen again
Hehe, I play chess, but not at a competitive level. No thank you! Sit down and move some pieces around the board when I can be playing badminton? I only play chess because it's been proven to increase the 'connections' in your brain. So, must we badminton players play more chess to prevent 'mental drains'? Yes, I'm serious about this question.
Yeah..good question. I wonder if world-class players like LD and Taufik play chess to train their mental toughness. Got to ask their coach !!!
