Hi, My name is Ralph and I've been training in badminton for months now. My dad used to play in Thailand and taught me all he knew. I am now planning to get some real action at a local club and get training from the head there. I plan on entering a tournament asap. Nice to meet all of you! Special hello to the Filipinos. Though I've been living in the states for a very long time, I am nearly full-blooded Pinoy and from Metro Manila.
Wow!!! how do you do it Dave... always on the ball with the first post!! Welcome to BF fastattack. Enjoy your stay.
Thanks for the friendly welcome! How do you think I will transition to the real badminton courts? I have been training just in the backyard or on my driveway, sometimes with or without a net. I have been taught the basics of drop, clear, smash, and footwork moving forward and backward. I know I will have to adjust my movement since it will be a bigger space. Is there any way I can prepare for playing for 'real'? I guess I should start off with getting a clear comprehension of the rules. I want to make a good impression and be prepared for a tournament asap.
have u try practising with a live person before? u have to do some practice in a badminton court too. You need to learn how to anticipate your opponent movement and strokes. Shadow training has its limit.
I have practiced both solo and with a live person w/ my dad as I mentioned in the first post. My main concern is whether I have a clear comprehension of the sport, the rules, etc. My practice area is smaller than a true badminton court. I have gotten the chance to observe badminton players playing at a local club and celebrities in the Philippines playing badminton on the tv during the star games held there.
are u competing in doubles or singles event? In doubles, better to practice with your partner than with your coach(dad)
Fastattack, It sounds like you have a very enthusiastic coach in your dad. I would suggest, however, that you try playing real games with other people before you decide to enter tournaments and commit to a strict training ritual. Your dad may be impatient for you to succeed in tournaments, because he is used to serious tournament play. But you have to develop as a player, and no amount of coaching or training is a substitute for experience of actually playing the game. Personally, I think that if you enter tournaments without ever having played a real game, then you will be wiped off the courts by your opponents. That will be a depressing experience. It will be better to join a club and play more casually for a while, until you gain some experience. Then, if you continue to enjoy the sport, by all means go for tournaments and training
hey ralph welcome to BF, anyway all the previous post are correct, you should start playing with real opponents, you have the foundation of the game, polish it more, when playing in a tournament the pressure is different compared to playing just for fun, just like what gollum said youll get wiped out or massacred you will realize that you will play totally different at first but when you get used to it then everything would be ok. good luck