Questions about footwork

Discussion in 'Techniques / Training' started by Tianjin, Dec 12, 2006.

  1. Tianjin

    Tianjin Regular Member

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    A couple of months ago, I told myself I would become a good badminton player. I went on internet and watched plenty of footwork instructional videos.

    During a whole week, I ran shadow footwork drills in my basement. I then saw a major improvement in my ''very lacking'' game.

    I love doing the footwork going towards the net. I cross-step and extend myself and I feel very balanced.

    However, when I do cross-step footwork to my forehand side quickly and do a stick-smash style shot, I feel very awkward doing it.

    First, the whole timing feels weird. When I play I don't notice it, but it feels really weird when i shadow the movement.

    Second, my footwork doesnt feel balanced.

    Here is a video of taufik doing it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Lh04AxI6aw

    Another thing is my backhand around-the-head. I notice pros just seem to take one step back and arch their backs with literally no footwork.
     
  2. Cheung

    Cheung Moderator

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    Try doing a search for threads on footwork.
     
  3. Tianjin

    Tianjin Regular Member

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    I have viewed them all =D
     
  4. ploppers

    ploppers Regular Member

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    Usually, it is easy to loose balance if you are heading too the back and your body is upright. Keep in mind that you should always have a relatively lower center of gravity especially when you are on defense (Which is why u would be doing this type of footwork). Also, remember to rotate your torso as well. YOu can see that in the taufik video, he rotates his torso slightly so that he is not directly facing the net. He does a bad job of this once only to play the drop and you can see how undeceptive the shot is as well.
     
  5. stumblingfeet

    stumblingfeet Regular Member

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    Basically there are 4 phases to footwork:

    1. First step. This is a key movement that will greatly affect your quickness on the court. First of all, there is the preparatory hop which will pre-tense your muscles and allow you to move more explosively than if you stand still. You should push off with both feet. The objective of this footwork phase is to orient yourself properly (racquet shoulder and leg leading to the intended location) and to generate speed that will carry you to where you want to go.

    2. Footwork to corner. This is the phase that many instructional videos focus on - the actual pattern of footsteps to get to the target. What I don't like is that often the footwork is demonstrated in slowed movements, which takes away the importance of the quick first step. Personally, I feel that the specifics of this phase (e.g. chasse step verses crossover, etc) are not too important since at this point, you might want to keep your velocity fairly steady (rather than accelerating) to allow yourself greater ease in stopping your movement when you get there.


    3. Stroke footwork. I think a key ability here is the ability to absorb force and "stick" your momentary pause right before you hit. For example, if you feel unsteady during your lunge or scissor kick, try doing your footwork up to right before you begin your stroke and stop suddenly. For the lunge this would be in the deep lunge position and for the overhead stroke it would be when the weight is on the racquet foot just before swinging. The quality here is the ability to absorb force, because if you can't handle a force just to stop it, you can forget about redirecting it (think about it, whenever you redirect yourself back to where you came from, there is always a moment when you momentarily have zero velocity).

    4. Footwork back to base. Even less important than 2.
     
  6. Gollum

    Gollum Regular Member

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    Note that Taufik uses two different types of footwork to that corner: crossover and chasse. As stumblingfeet says, the choice is not so important to begin with, but a masterful player such as Taufik will choose the footwork style that exactly matches his requirement to move each time.

    More importantly, notice how he widens his legs each time before he moves, much wider than most club players. This is the split drop.
     
  7. Tianjin

    Tianjin Regular Member

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    I am mainly concerned with the stability before you are about to stroke. I believe I place my right foot wrong because when I make that last step with it, my right foot is perpendicular to where im going.

    In the taufik video, I notice 2 things he does.

    If the birdie is not too far behind him, on his last step, his right foot is angled more towards the net, toes touching first and then heel.

    If the birdie is too far behind him, on his last step, he does like a lunge, foot pointing more towards the outer line, heel touching first and then toes.

    Any comments?
     
  8. Cheung

    Cheung Moderator

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    Peter Gade does this as well. You might want to examine the racquet preparation and stroke because that is going to affect your balance.

    With the shuttle very behind, I think the foot plants on to the ground first. (I haven't watched the video). Then he hits the shuttle. Is this correct?
     
  9. Cheung

    Cheung Moderator

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    Did you find a thread that said use a cross step footwork to play a stick smash?
     
  10. Tianjin

    Tianjin Regular Member

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    Unfortunately I haven't

    I have read alot of threads on chasse vs crossover, a thread about ``what is this shot`` (stickmash), split step, basic elements of footwork.

    None of them has helped me much.

    Alot of times when im shadowing, I change a tiny thing and notice a huge improvement. These tiny differences are not really visible and thats what im looking for when I post on the forumes. Little things that help a great deal ^^
     
  11. Cheung

    Cheung Moderator

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    Good because it is the wrong footwork! Use the side step movement.
    The stick smash is more commonly played with this footwork when you have to take a diagonal direction to meet the shuttle. Jump up to meet the shuttle. Dont turn your body after you've hit the shuttle. Wait until after you've landed.

    If you have to move backwards more than sidewards, then a stick smash is still possible but more difficult.
     
  12. Cheung

    Cheung Moderator

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    You need somebody who knows to show you. Watching videos have their limitations.
     
  13. Tianjin

    Tianjin Regular Member

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    Ok, I get what you mean, thanks. I believe Chen Jin does it two times here:
    http://youtube.com/watch?v=UrDycXB55ds
     
  14. Cheung

    Cheung Moderator

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