Steps and Crossovers.

Depends on the shot you're receiving.

 

WARNING - STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS POST LIES AHEAD!

I'll have a go at this one, but people more in the know may well correct me...

Chasse is a sideways movement, and the most your feet will move is to touch each other (i.e. almost clicking your heels)

To my knowledge there are two main kinds of step (there are lots more, but in general they can be simplified into...) running and crossover.

Running step is pretty obvious, in that it's how we normally move (i.e. going straight forwards or backwards). While efficient in its use of energy it doesn't really allow you to get sideways on without further corrective steps at the point of contact hence losing a lot of its efficiency.

Crossover step is the next type (which can be further broken down into crossover in front of standing leg and crossover behind standing leg). Again this tends to be in a lateral direction, thus forcing you to get sideways on making body rotation far easier and more natural at point of contact.

As far as feet leaving ground - dependent on the distances travelled, both feet can leave the ground with any kind of movement, though this gets towards jumping skills (two feet to two feet with chasse and one foot to other with stepping).

Last bit (if you're still with me) - how do you know which movement to use?

You don't! Each shot is individual, along with your own position on court to react to it. From a coordination point of view, chasse can be more effective over the shorter distances, but over a longer distance crossover steps can be faster and more efficient (dependent on technique obviously).

In your particular case, if crossover steps are working for you then why change? What may be interesting is if you try and think of chasses as a series of small, low, fast jumps and think more about whether you could play a more aggressive shot if you utilized them in some instances.

Hmmm - it would appear I've rambled on for more than long enough...

 

chasses can be utilized more than going side to side, they can be used in any manner of direction. The cross over is a more explosive chasse and can be used when you need to cover more distance quicker to do a drive for example. There are no exact steps you have to take for exact shots, but footwork drills will make you use the same kind of steps without even thinking about doing it.

 

I'll take the point here, but clarify what I meant above...

You can chasse towards the net, but to do so you turn your body so in actual fact you are moving sideways.

My fault for not making that more obvious.

 

I see what your saying mate, i wasnt trying to be pedantic l

 

Crossover = step

...at least, they are in my terminology. I feel that the important distinction here is whether the feet cross.

If the feet cross, then it's essentially a step (running, sideways, whatever). If the feet don't cross, or barely cross, then it's a chasse.

Here's the key paragraph from my movement elements page:

 

I think thats a bad way to generalise a step/cross over. For me a step would be feet facing forwards and stepping in the direction, and a cross-over would be where my back foot would cross behind or in front of my front foot. Like a chasse, but where the foot continues past the leading foot.

 

I don't see the disadvantage in generalising it, and I don't see the pedagogical benefit in maintaining a distinction.

Steps don't have to be forwards. You can step backwards and sideways too.

 

chasse is one foot leads and the other follows, the leading foot takes a step then the back foot steps right behind it then the lead foot takes a step and the other foot follow etc, the lead foot is always ahead, it can be going forward, sideways(called a shuffle), diagonal(towards the net is a good example) etc.

 

As a general rule that's correct, but you also need to look at the whole footwork pattern, and consider your starting position.

Each rear corner has more than one footwork pattern. Take the forehand corner, for instance:

• Arc step: split, turning chasse, scissor jump
• Jump-out: split, chasse or hitch, block jump
• Step-out: split, step with left foot, step or lunge with right foot

For the forehand, left foot crossing in front of right foot is correct if you're doing a step-out.

To complicate matters, however, there's yet another footwork variation where the left foot crosses behind the right! This is typically used when returning high serves; you end in a fully side-on hitting position (it's not like a step-out).

I guess what I'm saying is that footwork is complicated. My guide explains the basic patterns used from a central base in most situations, but there are additional patterns too. Just because I haven't (yet) described a pattern in my footwork guide doesn't mean that pattern is wrong.

For the backhand, are you talking about playing a backhand shot or a round-the-head forehand?

 

I was reading this section on Badminton Bible and I can't quite grasp the concept of the arc step.

Are we pivoting ourselves to moved diagonally backwards? Or is it like going sideways, then back - which doesn't really make much sense to me.

 

The arc step is an especially tricky movement to describe.

Essentially, you're reaching the corner through an indirect approach. You move sideways first, getting yourself lined up with the shuttle; then you move backwards.

The other footwork patterns involve moving directly to the corner (moving diagonally). Their advantage is speed; the arc step's advantage is that it gets you fully side-on (so you can use full body rotation for the straight smash).