It's funny sometimes when i play badminton, sometimes i play brilliant badminton when i'm always at the right place at the right time, able to hit the shuttle exactly at the speed or distance i want it to be. I make fantastic net shots, smashes, hitting the sweetspot majority of the times. My opponents gets extremely frustrated by my game play. And ultimately win. And other times, i just play average, constantly under pressure by my opponents, struggling to predict their moves, shots i made never gets to my expectations and i can feel that i'm not hitting the sweet spot and therefore i use more energy to compensate it. During smashes, it doesn't go steep and fast enough eventho i swear i'm using the same technic. Net play is horrible making myself hit the shuttle too high or into net. Even my footwork goes hairwire aka running like a headless chook. My friends say it's because i'm not in "Form". Somehow i find it quite hard to accept the simple reason that i'm not 100% because i know i can play a notch higher like the times when i am playing brilliant badminton. Move like i always do, Time my hits like i always do, plan like i always do, control like i always do but why isn't it consistent? since all factors from me are. I'm at a point where i think i lack the ability or skill to play badminton. To anyone who can help me, i would appreciate it greatly. Thanx
1. Everyone has up and downs, that's why practice makes it perfect. If not, practice even more. 2. You don't need to win every single game, every single rally to prove that you are good. Even LD can't do that. 3. Don't let the final score blinds you. Other factors can very much change the final score, besides yourself. For example, the quality of the opponent. Lower level of opponents will make you look like an all star. Whatever you do, you can win, even if you were doing many things wrong to begin with. On the other side, superior opponents make you feel like crap. You can try out all you can, you might never even get a point, simply because even before the game start, the outcome is suppose to be there. Try to analyze your game from a objective point of view (i.e. get a coach). Evaluate your game based on a game 2 minutes ago, might not be very accurate.
Normally those "bad time" only happen to me when: 1. I didn't warm up properly (have a couple clear hit, drive, etc before game seem to increase my consistency) 2. I eat too late (1 hour before game, now I try to finish my meal 2 hours before game) 3. Lack of sleep EDIT: I find consistency also related to the opponent. against lower skill you can play well but against higher skill they might push you harder and forcing you to make error
I thoroughly agree with ae86trueno. Especially the sleep. Almost no one gets enough these days. Try for at least consecutive three days to get a good 8 hours and you will find your badminton (and your mind and mood) at least somewhat more consistent. (What is a 'headless chook'?)
Badminton is a tactical game. You play well only to the extent that your opponent's weakness allows you to dominate. That is when your shots are near perfect. But against opponents who know how to exploit your weakness, your shots become more like losing shots than winning shots. Your opponent is using tactics to put you out of your comfort zone, which means your shots are being "controlled" by your opponent. If you are serious about badminton you must analyse why you lost. Or better still get a knowledgeable player to tell you why you lost. You can be a weaker player than your opponent, yet it is possible to beat him if you use the right tactical game. It is also possible to lose to a weaker opponent because of wrong tactics employed. This analytical approach is more helpful than merely blaming it on an off-form day.
Agreed with ae86trueno. If i don't warm up, I can't play well. My partner is worse. It takes him a couple of games to actually warm up. And yes, if your opponent is weaker, you will have more time to think and react, leading to better shots.
Of all three above I would say lack of sleep will make you play the worst game ever. You'll lose focus, coordination, reaction and timing. Many more to be exact. Just played my worst game ever yesterday after a total of only 7 hours sleep for two days. It's humiliating when you missed the birdie to return a simple short service... and it could make you hot tempered too... sleep depriviation is dangerous! Another factor is food intake. Make sure you consume the right amount and right foods two or three days (every day every time is much better) before a game for best results. I experienced this when I was competing in field athletics back in my school days. It worked for badminton but most of the times I'm not so serious about it as I play badminton for health and leisure at the time being.
I too have up and down days. If its any of the 3 ae86 mentioned then its probably your own fault, lack or warm up, eating too much or too little before a game, or just not enough sleep will put your game off more often than not. However if thats not your problem its probably a mental thing. If you find your shots arent going as you like just go back to basics. Hit simple shots such as clearing the a basic shot and its one of the most important shots in the game. I usually try and hit a few of those (good ones) when Im playing badly and try not to do anything too tricky until I get back into the groove.
i have the same prob ... someday i feel like i can take on anybody .. some days i play worse than my grandma ... hahahahaa i think its mostly lack of sleep more than anything for me .. sometimes i only get like 8 hours sleep total for 2 days ... the following day i was playing like the above "headless chook" .. hahahaha ps ... its not the skill level thingy as i play against the same opponents sometimes altho its just social games mostly
Deprivation of sleep - FULLY AGREE. And against stronger opponents, the pressure you set urself in often makes your game somewhat less stable. Just be cool and take the scores as benchmark for your next games. Don't be scared of losing.
makes me laught at what you guys think australians say lol from the dam movies.... no one actually says running around like a headless chook....its just said in some movies...most aussies think the sayings are too lame to even bother...nowadays most of us would say...i was running around like crazy...rather than using an acutal saying..its more the elderly people who use old sayings still. and "fair dinkum" (shakes head) soooo lame lol also back on topic....it shits me when people says i been down playiing bad lately...its all in your head...think negative and youl play terrible...wonder why your playing terrible and think dam im playuing bad and youl play worse. get into a positive state of mind..if u get beaten you get beaten otherwise look at the positive aspects and keep them up. dont let negativity control your mindset or moving forward wont exist for you.
