I was told that for footwork to the rear courts you could just kind of run backwards because it is faster than chasses. By running backwards I don't mean turning around and then run, rather run backwards while you are still facing the net. I was not sure if this is correct because my footwork usually consisted of chasses to the rearcourt. So is it correct to run backwards?
i don't think running backwards is a good idea b/c you want to keep your balance and recover from your shot after you hit the bird. also you want to be efficient and use the least amount of energy and running backwards sounds like you're gonna be wasting a lot of energy
Running backwards is terrible!! Very slow and wasteful of energy!! its al about the step over or chasse back (2 - 3 steps). Look at youtube videos on footwork
Footwork to Backcourt Yah thats what I was thinking but someone told me that it is faster but uses more energy.
He is correct. It's indeed faster and uses more energy. However, you still need to stop and get into a hitting position. Running backwards puts you off balance and you loose speed as a result. Chasse or even cross-over steps works much better if starting from the middle. If you are caught by a flick from the front, run back.
See these pages from my footwork guide: forehand rearcourt footwork, and backhand rearcourt footwork. You would generally run (step) backwards when you have a larger distance to cover, such as when moving all the way back from the net to the rearcourt. In other cases, when you are starting from a more central base, you would typically chasse and block jump (to intercept flatter shots); or use an arc step (turning chasse) when you have time to get fully behind the shuttle; or use steps (cross-overs) when you are late and have to take the shuttle behind your body. On the backhand side, you'd typically use a swivel-step and scissor jump. You can also use a block jump to intercept flatter shots.
