Hi! I'm 17 and I've been playing badminton for 10 years now. I feel I know my game very well, but I know there is something that still needs a lot of improvement. I have only noticed how bad my feet are after playing at a higher level than I'm used to these past 2 years. There is no way of me improving to any great stretch is I still can't move my feet, and I think I could do everything better if I could set myself up for EVERY shot there is by moving to it. I know there's no sublime rule for everyone, but it's really letting me down. Am I naturally a slow oaf?
i very much doubt it - i'm 22 now and until about 6 months ago i was similarly slow and woeful about the court. then i met my current coach - who fortunately is my own age and recognised my potential - since then he has been giving me regular coaching sessions, i tell him what is wrong with my game and he helps me improve. In other words we do a lot of shadow work and then build it into drills that improve my speed and fitness. Neil
Finding a coach who teaches good footwork, body positioning and balance is like finding a gold mine. It's easy enough to know where your deficiencies are. However, it is very diifficult to correct it yourself just by using physical effort. (bitter experience speaking here). By trying to improve you footwork and body postioning, the structure of your strokes may change. Some people cannot accept going backwards initially to move to a higher level of badminton. I did this - then, on a recent visit to M'sia, a friend said I had a playing style very similar to the Chinese players style. I was so chuffed that somebody noticed all the effort I put in changing my style, footwork, speed, body postioning, strokes etc.
