Hi guys, As someone new to this site, I thought I'd ask for a little advice...... I have been playing league badminton for the past three years both mixed and mens for two decent standard clubs and have been getting into the teams easily and winning things! All was going well until recently when I have found that I have been suffering from a lack of form/performance. Pairs I used to beat easily I am now struggling against, it's not fitness as I play up to 4 nights a week and spend hours in the gym as well as road running - I have never been fitter.....maybe I play to much? - I was a pro soccer player when younger and always played at a reasonable level right up until my retirement last season (aged 36) and I can't remember this happening at all in football??? - I'm not injured (apart from a minor golfer's elbow problem) so it's not that - I have a match tonite and don't feel confident.....my men's doubles partner is an England vet and I hate letting him down (although we won the men's american league last night) - ANY IDEAS? - Should I take time out? My mental attitude and commitment still seem OK....but can't quite put my finger on my apparant performance not being what it was of late - I know it will come back/improve but it's very frustrating as I know I can play much better...... HELP!
Pete, Frustrating isn't it? Many of us get this sort of 'lack of form' from time to time, and it's honestly nothing to worry about. About a month ago i had this problem, nothing was going right and i become very demoralized. I find that this happens because you game is reforming without you knowing it. You gradually, after getting over the bad patch, come out the other side a better player, and this happens to me about twice a year. I aint the best of players, you should know coz you see me play, but i do tend to improve after a bad patch. It's nothing to worry about mate, stick it out, and then a week or so, you'll come out the other side a better player. It isn't your fitness at all. It does get frustrating, but the best thing to do is whenever you get the chance, get someone to knock up with you and evaluate your shots and movement. Trust me, you'll be fine Matt
Hi Matt, Thanks for your reply and for someone so young you have a wise head on your shoulders....I will take heed of your advice...cheers mate....(perhaps you would offer a few pointers next time we knock up?)...as for your standard of play - you are extremely good and will be awesome in a few years - when you are playing for England please remember who used to give you a game! Don't forget the match next Monday and thanks for helping us out. Please e-mail directions and I will pick you up.......it's good to play with you instead of against you for a change! Speak to you soon......
Pete, Not a problem mate, would be good to play with you. Will email you the directions now. The key thing is not to worry about it ok? The more you worry about the loss of form the more the form goes down, as you lose heart. You game will improve soon, and i can promie this i have been there many many times. Sure, i'll give you some pointers next time we knock up, not a problem. I dont feel i'm playing aswell at the moment, but my doubles is quite strong. I'm looking foward to the match Monday actually. Matt
I thought this happens in all sports Ryan Giggs is a recent example. Perhaps it's more noticable in badminton because there's only two people in a team. Therefore any loss of form or confidence is more likely to show up. In football, you might have to do a lot of running to get in position yet never touch the ball for much of the match. So a loss of form would be less noticable. It's interesting that you are able to compare your professional experience in one sport to another sport.
HI Cheung, Seriously, I cannot remember feling like this re: performance when playing football....even when the Manager/coaching staff did not select me for matches...I ALWAYS felt confident in my ability as a player and gave 100%. I knew that when I played, I was good enough to grace the team.....maybe you're right, because there are 11 players on the pitch with bouts of less active play, perhaps I did not have the feeling I wasn't performimg well......in Badminton, one is much more exposed and performance related issues are more noticeable....... In soccer, I could play absolutely brilliant and we sometimes would still lose the game....with badminton, it just seems tougher when you have a good game and lose.....maybe I am getting too old....!
Pete, you must have been a very special player to have so much confidence. What my coach used to say is that it was impossible to perform 100% all the time. sometimes he would just have to go on the how his conditioning was during certain periods. Sometimes his shots would be wildly perfect. One example is the jump smash. He said he would jump, hang in the air and seem to have time to look left, right, aim for a spot and really get the shuttle going to that point. On other occasions, nothing would go good and he would have to set his standards lower and build up the quality of the shots again. My experience of badminton is that there a lot of very subtle movements that can be performed with the wrist and fingers. Even slight loss of confidence(or too much booze the night before) can affect the smoothness of the stroke and greatly affect the flight/quality of shuttle path. My impression of football is that such delicate movements of the feet and head are not so important (or used less frequently). The football has a significant mass which would need a certain baseline force to get it moving. That could be another reason for feeling badminton is a bit different from football. If it's any consolation, I lose a lot of badminton games so maybe we should team up!!
Hi Cheung, Thanks for your reply - and you're are mostly right re: Football / Badminton comparison although there are similarities with regard to positioning etc....as for badders, I do win many more than I lose, it's just that I am finding the loss of form hard to take having always been a winner, I know this sounds arrogant however, a positive mental attitude is all important.......it's only league play for social reasons and there are much more important things in life however, it means alot to me as it's my only competitive sport now and I want to play as well as I can ALL the time if possible........ re: teaming up - anytime you want mate - let me know.....
Do you think the adage 'the harder you try , the worse it gets' is appropriate at the moment? Yes, I understand how badminton is your only competitive sport. It's the same for me and I do want to play well all the time. Life is tough
Yes, so it would seem - in my match tonight I am going to relax and go back to basics, nothing fancy, nor will I beat myself up over any mistakes....I'll smile my way through it - it's a mens 4 where you play a rubber with all the other players so I should be able to just play my own game......shame it's a must win game for us to retain the title, we lost to our opponents tonight at home and NEED to win or they will lift the title.....what a game for me to be in playing like I am.......!!! and no, with injuries and unforced absences, we have few available players in the squad so I HAVE to play.......I could quite easily go to be early after a few beers rather than play this one. Ho hum!:
Well, good luck for your game. Once I played a tournament in which the 1st game and 2nd/3rd games were played in two different w/ends (due to court time being limited). The first game was a loss but the next week, the 2nd game we won and then the 3rd game was ours. The main difference was being relaxed in the 2nd week(1st week tense cos trying too hard). Our opponents even remarked how different(and faster) I was playing even though personally, I felt I was putting in less mental and physical effort. I think my partner felt more relaxed as well and he also had better performance. Strange but true. So relax, don't go for clear winners if you balance is off/positioning not quite right and be patient for the chances to come. If the chances don't come, well, those guys are definately ahead of you in ability so shed no tears. And again, good luck.
Guess what !! We WON!!! 4-2 and I won with all three partners - all games - looks like we will retain the Mens 4 league title again this year with just two matches left against opposition we normally beat......great result. Sounds silly but it was good to air my thoughts on this forum and take sound advice....it certainly worked this time anyway!!! Many thanks guys, your help was much appreciated. PG
Pete, Congrats matey. Cant talk long, in college. Will send you enmail tonight. Told you could do it! Matt
Cheung, I've played with and against Pete, and he is good, just needs to realise we all have a loss of form and that we come through the other side a better player. But, never the less, a good player at that Matt
It's always like that. Top player like ur guys, claim "loss of form" just because u may win a game against ppl like we with 15-1 in 5 min, not 15-0 in 2 min .... Maybe I need to claim "superior form" if I can ever "chip" away 2 pts away from u...
Thanks for the compliment Matt - it's good to hear coming from someone like yourself....I work hard, you just need to teach me some of your trick shots! - sneaky See U soon Pete
Me?? What trick shots? I aint playing in the match monday, but on the Sunday instead, so i'll be seeing you then. You do work hard, and you will reap rewards after. Like i say, you get out of badminton what you put in, and if you work hard, you will become better. See you soon Matt
