"Secret Weapons" in Badminton training

The current discussion on Li Mao's imminent departure from Korea's KBA to join Indonesia's PBSI is perceived by some to be a good move to inject new impetus and change to Indonesia's "old" methods of training particularly singles players.

Indonesia's singles department is seen to be fading away slowly in the international badminton arena as its best players seem unable to defeat the best that China (in particular), Korea and Malaysia have on offer. Other up-and-coming countries like Japan, Thailand and Taiwan are causing some concern too. And it wasn't too long ago when Indonesia was king in singles as well as in doubles.

Is it true that Indonesia needs to overhaul its training methods? Are there "secret weapons" that Indonesia's opponents possess which Indonesia can learn from. Perhaps foreign coaches like Li Mao who have 'great credentials' could be engaged to make a difference?

While it is true that suitably qualified foreign coaches can make some contribution to training, this cannot completely bring the trainees on par with the best in a relatively short time. The best players in other countries can be captured in action on the video camera which the coaching staff can exploit fully through post-match analysis and strategies could be mapped out to counter the opponents' strengths and capitalize on their weaknesses. But despite this, players still lose to the same opponent on a head-to-head basis.

Often times the most harding working players during training are the ones likely to succeed. Constant repetition of the same strokes to perfection under different conditions is the target and when this is mastered, together with the upgrading of the players' fitness, it is then left to the players' mental toughness and passion to decide whether he will become the eventual champion.

Well this is what most players have been doing, more or less. Coaches are employing about the same methods to do the job. Nothing quite so new. So it is a matter of whose palyer's form is better on the day to determine the winner. Some days you win, some days you lose!

So how can the player be helped to improve his performance to a new high peak? Are there any "secret weapons"? Is Li Mao, LYB or Tang sifu the secret weapon?

With nothing much more to add to the old training methods, my thoughts turn to science, not that this is entirely new, but maybe not so well received and consulted. Remember badminton, as in most other games, is an art as well as a science.

Coaches should seek and welcome the help of 'sports scientists', who are specialists in their respective areas. They can offer help to optimize the resources of the player, his natural build, his mental abilities and limitation, so that he is able to make the best use of his capabilities. So we need to learn more about biomechanics; fitness training for strength, stamina, agility, etc; nutrition; mental strength, etc and how best these could be applied to the player in question.

Problem is some countries are not so well developed in sports science, unlike China, US and Australia for example, and they may not have a well-established sports institute to be able to perform all the functions needed to assist the player.

What do you think?