I came off a tennis season a couple of weeks ago, I usually play badminton for the winter and fall months and tennis is my spring and summer sport. Lately, I feel like my movement has been lagging behind and wanted to add an additional dimension to my footwork. I was informed that it was possible to pull off split-steps in badminton. But I was wondering how you pull off such motion considering the split step in tennis is essentially a little hop and the pace of badminton is much faster than tennis, how do you have time to pull it off before the opponent returns your shot? thanks, forum noob.
You need to start your split step a fraction of a second before the opponent strikes the shuttle. Check badmintonbible.com for details.
I am not sure if what what I describe is the split step that you referred to, but I have faced the problem with lagging behind before. Usually before I start moving in the direction where I anticipate hitting the shuttle I will do a little hop on both feet. I think if you watch videos of Lee Chong Wei playing in the recent Asian Games on youtube, the camera footage from his rear will show you what I mean. It does not commit you to a particular direction (which makes you vulnerable to a deception), but it generates the power that you need to perform the subsequent shuffle and lunge to the correct spot. It may not even need to be a hop, but rather a quick raise of the heel on one's midfoot, using your calf muscles to achieve this effect. When I do this it forces me to keep a slightly bent knee posture to maintain my balance, which again is optimum posture for movement.
With regards to the timing, usually I will move to an area where I can cover the anticipated returns from my opponent. Not always back to the midcourt centre, as he may jolly well pop the shuttle back to where it came from. This movement allows me to cut down on the distance I need to cover once my opponent puts the shuttle where I expect him to, but also cover other contingencies in case he tries to wrong-foot me. At the same time I will read his body form and at which point he is hitting the shuttle (whether I expect a weak or a normal return) and with that it will help me to anticipate his shot. Once he made contact with the shuttle and I grasp the direction in which to move (which sometimes can happen in the same instance) I will do a little hop / shuffle before finishing up with a lunge to hit the shuttle. Hope this helps.
Good suggestions above. Also the split step is done as a preparation in anticipation of moving in any direction. The idea is that by preloading the muscle fibres, they are able to contract faster and stronger.
In tennis, I know the little "hop" allows you to push off faster as visor above have indicated...I don't see this as being very useful in badminton as the reaction time is much shorter and this hop would actually make you slower in getting to the shuttle. The best thing, and I know this doesn't answer your question so much, is to keep your legs loaded in a bent position for you to explode. Getting the same concept, minus the hop.
I do not agree with this. A small hope will get you to move faster. In badminton, you have much lesser reaction time and that makes the split step more important. A couple of points I have-not 100% sure that I am correct. But I follow this with some success. 1. Your base would vary based on where your opponent is and what all shots he can play effectively. 2. You stop moving and do split step when the opponent is making his shot-Even if you could not reach your ideal base. Your base would be a position where you can cover and couter attack his most offensive shot and also you should be able to cover his lesser shots. For E.G, if you manage to play tight net shot, your base would be close to the net so as to cover any couter drops and kill them. Also you are good enough to cover any lift from this position (These are the only two shots your opponent can make from here. A second exampale would be, when you are late to recover from rear corners. Your best choice is to hang back where ever you are as your opponent is playing his shot. If you keep moving to your ideal base, opponent would be able to wrong foot you by just hitting to the same corner where you came from. Hope these makes sense NP
As Alex mentioned, you have to time the split step so that you complete it just after your opponent hits the shuttle. It's just the same in tennis, I believe: tennis players begin their split step before the opponent hits the ball. Here's the direct link to my page about the split step. It's also worth noting that the split drop can be "moving", in the sense that you incorporate it into your footwork pattern. You don't always have to reach a complete stop before making a split step. I notice that the term "split step" is gaining currency over "split drop". This seems to be the direction BE are going too; I may need to go through and update my nomenclature at some point.
Good to hear all the input. Timing of the split step was always a problem for me - especially when my opponent plays a deceptive shot. It was really embarrassing when I was playing against this lady last month in China, in a singles game no less. She had a very consistent stroke and I wasn't really able to read her shots usually until she had hit the shuttle. It was worse when I dropped to the front court; she would sometimes change her point of contact with the shuttle that effectively negated my split step and completely wrong footed me. Was amazing how quickly she could cover her ground and get in position to hit the shuttle so near the top of the tape. I suppose knowing when to execute the split step comes with lots of playing, but if anyone can spare me some tips so I can avoid getting humiliated again, I would be most grateful
Very much disagree. A split step is very much a basic skill. Do it well and you can move very well indeed. There was a small lady player from China called Gong Zhi Chao. I slowed down her movement on video to examine her technique. From the middle of the court, she did a split step first and then moved for the opponent's drop shot. Her body would move after the shuttle had already crossed the net. Very, very fast indeed. Of course, split step is not the total solution. Some people have said in some situations split step is not required. That is true as well. I think the split step allows to you move faster and be on balance for a better recovery. You cannot use it in all situations so it is a matter of learning when and when not it will be useful. Most times it is useful..
Hey folks.... I think I may have confused a couple concepts...I've always been told by coaches that "hopping" before moving in badminton takes away time from movement and that proper footwork and focusing on the swing will get you to the shuttle faster. IE, stay on the balls of your feet, load your legs and be prepared to move... Having played tennis at a decent level, I developed that "hop" before moving and was told countless times that it's an inefficient use of my time. However, I guess if I do this move before the shuttle is hit, I believe that you are indeed right.
Tennis? Hop? Slow down? Yes, I agree as a hop implies one foot and landing one foot on the ground with the other in the air slows one down when trying to change direction. I haven't watched much tennis recently but keep an eye on tennis players feet when they receive a serve. A split step will need both feet to land simultaneously on the ground before moving towards the projectile.
