Need some advice on My Games

Hey you're not bad! How long have you been playing? Well first off thank you for showing your video to us! I think your half-smashes are pretty good, especially the one at 12:46 because you generated a pretty good amount of power for being off balance. You may not have won the point but that's because your backhand drops need work.

Anyway down to business, I think one of the big inconsistencies in the game is your foot work, especially when moving for a smash. There weretimes in which you jumped backward off your non-racket foot to get backwards for the shuttle at 3:28 and 4:11. Your body is twisted in a really awkward way and it must feel equally as awkward to jump backwards that way. The power you generate compared to when you jump off your racket foot is very evident during the game.

The other issue is your return of serve which is crucial in doubles to be able to get on the attack. I notice that you keep your racket down at your knees. Your racket should be in front of you and lifted up to head level so you don't have to take the time to lift your racket up and take the shuttle so late, which by then you're forced to lift to your opponent.

http://www.badmintonbible.com/articles/grips-guide/which-grip/serve-return.php

That has a perfect picture of how your stance should be when receiving a serve in doubles.

The other thing is your feet. Sometimes I see you with your non-racket foot forward and racket foot backward, which is correct, but other times I see you mainly with your racket foot forward and your non-racket foot backward, which is incorrect. Perfect example of the weakness of having your racket-foot forward was at 8:52. You were caught off guard and the extra time needed to take your right foot to to start moving backwards made it so you couldn't turn that clear into a smash. So stick to your racket-foot backwards like in the picture I provided.

Going back to your ready position with your racket at your knees, that makes it your reactions to a lot of shots are pretty slow, particularly at the net. It's important to know that when you're at the net, none of the shots are going to go towards your knees. So your racket at least should be hanging around between chest and head level to get ready for a low-drive or a low smash return from your opponents. An example at 7:14 where you're at the net and your partner doesn't make the best drop shot, you're kind of stuck in the middle in that you can't reply to really fast shots because your racket is so low. Granted I think in that situation there wasn't too much you could do because your partner made his drop shot too high, in the future you will be able to hit those split-second reaction shots because your racket was already high enough so you didn't need to make a huge motion to intercept his drive. In general though, keeping your racket higher up while at net and in general will allow you to be more aggressive because you hit the shuttle when it's higher up and earlier.

That's all I'm going to put for now because you shouldn't have too many things to worry about, just take it easy one step at a time and work on specific areas to improve. Keep playing!

Edit: One other thing I wanted to mention. Get your non-racket arm involved in your shots! It helps to maintain balance and also makes it less awkward when you're arching back for a shot. I see you to it for your smashes so that's fine, but you should also do it for your drop shots because it adds an element of deception. Having the same sort of "wind up" to your overheads makes it so your opponents will have a harder time finding out what shot you're going to do, whether it's a smash, clear, or drop. 7:58 where your left arm is completely dead at your side while you make a drop is a good example. While it was a pretty good and fast drop/almost a half smash, your friend in white could read it perfectly and retrieved your drop shot. Having such a drastic change in body language between shots makes your plays very easy to read, so try putting your left arm up with your smashes, clears, and drops so that your opponents won't find out what you're hitting until it's left your racket!

 

Oh but the fun of badminton comes from the 100% effort you put in! Seriously when you and your friends start making awesome plays because you're all playing intensely, it makes the game that much more fun and makes you feel like a champ when you can pull off powerful smashes or be able to hit those split-second reaction shots like I mentioned in the previous post. Whenever I do that, it makes me feel like a pro for my brief second of brilliance =p. Of course with more training those instances can increase in frequency because of your improvements.

I too have been only playing for about 2.5 years with training. Like you I started just playing recreational in my university badminton club. I started out with a panhandle grip and was like any other beginner who slapped the shuttle like a total beginner. But as I watched the better people in the club and slowly developed my form, I'm now able to play at the same level as those people I learned from in the beginning and we all have a great time playing with each other!

It's great you want to get more serious because you now have the drive to get better. It's hard to get that feeling, and most people don't have it! Start looking up videos.

http://www.youtube.com/user/matrix2596#p/u

Look at the uploads of this guy on youtube, he's posted every single instructional video series that was hosted by two former badminton Chinese Champions and is a great reference for almost every single shot in badminton. I picked up countless tips and tricks from the videos and I think you will find them equally as interesting because you learn things you didn't know before. Then you can try applying them to your play, which is what I did, and you'll get better with more work.

 

Great advice from above.

There was one point at which tactim said:
"Sometimes I see you with your non-racket foot forward and racket foot backward, which is correct, but other times I see you mainly with your racket foot forward and your non-racket foot backward, which is incorrect"
I just wanted to clarify that this is correct for when receiving serve, but during a rally, and when standing "ready" you should normally have your dominant foot (racket foot) slightly in front. This will especially help you in defense.
At 2.36 you lift the shuttle, and are very slow then to do anything. You walk back slowly, racket on the floor, non racket foot forwards, and get hit by the shuttle. Situations like this, you need to really get into that ready position tactim mentioned: racket at TAPE level, fully in front, non racket arm to the side for balance, and leaning slightly forwards, with knees bent. Then you will be ready for those defensive shots. A good start is this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWgXLhMVAok

As you yourself mentioned, your overhead form is not quite right. This is a great video to emulate:
http://www.youtube.com/user/thejym#p/u/4/HNVC5PVJyPQ

The final comment I will make is about your movement when not hitting the shuttle, especially when you are at the net. When your partner is at the back, moving around hitting shots, you seem to be rooted to the T. This is not advisable in my opinion, because you won't be able to intercept any shots - they will pass you by, and you are exposing your court to your opponent by creating a HUGE gap between you and your partner. Whenever your partner moves, you should move as well. You obviously don't have to go as far, but you should continually take small adjustment steps, getting yourself into a better position with relation to where your partner is. Basically, your feet shouldn't stop going - even if you are not really going more than a few inches.
When your partner goes back to the rearcourt, you need to move to the MIDCOURT, NOT the forecourt. Whilst there (so maybe a meter further back than you stand at the moment) you will be able to see more. You will be looking to pounce forwards towards the net, and looking also to cut off anything that is hit low and flat towards the midcourt.

You seem to be using the correct grips for most of your strokes, and as was said previously, your fast drops are used effectively

I hope some of that will help you with your game. If you have any questions (probably about the "net" positioning ) then feel free to ask!

Matt

 

Play against a player who likes to do drives and you'll quickly learn to bring your racquet up. Hopefully you learn before your opponent takes out your eyeball.

There's a kid at my club who plays exactly like you. We take bets on how many times we can hit his head during a game. It's hilarious!!!

 

Lmao you're terrible. Then again that is definitely one way to teach someone how to get used to holding their racket up very fast. But it is true, using "fear" or the threat of being hit by a birdie is very effective in remembering to put your racket up. I'm a psychology student so basically it's a believed that fearful events are much more easily remembered because it's basically "burned" into your memory.

If someone makes you being scared of being hit in the head, either you learn to dodge or you can deflect the birdie with your racket =p. It's your choice!

 

^^
It's not a matter of lazy or not. We don't have to play super aggressive all the time, as if our life and honour depends on the next point. There are different levels of play between social to competitive.

But it's a matter of correcting a bad habit of having the racket by the ankles. You're practically telling your opponent: here, go ahead, I'll gift you this free point if you smash or drive it at me.

Once you learn to keep your racket up, you'll open yourself to many more shot options because you can take the bird earlier, eg. drive, block, deception, etc.

 

I agree with visor - something like keeping your racket in the correct place is not question of laziness or not - simply good technique. Just because you are using this good technique doesn't mean you will choose to pounce on the net and bury the shuttle at your opponents feet - you can still play "lazily" - but use good technique whilst you're about it. It makes the transition to "non lazy" very easy

urameatballs methods sound harsh, but, as he says, very very funny

 

Great, so you posted a video of yourself not trying and asking for advice on how to improve.
Fool me once...

 

I suggest you take some professional coaching, for 2-3 years of play thats...well not very good.

 

I agree with your opinion!








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In addition to the advise given earlier by others you need to be more disciplined in your racket preparation. See Kwun's post of Tony Gunawan
http://www.badmintoncentral.com/for...unawan-smash-in-slow-motion-perfect-technique

 

Tony gunawans video is good to refer to but cutting off smashes and drives earlier at the ops level of play may be a little hard, instead another method is to have the racquet ready lower so he has more time to think and see the shuttle coming. Also what's more important than racquet prep is footwork and basic skills such as good high clears and Sharp drops. In addition drives are also fairly useful than a big smash, as you don't want to be overly dependent on smashing at that level. Because there will be other players out there that can return smashes with ease. If you out clear out drop and out drive the opponent that's better than only out smashing .

 

I'm not referring to winning a game and the tactics being applied. Racket preparation is an important basic skill. You don't have to get someone to understand the finer details of biomechanics to get them to hit with good technique. It's starts with good preparation, correct readiness angles, use of levers etc. This player would benefit greatly and more quickly with more help with his racket preparation. Furthermore, without improving preparation this player is more at risk of cementing bad habits with inefficient movement practices, footwork and strokes.