How do I improve my footwork?

Discussion in 'Techniques / Training' started by Dr.Dino, Jul 7, 2012.

  1. Dr.Dino

    Dr.Dino Regular Member

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    Hey guys, recently when I have been playing, I noticed that there's something wrong with my footwork, as I think I am not as fast as I want to be. I am wondering if there is an effective method of improving your footwork which can help me get my pace up. I don't generally want just front and back footwork, but also side to side, and diagonal exercises.
    THANK YOU :D
     
  2. Pizza Fish

    Pizza Fish Regular Member

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    the obvious answer you don't want to hear but would help you out most (and get you perfect technique): a coach

    is your technique good? if it isn't, i suggest finding jimmy lin's footwork videos on youtube as those are excellent guides.

    if it is, shadow footwork will definitely help you, but only if your technique is good. you don't want to practice the wrong things!
     
  3. shooting stroke

    shooting stroke Regular Member

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    Hi there,

    Its productive to hear that you're motivated to improve the most fundamental element in badminton that a player must improve first, other than learning proper technique.

    How do you improve your footwork?. IMHO, in regards with the topic about footwork in badminton, this is the most commonest question ask. The fact is, how common this question is, the answer to it can be extremely vast especially if you're looking inside the web or asking to any of your colleagues. However, how many answer or information that you could gather it seems that in the end, the answer to it will only lead you to one common solution........get a good coach to guide you:D........and without any doubt........this is extremely true.

    The path in improving one's badminton footwork does not just require a player to properly understand the correct knowledge on how to improve his footwork (which you by yourself can gather) but also most importantly, the player also must properly understand how to practically apply such knowledge correctly into how he plays..........and to properly connect this 2 element for your own understanding is where comes the coach to guide you. Since the only effective method to strengthening your footwork is only and only through pure hard work footwork drill then its only through by having a coach to guide you will be the correct way to do it.

    Footwork in badminton is all about speed and therefore, to conquer that speed is to conquer your footwork first. If you move on court to go to a specific area, say for reference, area x. Once you momentum yourself to area x using whatever technique of footwork that you possess then, there will be 3 possible outcome:

    a) You will not reach area x on time where the speed of the birdie precedes you and touch your court first OR
    b) You can reach that area but just on time and enough to retrieve the incoming birdie but the outcome of the retrieve will unlikely be a winner OR
    c) You reach that area faster and you have the comfort to address the incoming birdie at its earliest opportunity which either your retrieve will be a winner by itself or it will open an opportunity for you for a winning shot later.

    If your current movement on court will end you with an outcome frequently at (b) and sometimes or more worse frequently at (a) but very rarely at (c) then you need to buckle up. You must understand that footwork in badminton is not just simply plain visible motor movements but in fact it has its own components that influence the speed in your footwork movements. Each of this component has its own physical role that closely inter-connected with each other that you must fully understand and practice.

    1. Speed at the initial acceleration from the stance of readiness (speed 1)
    2. Speed when addressing the birdie (speed 2)
    3. Recovery speed for the next following hit (speed 3)

    If this component is plot further into a flow while you're playing, then it will look like below:

    a. Initial acceleration towards birdie (speed 1) ----->b. Continuous acceleration of footwork to address birdie (speed 2) -------->c .Reaction to birdie (hit) ----> d. Acceleration to recover for the next following hit (speed 3)


    Since footwork is a continuous, dynamic force of movements, it is extremely important to understand that the speed from each component is connected to the speed in the other component, hence, if you start late then most likely you will end late. I made a specific topic to discuss this under the thread: "Better Badminton Footwork - Improve your Speed" for your further references at http://www.badmintoncentral.com/forums/showthread.php/100021-Better-Badminton-Footwork-–-Improve-your-Speed

    Above all, as earlier said, the only effective method for you to get that desire speed into your footwork movement to all corners inside the court is to practice hard continuously all the footwork drills there are or otherwise it will be hard work for you on court while playing. Good Luck

    SS
     
  4. abans

    abans Regular Member

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    I have been struggling with footwork. It is hard to get it right. Also, it is hard to practise footwork in a club setting.
    I joined a gym class that does a lot of aerobics and plyometrics. That is helping in improving the speed at which I run, recover from lunges and run backwards. Though the work out is not badminton specific, but I feel it is helping me in improving my speed on court. I still have to work on split step, general readiness and moving back to base.... ah well...
     
  5. kampungboy

    kampungboy Regular Member

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    I try to improve my footwork by doing shadow footwork alone on the court but it is bloody difficult not to feel strange especially when people started to give you the weird look.
     
  6. Rykard

    Rykard Regular Member

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    stuff em, you're improving they're not
     
  7. OhSearsTower

    OhSearsTower Regular Member

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    lol good to see that its not only me feeling that way

    its especially strange when it is in the beginning
    ppl are chatting around, many come too late and all courts are empty

    always strange for me to start shadow footwork when nobody is on a court yet and im pretty much exposed

    but i try to not give a **** and think of my future wins against those who might give a weird look
     
    #7 OhSearsTower, Jul 18, 2012
    Last edited: Jul 18, 2012
  8. lefeather

    lefeather New Member

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    wipe out their weird looks when you beat them through the improvement of your footwork :)
     
  9. captaincook

    captaincook Regular Member

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    U can do some rope skipping and shadow practice at home too. U don't need half a badminton court size space. For shadow practice, the point is not getting from 1 extreme end to the other...in fact, much smaller circle. Stay low, bend at the knee at all time, and get the rhythm right.... this is not a speeding contest.

    Soon u will find that u can get to the shots so much easier. Why? It is better footwork? or u got strong legs? or your knee is bent to facilitate the movement ? Or it is the bent knee moved yr weight to the balls of yr feet, so u r more ready to move? Or is it that u have recovered to base and at a ready stand the same time yr opponent hits, meaning yr rhythm is in-sync ? Food for thoughts, right?

     

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