What should i do to improve my footwork???

Discussion in 'Techniques / Training' started by headstitch, Aug 22, 2007.

  1. headstitch

    headstitch Regular Member

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    elow guyz...im a begineer:( so pls teach me how to improve my game specialy my footwork........plz....
    thnx..............:)
     
  2. killersmash

    killersmash Regular Member

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    o.. the best way to improve footwork... is to... DO A SEARCH . lol . anywayz u want to improve on which part ? speed ? stamina? reaction ? technique???
     
  3. LazyBuddy

    LazyBuddy Regular Member

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    To improve footwork, you need to know what's the correct footwork should be. Either consult with a reputable coach, or watch some fundamental badminton training vcds. Once you know what's the correct steps, time to practice. It might be a bit boring, but will benefit you in a long run.
     
  4. Oldhand

    Oldhand Moderator

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    Put Your Best Foot Forward

    If your sights are fixed on the All England Open or some other similarly lofty target, the sooner you sign up with a professional coach, the better. :cool:

    However, if your sights are fixed on just the recreational side of badminton, you'd be getting off on the wrong foot (pun intended) if you intend to 'learn' first. Although it will surely hold you in good stead later, nothing is as unexciting as 'learning' footwork. :mad:

    My advice (unless you are determined to best Lin Dan within the year) is to dive right into play and, with a broad grin, take the punishment from other players in your stride. At worst, all that 'running around' in the beginning will get you stronger legs. :)

    After every game, while you stand bent over gulping air into your bruised lungs, ignore your partner's scowl and try to look back at what you just went through. What was missing in your game? Was it timing, was it reach, was it speed, was it control, was it power, was it coordination, was it anticipation... in the beginning, just about all of these will be missing. :eek:

    If you can summon some patience and work on these aspects, one at a time, you will see something magical happen. During every session, devote your energies to getting the shuttle safely back into play... but devote your attention to just one aspect until you no longer need to think about it. :)

    On Day 1, you might focus, say, on getting the upper half of your racquet face to meet the shuttle every time. Day 2 might be devoted to getting to the shuttle before it drops below your waistline. Day 3 might be about staring at the shuttle so hard that you see nothing else. Day 4 could be baseline day where you are determined to get every lift headed for the back box.

    It's here, at this self-analysis stage, that videos and guides might be of help. The trick is to observe and adapt, not copy. It doesn't matter if your stir it left or right so long as the soup tastes fine. ;)

    The magical part relates to footwork. At about Day 30, provided you have been diligent enough in your self-correction and no longer have to think about what to do, you will find that your feet don't get crossed and that you are moving smoothly, easily, fluidly and unhurriedly. It means your eyes, arms and legs have begun to work as a single unit. And that means your footwork is fine. :cool:

    It's then time to move on to higher things like crisp backhand smashes :rolleyes: and how to channel more power into your strokes. :cool:

    Alternatively, you could pay to have a coach teach you what you could easily learn yourself if you have it in you. :)

    Have fun. :D
     
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  5. stumblingfeet

    stumblingfeet Regular Member

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    Great post, Oldhand.

    Coaches don't do magic - you only get as much out of practice as you put into it. Learn to think critically of your own abilities, find your weaknesses, and hammer them until they're not longer your weakness. Then, figure out what your new weaknesses are and repeat.
     
  6. Oldhand

    Oldhand Moderator

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    Apt

    I kinda like your name... Stumblingfeet :rolleyes:
    Does it have anything to do with (possibly sloppy) footwork, er, perhaps sometime in the past? :p
     
  7. Oldhand

    Oldhand Moderator

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    A Romanian Tale

    Let me tell you a story. :)

    In a previous life as a sports commentator, I had the privilege of meeting Gheorghe Hagi, one of the greatest footballers Europe has seen.

    He talked of his early career, a time when his left foot was his weak point. So well known was this weakness that opposing defenders would always attack Hagi on his right side, forcing him to switch the ball to his left side. As his left leg lacked power, this strategy ensured that he would not attempt a shot at goal. Hagi could only pass the ball... and, for quite a while, that kept him from scoring goals even when inside the penalty area.

    After one particularly harrowing season, he set about remedying this. He decided to practice long shots with only his left foot. For three weeks, he kept his right foot out of the way until it became completely natural to attempt long shots with his left foot.

    It was a self-correction that would change not just his game, but his life as well. So keenly did Hagi practice that by the time the next season began, his left leg had been transformed from a derided weak point to one of European football's most lethal weapons. :cool:

    The rest is history.

    Today, I don't see why aspiring badminton players can't do a Hagi. :p
     
  8. Kiwiplayer

    Kiwiplayer Regular Member

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    Hear, hear.

    The determination to succeed is by far the most important attribute. That and good genes, of course. While we can't do much about our genes, we are certainly responsible for our motivation.

    Coaching can help, but without the will to help thyself, then coaching is just a waste of time and money. And I'm speaking both as a player and a coach.

    Wayne Young
     
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  9. Oldhand

    Oldhand Moderator

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    How True

    I couldn't agree more :)
     
  10. remix441

    remix441 Regular Member

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    well i got a good friend who coaches me he is a B ranked player, so i get free lessons. I just stand in the middle oposite side and he would drop from both angles and clear from either side my job is two return it to where he is, practicing my footwork. I think thats a good way to practice footwork.
     
  11. Oldhand

    Oldhand Moderator

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    Grrrrrrrrr

    This is precisely the problem. :)
    Finally, you'll end up automatically returning every shot to where it came from, which is the surest way to allow your opponent to take control of the rally. :D

    The ideal feed is a mix of shots, completely unpredictable and from everywhere and at varying speeds. The only situation that matches this set of requirements is actual gameplay.

    So there you are.
    Go play a game.
    That's the way to begin learning. :D

    Feeds, if at all, can come later when you begin refining your shots. :)
     
  12. headstitch

    headstitch Regular Member

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    speed and stamina.....can u help on dat one????pls
     
  13. DivingBirdie

    DivingBirdie Regular Member

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    returning the ball to the feeder's position may not necessarily be a bad idea. such practice is good for aiming the weaker opponent in doubles :) and of course, the feeder can change his standing positions.

    So as long as such drills are not carried out singly, and instead are done with many other practices, i don't think one would cultivate a habit of returning a shot to where it came from:)

    anyway great first post by oldhand. i'd strongly advise you not to rush into training speed and power if your technique isn't too good yet.
     
  14. Speed of light

    Speed of light Regular Member

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    To improve your footwork you can watch professional players training video. Each time study a little section and try to practice and remember. Hence it will be natural to for you in game or anytime. You can practice with shadow drills for moving to the four corners. Once you master it you can get your partner to feed the shuttlecock to you and practice the footwork. Other exercise would help skipping rope, jogging, running, push up, sit up, and sketching but not cold sketching(which prevent injury )
     
  15. stumblingfeet

    stumblingfeet Regular Member

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    I had a leg injury with some nerve damage a few years ago, and I wasn't able to move my right foot properly for several months. Thankfully, my feet work pretty well these days - in fact they work better than ever. For example, it is possible to train your feet/ankles to resist against ankle sprains.
     
  16. Oldhand

    Oldhand Moderator

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    Do share that method with us. :)
    I'm at that stage of life where time begins to take its toll. :(
     
  17. Badmintan

    Badmintan Regular Member

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    training methods?

    I heard from a friend of mine, that a shuttle run helps footwork and reaction time....but I dunno what exactly is a shuttle run?

    Also I saw from the internet the China national team jog on the sand or beach...to train their footwork.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1WCa0pf_Aw
    at 2.49 minutes...

    Can anyone or coaches confirm that these techniques work?
     
  18. remix441

    remix441 Regular Member

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    I hit it back to my feeder in practice becasue so he doesnt need to runaround getting the birdy he just makes unpredicted drops and clears from any side. I think it is good for teaching you to return to base and improve movement on the court I wouldnt hit it back to my opponent where he is during a match or game. It is just to practice footwork.
     
  19. stumblingfeet

    stumblingfeet Regular Member

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    The most common type of ankle sprain is the inversion sprain: when you're plantarflexed (ankle straightened) and inverted (foot turned inwards). The key to training to prevent injury in this case would be for your ankles to learn how to resist getting into this vulnerable position.

    The opposite movement of inversion is eversion (turning your foot outward) and the opposite of plantarflexion is dorsiflexion (pulling your foot up). The first step to strengthening would be to do simple exercises with resistance - for instance, attach a fitness band to your foot and do repetitions of the different movement of the ankle. In particular, pay attention to the eccentric movements, when the joint moves one way but the movement is resisted the whole way, and also use isometric training: hold the foot in a good position while trying to pull it out of position.

    However, strong muscles are useless unless your body knows to use them.This involves proprioception, your body's ability to sense its position in space. The most basic exercise would be to balance on one leg, then progress to doing so with the eyes closed, then perhaps on a wobble board or to do single leg strength exercises like lunges, 1-legged squats and 1 legged deadlifts.

    What is the next step? To do single leg strength exercises on a wobble board? WRONG! This is where many people make a mistake. A bit of unstable surface training is harmless and can refine your motor control, but adding a load to it is a disaster waiting to happen. A much better approach involves developing dynamic stability, and dynamic to static stability.

    Dynamic stability is the ability to keep your balance while moving. For instance, hop back and forth quickly over a line. If you have good dynamic stability, your centre of gravity stays centred over the line as your foot bounces from one side to another. Do exercises like this but hopping in all directions, and then progress to doing so but with one side being a raised surface to increase the load. The implication of this training is this: suppose that there is an object on the ground you don't see, and you step or land on it accidentally. In a normal situation, there is a high risk for ankle injury, but with good dynamic stability, your foot detects the object by touch, and re-positions before you get your weight on that foot.

    Dynamic to static stability is when you're going to land your foot no matter what, and you need to be able to handle your body's momentum. For example, if you get deceived, you need to stop very suddenly before you can change direction. The suddenness of the stop is a risk for ankle injury. What you want to do here is progressively train yourself to absorb momentum so that you end up in a static position. The method is to train the landing of a hop or jump.Do a small hop, land on one leg, and stop. Repeat in many different directions, and increase the power of the hop/jump as you get better. Focus on stopping instantly and quietly - if you lose your balance momentarily, or if your foot makes a lot of noise, that means you're trying to do too much. Just think of how gymnasts do landings - quiet and sudden.
     
  20. remix441

    remix441 Regular Member

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    The ideal feed is a mix of shots, completely unpredictable and from everywhere and at varying speeds. The only situation that matches this set of requirements is actual gameplay.

    i certainly agree with this; unpredictable and varying speeds help your movement greatly because it is similar to a real game. If your feeder does drop and clear you already know what is expected and the speed of shuttle should also vary, eg. fast drop slow drop etc. The only reason to hit back to the feeder is to get him to give out another mix of shots, instead of trying to retrive your shot. Great point oldhand
     

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