[VIDEO] Help with badminton doubles technique, I am the white shirt.

Discussion in 'Techniques / Training' started by Starik, Sep 16, 2019.

  1. Starik

    Starik New Member

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    Been playing for roughly 8 months, having moved from college basketball to badminton. Still in that beginner stage which is frustrating but hope I make some progress. Here’s a doubles game, any critiques that you have feel free to say them! Need all the help I can get.

     
  2. Mason

    Mason Regular Member

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    You are playing with a high intensity in your games which is very good. I came from a similar background of mostly playing basketball throughout my life l and starting up on badminton around 1.5 years ago In my mid 30s. I am slowly improving thanks to the help of people on this forum.
    You will probably get a many many many things that people here will tell you to fix or work on , and probably most of those things will be true. The hard part , at least it was for me was to decipher whose advice to take and what advice will give you the best foundation to build off of. In line with that , working on your general footwork will give you the biggest foundation to improving your game.
    I’m sure others would agree and would be able to provide you with with more specifics.
     
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  3. asadafgs

    asadafgs Regular Member

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    Tell your partner to put on some shoes. It's a safety hazard for everyone on the court. For an 8 month player, you are really good. Keep up the good work and progress! I see some main problems right now that can be easily fixed. You don't turn your body in the rearcourt, and your footwork is not the most efficient. See this video and note how she turns her body and her footwork; for the corners where she runs, you should shuffle step, but the other ones are good.


    Second problem is when you don't have a high contact point in the front court you tend to let the shuttle drop and then hit it. Now your already low contact point is even lower.

    Another problem you can work on is that you aren't able to generate power in the back court. This is related to a lot of things (slicing, contact point, etc.) , but I think what you should focus on first is this: See around 4:45 for his explanation.


    Last one is that you use your power for every shot. Yeah it's doubles, but you are not at the level where your win condition is smashing. When you have a good opportunity, smash, but you also need to know when to use softer shots.
     
    #3 asadafgs, Sep 16, 2019
    Last edited: Sep 16, 2019
  4. Ballschubser

    Ballschubser Regular Member

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    Isn't bad for 8 month.

    My sugguest for all beginners is: play more singles

    Starting with doubles has many disadvantages:
    1. much less need for footwork
    2. less need for shot variance
    3. higher pace and need of reaction time (which will come with time, hard to train)
    4. partner will fill in skill gap, resulting in less active time
    5. less stamina/endurance needed
    6. never sure if it was your fault (position) or something else went wrong
    7. need to learn communication besides rest

    Singles doesn't need other technique (same technique with other focus), but it helps you to learn it more quickly, especially footwork. I know, that many club players prefer doubles (save shuttles, save energy, save court space), but I would sugguest to get as many single sessions as possible.

    The other best option is a coach and private session, but I understand, that this is often an even harder task than to get someone to play a single (either expensive or not available).
     
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  5. DarkHiatus

    DarkHiatus Regular Member

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    You have a curious habit of jumping up and down a lot when your partner receives a high lift and you're getting ready to follow up his attack. I guess it could be likened to a lot of split steps - you seem ready for most returns after all.

    The obvious downside is that it is likely to make you more tired than if you timed your split step with your opponent's return, and the other potential (worse) downside is that it may cause you to mis-time your split step which will be worse than if you didn't split step at all.

    If you do some footwork practice, you'll probably find you'll do it less as you become more certain on when to pre-load your legs to push off powerfully. Another thing to focus on is pushing off as you determine where the shuttle is moving - concentrate on the shuttle, not your opponents body or racquet.
     
  6. Starik

    Starik New Member

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    Thanks for the reply! To me it always felt more of a always being ready thing. I watched this doubles video and it seems like the Korean team likes to do some of the same bouncing so to speak. But I assume their footwork is far from textbook.

    Video:
     
    #6 Starik, Sep 17, 2019
    Last edited: Sep 17, 2019
  7. Ballschubser

    Ballschubser Regular Member

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    I think, that your footwork is quite good for a beginner in double. You always have a low center of gravity and a lot of split steps, certainly a carry over of your basketball training. I would try to identify other weak spots first.

    But, as said before, I think doubles is not the best way for beginners to help identifying weak spots. Try to record a single, this will help to isolate your technique issues more clearly.
     
  8. Cheung

    Cheung Moderator

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    Playing singles is not a bad idea. You play more shots in singles over the same period of time and cover more of the court. This will show up more clearly major areas of weakness in a short period of time. Over in China, it’s singles first to learn the footwork patterns which are then transferrable to a doubles game. Going the other way round is harder. You are clearly athletic which is good for learning movement patterns. Hand movements will be good as well with good hand eye coordination. Fine finger techniques will take time to pick up.

    In addition, experience counts so you need a lot of hours on court learning to recognise the play. No substitute for that :)
     
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  9. Mason

    Mason Regular Member

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    This has worked for me! Although I prefer Doubles, when I play singles and train footwork for singles it has a huge carry over to my doubles play.
     
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  10. ralphz

    ralphz Regular Member

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    It's not his business ordering somebody to put shoes on. And I didn't see his partner putting anybody in danger.

    And I don't think anybody felt in danger.

    You might ask the partner why they don't wear shoes.. and suggest it may be a good idea

    But to order somebody to and tell them they are endangering (everyone on the court), is another matter.

    And it doesn't even make sense what you said, that he is endangering everybody on the court. There are four people on the court. If he were slipping then are you afraid he is going to slip under the net, sliding under the net as if on roller skates, and take out the legs of the people on the other side? how is he even going to get under there? unintentional limbo dance? or do you think he is going to slip around the net. at high speed.. and into his opponents. Makes no sense. I've seen some strange things happen on a badminton court but that is pretty much impossible.

    I don't understand how you can possibly think he is endangering people on the other side of the court..

    Let alone his partner.

    And i've seen lots of people not wear badminton shoes and slip a lot.. WAY more than this guy. And nobody tells them they are endangering people and orders them to wear badminton shoes or leave. (which is essentially what you are suggesting he tell the guy by saying he is endangering everybody on the court). I didn't even see this guy slip, let alone slip into anybody else. I'm not suggesting barefoot is the way forward and I wear badminton shoes myself.

    (Besides that people that do slip e.g. wearing the wrong shoes, tend not to slip at high speed and not endanger anybody other than perhaps themselves.. I've not seen somebody slip(or slide) into somebody.. Normally there's a distance between two people on court, unless they don't know what they are doing, and then that's the danger).

    Personally I would not feel in danger playing with either of those guys
     
    #10 ralphz, Sep 23, 2019
    Last edited: Sep 23, 2019
  11. ralphz

    ralphz Regular Member

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    at the rally that starts at 7:40 Is white shirt(OP) getting a bit too close to his partner sometimes (7:52, 7:57)?
     
    #11 ralphz, Sep 23, 2019
    Last edited: Sep 23, 2019
  12. Starik

    Starik New Member

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    Yes I was.
     
  13. DarkHiatus

    DarkHiatus Regular Member

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    Yes - they clearly even both swing for the same stroke, therefore they are too close.

    However, in 7:52 I would say it is definitely OPs error, and in 7:57 it is probably his partner's error.

    In 7:52 OP returns a lift down the centre of the court. Given his opponent lifted the shuttle, he should know his partner is in the centre and in front of him, therefore he should trust his partner to retrieve, rather than try and rotate. If OP actually meant to play the stroke down the right tramline, then it could excuse his footwork for moving forward, but by seeing his (unexpected) stroke go to the centre, he should then move back again.

    In 7:57 the same sort of scenario happens, except on backhand side. This time OPs plays a stroke down the tramline and steps forward to intercept the straight reply. This is reasonable because his partner his standing on the centreline. Given his partner's position, it's probably easier for the front player to cover the rear forehand on a rotation as OP moves forward to cover the BH forecourt (as he does), but OPs partner decides to move far to the tramline instead.

    I've said it is probably OPs partner's error in the second case because tactically, a down the line smash when you can see your partner is not biased towards your side is a bit risky. If your opponent returns with a block to the BH net, that is the smashers stroke to return, as his partner will be looking to rotate out if he is on the centreline. That is a lot of running, and likely a lift if not a point lost for a smash that is relatively easy to return. A smash to the opponents body (hip, elbow, shoulder) or to the centre/between the opponents is a better choice here, since then you can easily get your front player involved and there should be no confusion who is retrieving a return...if you trust your partner!

    If you're in doubt that you should be able to see exactly where your partner is standing within 1ft as the rearcourt player, watch Taufik pick up LCWs hand signal (on the other side of the court!) indicating for Taufik to keep smashing it at LCWs partner, whose strings just snapped at 2:58!

     
    #13 DarkHiatus, Sep 26, 2019
    Last edited: Sep 26, 2019
  14. KITMAN

    KITMAN Regular Member

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    I think your taking what he said too literally.
    However he is completely right in my view and your answers are all if's and maybe. It only takes one slip into someone to potentially cause someone an injury, however unlikely it may be.
    I personally wouldn't appreciate someone's sweaty feet all over the court and just because he isn't slipping during the video does not mean that as the session goes on he won't later on. What if someone needs to dive or place a hand down when reaching for a shot? Right onto his foot sweat, yuk! How lovely to have his foot sweat placed around every court he plays on for other's to potentially slip on. Would he be going around with a towel after each game to dry the courts? maybe he is but if this was my club he wouldn't be playing unless he's wearing foot wear.
     
  15. Ouchie

    Ouchie Regular Member

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    Yep, after the first few verrucas somebody might want to tell him that he needs to wear shoes.
     

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