February 10 Update Few weeks in Korea, my body getting better in shape and I'm hitting the gym consistently now. Thing's I"ve noticed: Singles is clicking a lot more. Game is getting flatter and my drops are getting much better and consistent. Late forehand replies are there, and fortunate enough to not be in too many situations where late backhand has been needed. Net game is marginally better. Power is much better. I feel I'm better at using it now too instead of always smashing, and am varying with drops and cross shots. In doubles I'm using drops and shots to the tramlines to good use but max output of power is lacking. I still need to use my core rotation better (which I visualize by pulling my left arm inwards to start the spin of my body) Physicality is better which I suspect is due to the muscle memory getting ingrained not necessarily better physically. I'm still around 87/88 kg. How to improve in singles is making a lot of sense but I'm struggling with my progression in doubles. I'm catching flicks more often, and being more proactive at short service returns. Flat game is still a mystery to me but I def have improved at least a little bit when it comes to playing doubles (both in rear and my specialty up in the front). I struggle with power on my 4u 100zz but not my 3u 100zz. I think it's my technique issues and me over-relying on brute force lugging a heavier racket to produce power. Coach is out due to exertion until next Friday. WIll be playing and hitting the gym still in the meantime Latest Youtube link:
Just looking at the first 20 mins, you should focus on proper split step. Because you know what the pattern is, you already anticipate and skip the split-step part and go to the shuttle. To get more out of these drills, you should play as if you didn't know where the shuttle would be going next. For instance, the first exercise, DIRECTIONAL SPLIT-STEP > go to rear forehand court and clear, go back to center, SPLIT-STEP, intercept middle left, go back to middle, DIRECTIONAL SPLIT-STEP. Second exercise, you are doing half-hearted split-steps. It's there, but you are pushing too vertically to gain the "boost" from it. Another example : at 24min when you do rear-clear right, rear-clear left, back to middle then smash defense. Here you correctly split-step for the smash defense, but you skip it in the transition between rear-clear right, rear-clear left (you go straight from right court to left court already anticipating the cross clear, the coach has not yet hit the shuttle). It's important to practice the situation as close to a real match as possible, that is not knowing where the opponent will clear. Btw, you already know it but trying to play those head-heavy super stiff rackets are probably doing you a disservice. Doesn't matter whether it's 4u or 3u, until your technique is really good, those rackets will show your weak points even more as it's unforgiving
Good work man. I hope you well. When you going to gym are you playing badminton the same day or when is workout day you give a rest day from badminton ? Just asking as I need more planning with my regime. Iam not young like you but need your thoughts about it.
I usually play badminton for 3 hours in the morning or do a private lesson for one hour and then I hit the gym for 40 minutes - 1 hour later at night, around 8 pm.
On court training is more important then physical training I think. This video was amazing when it comes to structuring your own training regime.
March 24th Update More of the same, Almost daily 1:1's to fix technique Got Corona, 2nd day after recovering at time of writing Going back to the states end of April to visit/friends and prep for business trip in Domincan Republic end of May Lack of sparring partners Hey guys - solid training block of working on technique with the training routine seemingly have changed from multifeed and a bunch of skills to working on a single skill or stroke for an hour. Lately we've been working on singles despite the lack of sparring partners and haven't been doing any agility or footwork drills which I guess I need to. The singles has definitely gotten better regardless - I'm going back end of April to see my friends and I want to play Ben again to see how much I have improved. There's a lot of bad habits we're working on fixing, hence the 1 hour one stroke idea. Contact point, hit rotation, etc. All have gotten better and currently working on swing speed and contact point for the smash specifically. Korean language school is changing my schedule - 9-1 everyday. Last week I got corona on the 18th, so I can get out of it until the 25th. Until then I can train and weekends is no problem. But I typically train in the am... so I don’t know what to do next. Also with the world opening up... I'm debating visiting Tactical badminton camp in Malaysia now oh what to do.
Been watching your training videos. Made another step up in improvement with the following significant areas to improve. 1. that turning out of the hand wrist and racquet face when you go for an overhead forehand or mid court drive. It’s a major disadvantage. 2. when you move forward off from base, you step with the first leg but never use the back leg to assist the forward movement. This means you don’t get any sudden acceleration which is important in taking the shuttle early. Additionally, 3. Quite a few times on the overhead, your striking point of the shuttle is far to the right of the body. This could be related to your first step movement off base not being fast enough so that you can’t get into a better position. However, points 1 and 2 are the things I would definitely prioritise as these limit your ceiling potential.
1. Actively working on this as you know haha. It's been getting better? Maybe? lol. 2. Yeah this is something I don't do correct. I gotta do it as I think it would help but it feels so unnatural. I guess just gotta practice it. Not much footage online from instructional youtube channels that focus on this aspect I think but I'll talk to my coach and see what he thinks. 3. Def related to #2. Also noticed how bad my backhand corner footwork is, it's by far my weakest corner.
I saw the one where you have the isolated shuttle hanging down and doing practice swings on that. It looked really good. In this training video, the smashes from the left hand side of the court look ok. If you go on to the right hand side at 6.30, once you start the stroke, the racquet face will direct outwards and also downwards to the floor. I think what you will find is when you need to move to the right, you raise the racquet. Then, when you move the wrist and arm to start the stroke, the racquet head stays in the same physical space delayed by a fraction of a second (with the racquet head twisting around) The solution (I think) is when you start the stroke from the ready position, is to move the racquet head backwards as well simultaneously with the hand movement.
In this video in the forecourt, it’s happening the same again when you move to the right in this routine at 1.30. You raise the hand when the shuttle comes but the racquet head is slightly delayed. It does get better at 9.00. Do you find the timing of hitting the shuttle a little inconsistent when you need to take steps the right?
Work on the timing of your split steps again. You should land on your toes after you know where the shuttle is going. In the latest video (singles match), your split steps are nonexistent or too early/late most of the time
The ball of the foot is not the toes. Also, (at least for an early split step), even waiting on the balls of the feet could be imbalanced, unstable, and wobbly So maybe it's about the weight distribution being not too far forward.. Not towards the heels. And not flat footed.. Maybe a bit towards the balls of the feet but if it's wobbly then that's too far?
It is there, but not clearly visible. The split step is there, to apply a sudden stretch to your calf muscle. The calf muscle react to it by contracting (in real it is a muscle protection mechanism to avoid muscle tearing, every muscle works like this, compare knee-reflex) and this initial unconsiously motor impulse is important to initiate your final movement. Therefor your feet need to be in a good/stable position , the ball of foot like ralphz mentioned, and best already in the opposite direction of your movement direction (directional split step). This is not always visible, often the heel is just hovering above the ground while the whole weight is on your ball of foot. Most important is, that the split step is part of the movement and not an isolated muscle preparation utility. Doing the split step, waiting 100 ms, moving afterwards would not really work, correct is, to add your consciously motor control impulse to the split step for an explosive calf constraction.
Not a comment on technique but would just congratulate the improvement. You have improved so much looking at the smashes video (on the left side) compared to the beginning, kudos to you!
Haha thanks! this honestly made my day. It's been hard work but the recording has made it very easy to see improvement. I frequently look at old footage and if I;m not cringing then it means I'm stagnating or not improving lol
Yes, toes may not be the correct term, more like on the ball of the foot or having your heel lifted. However the point of my message was that the timings are off. In his latest videos (on his channel, not posted here), he corrects it and there are less mistakes but in the video posted, there were many instances where he was too early/late or not doing them. examples: - 1:01 late, 1:16 missing, 1:36 missing, 2:20, 2:35 early, 3:06, 3:30, 3:33, 4:01 early, etc....
