1. Get a coach 2. Watch VCDs, recommend the training ones which including all the slow motion, step by step explanation / instruction. 3. Practice, practice, and more...
I've purchased a number of badminton training VCDs from a forum member (bluejeff I believe) and almost all of them dedicate a section showing how footwork should be practised. I find these VCDs very useful for me as a beginner.
Where can you buy the latest VCD's I have been looking at internet sites and can only find the usual equipment and accessories. Thanks
The latestBadminton VCDs I don't think there are any recent coaching badminton VCDs...Apart from that Korean coach at : http://www.ibbs.tv/IBBS/home/firsttimers.aspx Don't think there is a big enough demand for various coaching books, DVDs etc. to come out for badminton:crying:
I think the more you train the more consistant your shots are ; footwork doesn't really play a huge part in consistancy ...
i suggest u do some more research and reading. like http://www.badmintoncentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21851
It's clear from your statement that your journey of badminton self discovery has a long way to go my friend. I'm sure wisdom will come to you in time.
Footwork is probably the first thing to go when you're playing against a higher skilled/more experienced player. When your footwork breaks down, everything else falls apart cuz you have to overcompensate to get the shot. So don't make that claim just yet until you have played at the highest level.
...hmm...well...when you think about it...i guess it might be somewhat true...cause after thinking about it...i see it like...good footwork gets you to where you want to go faster and being constsient is like being able to pull the shot of over and over again properly. so like...being able to get to the bird fast enough doesn't ensure that you'll hit the bird properly or even over the net every time although it helps and is beneficial. ...cause like...someone could like feed you 10 birds a few steps away from you for you to smash and you could like only get 3 of them over even though you could get to them instantly... ...so like...consistentcy in footwork is possible however, good footwork doesn't necessarially mean consistency...cause like consistency comes slowly with skill and practice and not really the result of something else...just a thought
i got question...strange maybe...im wonder people from gym...they got legs and arms like Jean Claud Van Dame and by the way my dad is olso big man...not from gym but natural and when i gaved him racquet he play like a kid dont have power to hit and move like turtle...so why i should go to gym and get more muscles and get bigger if i wouldnt not have power?how to get like Bruce Lee! slim, fast? his hands were not that big and fat but when he hit he kills...so what is all about?hope somebody understand my question and about racquet my dad say hes not coach or sth but "good player wit win no matter which racquet same as bascetball player will throw the ball into basket in ever type of ball" sorry for my english but hope u will understand so can somebody answet straight about traning legs? - me to improve legs should i run or do knee bend? (im 19y old)
Footwork is the ability to get into the optimal hitting position.The optimal hitting position allows you to hit the largest variety of shots with power precision and deception.Once a shuttle gets behind you it is very difficult to hit a shot with precision or enough speed to be able to stay in the rally.Footwork in conjunction with good shots with good depth in the backcourt which push your opponent to the edge of reach is what makes footwork the real test of how consistent you are.There is no greater truth than that good shots have to go along with the footwork to follow them.I see all too often people who get good at hitting shots but who stand there and admire the shot rather than using footwork to cover possibility of the next return.Footwork if complete should allow you to get to most if not all shots .The power players often get taken out when somebody with good footwork consistently returns a shot or winner that the power player relies on against other players with inferior shots and footwork.Its easy to lose sight of where your game is when you are winning against less advanced players.I myself don't try to win by smashing when playing the weaker opponents but rather by using other shots which allow me to test my footwork.A drill or game which I play for fitness and footwork is where the only shots which you can hit are clears drops and net.It will test your fitness as well as tell you where your footwork is.
and thanks the rest of you for the CPR. as 604badder and others said, one will soon understand the importance of footwork as you encounter faster and faster opponent, with faster and more accurate shot placement.
Oops ... sry ... my bad . Thanks for correcting my big mistake And yeah ... I still have a lot to learn but at least now I know that footwork plays quite an important part in badminton ~ Thanks everyone !! I promise I wouldn't ever make the same mistake again ... that'll save people from having heart attacks
As you get older though, it is also important to have good skill shots, as it is just not possible to run around like 20 year olds. Agreed Badminton is a game of legs more than hands, but simulating in the mind to hit a shot everytime you get to a certain position is as important. For me, everytime there is a drop on my backhand side, I tend to clear it back everytime even though the opponent is on the baseline. In such a case a cross court drop would be a winner. In this case I am there, but just not making the right shot. Especially in singles making the right shot is as important, so you can recover and have time to get back to your center position. So you dont have to keep running around returning the shuttle back for an easy shot for the opponent.
Run around like 20-yr-olds? I think you have a misconception on what footwork means. There're several players 10 or 15 years older than I am, and they take one step to a shot, where I would take maybe THREE steps. -dave
If you play it right, you won't have to run. The only time you 'really' have to run is when you make a mistake and you have a huge distance to recover, even then most experienced players won't run in the traditional sense. Badders could be good runners (for training) but runners are not always good badders. Anyway, for those who's still fuzzy about the concept of badminton footwork. The objective is to cover the most court area with the least amount of steps. It doesn't mean increasing the width of your strides, but rather improve coverage by judicious positioning and faster recovery. When you get to the shuttle sooner than your opponent, he waits at your leisure. That's why age may not be much of an equaliser in recreational/casual games. Of course, competitive tournaments are something else.
Much has been said about the importance, benefits and how underrated footwork is in badminton but little has been given as to how to perform and execute it. It's not simply running as fast as you can to make a shot/return, that's for sure. I got a piece of advice (and thought it'd be useful to share) to always take every shot/return with your final footstep on your right foot (for right handers and naturally the opposite for lefties). Your weight is thus resting on your right foot when you strike and good balance is created allowing faster recovery (Try doing it the other way around!). It's worked quite well for me...
Except for a forehand smash (clear or drop), you want to land on your left foot (legs switch in the air, with the shoulder rotation).
