I did the Rasmussen drill today. It is kind of messed up, if I focus on breathing then I go too fast, if I go at a steady pace then I messed up the footwork etc. I will keep working on that until it becomes second nature, footwork, pace and breathing! I could keep it going for 5 mins though. Let's see on Sunday how we will do. I am very tempted to record myself now after seeing @DarkHiatus videos!
Bad news. The head coach at the gym is not willing to give me the room. I'm back to nothing again. I think I'll start begging people to let me play with them.
No I was using yoga room in gym to practice badminton footwork. Now the coach in the gym told me that I could not use that room anymore. I have a problem of court availability here. After work it is hard to get a court. Everybody plays doubles everybody!
Two things to consider - a super high clear and a super tight drop should never be a way for your opponent to win the point outright. So does it make sense to try and prevent him from playing such shots? Probably not - in fact, if these shots are winning points outright for your opponent, then there is not much you can do in this case, as such shots do not place a huge amount of pressure on a player with reasonable footwork. So the question becomes, "how can I retrieve super high clears/tight drops effectively?" First is you need to get to the shot. This means better footwork. If your opponent plays a super high clear, your footwork needs to be strong enough to get you behind the shuttle before beginning your stroke since you had lots of time. This often means having one foot outside of the rear tramline (as you want to move forwards as you play your shot). Again if they are playing tight drop, you should be able to move forward in two steps and play a tight net shot (if it was super tight, it needs to be floating over which is the perfect set-up for a tumbling net return. Funnily enough this also forces your opponent to run far, and if not lose the point outright, give you a high lift). If you can't play a tumbling net tight enough to pressure your opponent, you should definitely be able to play a lift back to your opponent's rearcourt, but first of all you need to move forward! Once you have the footwork, then you are asking how you can play a shot that ideally creates pressure for your opponent, and at worst does not disadvantage you. Number 1 is that you MUST be able to play a back to back clear off your opponent's super high clear. It's the same as the return off of a high, deep serve. You MUST be able to play a clear that lands in the rear tramlines of your opponent consistently for singles. If you cannot do that stop reading here as this is your #1 practice to do. If you can play the clear, then the next step is being able to play a smash (50-70%, not 100% power jumping smash) with the same technique as a clear. And finally also being able to play a drop shot with the same technique as your clear/smash. That will be enough to create an advantage against an opponent with super high clears. Against the drops, it's really the same thing - you must be able to reliably play to your opponent's rearcourt (either corner), then be able to play neutral net shot and even tumbling net shots. If your opponent is playing with super high clears/super tight drops, he is effectively waiting for you to make a mistake. So the answer is to learn not to make mistakes which means being patient and being consistent. If you can play without making mistakes, you cannot lose to such a player...unless he changes his strategy
I think you are absolutely pinpoint. My footwork allows me to get to the backcourt. But my clear is not enough of a threat to him. If I make the clear enough of a threat to him, then i'd have spent too much energy on that clear to be able to go and defend against his tight dropshot. The guy can do tight dropshots out of my clears which managed to get him in trouble/out of balance. Then, given that I have spent quite some energy to get a good menacing clear, it is a bit difficult to return these fast returning tight dropshots. P.S. He is the best in the club and he can beat National players who trained in national team for 3 - 4 years. So he is really good. I'm looking a bit too far ahead but I don't want to make him lose his time playing me xD
Something you may have heard before is getting 'just one more shot' or certainly more commonly, 'dont stop until the shuttle hits the floor'. If you say you play a clear and your opponent is visibly struggling/off balance but is able to play a drop shot, then that should be the extra shot you must expect every time. If you see him play a crosscourt backhand clear off balance, then that's what you have to adapt to. So in your case, if you know he can play a drop shot, then you should be running full pelt at the net, since that's the "only" shot he can play. P.S. if you play a clear, you should have time to move back to the middle. If you don't, then your clear isn't high enough/far back enough/too predictable (which means he is intercepting them whilst being balanced), or you are shuttle-watching and not recovering back to the centre after your shot (more probable, especially if he is "off-balance"). Remember you footwork starts and ends at your base position, which should be positioned to covered all 4 corners of the court. Post a video sometime - it'll be good to see what the reason is, since I'm throwing out 3-4 maybes when a video will tell you exactly which one to work on .
@Cheung @DarkHiatus Guys I need help. I have only 12 days left till the competition. I am aware I will pretty much lose on first round. But I still wish to give my very best. However, the pain in my wrist is still bothering me. Went to see a doctor and got some anti-inflams and he asked me to rest. I am doing exactly that. Haven't touched a racket since last week nor any weights nor any keyboard typing. But I still feel the pain. The pain is slightly beyond the point where my arms are completely pronated. That is the slight distance that my wrist travel following the pronation of my arm. It is a tendon injury. So it applies also to the backhand stroke as well. Any idea how I can accelerate the healing process? My forearms muscles are going to atrophy at that rate My legs are taking a pounding though
Sounds like you're on the right path. Just keep resting the wrist. Give the sore areas massages with your other hand, and also your forearm muscles - these power your tendons. Massaging helps increase the blood flow to the area after all. Your muscles will not atrophy enough to make a difference in badminton in a month. The bigger problem is your technique, both in it potentially getting worse before your tournament, and also in the fact that your technique caused you the injury in the first place! If you've got some luck, your technique will change so you don't head towards injury again. Just be extra aware that POWER using your old technique, with an injured wrist might put you out of playing for a year, so don't push your body too hard as it's just not worth it. On the subject of the tournament itself, I'm sure others will agree with me that if you still feel pain, then WITHDRAW if you aren't able to play leisurely. The pros withdraw all the time - we like to learn about pro techniques and training, but their diet/rest/injury handling shouldnt be any worse so let's learn from them!
I’d sit the tournament out. I know it’s not what you want to hear but it might not be worth injuring yourself seriously just for entering a tournament you are not ready for on the first place. Especially if you exit first round because of pain in your wrist. Would be even worst for the mental. When is the next tournament? May be you can start preparing the next one with exercices not involving any wrists movements to keep you motivated, active and not feel too down.
@DarkHiatus Ok i'll try massages. Actually I injured my wrist because of a recent babyfoot (foosball) tournament. I felt the pain but chose to keep playing since I reached the semi finals. But in the semi I could not generate power anymore and pretty much gave up on the match. But then I kept playing badminton to prepare for the badminton tournament. I should have rested a bit more before starting badminton training again. @LenaicM Yeah I'll watch the progress and see what to do. The next tournament is the national open in September/October. I can still enter just to get a feeling of how badminton tournaments are? If I don't play full power and push my wrist. I want that experience.
Follow your instincts for sure : ) juste make sure it doesn’t turn in a negative experience because how are you going to be competitive if you already think of not playing at the best of your capabilities. Yet if you really want to do that tournament and you show up knowing you won’t perform and just want to participate then may be you should still go for it.
If it was like it was last week then I would not enter at all. Like it is today, I would enter knowing full well that I would not perform but just get the feeling of a tournament. Hopefully it'll heal to the point I can have my wrist back at 100%. I regret that babyfoot tournament now ... it wasn't even a priority but I was careless.
As long as you set your expectations right then I think it’s ok. But for sure even if you enter the tournament with your wrist almost fully healed, you lost the momentum of your training now and the feelings on court. Don’t expect too much and just enter this tournament free of expectations. You’d be surprise you would perform better without any pressure, who knows. All the best for the tournament!
just back from a vacation without lots of internet for more than a week so sorry for your wrist will keep looking at your update till the tournament
Yeah so I went to do some light shuttle hitting today. Did 4 matches with people I used to play before. The good news is they are almost no match for me now. So it shows some improvement from my side. I was behind 18-10 on the 4th match as I was experiencing a few things. Then I discovered that if I don't give up (which I usually do) I can make a comeback and win. I've lost so many matches like this. Although it was against a weaker opponent, it is surely something I can bring with me. On to the bad news, my wrist have had no improvements despite my efforts in not using them, upping the protein and rest etc. I still have 10 days. I will enter the tournament with 0 expectation as I need to experience one. And I might not be in a position to use my AX88D 3U. I'll use my Apacs 6U instead which I can't generate any power but it definitely is less taxing during and after play. ... I waited for that tournament for so long ...
