Plan for coaching

[Magwitch]

Some may have seen me post elsewhere about having chronic fatigue. Still in lockdown where I am, but perhaps near the end of the year I'll be able to get coaching. I've had some but not too extensive coaching before, and my technique leaves a lot to be desired.

I have some ideas about what to cover in coaching, though others may have something to add. I'm looking at modifying my tactics to discourage lift/drop rallies so it's less tiring. I think becoming a great aggressive returner of serve would help a lot. If the coach occasionally throws in a serve with a bit of height and I get good at attacking it not only would I often be able to end the point straight away, but it would put pressure on the server, which could result in faults or flicks that I strongly attack. So obviously I would also aim to get good at moving back for flick serves. Becoming strong at drives would be important if I want the rallies to be flat and fast. Developing a devastating smash would help in putting an end to rallies quicker. My footwork needs some work. Clears are something I'd want to avoid if possible, though if I had to would try to clear cross court as they would probably do a drop to my partner down the line. I also know there is a second type of clear which is faster and lower.

 

[SnowWhite]

Strategy depends on your own and your opponents' strengths and weaknesses. Strategy is more flexible than ability. It is easier to change choice of shot on the court than it is to change shot quality and consistency. So change your strategy to fit your ability, rather than training your ability to fit a strategy. When working on your game, don't try to turn yourself into a specific type of player. Instead, just work on your weaknesses; the aspects of your game that lose you the most points. As your abilities change, so will your strategy.

Having said that,...

Efficient footwork will help you with all aspects you've mentioned, especially if chronic fatigue is a problem. It will help you get into better position for all the shots you have trouble with. I cannot overstate how much efficient footwork will make a difference. You would be surprised how easy otherwise difficult shots become when you have enough time to play them. Half the work of developing a devastating smash is to get into a position where you can play a full power smash without losing balance. Also, the more efficient the footwork, the slower you will fatigue, and that can make a world of difference toward the latter stages of the match.

Now I've never seen you play, but the only thing I think would take precedence over footwork is to clean up your overhead hitting technique if it is particularly bad (self taught, not hitting it above you but to the side, hitting it at shoulder height, panhandle grip etc.)

 

[Cheung]

Training in a way that saves you energy doesn't mean you have to finish off a rally quickly.

Obviously better technique and footwork as mentioned earlier will help a lot.

Have a look how the mixed doubles is played - particularly Chris Adcock and Tang Chun Man. Have you seen the shots they play? They control the pace of the rally from the back court.

Having good return of serves doesn't mean killing the shuttle straight away. Smashing smart is better than smashing hard.


Doubles is about setting up your partner for a more attacking shot. So long as you control the shuttle and make it go down after it crosses the net, you will already be playing better.

If you have chronic fatigue, consider making your style of play into this:
Good serving - the opponent has to hit the shuttle up
Good service returns - the opponent has to hit the shuttle up
Good counter attacking defense - the opponent can't continue the attack and may have to hit the shuttle up.
Improve midcourt and forecourt play (smashes, blocks , anticipation) to become a player that controls the front and setup your partner.

Becoming the forecourt player will help you save energy as the opponents have to hit up to your partner.

If you are a guy playing men's doubles, men who control the forecourt well are generally fewer in number and you will have many options for a partner. Mostly men prefer to be at the back.

 

[Budi]

Having good return of serves doesn't mean killing the shuttle straight away. Smashing smart is better than smashing hard.

true... Its easier to win a point with smash on lower lv, but on higher lv no matter how hard your smash it never become an instant point. Watch the pros. They hit like insanely hard smash but rarely it become a killer point instantly.

Im hard hitter & i play super agresive before. Will always smash any fly high shuttle. Well... Sometimes it works forcing my brute to my opponent but sometimes its not but overall for the whole match its bad. Why? My way going into hellish Beast, It drain my stamina very fast. If 1st match going to be long & hard (even if i win), my 2nd round im already at safety mode which would be harder for me to just play normally & forget the 3rd round as i will be depleted completly.
The art of playing double is how to set a shot for your partner & so does your partner try to set up a shot for you.

 

[SnowWhite]

Doubles is about setting up your partner for a more attacking shot. So long as you control the shuttle and make it go down after it crosses the net, you will already be playing better.

Improve midcourt and forecourt play (smashes, blocks , anticipation) to become a player that controls the front and setup your partner.

Becoming the forecourt player will help you save energy as the opponents have to hit up to your partner.

https://www.badmintonbible.com/tactics/doubles

This website, run by @Gollum has a series of articles about doubles tactics. It's a comprehensive, yet concise guide covering shot selection and positioning. It should help you tremendously in getting into the right mindset when playing doubles, and explains how points are constructed.

I don't know the rules about promoting websites here, but I don't profit from this recommendation, and it is extremely applicable to the topic of the thread.

 

[Cheung]

Watch the pros. They hit like insanely hard smash but rarely it become a killer point instantly.

If you watch from courtside, you will notice those pros are not hitting smashes at their full strength. Instead they hit it around 80% strength smash expecting the shuttle to come back and rallying the shuttle around waiting for an opportunity. They are keeping their balance and position throughout. Thus you see them making multiple smashes or half smashes in the rallies.

 

[Budi]

If you watch from courtside, you will notice those pros are not hitting smashes at their full strength. Instead they hit it around 80% strength smash expecting the shuttle to come back and rallying the shuttle around waiting for an opportunity. They are keeping their balance and position throughout. Thus you see them making multiple smashes or half smashes in the rallies.

yup learn my mistake
Tho my friend admit my hard smash, its not quite teriffying as they are mentally ready for my rocket every time they lift a shuttle. It just to obvious i will always smash all the time. But now when i play more brain than brute, it become way harder for them to anticipate my shot. Half smash, full smash, fake smash, etc... & above all i can maintain my battery way better.

 

[Signature]

yup learn my mistake
Tho my friend admit my hard smash, its not quite teriffying as they are mentally ready for my rocket every time they lift a shuttle. It just to obvious i will always smash all the time. But now when i play more brain than brute, it become way harder for them to anticipate my shot. Half smash, full smash, fake smash, etc... & above all i can maintain my battery way better.

Also remember that "full" smashes have lots of versatility too, the smash can change both with angle and direction horisontally! and always set up your front court player

 

[Magwitch]

The one thing I should add is that I rarely play competition and don't have a doubles partner. Usually it's just practice. In this scenario I wouldn't really want to suggest I take the forecourt. Few of these people would have experience serving from a couple metres back while their partner stands in front. It sounds like in practice games it would be best for me to hardly ever do a flick serve, so I can stay at the front after serving.

 

[SnowWhite]

The one thing I should add is that I rarely play competition and don't have a doubles partner. Usually it's just practice. In this scenario I wouldn't really want to suggest I take the forecourt. Few of these people would have experience serving from a couple metres back while their partner stands in front. It sounds like in practice games it would be best for me to hardly ever do a flick serve, so I can stay at the front after serving.

In men's doubles, no one player is going to take the front all the time, and it would be a tactical mistake to attempt it. When your partner is serving for example, you would still stand behind him to cover the rear court since he is already perfectly positioned to cover the front. But there are still things you can do to spend more time at the net than your partner.

You can control your own positioning during the rally. The serve is not the only short shot after which you can take the net. After you play a net shot you can simply stay there. If you block a smash to the net, you can follow up and claim the net, even if it's a cross block. If you are in a flat exchange, the first player to block it to the net can move into the net. If your partner receives a lift, you can move into the net. If your opponent doesn't look like they are in position to play an attacking shot from the backcourt, you can move into the net (although your partner would have to know to cover the hole you just left behind if the opponent clears it).

Now that I think about it, it's actually far easier to choose to take the front, than it is to take the back. Because you can choose to play the net and follow up. To take the back court, you usually have to rely on your partner to take the net, or for your opponent to lift it to you. There are some other ways, but they are more situational and harder to coordinate with your partner, especially if they aren't experienced in doubles positioning.

If the rally goes the way you want, most of the time, once you've claimed the net, you can stay there until you've won the point. You just need to maintain the attacking formation by playing attacking shots. Assuming your partner is attacking from the back, if the opponents try to escape the attack by playing it to the net, you either want to kill it outright (if that's an option), or otherwise play a shot that provokes another lift (mostly netshots). The last thing you want to do is play a lift. It gives the opponent the chance to attack you, and you have to give up your position at the front to effectively defend.

Many (all?) backcourt players would absolutely love to play with someone who takes every opportunity to claim the net in the aforementioned ways, and forces the opponent to lift. It's not unusual for a doubles pair that have a favorite formation to spend over two-thirds of their attacking badminton in that favorite formation, especially if the opponent isn't actively trying to prevent it.