even though I have played many years, in my warm up, I still practice the flying step. I very rarely do the backward walk step as it doesn't help me practice my movement. Question: so how are you going to solve the bit about the right leg swinging outwards rather than forwards? *edit* your technique is not bad but has rough edges that limit your potential to do perform consistently well at county level.
I would expect getting behind the shuttle properly before playing my shot to get my momentum moving the correct way. Referring to the round the head including flying step, I have tried a larger step (not in this video), getting behind the shuttle and springing off my right leg forwards, rather than allowing the momentum from turning my left leg around to lead the movement. Honestly, it felt unnatural, like I'm too far away from the shuttle and expending more energy moving further back than I need to. But on actually examining the recovery and shot, I'm clearly doing better, but the habit is hard to knock. It's something that a county player has pointed out after a match too - that on my rearcourt shots, I'm often looking to the side of me or up at the ceiling when playing a shot, rather than having both a view of the shuttle and the net. He was believed my shot was going to be weak, probably inconsistent, and my recovery slower when pressured in the back. Given that he took both games with me in single digits, he was probably right I learn need more work on convincing my brain into moving into a better position behind the shuttle, but I also know that my racquet action can do with more work. Problem is that I find it pretty difficult to concentrate on both at once. If I concentrate on one, then the other remains. By the sounds of it, it looks like my movement to behind the shuttle is going to have more of an impact than improving my racquet action right now, since it feeds into it.
Yeah this shot was one I paid particular attention to and noticed that on, that's why I brought up the inefficiency of his movement forwards. It's present on both the backhand side and forehand side in different ways.
Interesting how not being in the right initial position can lead to all sorts of problems. Unless I start my stroke further back, there's no way I can move my momentum forward whilst still hitting the shuttle. Which leads to me not being able to rotate my hip around properly since I'm moving backwards and sideways. Which also leads potentially to late contact since I'm not well balanced, and/or my arm is moving the wrong way (out to the side/bent). Need to get on court and get some shuttles thrown at me!
I'm not sure whether it's your footwork or your inefficient stroke that's more the problem. I have a feeling it's mostly your stroke, mainly because during a warm up drill like you just showed, you're not under any footwork pressure at all. Next time you do clear drills, get someone who can feed you consistently so that you only concentrate on your stroke, and not have to worry about footwork... yet.
Ok, so, here's the thing about forward momentum. You can have forward momentum while moving backwards. However, you have backwards momentum while trying to move forwards. As long as you're turning your body into the shot with speed, power, and strength, you can transfer that power into the shot. This is a big part of singles footwork. So for your forehand side as I said, keep yourself a little more grounded, use your foot to push forward rather than lifting it up to try and move forwards. This will carry your body weight into your shot, and then after you've hit, your foot is already lifted onto the ball to push back into the centre. For your backhand side, as Cheung as said, you need a little flying step in there. This is where as you turn, you hop on your non-racket foot backwards - this doesn't have to be a very big hop. Lin Dan's hop must only be 4-6 inches. It's not enormous, but it does give a little extra coverage. Further on your backhand side, as you strike you should rotate your racket-side forwards, but this doesn't have to be how you're thinking of it; you don't need to scissor through here. I'm just gonna talk left and right here so it's easier for you to follow, as you're right handed. Push your right side forwards, allowing your left side to go back, then catch yourself with your left leg. Your left leg should land quite wide, and you should be pushing forwards on it to stop yourself moving backwards. If you're still confused about this idea of moving backwards but momentum still travelling forwards, take a look at Lee Chong Wei's play from a side on angle. You'll notice there are multiple times where he is rotating his body forwards while travelling backwards, even with jumps.
Heh, I think the term 'momentum' is used a bit loosely in your post, but I do get what you're saying. I understand the reasoning for the flying step, but as I mentioned to Cheung, for these clears I wouldn't have used one even if I knew how to. I had plenty of time to do a full 3 step movement if I wanted on most of these shots. The issue isn't that I CAN'T do the footwork, it's that my brain WON'T do it because it feels it doesn't need to. I should probably sort that out before I look into backwards jumping rotation...even in the LCW/LD warm-up video LCW does a few strokes where he is slightly moving backwards (and left foot moves back after stroke too), but getting plenty power into the stroke, let alone the full backwards jumping crosscourt smashes he does!
In my view, the "flying step" (if I understand correctly that this is the moving pivot step done on the non racket foot when moving round the head or backwards) is very natural if you just try to take one big step into the round the head corner. You will naturally want to hop a bit in order to get further into the corner. You can isolate it to feel it more prominently, but honestly you will already be doing it even if you just make the step bigger. I am a fan of tricking myself into doing things without worrying about the details! Your problem is, I feel, that same one that I had previously. You are used to getting into a certain position to hit shots - your footwork could take you further if you wanted to, or you could take extra steps if you wanted to (you have the time), the main thing is you are not actually bothering; its not laziness, its just where you currently judge that you need to be. I want you to try something: next time you warm up, try to get at least a metre further behind the shuttle on every shot (drop, clear or smash). It will be difficult and feel awkward. You are unlikely to succeed (a metre is a long way!). However, the point is not to get a metre further back, but to push yourself to get a lot further behind the shuttle. When you consistently do this and reap the benefits of hitting better shots, you will have developed a new, better habit, and you can leave your old skills behind you. As a tip from me regarding your overhead: focus first on really reaching up for the shuttle once you have moved back. I do not think you need to worry about using a "full stroke" or not - just get behind it and get the contact point right, and I reckon a lot of things will fix themselves. If you need to add things to the stroke afterwards then you can, but I think your basic technique is fine and all the problems are a result of positioning and a low contact point. Good luck!
It would be better to achieve the movement in two steps rather than three. Just practice it. BTW, when going backwards to round the head position, do sidesteps as opposed to walking backwards. Force yourself to change.
@DarkHiatus 4.32 routine. See how he suspends in the air and switches legs around on the overhead backhand side. Now THAT is what you need (and a good feeder )
Yeah this is what I'm talking about, having your momentum going forwards while moving backwards. Also catching yourself with your non-racket leg to push back forward.
Hehe, now this is where i agree with you, but my coach is trying to force the 3 step movement rather than the two step (+fei bo), ideally so that I will do both. I personally prefer the two step, especially when coming from a central base position, where it feels like three steps is too much. Moving back from the net, I can understand that it's vital to be able to do the 3 step movement to respond to a deep lift. The teaching also includes a 3 step movement to the forehand rear corner, ending in a jump out/scissor, which I doubt I'll ever use from a central base position, but could use coming back from an aggressive net position. It makes practising footwork interesting, because I currently try to practise the 3 step movement, but in my mind I have to imagine a really high lift on every backward shot. Currently I've resolved it in my mind to practise the 6 point footwork with the following rule: I will only use the 3 step footwork after moving from a front corner, whereas I'll use a 2 step movement if I've just visited a rear corner. I also throw in a few 2 step movements from the front corners to mimic cutting off flat lifts. The coach I'm with also advocates learning left foot forward patterns as well as right foot forward patterns which modifies the court slightly (right foot is easier to attack the net, and left foot forward is easier to counterattack since backwards movement is easier). Means there's double the amount of footwork to be practising, but I suppose the idea is so I have the right movement if I end up in an odd position which might happen if an opponent returns the shuttle early. One thing I'm not sure about is the incorporation of Fei bo along with 3 steps. It's a lot of steps, but I have seen a couple of instances of the sequence used in pro play to move into a jump smash position. Would you say that Fei bo should be incorporated into all movements where the body rotates clockwise to move backwards (for a right hander)?
I personally think learning left foot forwards patterns is a waste of time too: you will naturally learn all these footwork patterns as you play. For now, you need the most important and the most efficient patterns - all the others are just variations of this e.g. a left foot forwards pattern to the back of the court is the same as the right foot forwards movement to the forehand corner, except you didn't have to switch your feet at the beginning. Why bother learning both when learning the right foot forwards is harder and already incorporates the others? But thats just my viewpoint. Can you describe which three step patterns you use? We also have to be careful about terminology in terms of "steps". e.g. rear forehand corner: split, pivot by stepping with racket leg, chasse to the corner, block jump or scissor kick, then recover. In my view, the above had three steps: 1 step is the pivot using the racket foot The chasse contains two steps (a non racket foot step and a racket foot step) but is done in quick succession. In my view, that is the most efficient way to move to the corner. I consider it to be three steps, and I rarely need this footwork. But most forehand patterns are just a variation on this e.g. without a chasse and it is a more neutral footwork, without a jump using a lunge instead is a more defensive footwork. Others may consider this "two steps" or "two movements" because the chasse is a single step or movement in their eyes. Some people consider the scissor kick/block jump to be a step because you can travel whilst you do it. However, I think the jump, in the above footwork, is not a step - its just the means of hitting the shuttle. However, for the "jump out" footwork, it would count as a step because you travel a long distance using the jump. So, can you describe what "three step" footwork patterns you use?
Taking the forehand example you used, I'd consider 3 steps as the same as yours, where instead of a chasse after the pivot, a step is taken with the left foot behind the first. I'm not sure if you'd call this an extended chasse or a step, after which the right foot takes another step, making 3 steps. I consider a 2 step movement to be the one you described, where the chasse (left foot always stays in front of right after pivot) is considered to be a single step as it's usually quite a quick shuffle with both feet moving at once. Perhaps I'm over complicating it - it's what I count in my head to keep track of my rhythm when I make the movements though! Using your definition of steps, would the backhand corner be 1 step? That is, a pivot with a flying step is a single step?
That sounds fine to me - I would use a crossover step behind the racket leg for defensive movements (ending with a lunge) but not necessary for attacking movements. But its the same movement: "Right foot, left foot, right foot". So I consider the chasse to be 3 steps, but its not as pronounced. But its important to realise both footwork patterns are the same: but when you need to travel further you have to step behind to cover more distance. As far as I'm concerned, it sounds a little over complicated. Do not worry about 3 steps versus a step and a chasse - its all good and you will use them all. Using my definition, the backhand corner can be 1, 2 or 3 steps when playing round the head: 1 step: simply stepping behind with the racket leg 2 steps: adding a very small hop or "flying step" so that it becomes "left-right" in quick succession. e.g. 1:00 in this video: 3 steps: "left, left-right" - this is a bigger "flying step" or "turning pivot", but preceded by a quick left step for extra distance. e.g. at 2:00 in the above video. Not the best example as the first left step is incorporated in the "split" - which I dislike, but you get the idea. My defintion of a step is basically a movement of the foot that creates a noise - allowing me to count the rhythm. So given what I have said about steps, if I consider the "6 corners", then they all require 2 steps (left foot right foot), except the forehand, which requires 3 (right foot left foot right foot). Obviously there are other patterns too e.g. attacking jumping patterns, defensive patterns that use more steps, backhand footwork that requires more steps etc.
This makes sense to me. In that case, the rear forehand movements whether chasse or crossovers are technically 3 steps. It's interesting that you define the backhand slightly differently, as that is where i think my step count got a bit confused on the forehand side (chasse feels like one contact on the ground). I would have thought the single pivot would count it as one step. In any case, I just experimented and thought of the following (assume right foot forward stance): from a right forehand net position, a typical sequence to retrieve a rear backhand deep lift would be the 3 steps (left-left-right) and an additional 2 crossover steps to get into strong position on the baseline. 5 steps in total, which is fine in my head for the long diagonal. For the other side (front left to back right), would you be doing pivot + 4 crossover steps, or also the same as the first diagonal? This one is harder for me to picture as I don't think it happens much? I see more jump outs (pivot + 2 crossover steps + jump) taking the shuttle later, even if a jump smash looks possible. Its interesting to see how often technique threads end up boiling down to footwork as a root cause of inefficient technique :/
The footwork for the long diagonal very much depends on where your base was, and how high the lift is. For a very high lift that I felt I could attack going from front forehand to rear backhand, I would be using either the 3 step movement you describe (I can reach the back line with this from the forehand net corner), or if I wanted I would add an extra chasse after this initial movement to get me all the way to the back. Interestingly, I may just use running steps (i.e. crossover steps) all the way back. This was mentioned by Charlie in a previous thread. For the backhand front to forehand rear corner, it would depend on how my feet were aligned. If very aggressive, I would have right foot a long way forwards, and use a "left right" pivot (similar for the backhand corner) followed by either a block jump for distance or a chasse. If I start with a more neutral base position, I would pivot and then perform 2 chasse steps if being aggressive. If I need to be defensive, I usually use running steps but could use chasse (it depends if I finish the movement with a lunge or a jump of some sort). So what you can see is that I add distance normally using a chasse step at the end of my normal movement. However, my footwork positioning and patterns is such that I don't normally need extra distance even on the long diagonals - 3 steps is always enough. If I have to "dig it out" in defence, i normally lunge, and would be using running steps. But ultimately the movement comes down to a few different things: 1. pivot 2. cover distance 3. extra distance (sometimes) The pivot is the most important part as it determines how efficient you are. And it depends entirely on whether you have left foot forwards (a long way forwards), right foot forwards (a long way forwards), or feet roughly side by side (with right foot slightly forwards normally). Each of these stances means your hips start in positions that are appropriate for different styles of moving pivots or simple pivots. (Of course some movement patterns don't utilise a turn, and these don't fit into that category). I should write a book on movement. p.s. if you talk to me, every thread is about movement.
Matt found the video of the flying step which is really good. Keeping things simple, keep the right foot forward at base position for now. I think you are quite descriptive about the movement backwards from the right forecourt position. However, I am a little cautious about interpreting it. Would you mind posting a practice video before I make comment?
