Hi BC, 38yr doubles amateur looking to improve my badminton. please help! I am the one in all black (tshirt, shorts, shoes) & glasses in all vids. Video 1 [video=youtube;LTmv5Qe7uvk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTmv5Qe7uvk[/video] Video 2 [video=youtube;-G5iSd9fTEI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-G5iSd9fTEI[/video] Video 3 [video=youtube;oToyiITTBog]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oToyiITTBog[/video] Video 4 [video=youtube;QDLnC8926OA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDLnC8926OA[/video] Video 5 [video=youtube;VLSIzRrs5O0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLSIzRrs5O0[/video]
There are 3 obvious issues. 1. Your low serve is unstable. Sometimes it goes over nicely, other times it goes up high enough to be killed, otherwise it goes into the net. For a start, you have to pay attention to the shuttle pointing direction. Sometimes it points too much downwards, so when you serve, it gets too much upwards trajectory, thus going up too high. Sometimes it points to no particular direction and you sliced the shuttle, so it goes into the net. This video provides some basic guidance on the backhand low serve - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHmYdyM7O9Q Look particularly at the shuttle pointing direction. It doesn't point all the way down. That way it goes slightly flatter and just above the net, not too high or too low. 2. Split step - you have none. You also don't prepare after serving to your opponent. After serving, you should be prepared so that you can intercept or set up your partner to attack. This video shows the preparation bit after service - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ii83dMZjRq4 The split step is important to get you prepared so that you can move towards the shuttle. You are caught unprepared many times because of the lack of split step, forcing you to clear or bending down to lift back (which by the way is very bad and you can injure yourself). 3. Very big swings. That's more of a technique issue. You may want to get a coach to correct this.
Thanks for the awesome suggestions alien9113 & video links as well. 1. Always felt I was slow to react to receiver returns. I think I have bad follow through after service as you have suggested. 2. I try to do the split step whenever I get time to train and after I sometime I get it but game time it all goes away. Need to drill more and in grain it. I also think I have a horrible defence stance. 3. I am trying to incorporate shorter swings & using grip loose-tight to punch back in practise. As again in game it goes haywire. Our playing group has a mentor in Mr. Sanjay Sharma seen playing in video 3 and 4 (w yonex logo shirt) who was ex national doubles champ and ex Indian national team coach. He however has a lot of things on hand to iron out defects individually of us amateurs.
Have to agree about that split step. At the moment, you have practically a dead weight on your feet. I guess once you play against people who can keep a rally going you get very tired? After you play a shot, your feet stop. It's better to bounce once on the spot to help recover your centre of balance. Compare with Mr Sharma - can you see after he hits the shuttle, he is moving his feet for the next shot even before the opponent hits the shuttle? Then look at yours - are you moving your feet? Mr Sharma doesn't bounce much - maybe he doesn't need to against these particular opponents But he is moving. (You are lucky to have him in your group!) You are correct about that stance when receiving smashes - it's too much of the left foot in front. You have a hard time receiving smashes to your backhand.
Thanks Cheung for the input. Yep I feel a lot of imbalance especially while defending and when I have to move from my defence stance to get to clears/drops. Will try out that bounce idea. Also lol.. Mr. Sharma at 59 years still owns us in court without much movement. Will compare his movement in slo-mo tho.
I can help with the bald spot so that it's advantageous for badminton. Get a car wax (Made in USA preferred as it is usually thicker) and wax that baby up before playing. Then find the lighting angle to blind your opponent. Need quite a bit of practice especially with multiple light sources but the result is worth it as you watch your opponent miss easy shots. Good luck!
Haha.. should keep this a secret tho from one of the players in the video who has the full moon version of bald.
