You're doing the recovery step as mentioned, from after you hit the drop shot, but you are hesitating (or taking too long after you hit the shuttle). Effectively, your split step is currently where you land, because you are recovering too slow. Try to recover immediately after you land, and then take 2 more steps forward after your training partner hits the shuttle. Admittedly, your training partner is not helping you by playing relatively low lifts. In terms of rhythm, it should be more like "hit, land->RECOVER, (split) retrieve", whereas it looks like you currently go "hit, land, pause, recover (split), retrieve", where the recover overlaps with the retrieve for you (and split happens during the recovery instead of after), because you don't have enough time.
Go back to #895. Watch Tai Tzu Ying do the skip forward after she hits the overhead shot. Slow the video down and watch carefully You will need to simplify that routine with the training partner. It's too complex. It's more of a consistency and running routine. But if you don't know the right steps, you end up feeling very uncomfortable and laboured. Sorry. I think you've put this in a complicated way. After he's hit the drop shot and done his scissor kick (with right leg coming forward), all he has to do is skip forward once, then do two steps (left leg then right leg to lunge at the net).
Yes my training partner wanted to push the tempo and I told him that I do not have the correct footwork to the net... there was one time where I think I was kind of close I think I need to do it w bunch of times as a shadow movement first , then add in the shuttle
And when you add in a shuttle, it would be best to do it multishuttle, so that your training partner waits until you have recovered before he hits the next shot. A little artificial, but you need to slow it all down. And that is the value of a good training partner/coach - they will only push the tempo when YOU are ready, and are not going to get 'bored' with feeding. A good coach also understands when 'artifical' exercises are useful - an exercise does not need to be 'realistic' to be useful but you'll find a good proportion of players who would disagree with that statement.
This is a good point, unfortunately I am on my own when it comes to a coach, so I need to determine for myself when to push the tempo. I feel like I have a pretty good understanding though of how to progress On this drill. Your suggestions are very helpful
Ahh... losing at this level is often due to making a lot more unforced errors than your much more experienced opponent. But you will make less and less unforced errors with more experiences. I just watched your match in slow-motion and just observed the split step. Overall I think, that you use the split step already really often, which is very good. But I think, that you have a bad habit of doing a directional split step to the right backcourt corner (right foot behind left foot), sometimes in a really extrem way, which brings you often in a lot of trouble. I don't know if this is just a habit, or that you over-anticipate a shot to the right-backcourt corner, but I would try to work on this before it gets furhter reinforced. Here are some hints: 1:18 nice split step to the front , good work 1:34 you split, but you aniticipated a clear and therefor used a directional split step which you need to correct afterwards. I think, that you should be a little more patient and split either more neutral or later. A correction step costs you much more time and energy than a delayed split step, considering that the pace of a game at your level is slower and you will have enough time to reach it. 1:44 an other good split step with a slight anticipation to take a net shot. I think, that it is better to anticipate the shot which you will need to reach faster, in this case a net shot. Even if your opponent has played a crosscourt clear, you would have enough time for a correction step. 1:49 you strongly anticipated a clear/push with a fatal directional split step here. The position of your opponent was so good, that it is unlikly that he will not attack. In this case I would anticipate a smash and a neutral split step. 2:05 again, a nice split step and you reached the front court in time. Afterwards you watched your shuttle too long, you should try to immediatly recover to the base position. 2:15 you split, but in the wrong direction. When you want to take the shuttle to the left backcourt corner, you should split so, that the right foot is infront of the left foot. Then you push off with the right foot to rotate and get you quickly backward. 2:25 again, you seem to split extremly to put your racket leg behind your non-racket leg, which could work in doubles, where you only need to cover a half court, but which will not work in singles. The reason is, that this directional split step gives you a good foundation to move to your right backcourt area, but you will lack enough power to move to your left backcourt corner in time. 3:04 and again A directional split step in the wrong direction.
Absolutely agree with you. This is about getting the right footwork pattern and then you will be able to incorporate rhythm and timing which will make your movement more efficient and less tiring. * edited for clarity
Thank you! This game exposed a huge weakness i have in my split steps. Hense why i have been working to get get it better. I use an App on my iPad that randomly tells you one of the six corners to go to, then i need to do a proper split step and then go to the corner. I will keep working at it and thanks for the feedback. Also keep in mind i hardly play singles...
"2:15 you split, but in the wrong direction. When you want to take the shuttle to the left backcourt corner, you should split so, that the right foot is infront of the left foot. Then you push off with the right foot to rotate and get you quickly backward." That is an excellent, and often overlooked point. Not only does this allow you to rotate as described above, it also allows you to jump out in the right orientation if the shot turns out to be flatter, or will allow you to play a backhand if a round the head shot is too difficult to execute. Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk
Had a nice bonus day this week for a total of playing three times. Started off with one hour of Pure training with someone just feeding me shuttles. Started with backhand defense focusing on finger power l, then front court forehand drives then about 30 Minutes of front court drive/push/drop play.on the front court work the the focus on my lunge. I was told that my lunge was wrong in some ways and he was trying to correct it. Both my racket leg and my non racket leg are wrong and when I would correct one, the other one would not be good and vice verse. either way it was nice to have some training with someone just feeding me shuttles the whole time after that I played 4 games and I felt good. Faster, smoother and more relaxed . I even was able to keep my left arm more balanced on my overhead shots. Progress continues to come !
Interesting discovery I made today... Sometimes I practice dry swinging smashes at home like you do @Mason to get the kinetic chain right... But tonight I happened to do it while I was wearing ear buds listening to music, and it was an eye opening experience. Without the sound feedback, I was actually able to focus more on the biomechanics and kinetics of the stroke. Without the aural component, my stroke was solely felt and guided by proprioception alone and I can say it was easier to fine tune! Try it! Sent from my SM-G965W using Tapatalk
A few things on the backhand netshots: Be careful of your foot placement on the lunge on the backhand. You are not landing properly on your heel. Also, your foot is turning inwards. Your arm is making two movements before the racquet hits the shuttle. You put the arm and racquet up in preparation, then secondly pull the head back and then thirdly forward to hit the shuttle. Try to combine the arm up and racquet head back simultaneously I.e. combine these two. This will make your timing much easier and faster. Also wash the dust off the soles of your shoes.
Those are the same pointers Sal was giving me during this training. You can see him trying to tell me what to do in between sets. Having real time feedback was amazing !! But sometimes I would be ok with the racket , then my footwork was bad. Then on my lunge both my front and back leg was incorrect , so when I’d get my right leg corrected, my left would be wrong , and when I’d get my left leg corrected my right leg would be wrong. Then of course my racket preparation was a mess when I was thinking about my legs Lots of work to do , just to get my lunge better.