Thanks for the input guys! Hope more people give their opinions too.

Shoulders width might be good for defending in doubles, but as m.y. says, most singles players adopt a much wider base.

Just wanted to say to m.y. that although initially it may seem like you are using more energy, I imagine that the result, even now, will mean you have to take fewer steps and reach the shuttle earlier than before – meannig you can take the shuttle, earlier, and start to rush your opponent. Ultimately, if playing singles, this will mean fewer rallies in total. So, you put more effort into the movement, but have to move less – you have to work hard, but at the same time, you get a good benefit! Once you master it though, it will be effortless AND you will be so much quicker…

For some things to think about, how wide should the base be for:

A singles player who is having to defend

A singles player who is having to attack

A doubles player who is defending

A doubles player who is playing in the rearcourt

A doubles player who is playing the mid and front court (“the net”)

Are they all the same? Or are some of them different? Your thoughts please 😀

Matt

Ah sorry, I realise now I did not fully explain what I meant in the attacking situations!

What I mean for singles is, what should a singles player who is waiting for his opponent to play a shot do with regard to his base, when he is wanting to attack the next shot i.e. he is pretty sure he will not have to “defend” after an aggressive shot from his opponent (no guaruntees though!). Should this be any different to a singles player who is defending?

With regard to the doubles:

For the front court player: imagine you are waiting for your partner in the rearcourt to play an attacking shot (or he just has and you are waiting for your opponent to hit their defensive shot) – do you stand the same as when defending in doubles? Or is it different? If so, how is it different? Presumably it should be lower than usual, but should it just be lower? Or wider? What do you think?

For the rear court player, you have just hit a downwards attacking shot (or your partner did) and you are waiting for the next shot to come (either to you or to your partner) – how should you stand? The same as the front court player? Same as a singles player? Same as when defending? Again, what do you think?

Hope that clarifies what I was trying to get at!

Matt