Matthew, it's the “getting to the shot with enough time” part that I am struggling with. 🙂 It's a bit funny though because I can swim 50-60 laps without feeling tired but puff and pant after 15 minutes playing a singles game. I just think badminton requires a different kind of cardiovascular strength and “punishes” one's body more. Or maybe it's just me getting old. Likewise I have met people who can run a marathon fairly easily but couldn't last 10 laps in the pool. One just needs to get acclimatised, have the muscle memory built in, before being able to see an improvement over the longer term.

Maybe of topic but Paul do you have some exercises to train your movement?

Lukas

Paul said:

Lukas

I have so many different ways of training movement from basics of shadow badminton, blind badminton to multi-feed routines.

One of my favourites for sideways movement involved bouncing a tennis ball as you move. Mmm, difficult to describe. Maybe I'm going to have to think about a video series just on movement. No, on second thoughts, it takes way too much time right now – which I don't have.

So let's change the question. Which areas of movement are the most difficult for you? And, what have you been taught to improve and train them?

Paul

Paul

The most difficult area for me is to get on time at the net. Most of the time I'm to late at the net that I can't play a good net shot or I need to play a lift. I've been taught that I need to do the four corners of the court from the basic position and another exercise that I go from the basic position to a rear corner and then go straight to the cross corner.

I hope that you can understand me.

Lukas

With regards to what Lukas was saying, I do find timing a “lunge” somewhat problematic at times, especially when playing or returning a net shot. Too short and I miss the shuttle; too early and I tend to sacrifice some control because my body is too close to the shuttle. I suppose a good lunge is also supposed to aid proper recovery back to the Base position, so a poor lunge will often times affect my time to recovery greatly, either because my posture during the lunge is wrong, or I'm just too near the net to make an effective recovery back to Base. Does this make sense?

Coming back to the topic of footwork to the back court, especially my backhand back court, I tend to be more comfortable (whenever I can) to return a backhand shuttle with a forehand drive or smash. I guess it's just instinctive. I am mentioning this because, again, it affects my footwork going to my left back court (I am right handed). Some days I tend to overdo it, and what happens is that my footwork suffers, thus the power of my shot is also affected because my position isn't conducive for a forehand shot from my backhand (when I should have used my backhand in the first place).

It seems to me everything one does will affect footwork/recovery back to Base. Something I have to work on constantly. The “Hit, 2, 3” Paul mentioned exercise is something I will try out this weekend.