Simon

From what you're saying about these players, you really need to keep exercises simple. One step hitting is good because it focusses on the preparation of the shot prior to the hit, then the hit, then recovery.

At Lilleshall in September my session for the advanced players was purely preparation in hitting. I hadn't taught this at Lilleshall before and I'll warrant if I'd told the players what they were about to do they would have thought I'd joined the wrong group. However, to a player, including those who had been before, they all said it was the best session of the weekend.

When teaching backhand I begin with backhand skills at the net. After all, if a player cannot control their racket at the net, then turning their back towards the net to hit a backhand clear isn't going to work. So I develop hand skills first and then slowly move them backwards before asking them to turn and hit the shot. It's hard to explain but easily understood when you see it.

As you know the stroke cycle cery well Simon I would remove the most difficult element which is generally movement in favour of perfecting the hitting technique. When that is pretty good, I would then change focus to movement to and from the shuttle to round off the stroke cycle.

Sorry I'm not being specific but I'd be writing volumes if I got started.

Paul

Simon

Glad to help. It's a shame we can't hook up on Skype so that I can share a lot more ideas. It takes less time to run through them over the phone rather than write them down.

Paul