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1:55 pm
March 25, 2011
Offline
Hi friends,
According to what I learnt from my limited experience and from the articles of this site and many of your inputs in this forum, I was trying to look at a holistic view of what makes a good badminton player, what does he or she needs to posses to become a good player. The key parameters that I came out with are Strategy, Technique, Fitness and Tools which are listed in detail.
Would be interesting to know your thoughts on this…
1) Strategy: Ability to plan/strategize the game and utilize your assessts (skills, power and tools)
– How good and quick you are to understand opponents strengths and weaknesses
– Your ability to exploit opponents weakness
– Knowing your own strength and weakness
– Ability to stop your opponent exploiting your weakness
– Ability to plan and drive the rallies to win points
– Ability to take advantage of the opportunities
2) Technique: How perfectly you can execute a particular shot in any given situation
– Ability to perfectly execute the shots like Drop, smash, clear, backhand, overhead, net kills, deception etc.
– Ability to serve right to keep the game in your control
– Right Footwork to correctly execute the shots from any area of the court
– Correct Grip and ability to change grip in time
– Adapting to different types of courts, synthetic or wooden
– Ability to learn, improvise and sustain the level of expertise
3) Fitness: Two sides of fitness and both are equally important, Physical and Mental:
Physical:
– Ability to reach shuttle in time in other words covering the entire court with minimal effort
– Degree of flexibility of your body
– Save power/energy and utilize at the right time
– Stamina to sustain your game level till the last point
– Staying Injury free
Mental:
– Staying focus during difficult game situation
– Ability to self motivate during the course of the game
– Keeping the winning attitude alive till the last point
– On or Off the court is always pondering on mistakes, wins, strategies etc.
4) Tools:
– Racket
– Do you have the right racket which goes with your style of the game
– Head heavy or light
– Medium or stiff shaft
– Isometric head or regular
– Grip
– String tension
– Shoes
– Do you have correct shoe (court shoes) which helps in the following:
– Supports your footwork pattern
– Protects your feet from injuries
Regards
Tariq
12:27 am
VIP Coaching Program Members
August 12, 2010
Offline Hi Tariq,
You have picked out some really improtant things from what you have read! This is excellent to see 🙂
Personally, I would put MUCH more focus on the good footwork technique. You mention it in one bullet point (actually, the one about adapting to different floors is a combination of footwork and tactics) but I think it deserves its own whole section! (you put this a bit in physical too: where you mention being able to cover the whole court, this is more footwork technique, rather than physical conditioning). However, anyone who knows me knows I am a singles nutter, and I am obsessed by practising footwork!
Shoes are very important 🙂 I would say the racket is and strings is far LESS important… unless you look at the mental effect it COULD give you – confidence 🙂
Thats a pretty good list. I look forward to seeing what other people think too! Remember with strategies: its one thing to generate a realsitic strategy, and another to implement it. A good realistic strategy should utilise things you are good at (rather than, “if I can hit the lines, I will win”) to beat things your opponent seems to be good at – implementing it is a case of mental “fitness” and discipline, as well as technique (for correct execution).
Keep contributing 🙂
Matt
9:19 am
March 2, 2010
Offline This reads like the golden recipe for Olympic medals 
, (IMHO) this is one of the best analyses I've read and should be the daily menu of any trainer. But I agree with Matt, I too would change the order. If I project this on myself, I made (at least for me) a big boost in my play, but not because I bought myself a racket that suits me better, because of better strings at a slightly higher tension, because of better shoes. But because a friend of me convinced me to take training with him in a small group of enthousiasts of all kinds of levels. This training has made my footwork a lot better, and my technique. All the rest of the tools simply add a bit to the overall level that you have or achieved, but not in the same amount as footwork and technique.
Once you master these 2 (by then you'll have a good phisical condition too), then go for strategy. Allong the way, keep your eyes open for your equipment and see where you can add just a bit more to the quality of your game by changing something (grip, tension, racket, shoes, …). A good engineering rule of thumb: change one thing at a time so you know if this particular thing is for better or for worse.
All the best, ED
6:05 am
March 25, 2011
Offline Thanks Matt & Ed for your valuable inputs.
Matt: Yes, the shoes are very important, I too had improved my footwork once I changed to correct court shoes for me. And changing the racket and string tension did add to my overall game improvement, as mentioned by Ed too.
Ed: You brought out another very important angle to this list, which this list was originally not intended for, is the timmings about what comes in order when you are actually in the journey of becoming the best and learning never stops…Infact when I started learning it was technique of hitting the basic shots and then built over the footwork which eventually builds your stamina, as you mentioned. I've went through the same pattern too. And yes one thing at a time really helps you learn and adopt quickly.
Will be interesting to see Paul's comments and others on this…may be we may end up creating a chornological pattern of how to become a good Baddy player !!!
Cheers
Tariq
10:27 am
VIP Coaching Program Members
August 12, 2010
Offline tariq: no doubt that a racket can add a bit to your game – but to be a top class player, the racket is far less important in my view, than the other things we have mentioned. You give lin dan a bottom of the range li ning, and he is still lin dan. Still fast. Still accurate (lets give him some nice strings). His timing may be off until he gets used to it, but thats to be expected. But he is still the tactically brilliant, mentally strong and physically phenomenal. These are the things that make lin dan, not what you put in his hand.
However, like I said, thats just my take on the situation. I have no doubts that the standard of shot production can be higher with a racket that suits you, but to be a good badminton player – get a racket, any racket, and learn to use it properly. The great morten frost was still great, even without todays racket techcnology – its everything else that matters.
5:48 am
March 25, 2011
Offline Matt: Nicely put and I agree, the only thing to mention the racket here is that it does helps as you mentioned and in whatever order of importance it could be. So when we put the list in chronological order this is a good point to consider. Thanks.
Let’s see what our other friends have to say…
Cheers
Tariq
8:45 pm
VIP Coaching Program Members
August 12, 2010
Offline Very sensible suggestion 🙂
10:14 am
February 15, 2011
Offline Really tough topic to comment on.
I guess the most important thing is to have a love of the game, it's very easy become competant in any sport, and equipment is mostly trial and error to see what you're comfortable with and gives you the best results.
If you have the self discipline (not many people do) to keep pushing yourself then a lot is going to be down to your coach.
Self teaching is only good up to a certain point, coaches are a funny breed and I think Paul will attest that they get a lot of satisfaction watching a keen pupil progress even if it means they achieve a standard that is beyond that coaches ability to teach further.
I've played a lot of sports in my time and played with guys who have had the potential to hit seriously high levels, the jump to that “next level” is a massive step and requires quite a lot of sacrifice, the lure of parties, drinking and loose women is a big deal for any young man but isn't that good for an aspiring top class athlete.
For me personally, sport has always been down to the standard:enjoyment ratio, if it becomes more like work than fun I tend to lose interest.
The other thing is that thing they call “competitive edge” or the “will to win”.
It's a natural instinct that I don't believe can be taught but it's essential that it's controlled or you end up like Tyson and biting off someone's ear.
On that pleasant note I'll wait for someone else's opinions 
8:15 am
March 25, 2011
Offline Simon: Bingo you hit the bullseye. Not sure how to explain this but few months back I was just pondering how much obsessed I'm with this game and how this game is making me do things which includes sacrificing lot of social gathering, outings etc, as you mentioned, which has changed my lifestyle. If I look two years back I didn't even knew how to handle the bat and even the basic rules, it is indeed “the love of this game” that makes me excel to next level, doesn't matters what level I play today, I enjoy playing this game, PERIOD. And I'm also trying to apply the same principal to other aspect of life like work and personal life but as you mentioned it is indeed a “natural instinct which cannot be taught” even to yourself, lets see If I succeed. Thanks to Badminton !!!
Nevertheless you brought out quite a different tangent point to this dicussion. I also believe the reason we are here on this forum and talking about this game is due to “the love of the game” or “The interest” that we all have.
, did I got emotional ? 
!!!
Cheers
Tariq
10:35 am
May 19, 2011
Offline Hi Guys
All of you have mentioned all the important tactical and technical points relating to the topic.
I agree totally with all the points that you mentioned.
I feel though that it is essential to have a buddy who plays with you every time and has a skill level similar to you.
Also it is quite important to have a really strong player who you strive to beat as that will push your game higher and make you HUNGRy for improvement in your game.
To beat really tough player it is also important to have a higher gear that you dont usually use or cant sustain throughout a game just to addthat little OOMPH to your games
Amit
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