Badminton

[HDoan]

I'm not sure if this is the right topic or not but here goes nothing. I was wondering if you guys could watch a recording of me playing badminton, I'm a beginner and I have received excellent help from this guy who lead me here. Here is a link to the video: http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=ij1DIvyPUec&feature=inbox

I think my smashes are pretty good but they could still use a lot of work (And a lot more aiming :cool:). Also my footwork also needs a lot of work which I'm working on. Please help me because tryouts for the badminton team is coming up next Monday and I want to fix my mistakes before then. I am also going to the leisure center on Saturday to practice more and try new things (As in more footwork, using my adomin more, and jumping higher) so I can record things I've worked on there. Thank you for your time.
(Also please don't call me a panzey or say that badminton sucks)

[Con]

Try to hit your smashes with a more overhead outstretched arm to hit the birdie down over the net rather than making it fly straight out where he can easily hit it back. Make sure to return back to the center of the court as fast as possible each time you hit it over, because you don't wanna be running all over the place in a hurry when he hits it back. Also, when you're close to the net and hit a short one over, it's pretty obvious he's going to want to hit it far back to make you run, so start right away.

[HDoan]

Yeah I was really rusty after a year, a year can do wonders to your foot work (Not), anyways thanks for the reply.

[Pope]

Your footwork really seems your weakest point. Think of the badminton court separated into 4 parts for each of the corners. Stand in the middle and try to take no more than 3 steps into either direction. That is the most optimal way to hit the bird around.

As for smashes while they look good you can utilize more power out of them by placing a foot forward to shift momentum causing greater force to hit the bird. Don't worry about jumping just yet.

Your serves are a little high but all that takes is practice, but be sure to switch it up a little to trick out your opponent.

Some random tips from a player like myself:

Try some more drop shots (shots that are in front of the net)
Practice footwork (it's the #1 thing)


That's the just of my badminton skills in a nutshell.
Good luck on everything.

[HDoan]

Your footwork really seems your weakest point. Think of the badminton court separated into 4 parts for each of the corners. Stand in the middle and try to take no more than 3 steps into either direction. That is the most optimal way to hit the bird around.

As for smashes while they look good you can utilize more power out of them by placing a foot forward to shift momentum causing greater force to hit the bird. Don't worry about jumping just yet.

Your serves are a little high but all that takes is practice, but be sure to switch it up a little to trick out your opponent.

Some random tips from a player like myself:

Try some more drop shots (shots that are in front of the net)
Practice footwork (it's the #1 thing)


That's the just of my badminton skills in a nutshell.
Good luck on everything.
Thank you for your wisdom, I also have trouble AIMING the smash which I'm going to work on. I also found this video http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=up5M-mirAcI which I'm going to try every day starting tomorrow.

[Limited]

Good job with the win :P

Use the court to your advantage, play shots into the back corners, but dont forget about the edges right at the net (his side), mix it up alot get the other person really working for it, make them run alot, if they have to run alot in a point, they can get frustrated and just give in by taking a risky shot.

Another thing is with your back hands, I hardly saw any backhands that were just big shots played to the other guy or at the back of the court, backhands are the best way to do drop shots into the corners just infront of his side of the net, this will make the guy have to run, the shot before could be a high scoop shot.

Just a bit of advice to you and the other dude playing, badminton isnt all about power, the majority of shots were hit has hard as you can, yes there is times in the game where powerful shots are great, especially when directed at the other persons body, they dont have much time to react and get there body out of the way to hit the shot, if they do manage to hit it, its likely to be a weak return and not even make it over the net. So try to make more shots that land centre to front of the court.

Serves, dont think you have to play it to the person to start the point, you can play a short one in the corner , its not cheating or any thing, its cheeky but hey, a point is a point.

Footwork? Well, it needs a bit of improvement, that will generally come in time, when your more relaxed with taking risky shots, you wont really think about movement around the court, although you should be aware where you are on the court at all times.

Oh and one more thing, with a few smash shots, try to hit them into the ground, it takes practise to get them over the net and still hitting the ground, try aiming for the guys feet, power + low shots are hard to handle.

[HDoan]

Thanks Limited, I have a lot of trouble aiming it downwards =/ The only time I can get it to hit the ground and over the net is usually when I jump smash and I aim for the corner so they have no chance to get it (Though it is a big risk). Foot work I know I need to work on, I'm no where near as good as I was a year before I stopped but I've learned a lot more things (Though it fucked up my footwork). I can't wait to go back to the leisure center on Saturday, Ill get recordings of me trying things like you guys advice: The cheeky serve, smashing it lower, foot work, and my backhand. Also I practice during school days at Lunch breaks and after school, with no nets at lunch it's hard to tell how far out is (Probably one of the factors of my messed up footwork), but I play 2v1 (Me being the 1)and I pretty much dominate then. I've been doing the lunch thing for awhile now and I've only lost 2/80ish matches, against my friend Abraham (Who is in the video farthest from the net, plays better on set 2 though) and against someone older than me who kept shooting far and right next to the wall (Which I'm not going to even try or ill break my racquet), do you think I have a shot at making my grades team if I practice? I'm practicing footwork every day now and I practice at the leisure center every week end, tryouts are on Monday.

[Phopojijo]

Most badminton rules state that if you hit the net and still go over -- it's a fair shot.

It's next to impossible to return a shot that tips the top of the net and drops straight down in front.

If the raquet doesn't get caught in the net -- the birdy most likely won't have enough angle to make it over.

[HDoan]

I have trouble serving right =/ I can serve but I can't do the stuff you guys are telling me too like just hitting the corner exactly or hitting the net and going past the line, any tips?

[Limited]

I have trouble serving right =/ I can serve but I can't do the stuff you guys are telling me too like just hitting the corner exactly or hitting the net and going past the line, any tips?Hold the shuttlecock on the flight so its facing down in your free hand in front of the racket and flick your wrist (the one with the racket) and drop the shuttlecock at the same time. In alot of your serves you seemed to hit it too hard. It does take practise, you dont need to go to the actual ourt to practise getting the motion of hitting it although it would be good after some time to get the angle and power right to just hit it over the net.

[HDoan]

Okay, also any tips for smashing the birdie lower? When I smash I can't get it to make the birdie go lower, I smash over the net most of the time but I cant get it to go downwards.

[Pope]

Well going to add some more random tips.

Always point at the bird with your arm when you're about to smash it. It really helps you keep aim when hitting it.

If you find that your smashes are going lower try hitting it but at a different angle with your racket.

Also with smashes, just a personal note here, I really only try to use them when it's the final blow, where my opponent is out of place and I smash it to where they have almost no chance to hit it. Though a lot of people tend to use them regularly in game, so maybe I'm just weird:lol:

[HDoan]

I use it when ever I can go wear them out xD

[Limited]

Do you flick your wrist at the very end of your "swing" when doing a smash? It can help make the birdie go down.

[HDoan]

Yeah I flick it, I'm going racquet shopping on Saturday after I practice at the leisure center. I'm getting the Yonex Carbonex 3, I want the Yonex AT 900 but it's out of my price range =/ Anyone tried this racquet? I've heard it's really good and more powerful, head heavy racquets ftw. The problem is tryouts are on Monday and I have to get used to the racquet in 2 days.

[Zeph]

Oh god, that game. I swear, I never want to see it again unless it's in a field of grass at the edge of the woods with an umbrella covered table and grill nearby with pitchers of lemonade sitting on the table.