Badminton

Badminton is my favourite sport. I try to play at least 3 times a week. have good technique when I know where the shuttle is going, but as soon as I play singles, all my technique is gone.

Favorite videos for reference:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UEbiffCdGY&ab_channel=BadlandMovie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-IPKGnBkZU&ab_channel=Badminutiae

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XH02uyOnpQE

Concepts

• Why I Play (so much) Badminton
• Badminton Professional Player

This guy (Seo) is the reason I wear 65z3 black and white shoes

Goal

• Be able to jump smash with a really good form
• Be SUPER explosive

What is explosiveness about?

Explosiveness is about being able to accelerate and accelerate the game super fast.

I am good with just playing at a consistent pace in singles. But the moment the game accelerates or decelerates (like the game is fast and then suddenly the opponent hits a super slow drop), I have trouble getting to the shuttle.

So I need to work on being explosive.

my smash is a bit weird 17:58 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXmcbVXiftI&list=PLSyNkZjgB8PHKazf2oTiLpPRvYF8uJq0q&index=2&ab_channel=BadmintonLimited

Playing Singles:

• Really focus looking at the opponent. I was playing Kevin and I noticed that I was playing a lot better because I was taking the shuttle early, and looking at where Kevin was positioned
• stay LOW, best tip ever that TIM gave me. Eyes at the net (white tape) level

Things I’m focusing on to fix my technique

• Correct lunge technique (upper body stable, left arm extended)
• Opening chest up for overhead shot
• Extending legs fully at contact point

For my rear forehand, I need to be able to cross my legs better.

I think another problem I have is that because I play plastic, I tend to use my arm a lot more now, than my wrist. Pros use wrist a lot, but it’s hard to use wrist with plastic birds.

Tips:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQsL6MdDpZ4&ab_channel=BadmintonInsight

I also realized that I have really weak Glutes, so I have been doing these Hip Exercises.

What is shit currently (2023-08-23)

Your front lunges are REALLY bad when you are late. When you look at the pros, they are very stable. My whole body moves forward when I lunge.

Also, you are very slow moving back to the center. You need to push with your quads.

NEED LOWER CENTER OF GRAVITY, WILL MAKE YOU A LOT MORE EXPLOSIVE. WORK YOUR CARDIO IF NEED BE.

your form is bad, right hand is not behind the head:

• Bring your racket behind your head, will generate a lot more power
  • do this by opening up your chest

• This is soo ugly

Once I got low, I felt a lot more explosive

I feel like I am not doing my shadows properly, like I should be reaching the backcourt lines, but oftentimes I am not

Try taking bigger steps

Like here for example

• You only really need to shuffle once, your footwork is really inefficient here

• I don’t fully go to the back court when I do my shadows, really need to focus on taking bigger steps so I can reach it

• Here, my lunge is pretty small, and I feel like I drag my left foot too much

also, when I move back from the net, it seems that i only move my right leg back, when really I should be shuffling back

Also, when I get juked, I lose my balance super easily

Things I need to work on

First few tips are from the Badminton Insight channel

• Take bigger steps (use power from both legs)
• Directional split steps
• service is shit
• Take bigger steps, no rabbit step
• Place body more parallel to bird when moving, always one with the line
• take bird higher and more in front
• use more pronation
• use waist more
• after hitting overhead push with left leg
• take bird high at the net
• take racket high when running
• Arm + Elbow higher

Other Things I’m not focused on currently

• Relax body

• Lower center of gravity (legs should be more bent)

  • Increases stability and balance
  • Allow you to change speed faster → think f1 cars
  • But not too bent or too wide, because most of the weights are going to the quads, and not your whole legs

• Move body more parallel with the line $\to$ will allow you to move faster

• CE SHEN (i.e. your body parallel with the line of the bird)

• stop slicing the bird with the backhand every time

Have a Game Plan

Spoke with Kevin on December 23rd 2023 and talked about how the difference with really good players is that they have good awareness on where they can place the shots. See

Men’s Doubles

Defense, always have right leg behind, so you can better defend your right hand side.

However, for the left side, oftentimes players put they left foot forward, like they are getting ready to counter attack:

Santa Clara Message

Hi there,

I am interested in playing some more serious badminton for September - December 2023. I am coming to Santa Clara for an internship, currently am 21 years old from Canada. I am not national youth level nor even provincial, but I have been playing for a long time and am looking to get a lot better these next 4 months. I was wondering if the Santa Clara badminton center had / offered team training for someone like me? Alternativey, are there usually high-skilled players at the drop-ins?

Best,

Steven

Notes

4:49 Like why are my legs bent like that?

Need a reference for how the pros do it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XH02uyOnpQE&ab_channel=BadmintonASia (beginning of video)

He also lands like me, it’s a very subtle difference but he is straight when he hits the shuttle which is how he can get more power.

Maybe the difference is that he can get more height, and I can’t go up when I jump

So just focus on getting your feet straighter as a next step progress. That will make your life easier when you smash