The problem with badminton YouTube videos

Courtside Conversations, Videos

I feel disappointed by many badminton YouTube videos

The titles offer so much

However, the content leaves me wanting more

Do you feel the same?

What do you want from these videos

I sat down with a friend and discussed what we liked and didn’t like about your favourite Badminton YouTube videos

We created a list. Maybe you won’t have as many.

They are not all mine as I’ve included some that I’ve heard from other coaches and players.

If your thoughts aren’t on the list, then email me, and I’ll add them to these.

We asked ourselves –

“did we find everything we expected ?”

“do we now have usable information to try”

“is the information applicable to us?”

I wished they offered ....

Clickbait titles – Often it’s these that attract but then they don’t always deliver usable information.

Too many offer interesting information, but not enough practical advice that you can use.

Over-exaggerated mistakes – have you noticed that when mistakes (how not to do something) are demonstrated, it’s often in an overly exaggerated way?

Racket swings are huge, and players are shown to lose balance, stumble, and almost fall over.

Misrepresentation – the context of ‘sensible’ information is changed to make it appear negative.

Very few things apply everywhere and at all times, so why take one bit of ‘sound’ advice and highlight where it doesn’t apply? It’s often context-dependent.

Absolutes – technique aspects are given as ‘absolutes’, often dismissing other possibly suitable variations.

How many absolutes are there for a technique? Have you ever considered this?

Over-analysis – there is too much breakdown and analysis (especially of technique) that’s not required for improvement. Information is offered that is interesting BUT not effective if you want to improve.

Knowing everything about everything is not required (it’s NOT the key to improving). Plus, it could fill your brain with too many thoughts.

Complex movements – whole complex movements are demonstrated as solutions in the belief that by watching you will be able to improve. If just watching worked, we would all be great players.

Changes without realism – recommendations are often given without any guidance about the time it takes or the steps to try as you move towards those changes.

Would you accept a statement indicating that the change may be very difficult, even impossible?

Techniques are demonstrated in artificial situations – the practice you see is manipulated to show how easy the technique is, but then when you attempt it in a real game it doesn’t work as easily or at all.

Why is that, maybe the practice situation has removed lots of variables from a real game or the feeder was ‘skilful’ in helping the performance improve!

World Class Players do it therefore you should! 🙂 – Be warned, it’s tough to determine why they are doing the things you see, how often it’s done, and if it’s just a fun activity in a warm-up ie 15 mins of a 35 hr training week.

Talk with a friend and find out what they think

The websites I like

As always there are exceptions

My favourite is from the people at Badminton Insight, TheBadmintonFamily and TobiasWadenka

They all certainly do provide plenty of great advice, so study them hard and you will find value in their content. I certainly do 🙂

However, occasionally they may create content that you find confusing, polarising or disagree with, trust me it’s not very often. If you do why not put a comment on the video or direct message them? I’ve done that and they do get back to you.

This is what separates them from most offers – they care deeply about their content.