This coaching advice needs your thoughts
Which of these statements do you agree with?
How would you convince a friend to follow the statement that you choose?
Your Challenge
Quickly scan the statements below and choose between the alternative contradictory badminton coaching advice that is being offered. My aim is to create thoughts in your mind, thoughts that need resolution
Could you accept both or you may decide that neither fits your thinking, hopefully, you will be able to write an alternative option.
I have deliberately tried to write an opposing view between each statement.
(A) or (B)
Which would you agree with?
Repetition
(A) Repetition of specific (discrete) techniques without an opponent is good because it builds confidence in the stroke/movement through ‘closed’ routines and produces a ‘grooved’ stroke. More repetition increases player confidence, improves technique, and increases practice enjoyment.
vrs
(B) Prolonged repetition of techniques and stroke combinations without an opponent can be effective in the short-term but ineffective in the long term if improving performance in competition is the goal. No opponent and limited decision-making or perception opportunities will produce stroke competency, but crucially, not match skills.
Shadow Practice
(A) Shadow allows players to focus on movement without an opponent. It is essential to understand movement patterns.
vrs
(B) Shadow practice is not effective for developing match skills; the lack of stimulus (shuttle/opponent) limits the effectiveness. It is effective for physical conditioning if that i the specified goal.
(A) Introduce and develop overhead hitting (striking) first as it’s an important skill, so it needs to start early. Problems with technique can be resolved later.
vrs
(B) Introduce and develop “below the shoulder” striking first to prevent overhead issues. The overhead is so important that it can wait. Error-proof at the start.
The ‘Split-Step’
(A) Introduce and develop the Split Step using isolated shadow and coach verbal prompts to initiate the different positions
Split in the direction you will move
vrs
(B) Introduce and develop the Split Step by including it in practices without it being the main focus, integral but not the main component. Use tasks that include a shuttle, a racket, and an ‘opponent ‘. “Prepare to move to the shuttle that will hit your court first”
Split in the direction you choose, before the opponent strikes the shuttle.
Knowledge: what to know
(A) Ensure that beginner players receive lots of technical information. It is vital that they know exactly what they are doing and can use that to develop themselves (without technical knowledge, they will struggle to master the technique).
A coach should be able to list the technical points for every practice and share this with the player during any descriptions, verbal prompts and in summarising outcomes.
vrs
(B) Coach players in a way that they ‘forget’ what they were taught (the technique ‘list’) and are not sure exactly how they perform certain movements. They ‘just do-it’. Outline a technique and offer supporting phrases but don’t break down as in the coaching manual.
Do not list the technical components; just get on with the practice and seek to develop usable game-winning skills
(* allow ‘experts’ to understand finite elements if they wish)
How to learn (discover)
(A) Allow beginner players to experiment: how to hold the racket, what swing type movements to use, and how to lunge. Self-discovery without direct instructions is key. They will enjoy the process and discover information to use.
Ensure practices allow rather than direct.
vrs
(B) Condition practice and select tasks that try to constrain or encourage certain skills to develop.
Aim to develop players through a defined pathway which is wide enough for free will (technique variation) but constrained to limit technical (developmental reducing) errors.
Technique or Tactics first
(A) Introduce tactics and player decisions once a set of ‘core’ techniques are established, not before, as the error rate will decrease motivation and be harmful to development. Techniques need to be established to be near perfect before tactics can work.
vrs
(B) Encourage tactical thinking and decision making as soon as skills are partly established. Welcome, and expect the error rate to increase. Embrace and learn from errors.
Science or Social Media
(A) Repeat the practices that top coaches use, especially if they have just appeared on Instagram. If it works for Top players, then use it.
“Train like a world-class player, play like a world-class player”
vrs
(B) Believe in small progressive developments through tasks that link together. These will not be on Instagram; you must work to find them. Development is the sum of effective, well-thought-out, progressive, motivational and player-specific gamelike practices.
Design and create practices that challenge the players’ specific skill level or just above, ensuring that they are full of desirable difficulties. World Class is an aim, not a practice type.
What were your thoughts?
Did you find it east to choose A or B?
I hope some were difficult choices, whilst others just took a few seconds to think about
Some of the statements may be difficult to choose between as it always DEPENDS on the aim of the practice/situation and who you are working with.
Be aware that I have deliberately tried to write an opposing view
between each statement to hopefully cause you to struggle a little
Send me a question
I’m always grateful if you have read this far.
If there is anything that you have read that has helped or that you disagree with, then please send me an email.
I promise to read all your comments
It would be great to hear from you contact@badmintonandy.com
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