Multi-shuttle is great for improving player confidence
This applies whatever the players level
Do you agree?
Confidence is how strongly an athlete believes in their ability to execute something
Multi-shuttle practice has many uses : some more effcetive than others
This post is part of a mini-series looking at the uses of multi-shuttle.
Do you think that a multi-shuttle practice can be manipulated
to provide an opportunity to increase player confidence
My initial thoughts
How many do you agree with?
It’s important to have some practices where the key aim is to increase or confirm confidence in the player. A multi shuttle can provide you with this opportunity.
- Coaches often manipulate a multi shuttle practice to give the player a higher degree of success. Are you prepared to do this?
- Lots of shuttles will come over the net, the success/error rate will be difficult to measure with all the shuttles on the court,
- Its easier to raise the the physical effort of the player, feed so that they can just reach it and keep adapting- measured by a HR monitor,
- The practice aim is to receive positive feedback from the player : irrespective of what the evidence shows or your impression of the practice
- Coaches (feeders) may deliberately adjust the feeding so that the player can: reach the next shuttle, play the stroke they want (eg net kills), or to reduce the uncertainty so that less thinking is required.
Many players enjoy the feeling of a successful multi-shuttle
Would you be happy creating a practice environment where this could happen? Or, does it depend on your definition of ‘successful’?
- Just prior to a tournament it’s a good idea to have a session that ‘feel’s good’. Have you considered using a multi shuttle and deliberately feeding so that the player enjoys the experience (however they define enjoyable – you need to know this!),
- If a player is low on confidence, feels uncertain over their performance why not try a multi-session that reduces this stress. The impact on actual performance improvement may be low, but the trade-off in confidence could be greater,
- Some merely want a physical session with limited 'thinking' during rallies. : I’m not sure if I’m completely happy with this approach. Instead of going for a run, consider a physical multi-session that is again deliberately aimed at giving that ‘good feeling’.
After reading the points above, maybe you disagree with me and believe that all the practices to increase confidence could be done with 1 shuttle in a rally-type practice. If that’s you, it would be great to hear from you and publish your thoughts on this post.
How often do you deliberately manipulate your feeding
to increase player confidence
Using multi shuttle for improving player confidence
Positives and advantages – do you agree?
(I don’t necessarily agree with the points below; they are made for your consideration only)
- The coach can feed patterns of play, allowing the player to work within their performance parameters creating more successful outcomes.
- It’s easy to do as part of a pre-competition ‘confidence’ session – do not underestimate the effect of this
- The demands in practice can be manipulated so that the ‘Practice Performance’ is high (this is different to competition performance)
- The stress of uncertainty caused by the opponent options can be removed and reintroduced when required
Are you comfortable with doing a practice just to increase confidence?
Negatives and disadvantages – do you agree?
(I don’t necessarily agree with the points below; they are made for your consideration only)
- How transferable is this confidence into a real match and is it built on a solid foundation? How important is that pre-competition?
- Confidence, technique, and skill are different, are your players aware of this, are you?
- Players may want to experience this and have an expactyion (of success) in every multi-shuttle session and question your feeding style if they are not successful
To develop tactical thinking players need to experience
real game situations in a real game environment
What do you think?
Now that you have read all the positive/advantages and the counterpoints, what are your thoughts?
Do you believe that multi-shuttle can be directly used to create an increase in player confidence?
How would you score the usefulness of improving player confidence solely using multi shuttle?
Would it be your go-to, No.1 practice if you belived your player needed a confidence boost?
You may still believe that muti-shuttle has other more effctive uses (of the 7 mentioned)
How you coach the practices you create will always be your choice
All I ask is that you consider why you do what you do and how effective it is
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
