Hi fellow badminton players, its funny if you watch players from your club or yourself that the majority of people get so annoyed and frustrated when they make a mistake. Some will even get super angry! Big mistake!! Many times I have heard, "that was sh*t", "am playing crap" etc. This is what these players will mainly do, is put themselves down when they make a mistake. What we don't realize is acting this way, thinking this way and putting ourselves down affects the next few shots or even entire game in a big and bad way! which of course could be the difference between winning or losing. The best way to deal with a mistake is to understand that we will make mistakes no matter what. Even missing the birdie completely occasionally. No matter how easy it should be (No such thing as should), don't get angry and annoyed for it will only affect your game for the worse. Just say to yourself, "Next shot." and then say if you want a quick analysis to improve it there and then like, "hit it bit higher next time." or "move bit faster next time." etc or what you have to do to get it right. Aslong as its a positive. Everything should be positive!!!! This way your focusing on what to do right, you are focusing on the process and the positive, not the past or the negatives. I find in my game now, I completely forget about mistakes! It gets forgotten about so it cannot affect the rest of my game! Hope this helps Philip
Good point, tend to agree, but of course there can be individual exceptions. Some people needs to get rid off their anger before their next shuttle instead of taking the anger with them into the game. The common problem is that you just affect yourself even more and become more angry, and do more mistakes in the game because of lack of patience. Also, some few people might have the ability to use anger as a positive thing...
I agree but these cases are very few and far between. Most folk when become angry get worse. Only very few people can use their anger in a positive way. My sports psychologist and clinical hypnotherapist has worked with many sports people and says he has only met 1 or 2 people in his career who can use anger in a good way in sports such as badminton or archery etc
True. For me, I usually get angry when I miss many shots that are normally trivial to me (i.e., having a bad day). If I start venting then, then I certainly not will get better, but soon have to call it a day because it just gets worse.
Good post Phil. I totally agree that you have to find a mechanism to get rid of negative thoughts. There are many tools that really help. I have used a simple substitution technique in business and badminton to great effect. Paul www.badminton-coach.co.uk
Thanks Paul and I hope every1 who has read this post has gotten something out of it to improve their game. Its jus changing how you think about it. Its amazing how you dont really think its a issue until it gets pointed out. I actually now laugh at people when they get angry and annoyed cause I know their game will go downhill. Its amazing the amount of players out there who get so annoyed and angry at themselves and it wil only make them worse!! Watch a professional match, it wont be too often that a mistake will anger a player. Ive never seen a player get real angry or shout out of rage etc. Most pros are so relaxed and jus move on to the next shot. I seen lin Dan mishit the birdie once with a simple clear and hit the frame. I couldnt believe it, for a player of his standard made that mistake. But he jus looked as if he wondered what happened, realised he hit the frame and jus moved on, was no issue at all!!
True, but this reminds me of a funny incident when KKK of the Malaysian MD pair in the last year. He made a crappy shot during a finals game, then he proceeded to give himself the middle finger!! Then the network TV proceeded to play that back in slow mo!
Reading this, I think it's important to play down mistakes and encourage yourself and your partner. Especially if he tries the right thing. Learn step by step from your mistakes and make yourself to be a better player. This really occured to me when I read and tried to employ the "play it down" rule. At first, you'll hit into the net or make easy shots that are easily killed by your opponent, even missing the easy kills that should put an end to the rally. but as time goes by, you'll master it. It's also important to encourage your partner, otherwise, they will play safe and hit clears or lifts instead of smashing and drives, even lifting the shuttle at the front when they could easily kill it. Needs patience as they will miss those at first. The mistake that is often done is that we feel angry with ourselves and then not do it and think the guide is wrong, never attempt the smash again and always clear and lift. What's worse is being angry with your partner and blame him for that mistake although he attempted to do the right thing. just think: 1. the next shot 2. next will be steeper 3. You'll get it next time 4. next will be closer to the net and so on. these will encourage you and your partner to execute the shots with better quality next time and play better.
Encouragement will be good. Putting yourself or your partner down isn't. That much I agree. In mistake analysis, I'd like to add: 1. The mistake may not always be the last shot you make. It may be the second last (or earlier still) leading to the outcome. 2. The way to correct a mistake may not be prompting yourself to play better next time (in the same match/tournament). The improvement required may be out of your reach. It may be that you shouldn't have played that shot (or putting such a high demand on yourself; e.g. going for the lines) because your accuracy isn't there yet. 3. Mistake could also be tactical - e.g. your opponent has a strong smash relative to your defense, yet you keep volunteer lifts/clears. You're not supposed to be able to return those smashes... You're setting your weakness up against the strength of your opponent. Bottom line, in addition to stay positive, you still need to learn how to analyze mistakes.
As others wrote previously, I think it depends on the individual. I am one of those people that get mad at myself for mental mistakes. But to me it is a way to let off steam and move on. Personally, it is more productive for me to recognize that I made a mental error and react to it instead of making excuses or pretend that it didn't happen. The problem I have with mental mistakes is that I should have known better yet still did it. I guess I don't know how to fool myself into making a bad decision into a positive. But I try not take it to a level where it is a distraction for anyone else. Usually, I tap myself gently on the head with the racket and muttered "Come on dumb dumb." I don't react to physical mistakes. It will happen. I don't let that bother me one bit.
I play this other stupid game called GOLF..... so there's really nothing on a badminton court that can annoy me that much..... I would generally just laugh at a mistake as though it should not have happened, look upwards in the air, adjust/straighten my strings on the racket and then move on.....
Yes. Sometimes annoyed with myself making the same mistakes over again. But always try within short period of time analyse to avoid committing same thing again. Or change tactic. Play a safer game to let myself settle down again to regain confident before committing. or if nothing works. Then, tell myself to relax, take my time trying to change the pace of game. .. see how thing a get along like many who had been warned by umpire for wasting time. That's a tactic too. It usually happen to me either at the beginning when I have yet to warm up, settle down, or mostly when I am already tried out being playing for some time. Then I know it was my tiredness and judgement error then I won't really bother so much as it means that's not my usual game of play. Be it
Sometimes, it is a habit that cannot be helped. 1. the enemy lifts to your side and you smash only to fined your partner not on the front so the opponent get an easy point just by blocking to the net. 2. You lift and take a side by side formation while your friend immediately charges forward, the opponent the easily smash to the other side your friend left. 3. Passive front players who just crouch and don't bother trying to cut the replies or move back to rotate. you can only sigh and play
