By Justin Ma, 7x US Junior National Badminton Champion.
Last updated May 11, 2022
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3 min read
Are you wondering if badminton coaching is right for you? Maybe you feel like you’ve hit a plateau in your progress during the past few months. Or perhaps you want to improve an aspect of your game but can’t seem to figure out how.
In any case, you might be wondering: What are the benefits of working with a mentor versus learning on your own? Is signing up for badminton coaching really worth it?
In this post, we cover everything you should know about badminton coaching, including how one-on-one training can level up your game and the best ways to get started.
The best badminton players in the world work with coaches, and it’s for a good reason.
They can help you step up any skill — from your agility to your footwork, and everything in between. But that’s not all they can do for your performance.
Here are five benefits of badminton coaching worth knowing:
A badminton coach can help you make the most of your training routine, both on and off the court. They act as your “mentor” in fitness, drawing from a lifetime of experience to help you craft a routine that supports your goals.
They might offer pointers for better strength and conditioning, give you general nutrition tips, and show you which drills can make the biggest difference in your game.
You don’t need a mentor to become skilled at badminton. But when you learn on your own, you might lean into bad habits or make common badminton mistakes — without even realizing it.
For example, you might regularly hit a drop shot when you could’ve finished the rally with a smash. Or you might have slightly wonky footwork that slows down your movement on the court.
Habits like these can fly under the radar when you train on your own. But a skilled coach can pick up on these things, help you zone in on them, and teach you how to overcome them. They might do this by going over basic techniques with you and giving you expert-level tips to sharpen your movements.
You can ask your coach or mentor to help you with any badminton skill, whether you want to address a weakness or improve a strength.
For instance, if you don’t feel confident in your backhand drop shots, your coach can teach you how to improve them. Or, if you want to work on your smashes, they can help you take them from sharp to deadly.
To focus on any given skill, you might start by showing your coach how you would typically perform it. Then, they’d offer you feedback on your form, drills, and exercises to improve your technique. They might also provide tips regarding when you should (and shouldn’t) use certain shots during a rally.
When you sign up for badminton coaching, you’re connecting with an experienced mentor who wants to see you succeed. Knowing that you’ve scheduled that next check-in with your coach — whether in-person or virtually — can motivate you to push yourself when you’re training alone.
This means training harder and showing up consistently, even on the days when you’d prefer to stay home and take it easy.
It’s possible to learn badminton on your own, simply by experimenting with what works and what doesn’t. But as you may know, the “trial and error” method can be time-consuming.
Fortunately, a badminton coach can help you speed things along by streamlining every part of this process. No matter which skill you want to work on, they’ll set you up with the most valuable tools from the get-go, helping you break through obstacles and level up quickly.
If you want to find a great coach but aren’t sure where to look, your local badminton club is an excellent place to start. But if in-person training isn’t practical for you due to cost or schedule concerns, you’re not alone.
The good news is that online platforms make it easier than ever to team up with a skilled badminton coach from home.
