Split steps – the key to moving fast – Steve’s Badminton Blog and Website

The past 2 weeks I have been in deep discussion with Fred on how to improve the timing of his split step, and also teaching Lucas the basics of the split step. This small detail is often overlooked and not discussed often by coaches. The assumption is that the player already knows this and there is no need to talk about it. I beg to differ. This is important at all levels, and it is even more important at the highest level. Let’s discuss.

What is a split step?

The split step is the small jump which all players make as the opponent hits the shuttle. Immediately after the hit, when the flight of the shuttle becomes apparent, the player would have landed his split step and is able to use the bounce from the split step to move quickly. This is the foundation for all footwork in badminton.

Take the example below, focusing on Kenta Nishimoto. I chose Nishimoto as a case study here as he has one of the biggest split steps in the men’s singles discipline, and that makes him easy to study.

This clip came from the match between Nishimoto and Leong Jun Hao. In this rally, it is obvious to see that Nishimoto makes that huge jump every time his opponent is about to hit. And when he lands, his opponent already hit the shot, and he uses the bounce from his split step to move quickly towards the shuttle.

When the split step fails

When the player does not use the split step, he will always not get to the shuttle in time. Take this example below where Lee Chong Wei does a slice drop which deceived Momota. As he was deceived, he could not use his split step to move towards the shuttle. He used his split step to move to the other side, but when he saw the shuttle land slowly to his left instead, he could not even move there.

The split step is all about timing. In order to be able to move quickly, the player must time his split step right. Failing to do so means the player is not able to move. It is crucial for the player to time his split step so that when the opponent hits the shot, he can move quickly to retrieve it.

Destroy the opponent’s timing

In matches, Han Jian always mentions that he aims to destroy his opponent’s timing and balance in order to gain a point. Today, we focus on the timing because the split step is all about timing.

When Han Jian does a deception, his objective is to make his opponent mistime their split step, and that in turn would mean they are not able to use their split step to move. Take the example above between Lee Chong Wei and Momota. Lee Chong Wei feigns hitting to Momota’s right, but the slice causes the shuttle to move to the left instead. Momota’s split step was used to initiate the move to his right, but when he finally realises the shuttle is going to his left, he could not readjust. Had he waited a bit longer to see the flight of the shuttle then only moving, he would have been able to adjust his split step to move to his left instead.

It is that destruction of timing which Han Jian was talking about. By hiding the direction of the hit, Lee Chong Wei made Momota commit to moving to his right, and so Momota timed his split step to move to the right. But, when the shuttle finally came, it was to his left, and he did not have the time to do another split step to move to his left. This allowed Lee Chong Wei gain a point, by destroying Momota’s timing and stopping him from moving to his left.

Conclusion

To win a match, a player seeks to destroy the timing of the opponent. And that is done by either changing the pace of the rallies, from slow to fast, from fast to slow, or by using deception.

When the rally goes from slow to fast, there is a risk where the split step is done too late, and the shuttle reaches before the split step lands.

When the rally goes from fast to slow, there is a risk when the split step has already landed, but the shuttle has not reached. That means the split step is not useable, and the player needs to take another step to get moving.

With deception, there are 3 types: false movement, delays and slices. At of the writing of this blog entry, I have yet to complete the pages for the deception. I am definitely working on them. I have already create part 1 of the deception monologue video. I am pausing the monologue videos for now as I aim to finish the pages before continuing on the videos.

All 3 types of deception are to destroy the timing of the opponent, which means their split step. When the opponent is not able to use their split step, it means they will not reach the shuttle in time, or even if they do, they would be off balanced and will not be able to hit a good return. This opens up for a kill shot.

A player who is able to destroy the opponent’s timing, or split step, will definitely win the match. The player who is able to maintain his timing, or split step, will not lose the match.

That’s it for this entry.

Until the next entry, eat well, get plenty of rest and keep the badminton going!