Three footwork drills you can do anywhere

Ask any coach what separates good players from great ones and you’ll hear the same answer: footwork. You can own the cleanest smash in the club, but if you can’t get behind the shuttle in time, it doesn’t matter. The good news? Footwork is trainable — and you don’t even need a court.

1. The shadow six-corner

Picture the six corners of your side of the court and move to each one in turn, “playing” an imaginary shot before recovering to the centre. Two minutes on, one minute off, three rounds. Focus on the recovery step — that’s the bit most players skip.

2. Skipping-rope intervals

Nothing builds light, springy feet like a skipping rope. Thirty seconds fast, thirty seconds easy, for eight rounds. Stay on the balls of your feet and keep your knees soft.

3. Split-step reactions

Have a friend point left or right at random. Each time, perform a split step — that tiny hop that lands just as your opponent hits — and push off in the direction they point. This one habit will do more for your speed than almost anything else.

Consistency beats intensity. Five focused minutes a day will show up on court within a couple of weeks.

Give these a go and let me know how you get on at your next session!