I played badminton since I was a kid, not because I am a prodigy, but as it is a beginner-friendly sport. That said, I rarely have any formal training until college. Generally, I just pick up lessons along the way from environmental feedback, like a reinforcement learning agent. And here are some that I picked up today after 4 hours of playing.

Firstly, how to have good smashes. The game-changer today is to fully expand arms and chest. That would bring my racket backwards (which is a good starting position), put my body into a good shape to create more force when rotating forward.

Secondly, my footwork needs improving. I am shuffling a lot because either I am not sure if my directions are correct, or that I was standing still and have to hurry to move to catch the shuttle. The key is to always think about my position on the field AND using each step efficiently to move to the desired position. For example, for an end-field overhead smash, step right foot backwards and shuffle. Then firmly walk back to the center of the blank space.

Thirdly, aim to shot at the center of the net. This might be just because my net is not woven correctly, but hitting the shuttle in the center always produces the most powerful and accurate shot.

Finally, I am putting too much power to long-range shots, making them off-field. I should I for a specific in-field spot, then get to it.

(Anyway, the morning after that day of 4-hour badminton, my muscles were so sore. I had to skip exercising the day after to recover.)