The chassé: gliding a short way without running
What a chassé is, when to use it and when not to, and a tramline drill with a partner calling the changes.
What it is
In the BWF Level 1 Coaches' Manual (2nd edition, 2017, Module 6), the chassé is described as one foot chasing the other without ever quite catching it. The feet can be at right angles to each other, or parallel (a side step). Done well, you skim across the floor.
When to use it
Chassés normally come singly or in pairs. The manual warns that using them over a long distance, such as the diagonals of the court, is a slow method and should be discouraged. For a long way, use running steps instead.
The one thing to change
Keep your ground contact short, as if the floor were hot. Short contact is what makes the chassé quick instead of heavy.
A drill: tramline chassé
- Stand in a tramline (the manual uses the narrow strips at the edge of the court, between the lines) and chassé along it. Start slowly.
- As soon as the pattern is clean, do it as fast as you can.
- Practise forwards and backwards.
- With a partner: they shout "change" or clap when they want you to change direction.
To keep your head level, the manual suggests picking a point on the wall ahead and watching it. If the point seems to stay still, your head is staying level and you are skimming instead of bouncing.
Mistakes to avoid
- Chassé-ing the whole diagonal of the court: too slow.
- Heavy, flat-footed contact. Think "hot floor".
- Practising one direction only. Work forwards and backwards.
Limits
This is a description of coaching practice, not medical advice. If you feel pain in a knee, ankle or hip, stop and see a professional.
General practice advice: play within your limits and stop if something hurts.