'Train the brain': Ex-NSI expert urges shuttlers to prioritise mental training
Philip, now working with eSports outfit Selangor Red Giants, was seconded to the Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM) from May 2003 to October 2023, where he worked closely with players under the Road to Gold (RTG) programme.
He stressed that mental strength must be developed through regular, structured sessions — not quick-fix solutions.
"The brain is like a muscle. You have to train it consistently to strengthen it," said the 35-year-old.
"You can't just run a short camp before a tournament and expect players to be mentally ready. It doesn't work like that."
Malaysia suffered a disappointing outing at the Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships in Qingdao, China, in February, failing to progress beyond the group stage.
Following the tournament, BA of Malaysia (BAM) acting president Datuk V. Subramaniam ordered a performance review.
Based on coaches' feedback, BAM requested a full-time NSI psychologist to be stationed at ABM.
Philip welcomed the move and said it could mark a turning point for the national squad.
"I understand BAM has secured a full-time psychologist from NSI. It'll take time for players to build trust, but it's definitely a step in the right direction," he told Timesport.
"Having someone based at ABM means the players have immediate access to support without needing to travel to Bukit Jalil."
He urged players to fully utilise the psychological services but cautioned against expecting instant results.
"It's not a magic pill. Many elements affect performance — mental strength is just one part of a bigger picture."
Philip also weighed in on criticism over the decision to field Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik against Japan's Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi in the final Group C clash at the recent Sudirman Cup.
Malaysia lost the match, allowing Japan to top the group and forcing Malaysia into a tougher quarter-final tie. Malaysia lost 3-0 to eventual champions China in the last eight in Xiamen.
"There's always pressure on coaches and players to make the right call," he said.
"Aaron-Wooi Yik have a poor record against that Japanese pair. But if Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani had played and lost, people would ask why the reigning Asian champions weren't picked."
He also highlighted the pair's resilience at the Paris Olympics, where they staged a dramatic comeback to win the men's doubles bronze.
"After that match, everyone praised their mental toughness. But now, after one defeat, they're being labelled mentally weak.
It's never that simple — mental preparation is just one component of overall performance."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
Tang Jie-Ee Wei struggle with communication under pressure, says Rexy
ACADEMY BADMINTON MALAYSIA (ABM) doubles coaching director Rexy Mainaky has revealed that national mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei are struggling to cope with each other's mistakes during matches. The world number three duo's inability to handle errors under pressure has disrupted their rhythm on court. 'It's not that they are not good; they just panic when one of them makes a mistake. Once they start making mistakes, their game will go awry,' Rexy told reporters after a training session. He was commenting on their inconsistent performance at the Macau Open, where the top seeds fell in the semi-finals to Denmark's Mathias Christiansen and Alexandra Boje. Rexy compared their situation to that of women's doubles pair Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah, who previously faced similar communication issues. 'It's the same situation Pearly and Thinaah were in before, but now both of them have begun to accept it, and we're seeing more consistent performances from them. Because on court, there's no one else to help them but their own partner,' he said. He urged Tang Jie and Ee Wei to learn from their teammates, emphasizing the need to accept mistakes and weaknesses to improve their overall game. - Bernama
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
Wei Chong-Kai Wun eyeing a medal in World Championships
PETALING JAYA: Men's doubles shuttlers Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun are eyeing a medal in the World Championships from Aug 25-31 in Paris. Since making their debut in the last edition in 2023 in Copenhagen, Wei Chong-Kai Wun have come a long way and are keen to make their mark. The world No. 7 pair reached the third round in Copenhagen before going down in three games to China's Liang Weikeng-Wang Chang, and aim to do better this time. Despite their promise in the past few years, Wei Chong-Kai Wun have been dogged by inconsistency. The duo are slowly finding their feet this year, capturing the World Tour Super 500 Indonesian Masters and Malaysian Masters titles. Wei Chong-Kai Wun have also been steady lately, reaching at least the quarter-finals in their past five tournaments. "The World Championships are one of the biggest competitions this year and we want to try to win a medal," Kai Wun said after a training session at Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM) in Bukit Kiara on Tuesday (Aug 5). "It won't be easy as we are likely to be drawn against one of the top four seeds in the last eight, but we hope to overcome whoever we face." Wei Chong-Kai Wun will be guaranteed at least a bronze if they make it into the last four. The pair, who are hungry for a breakthrough in bigger events, believe small details can be the difference between winning and losing, and hope to get it right during matches. "In the men's doubles, there's not much difference between pairs in the top 20, so small things can make a difference in matches," Kai Wun added. "We played well in our last two outings in the Japan Open and China Open, but lost in the quarter-finals to the world's top two pairs (No. 1 South Korea's Seo Seung-jae-Kim Won-ho and No. 2 Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik). "There's not a big gap between us and these two pairs, though, so we will keep trying hard to beat them next time."
The Star
4 hours ago
- The Star
Rexy urges Tang Jie-Ee Wei to learn from Pearly-Thinaah, support each other more
PETALING JAYA: Mixed doubles shuttlers Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei should learn from women's doubles pair Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah. National doubles coaching director Rexy Mainaky has urged Tang Jie and Ee Wei to learn to accept when either of them make mistakes on court and support each other more if they want to improve their partnership just like Pearly-Thinaah have done. World No. 3 Tang Jie-Ee Wei failed to capitalise on their top seed status in the World Tour Super 300 Macau Open when they suffered a surprise defeat to Denmark's eventual champions Mathias Christiansen-Alexandra Boje in the last four on Saturday (Aug 2). Rexy was disappointed with Tang Jie-Ee Wei's performance, saying that the pair tend to struggle when the going gets tough. "Tang Jie-Ee Wei are facing a similar issue that Pearly-Thinaah had previously. They find it difficult to accept when either of them makes mistakes on court," said Rexy after overseeing a training session at the Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM) in Bukit Kiara on Tuesday (Aug 5). "We are human beings, not robots and we cannot be perfect all the time. Sometimes, we make mistakes and Tang Jie and Ee Wei need to learn to help each other on court. "When things are going smoothly and they are able to get points easily, they can play their game well. "But when things get tough and their opponents fight hard, they tend to panic and crumble. "Previously, Pearly-Thinaah faced the same issue where one of them will not be able to accept when the partner makes errors but they never went as far as to split up like Tang Jie-Ee Wei. "Now, they are supporting each other more and this has helped them become more consistent. So, Tang Jie-Ee Wei need to learn from Pearly-Thinaah," added Rexy. Tang Jie-Ee Wei had a strained relationship and split up at the end of March but seem to have resolved their differences when they reunited less than a month later. The pair's issues though do not seem over. Tang Jie-Ee Wei have been stopped in the semi-final five times this year including in Macau and have not reached a final since their runners-up finish in the World Tour Finals last December. With the World Championships coming up from Aug 25-31 in Paris, Rexy wants mixed doubles coach Nova Widianto to find solutions quickly to improve the duo. "Tang Jie-Ee Wei's problems have nothing to do with skills or technique. We can work on their skills for years but there's no point if they don't improve mentally and emotionally," said Rexy. "I have written a report on my observation of their performance in Macau and sent it to Nova. He needs to find out what exactly is the source of their problems and help them."
