Jonathan Tang
Preface
Picture this. You’re playing badminton at your local club in an
intense game against your rival. The score has been neck and neck
the entire time, but after a fierce battle you get to match point. You
mentally prepare yourself, proceed to serve and the rally begins. Your
opponent hasn’t given up and fights back hard. After a grueling
exchange, you get the upper hand and you force your opponent to do
a high lift. Your heart beats. You know what to do. This is your
chance! You position yourself to win the game, about to unleash your
killer smash - the same smash you’ve seen Lee Chong Wei do
hundreds of times. But then, something strange happens…
Instead of firing the smash that secures your victory, the shuttle
moves lazily and slowly to the opponent’s side of the court.
Something is not quite right; your opponent easily defends the shot
and your dreams are crushed. The shot that you played was not the
shot that you had visualised in your head! Maybe you hit the net,
mistimed the shot or just straight up couldn’t smash as hard as you
wanted to. Either way your opponent seizes the opportunity, recovers
from his weak lift and goes on to win the game.
Damn! If only I nailed that smash…
Does this sound familiar? If so, don’t worry, we’ve all been there.
That’s exactly why I’ve created this ebook, I want to make sure this
never happens to you again.
If you implement the tips in here and do the training drills, I
guarantee you’ll be able to take your smash to the next level.
However, this requires your complete focus. You can’t just skim read
half the ebook and expect to see results. The badminton smash is an
advanced and complicated shot; it can’t be explained in a few lines.
You will need to follow all the advice in this ebook if you want to
succeed.
And the best thing is, I’m giving this ebook away for free! Why am I
doing this? As a badminton coach and player for multiple years, I’ve
always loved helping others and seeing them improve their
badminton skills. By releasing this ebook for free, I can help people
all over the world improve their badminton game and develop their
smash. If you found this ebook useful, all I ask for in return is that
you email me at swiftbadminton@protonmail.com to say thank you.
I love seeing the impact I have on my badminton players, and
helping others makes me happy.
Watching the pros play badminton, the way that they smash is
inspiring. The crisp sound, razor accurate precision, and of course
the ferocious speed. This ebook reveals the secrets they’re using that
you don’t know about. While I can’t promise you’ll be able to beat Lin
Dan after reading this ebook, you will be smashing harder than you
ever have done. If that interests you, keep reading…

Warning! You might smash a hole into the ground after reading this
ebook.
 About the Author
Jonathan Tang has been playing badminton for over 10 years. Upon
reaching the minimum age requirement of 16, he became a
Badminton England UKCC qualified badminton coach. Since then he
has helped countless badminton players develop their skills.

While he has seen great success with in person coaching sessions,

Jonathan became frustrated with a lack of time. There were only so
many hours in a day and he was limited by his geographic region. In
his desire to help more people achieve their badminton goals,
Jonathan took to the internet. By creating Swift Badminton School
and ebooks like this, Jonathan was able to reach infinitely more
players. Independent of time or geographical distance, coaching
badminton through the internet gave Jonathan the ability to reach a
global audience.

To see more content from Jonathan, visit his YouTube Channel here:
Swift Badminton School.

If this ebook helped you, I would really appreciate hearing from

you! Even just popping by to say “thanks” would mean a lot.
Contact me here swiftbadminton@protonmail.com

© 2018 Jonathan Tang. All rights reserved.

Jonathan Tang strongly recommends that you consult with your physician before beginning any exercise program.

You should be in good physical condition and be able to participate in the exercise.

Jonathan Tang is not a licensed medical care provider and represents that it has no expertise in diagnosing,
examining, or treating medical conditions of any kind, or in determining the effect of any specific exercise on a
medical condition.

You should understand that when participating in any exercise or exercise program, there is the possibility of
physical injury. If you engage in this exercise or exercise program, you agree that you do so at your own risk, are
voluntarily participating in these activities, assume all risk of injury to yourself, and agree to release and discharge
Jonathan Tang from any and all claims or causes of action, known or unknown, arising out of Jonathan Tang
negligence.
Section 1……………..………………Why Can’t I Smash Hard?
Section 2…………………………..……………...…..………………….Grip
Section 3………………..………………..………….Overhead Stroke
Section 4…………………………………………….Secret Ingredient
Section 5………………………………………………………………Squeeze
Section 6…………………………………………….………Contact Point
Section 7…………………………….………………………………………Legs
Section 8………………………….……………………Where to Smash
Section 9…………………………….……………..……………..Exercises
Section 10…………………………………………….………………….Drills
Section 11………………………….…...…………….…….What Next?
 Section 1 – Why Can’t I Smash Hard?
Lee Chong Wei holds the world record for fastest badminton smash
in competition - a whopping 417 km/h!
Obviously Lee Chong Wei is a badminton legend, but how is he
capable of smashing at such breathtaking speeds? Sure, he’s in great
shape, but he’s definitely not the strongest person in the world.
are left wondering what we’re doing wrong. This one thing is so
important, I would go as far as saying that it’s impossible to smash
properly without it.
The good news is, this ebook will reveal the secret ingredient. Once
you know it, you’ll be able to instantly implement it into your game.

In fact, most badminton pros aren’t particularly muscular, but are all But before I reveal what it is, I need to go over some basic technical
capable of firing smashes that would make your head spin. details. This secret ingredient can only be used if you have the
correct foundation.
The secret? It’s all in the technique.

Technique is the number one factor that determines how hard you
can smash. In my time as a coach, I’ve met plenty of players who
have been seeking to improve the power of their smash. This makes
sense, as there’s nothing more beautiful than firing that perfect
smash to win the point. But these players often look everywhere,
except for the one thing that really matters. Yes, spending all your
time in the gym is going to be a complete waste of time if you haven’t
first looked at your technique.

The truth is, there’s one simple technique ‘trick’ that is the real
source of power. I call it the secret ingredient. Players who know it
are able to consistently play powerful smashes, while the rest of us

© Jonathan Tang – Swift Badminton School

 Section 2: Grip
The first thing we’re going to talk about is the grip, how you hold
your racket. Yes, it’s a little boring. But it is so important. It might
seem easy and trivial but let me tell you a shocking fact. I have been
playing badminton for 10+ years, and in this time, I would estimate
that over 80% of players are actually using the wrong grip! This is
insane! Let me tell you why this number is so high. Learning to grip
correctly seems boring and unimportant, so beginners never bother.
They carry this bad grip with them throughout their badminton
careers and by doing this, they never reach their goals. Do you want
this to happen to you?

Before we talk about the correct forehand grip, let’s talk about some
The grip is the single most important thing to do correctly
common mistakes I see. Remember, over 80% of players are using
in badminton. It is the foundation of every shot you will ever play;
one of these two grips, so carefully check your own grip to see if this
a bad grip will haunt you for the rest of your badminton career. You
is familiar.
need a strong foundation in order to create a great building. In
badminton, the foundation is your grip. Without a grip, even the
most majestic of buildings would crumble.

You probably already know there is a forehand and backhand grip.

There’s actually many more, but luckily we only need to learn one
grip to smash. Of course, this is the forehand grip. The picture below
shows a comparison of correct and incorrect forehand grips.

© Jonathan Tang – Swift Badminton School

 Panhandle Grip - Common Mistake 1 Finger on Grip – Common Mistake 2

This grip doesn’t look so bad, but it stops you from being able to hit While the other grip is bad because it stops you from generating
powerful overhead shots. The issue here is the player is holding the power, this one is straight up dangerous! If you use this grip when
grip from the wrong angle, the racket is facing forwards instead of hitting overhead shots, it is important that you stop immediately.
the side. This is the most common mistake beginners make, the This grip has all the limitations of the one above, but also places a lot
reason is simple. When holding the grip this way overhead, the of strain on your finger. Over time you’ll injure yourself.
racket faces forward. This is the easiest way to hit the shuttle for a
beginner so it’s something that people pick up early on. However,
this is bad technique. This might sound confusing at first (surely the
racket should point in the same direction I’m hitting?). Don’t worry;
it’ll all make sense later.

© Jonathan Tang – Swift Badminton School

 Correct Forehand Grip Step 3
Make sure the grip of the racket fits into the “V” shape inside your
hand and close the grip.

If you’ve noticed that you’ve been using the wrong grip, don’t panic!
Like I said, over 80% of badminton players are making this mistake
so you’re not alone. Luckily, the correct grip is very simple, and I’m
here to help. So how should you start gripping the racket? That’s it! This is the correct forehand grip. Simple right?

Step 1 Notice that I am holding the grip on the thin side, whereas the

Hold your right hand out in front of you and identify the “V”. This is panhandle grip is held on the flat side.

the shape that your thumb and index finger make.

To test you’ve got it right, keep the racket out in front of you and

Step 2 wiggle it up and down. Similar to how you would shake hands with

Hold your racket in front of you sideways. someone. If you can do this comfortably, congratulations! You’ve
mastered the single most important skill in badminton. Also note

© Jonathan Tang – Swift Badminton School

that in order to do this, your grip must be relaxed. This will be So, you might struggle on court at first when trying to switch. And if
important later on. you have been playing with a wrong grip for a long time, you might
actually start playing worse! Don’t worry, this is just because your
Training Exercise body is not used to the new grip, so it will take some time to adjust.
Ensure that you are gripping the racket correctly by comparing the Once you retrain yourself, this will go away quickly and you’ll be on
pictures above. the first step of taking your smash to the next level.

Play badminton using the new grip. Double check after each rally
that you have been using the correct grip.

This is the easiest training exercise in the ebook, but probably the
most important. I want you to be 110% sure that you are using the
correct grip. If you have been using the wrong grip for multiple years
it can be hard to switch even when you know the correct grip. The
incorrect grip has become “muscle memory”. This means your body
has learnt to do it this way and needs to be re-programmed.

You may now be able to grip correctly while practicing on your

couch, but complete re-programming requires discipline. In a
pressure situation (such as a game of badminton), your body might
instinctively go back to the grip that it is familiar with. Don’t let it do
this! It might be frustrating and first, but by consciously making the
effort you can re-train your brain, and soon enough the correct grip
will feel natural.

© Jonathan Tang – Swift Badminton School

 Section 3: Overhead Stroke
Now that you’ve mastered the grip, it’s time to discuss the stroke
itself. This is another area where I see a lot of mistakes, and it’s
mostly for the same reasons as mentioned earlier.

As with all overhead strokes, the badminton smash is a complicated

movement. Multiple things have to come together perfectly to
execute it. It requires near perfect co-ordination in the hand, elbow,
shoulders, torso and legs. All of which has to be timed perfectly,
synchronised to the split second the shuttle is in the correct position.
When you’re watching Lee Chong Wei grace the court, firing
explosive jump smashes from every corner, he makes it look easy.
I see players try to smash like this often, and it always leads to the
But this is only because he has spent years refining his technique to
same result – mediocre smashes. This is used in combination with
the point where it is second nature. Don’t be fooled, the badminton
the panhandle grip from earlier. By doing either of these two things,
smash is not easy.
it becomes impossible to add in our ‘secret ingredient’.

On the positive side, once you learn the correct technique all you
Beginners pick up this overhead technique because it is ‘easiest’.
have to do is practice. The smash may be extremely complex, but
Badminton is a hard sport, and the first time you pick up a racket, it’s
with constant repetition you can get to a point where it becomes
a struggle to just hit the shuttle! Because of this, new players develop
muscle memory. Firing the perfect smash will become second nature
bad technique because they’re only concerned with hitting the
and you’ll be playing them without even having to think. This is why
shuttle, not hitting it properly. Players often keep using this
learning the correct technique is important.
technique even after they become comfortable hitting the shuttle
since no one tells them otherwise.

© Jonathan Tang – Swift Badminton School

Here are the characteristics of the wrong smash stroke:
• Not using a correct forehand grip
• Racket faces forwards the entire time
• Shuttle is hit by extending the elbow and using the wrist
• No forearm pronation or shoulder rotation
• Legs and torso are not used
If you smash like this, you will never generate real power. This
is because you won’t be able to implement the secret ingredient.
So, what is the correct technique?
This can be broken down to 3 main stages. For all of them, you
must be using the forehand grip we learned earlier.
1. Preparation
• Stand with your right foot back and left foot forwards, so
instead of facing the net you should actually be facing
sideways. Keep your weight on your back foot.
• Your right arm should be in an ‘L’ shape, roughly 90° at the
shoulder and elbow
• Left arm is less important as it is not hitting the shuttle. But it
should still be up and in front of you for balance.
© Jonathan Tang – Swift Badminton School
2. Reach Up
• Leading with the elbow, reach up towards the ceiling. Racket
should be behind your hand at this point.
• At the same time, start shifting your weight forwards by
transferring some of your weight from the back to the front
leg.
3. Smash
• Rotate the shoulder and pronate the forearm (more on this
later) fast to hit the shuttle
• Upon contact with the shuttle, tighten the grip
• At the same time, step forwards with the right leg. All the
weight should now be on the front (right) leg
• Follow through across the body
Training Exercise
Grab your badminton racket and find a room with lots of space.
Practice the overhead technique with just a racket (no shuttle).
Start off by breaking it down into the three separate stages described
above. Begin in the preparation phase, then pause and check that you
are doing everything correctly. Is your body the same as the picture?
If not, make the necessary adjustments. Once you are matching the
picture, take a moment to remember this position. Make a mental
note of exactly how your body is positioned. The aim is to have your
body get to this position each time without having to think or
readjust, it needs to become natural.
© Jonathan Tang – Swift Badminton School
Once you’re comfortable here, transition to the second position. Take
a moment to do the same thing, make sure everything is in position
and make adjustments if necessary.

Then transition to the third part, a full speed swing.

Practice this multiple times until you can get into the correct
positions every time without thinking. From here you can practice
the stroke as one fluid motion like you would in the game.

© Jonathan Tang – Swift Badminton School

 Section 4: Secret Ingredient
Have you guessed what the secret ingredient is yet? I mentioned it
briefly, but you may have missed it.

We’ve talked about the grip and overhead stroke in quite a bit of
detail, but why is this so important? What’s so bad with the wrong
technique I talked about earlier? Why does it limit your power? And
why does the secret ingredient require you knowing all of this?

Here’s the secret: the power in the smash is generated almost entirely
through forearm pronation.

But hitting without a correct forehand grip or overhead stroke makes

forearm pronation impossible.
Earlier I told you to pronate the forearm in the smash stage, but what
does this mean?
Forearm pronation is simply the internal rotation of the forearm.
It might not seem like a big deal, but forearm pronation is the
difference that holds a lot of people back. Like we talked about
earlier, a lot of beginners learn the technique that is easiest to use.
Their body and racket are positioned forward, and they hit the
shuttle in a linear fashion.

© Jonathan Tang – Swift Badminton School

 I want you to try something, pick up a nearby object such as a tennis
ball and find somewhere with lots of space. Try and throw in this
style. Stand with your body straight and only move your arm in a
straight, linear fashion. Don’t move or transfer weight with your legs.

Look familiar?

How was it? Probably didn’t manage to throw it very far, did you?

This is the throwing equivalent of using the bad technique we talked

about earlier.

Now try again. But this time throw it as far as you can, however you
like.

© Jonathan Tang – Swift Badminton School

I’m sure it went much further this time, so what was the difference?
Well a few things: you probably stood sideways (right foot back) and
transferred your body weight from back to front as you threw. This
gets your legs involved and generates more power. But more
importantly you threw with your entire arm, including pronating
the forearm.
The rapid acceleration of the forearm is what generates most of the
power.
When we throw a ball, our body naturally pronates the forearm to
generate power. So why don’t more players do this in badminton?
Because forearm pronation makes it harder to hit the shuttle.
It makes sense to always point the racket face forwards, after all
that’s the direction we want to hit in. But by doing this, you are
forcing yourself to not take advantage of forearm pronation. Since
forearm pronation involves rotating the forearm (and therefore the
racket head), it can be harder to time the shot correctly. By
focusing only on hitting the shuttle, beginners teach
themselves bad technique.
In reality, playing an overhead in badminton is a very similar
movement to throwing a ball. I actually teach a lot of players correct
technique by getting them to practice throwing. Then I tell them to
copy that motion with their racket in hand. (Without letting go!)
Now if you’ve been making this mistake, it’s not your fault. Almost
every badminton player I meet that didn’t get formal coaching makes
this mistake. And that’s why I’m here to help.
We only need the racket to be facing forward on contact with the
shuttle. So, to give us room to rotate, we actually need to start off
with the racket face to the side (hence the forehand grip). But as we
approach the shuttle, we need to rotate. Upon contact, we should
have rotated the exact amount so that the racket face is pointing
straight ahead. After this the rotation continues in the follow
through.
© Jonathan Tang – Swift Badminton School
 If you find yourself in this situation, do not panic. It is completely
normal, since you are re-programing your body to learn a new stroke.
At first you will get worse, but as practice and learn to time your
swing better you’ll regain the consistency you used to have. And after
that it just gets better and better. Once you are confident with the
technique, you’ll begin to discover power you never knew you had.
Every single one of my students eventually got the hang of it and
were very pleased that they did. Once the initial frustrations were
over, they were extremely happy to see their smash improve
exponentially. Despite they initial pain period, they trusted in me and
got the results they wanted.

The middle picture should be the point of contact with the shuttle. The best way to get used to hitting the shuttle this way is repetition.
Remember, you are trying to get rid of your bad habits and replace
It can be quite hard to get the timing right (which is why beginners them with good ones. The drills described later on in this ebook will
try to avoid it), but it is really important to learn. If you don’t, help you do this.
you’ll be stuck with low power smashes forever. Changing technique
can be difficult and stressful. Now we’ve unveiled the secret ingredient, let’s talk about some other
things you need to do to take your smash to the next level.
In my time as a coach, I have corrected many players who make this
mistake. At first, they find it frustrating to switch. Even though they
know their technique is ‘bad’, they’ve been playing like that for many
years and have become used to playing like that. So while they
struggle with power, their overall badminton game is quite good.
Then when they switch technique, all of a sudden, they can barely hit
the shuttle!

© Jonathan Tang – Swift Badminton School

 Section 5: Squeeze
Should your body be relaxed or tensed up in a smash? and slow. If you’re relaxed and don’t tense up at the right time, you
wouldn’t be able to channel the energy into the object.
The surprising answer is…both.

Your aim is to transfer maximal energy from the racket to shuttle.

This is achieved in two stages:

While swinging towards the shuttle, your entire body needs to be

relaxed. This starts from the grip and extends all the way through the
forearm, shoulders and core. At this point in the stroke, you should
be focusing on achieving maximum acceleration. Rapid acceleration
can only be achieved with relaxed muscles, since tense muscles will
stiffen up.

The exact moment your racket comes into contact with the shuttle,
your muscles need to instantly tense up. The goal is to transfer all of
the acceleration we have generated into the shuttle. By tensing your
muscles at this instance, we maximise power. You can think of this as
‘squeezing’ your grip on contact. By doing this all the necessary
muscles should tense up.

Once again, try to picture it like you are throwing an object. If you
were tense throughout the entire motion, your body would be stiff

© Jonathan Tang – Swift Badminton School

 Section 6: Contact Point
The contact point is the point at which your racket comes into
contact with the shuttle. While it’s a simple concept to understand, it
isn’t something that should be neglected.
The ideal contact point for all overhead shots is up high and slightly
in front of you.
In an ideal situation, we always aim to hit the shuttle in as high as a
position as possible (taking it early). This is why it is important to
reach up during the overhead stroke. Taking shots early allows us to
generate more power, since it extends the length of our lever arm.
The longer the lever, the more momentum we can generate. Another
advantage of taking a shuttle high up is the angle. A higher contact
point allows for a steeper, more aggressive smash. This is the same
reasons you’ll see advanced players jump smash, the jump allows
them to get a higher contact point.
Why should the shuttle be hit slightly in front of you? Simply put this
is just the optimal position for generating power. If the shuttle is
directly above you or even slightly behind you, it limits the range of
motion in you overhead stroke meaning you won’t be able to unleash
full power. Imagine throwing a ball but having to let go behind your
body.
This is why you’ll hear people say “get behind the shuttle”. If you’re
behind the shuttle, the shuttle will be slightly in front of you upon
contact.
It’s best to train hitting the power smash in this ideal contact
position, but in a real game you won’t always be able to. Especially in
singles, if we’re put under pressure, we might not be fast enough to
move to the rear court early enough. In these situations, the shuttle
will have dropped below the ideal point and we won’t have time to
get behind the shuttle.
If this happens, a smash is not usually a good idea. Since we can’t
generate full power and are out of position, it makes us vulnerable to
a counter attack. Generally, when you are forced to play an overhead
shot like this, a defensive clear or drop is a better tactical choice.
© Jonathan Tang – Swift Badminton School
 Section 7: Legs
We’ve talked a lot about the upper body, which makes sense since
that’s where all the complex parts of the smash take place. But let’s
not neglect the lower body. Your legs are your most powerful
muscles, so we should make the most of them.
As mentioned earlier, your torso should be facing sideways before
you smash. Right foot back, front foot forwards.
transfer of weight and puts you in a good position to recover for the
next shot.
Essentially the goal of what we’re doing with our legs and hips is
generating forwards momentum. This movement works alongside
the upper body in generating smash power.

You should start with most of your weight on your rear leg. As your
racket approaches the shuttle, begin transitioning your weight
forwards through your hips.

By the time you have completed the shot, you’ll find that you
naturally step through with your right foot. This completes the

© Jonathan Tang – Swift Badminton School

This is all we’re going to cover as far as technique goes. We’ve gone
into some depth, but it’s extremely important that you start
implementing these changes. Remember, technique is the most
important factor for fast smashes.

Note: although we’ve only talked about the smash, this technique is
actually correct for all overhead shots. Clears and drop shots should
use the same arm and leg movements. The difference is in the speed
and angle you hit the shuttle with, but the general idea is the same.

© Jonathan Tang – Swift Badminton School

 Section 8: Where to Smash
We’ve now covered the technique side of the smash, let’s talk about
where we should be smashing. After all, a good smash is both fast
and accurate. This is actually different for doubles and singles, so
let’s talk about them separately.
Singles
In singles, both you are your opponent are responsible for covering
the entire court. Because of this, your base should be in the centre of
the court and you should be recovering approximately to the middle
after every shot (biased based on the anticipated return).
Another advantage of the straight smash is the follow up. In singles if
a player is defending a smash, the easiest and most commonly played
shot is a straight block.
So, if we smash straight and the defending player blocks, it is easier
to come in to the net early and apply pressure to the block. But if we
smash cross-court and the defending player blocks, we now have to
move to the opposite corner of the court. If you are not quick enough
or off balance when you play the smash, this can give the defending
player chances to counter attack.

As a result, directing your smash to the sides is generally the most Straight Smash
optimal shot. This will be the furthest away from you opponent’s
base, so he’ll have to travel further and may be off balance when
attempting to return the shot.

Then we need to consider whether to go straight or cross-court with

your smash. You should use both in your game, but what is the
Cross-court Smash
tactical difference? With all badminton shots, playing straight means
the shuttle travels the shortest distance. With the smash, this means
the shuttle will be travelling faster by the time it reaches your
opponent. A cross-court smash must travel further so it gives your
opponent more time to react.

© Jonathan Tang – Swift Badminton School

Notice that we have less distance to travel if we smash straight. defend. The goal of smashing cross-court is to expose this space and
attack the vulnerable area.
So, the straight smash is generally ‘safer’, and is the preferred smash
in singles. But let’s not dismiss the cross-court smash. After all, many
rallies in pro play have been ended with a devastating jump cross-
court smash. So, when and why should you smash cross-court?

Since the straight smash is the quickest and most immediate threat,
the defending player must move their base. This means instead of
waiting in the middle of the court for the incoming smash, the
defender biases their base slightly to the side of the straight smash.
This puts them in a good position to defend the fastest smash.

So cross-court smashes can also be great winning shots. But they are
more risky. If your opponent is quick, remember that they can simply
play a straight block. This now puts the pressure on you, as you have
to move from one corner of the court to the other. Because of this,
cross-court shots are best played when you are in control of the rally.
Ensure that either you are in a position to recover quickly or you see
an opening in your opponent’s side of the court. Avoid playing cross-
court smashes when you are late to the shuttle or off balance, as this
will allow you opponent to counter attack.

By doing this, the defending player opens up the other side of the
court. Now there is a lot of empty space that will be difficult to

© Jonathan Tang – Swift Badminton School

 Doubles
When attacking in doubles, you should form a front to back
formation with your partner. The player at back of the court is
responsible for attacking any high lifts or clears that come his way,
while the front court player looks to play aggressive net shots or kills.
The defending pair forms a side to side formation since they expect a
smash to come their way. The player on the left defends the left half
of the court, while the player on the right defends the right side.
So, if you’re attacking in doubles, where should you smash?
Let’s first consider a situation where you get a lift is to one of the
corners. It can be the forehand or the backhand side, doesn’t matter.
You have three options:
1. Smash straight
2. Smash to the middle
3. Smash cross-court
1. Straight Smash
The straight smash is a good option. As mentioned earlier, a straight
shot always travels the shortest distance, so a straight smash will
always be the most powerful option. But of course smashing straight
(to the sidelines) does not have the same advantage as it does in
singles. In singles your opponent is positioned in the middle of the
court, so must reach to the sidelines to defend. This puts pressure on
him and pulls him out of position. In doubles the defending pair only
needs to defend half the court each, so can easily get to the sidelines.
© Jonathan Tang – Swift Badminton School
This doesn’t mean that smashes to the sidelines are bad in doubles;
just remember that it isn’t as effective as singles.
2. Smash to the Middle
We mentioned that the sidelines aren’t particularly vulnerable in
doubles, but a weak spot does exist. A particularly powerful place to
smash in doubles is the middle of the court. This might sound
counter-intuitive, but it is due to how players position themselves in
doubles. If you smash to the left, the player on the left defends. If you
smash to the right, the player on the right defends.
But when you hit a smash to the middle, it can cause some confusion.
It isn’t clear which of the defending pair should be playing the return.
This can lead to both players leaving the shuttle, or both going for it
and causing a clash of rackets. Because of this, the place in between
the two defending players is the most vulnerable.
But remember, since we are smashing from the rear corner, this
means we need to angle our smash to the side. Essentially, we are
playing a slightly cross-court smash. As mentioned earlier, this will
be a slower shot than a straight down the line smash. But it makes up
for it by being positioned better.
The smash to the middle sacrifices a bit of power for better
positioning.
3. Cross-court Smash
This is where the shuttle goes past the middle and into the opposite
side of the court. This is the least effective smash in doubles.
Since this is the smash with the most angle, it is also the slowest shot
as it’s the longest path for the shuttle to travel. Remember, the more
cross-court we smash, the further the shuttle has to travel. But unlike
the smash to the middle, it doesn’t exploit any positional advantages.
Since there are two defenders instead of one, the pair can easily cover
the cross-court sideline. Essentially you are sacrificing power and get
almost nothing in return.
Because of this, cross-court smashes should rarely be played in
doubles. However, if you notice that the defending pair is out of
position and have opened up the cross-court side, then it may be
worth trying. It can also be used as a ‘mix-up’.
However, be careful not to overuse this tactic. Your attacking strategy
should be mainly be straight smashes and smashes to the middle.
In all of these examples, we’ve talked about a situation where the
attacker smashes from one of the corners. But what if the lift is to the
middle of the court?
This is a great situation for the attacker! Can you guess what the best
smash would be?
© Jonathan Tang – Swift Badminton School
A straight smash of course!

By doing this you get all of the benefits of smashing straight, while
also targeting the defending pair’s most vulnerable position, the
middle.

Instead of having to decide whether or not you want to go for power

(straight smash to sidelines) or exploit the weak spot in doubles
defense (slightly cross-court smash towards the middle) – you get to
do both!

For this reason, you should almost always smash straight if the lift
comes in from the middle of the court. Smashes to the sideline from
this position should only be used rarely and for variation.

(Note. This is also why it is best to lift to the corners in doubles.)

© Jonathan Tang – Swift Badminton School

 Section 9: Exercises
One of the biggest mistakes I see beginners make is thinking that
getting bigger stronger muscles will help you smash harder.

This is not true.

The reason the majority of the ebook talks about technique is

because technique makes up 95% of the equation. Who do you think
smashes harder, Lin Dan or some roided up bodybuilder?

Focus on technique before you start hitting the gym.

That being said, once you master the technique, getting bigger and
stronger can squeeze out the absolute most out of your smash. That’s
exactly what this section is for.

© Jonathan Tang – Swift Badminton School

 The Big Four
I have selected four exercises. In combination, these will train all of
the important muscles in your upper body and torso. This way we
can get strong in a balanced fashion, while focusing on the muscles
that affect the smash.
For all four of these exercises, I want you to focus on good form.
It can sometimes be tempting to ‘cheat’ but doing this only hurts
yourself. Either you won’t get the results you want, or worse, you’ll
Most of us already know how to do push-ups, but there’s a common
mistake I want you to avoid. Make sure your back stays straight
throughout the movement, don’t let it sag downwards.
Variations
Easier: If you struggle to do push-ups, try supporting yourself from
the knees instead.
Harder: Try one of the many push-up variations there are, search

injure yourself. Refer to the pictures and make sure you’re following around on the internet if you are looking for inspiration. My

along correctly. favourites are clapping push-ups, and diamond push-ups.

Push-Ups
Simple but effective. Push-ups are a great compound movement that
targets the pecs, triceps and shoulder muscles. From the starting
position, lower your chest to the ground slowly, then explosively
push yourself back up.

© Jonathan Tang – Swift Badminton School

 Pull-Ups Variation
Another great upper body exercise. Pull-ups are a compound For greater emphasis on the biceps, rotate your palms so they face
movement that strengthen your biceps, lats and forearms. you.

Plank
In the smash, your muscles should ‘tense up’ upon contact to
maximize the transfer of energy to the shuttle. One important but
overlooked aspect is the core. Your core is a collection of muscles
around the midsection that supports your body.

The plank is a great exercise that trains your core stability. This is
one of my favourites, as core stability plays a large part in overall
health, smash power, and 6 pack abs.

Grab on to a bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder width.
Without swinging or using momentum, pull your chest up to the bar.
Hold for 1 second, lower yourself, and then repeat.

© Jonathan Tang – Swift Badminton School

The plank is a similar position to push-ups, with the exception that
you should be resting on your forearms. Make sure your elbows are
directly under your shoulders, keep you back straight, and squeeze
your glutes (bum muscles).
Hold this position.
A common mistake is to arch or bend the lower back. Make sure you
avoid this! A straight spine is what we are looking for.
Variations
Easier: Just like push-ups, you can do planks from the knees if they
are too difficult.
Harder: Search for plank variations. Some of my favourites are side
planks or single arm planks.
Forearm Resistance
Like we mentioned earlier, most of the power in the smash is
generated from the forearm. So, it makes sense that we do some
exercises to strengthen it. These will help you improve you smash,
but it will have an even bigger effect at the net. This forearm exercise
will really help you preform short and snappy lifts.
Grab your badminton racket and put on the cover. Holding the
handle, raise the racket up and down while squeezing the grip. You
should be able to feel the air resistance working against you. If not,
try it again in a small room and make sure all the doors and windows
are closed (to increase the air pressure).
Variations
The racket can also be moved side to side, or in a figure of 8.
© Jonathan Tang – Swift Badminton School
 Putting it all together Intermediate
We can combine these four exercises to create a workout. Push-Ups: 3 sets of 10 reps

This workout should only take 15 minutes to complete. This means Pull-Ups: 3 sets of 3 reps
everyone should be able to fit it into their day. I would recommend
that you do the workout 3 times a week. Try to spread it out to give Plank: 3 sets of 1min plank

your body some time to recover, I find Monday/Wednesday/Friday

Forearm Resistance: 3 sets of 10
works well for me.

Advanced
Since everyone has a different fitness level, I will provide 3 different
Push-Ups: 3 sets of 12 reps
frameworks that should apply to most. There is no shame in starting
at the earlier levels, the important thing is that you make progress.
Pull-Ups: 3 sets of 5 reps
After some time at a certain level, try to attempt the next difficulty. If
you still find it too easy or hard, you can try the variations I listed
Plank: 3 sets of 1min20s plank
above.

Forearm Resistance: 3 sets of 10

Beginner
Push-Ups: 3 sets of 8 reps
Rep is short for repetitions. This is how many times you do an
exercise, for example 8 reps of push-ups means you would do 8
Pull-Ups: 3 sets of 1 rep
push-ups and then stop.

Plank: 3 sets of 30s plank

A set is how many times you will repeat that exercise for the given
amount of repetitions. So, you do 8 push-ups and rest. Then you do
Forearm Resistance: 3 sets of 10
another 8 push-ups, rest, and then another 8. You have just done 3
sets of 8 reps.

© Jonathan Tang – Swift Badminton School

Rest for around 1min between each set.
Further
The focus of this ebook is on the smash. Since the smash is mostly
reliant on technique and not strength, I’ve only written a very basic
overview on strength training for badminton. These exercises and
workouts listed here are extremely effective but fairly simplistic. I
could write pages and pages more when it comes to this topic, there’s
a lot of interesting things to teach.
However, I will save all of this for another time. Since you’re here to
smash harder, I don’t want you to lose focus on the most important
factor – technique.
However, these are complex exercises and require guidance and
supervision. Since I can’t personally go through this process with
each person that reads this ebook, I want you to focus on the building
blocks of fitness. Learning the more advanced exercises is both time
consuming and potentially dangerous without proper coaching.
Your time is better spent refining technique, and I definitely don’t
want you to get hurt! If there is interest, I may create a separate
ebook or video series focusing entirely on fitness for badminton. If
this is something you’re interested in please let me know. I love
helping people reach their goals, and if this is something a lot of
people want to see I definitely would like to make it! Videos will go
up on Swift Badminton School.

As a former Olympic weightlifter, I do believe a lot of badminton

players do neglect their strength and conditioning. While smash
power may be mostly technique, other aspects of badminton are
extremely reliant on your physical ability.

With the personal clients I coach, I lead them through a rigorous

physical boot camp. A few highlights include: power cleans,
plyometric squats, military press, and high intensity interval
training. I have seen fantastic results in physical development every
time.

© Jonathan Tang – Swift Badminton School

 Section 10: Drills
At this point you’ve learned all you need to know to smash like the
pros. But there’s still one thing missing - practice. There’s no use just
having the knowledge to unleash a devastating smash if you can’t
implement it in your game. You can’t learn to ride a bike just through
reading, you need practice. The badminton smash is the same.
Below I have listed some of my favourite drills to work on your
smash. For all of these, you will need a partner to feed you shuttles.
One person will be working (doing the drills), and the other will feed
as necessary. Find a player who is a similar or higher skill level to
you, and then take turns working and feeding so you can both
improve you game.
Note for the feeders: the below drills are training exercises, not a
competition. The goal is to help your partner improve. The feeder
should not be trying to “beat” the worker. Way too often I see the
feeding at an intensity that the worker cannot keep up with. You are
not helping your partner if you do this. If you’re feeding too
fast or too hard, the worker isn’t getting the practice he needs. Please,
adjust the difficulty to the ability of the worker. If he is struggling to
return shots consistently, you need to tone down the difficulty. Don’t
expect your partner to dance around the court as quickly or as
gracefully as Lin Dan. Feed like you would want to be fed to. Save
the competition for match time.
Live Rally vs Multi-feed
Before we start, let’s quickly go over the difference between a live
rally and multi-feed drill.
Live rally - Uses one shuttle. The players follow the rules of the drill
like they were playing an actual rally
Multi-feed - Uses multiple shuttles. The feeder holds multiple
shuttles and feeds them one by one.
Multi-feeding is great for beginners. If you struggle to keep a live
rally going for long, you won’t get all the training benefits of these
drills. Multi-feeding allows the worker to have a consistent stream of
shots coming in. Multi-feeding is better for technique
training.
Live rallies are more advanced. But the benefit is that it is a closer
resemblance to an actual game. Also, they usually train more than
one aspect of you game at once, for example most live rallies are also
© Jonathan Tang – Swift Badminton School
great for improving footwork. Live rallies are better for game
situational training.
That being said, you should be using both in your training. Both
technique and in game training are important to becoming a
successful badminton player. Even badminton world champions
frequently use multi-feeding to refine and drill good technique, so
don’t avoid it because it seems ‘easy’.
This can be done as a multi-feed or a live rally.
As a multi-feed, the feeder should feed 8-12 shuttles by lifting up to
the worker. The worker then clears the shot.
As a live rally, players should just clear back and forth to another.
In both cases, do the drill on a half court. This allows you to focus on
the shot without having to worry about movement.

Clear
Type: Multi-feed or Live Rally
It can be quite difficult to start training the smash if you’re a
beginner, as it requires a lot of co-ordination throughout the body. So
Good for Singles and Doubles
even though you have now learnt the theory, it can be hard to start
practicing it.
Difficulty: Basic

That is exactly what this drill is for.

Simplified Smash Multi-feed
Similar to the previous drill, this will help you refine your overhead
It might sound odd to include clears here, after all this ebook is about
technique.
improving smash power. But if you’re working on correcting your
overhead technique, it can be useful to start off with clears. Both
Instead of smashing from the rear court, the feeder hand throws the
clears and smashes operate with the same overhead technique
shuttle high to the front of the court. The worker can then do a full
described earlier. And although there are differences in how the
power stroke from this position. The feeder should stand slightly to
stroke is played, if you need to re-program your technique it’s easier
the side to avoid getting hit.
to learn it by doing clears. This is because the timing requirements
are easier for clears, so it is an effective substitute at first.

© Jonathan Tang – Swift Badminton School

This drill is perfect if you are a beginner. It allows you to work on
technique and power, by making the timing much easier. By doing
this you are less likely to miss the shuttle completely, which can be a
frustrating experience.
Multi-feed with a tube of 8 – 12 shuttles.
The worker should be doing a full power smash. Once you are
comfortable with smashing from the front of the court, you can
progress to the next drill.
Note: In game if we get the chance to kill from the front court, we
normally don’t use the full stroke. But the goal of the drill is to
simplify the process of learning smash technique.
The lifts should be fed directly towards the worker. The point of this
drill is to master the smash technique, which is easier to do if the
worker doesn’t have to think about movement.
Type: Multi-feed
Good for: Singles and Doubles
Difficulty: Basic
Half Court Smash Block
This drill takes place on a half court. As a live rally, this drill trains
the smash in a situation that is closer to a real game and is a closer
replicate to a game of singles. It goes something like this:

Type: Multi-feed Feeder – High Serve

Good for: Singles and doubles Worker – Smash

Difficulty: Basic Feeder – Block

Basic Smash Multi-feed Worker – Comes into the net and blocks
The simplest smash drill. The feeder holds a tube of 8 – 12 shuttles
and lifts them to the worker. The worker smashes. Repeat until the Feeder – Lift

tube is finished.
Worker – Smash

© Jonathan Tang – Swift Badminton School

Repeat
We are no longer working on the smash in isolation but using it like
we would in a game of singles. A player who smashes should start
moving in forwards as he completes the shot. This is because the
most likely return is a block. By anticipating the return, the attacking
player puts himself in a good position for the next shot. Working on
the movement will help you implement the smash in a real game.
Type: Live rally
Also trains: Footwork.
Good for: Singles
Difficulty: Medium
Compared to the full court variation (shown below), this drill focuses
much more on the actual smash, while the one below emphasises
footwork.
Hit Down
This drill is takes place on a standard singles court with two feeders.
The feeders are the defenders, and the worker is the attacker. The
feeders lift or high serve to the worker. This gives the opportunity for
the worker to attack by smashing the shuttle. Instead of lifting again,
the defenders should block, allowing the attacker to come in to the
net and play a net shot. The defenders then lift again, and the cycle
repeats.
The half court version of this drill is linear. The idea here is to give all
the players more freedom. The defenders can lift and block to any
corner to keep it unpredictable, while the attacker has the chance to
work on both straight and cross-court smashes. Once you get
comfortable with this, you can add in more elements. Instead of only
being allowed to smash, the attacker might start using aggressive
drop shots or slices.
Try to keep this rally going on for as long as possible. The defenders
should have an easier time as it is 2v1, but they should not be
counter attacking. Remember, the goal is to help the attacker train
his smash. If he’s struggling to just keep the rally going, he’s not
getting the practice he needs. Start with high lifts (to give him more
time), or shallower lifts (easier to get into position). Only increase the
intensity if the attacker is capable of it.
This is a great drill that replicates attacking movements in a singles
game. In reality, there is more to the smash than the shot itself. A
player must consider his positioning, movement, angle and
placement to be successful. This is the most “realistic” drill but
should only be attempted once the player has learnt the basics.
© Jonathan Tang – Swift Badminton School
Type: Live rally The purpose of this drill is to improve you doubles attack. And since
this is a doubles drill, the worker should move like he would in a
Also trains: Footwork. Singles movement. Net shots game of doubles. In singles the player is forced to recover to the
middle of the court. But in doubles, since your partner should be
Good for: Singles covering the net, you can stay at the back. So, when you are
recovering, stay at the back but regain your centre position.
Difficulty: Advanced

Type: Multi-feed
Doubles Attack
This drill is similar to hit down but focusses on rear court doubles Also trains: Footwork. Doubles movement
attacking. When attacking in doubles, the players should be
positioned front to back. It is the job of the rear court players to Good for: Doubles
smash any incoming lifts.
Difficulty: Medium
This is a multi-feed drill, use 8-12 shuttles.

Feeder: Lifts to forehand corner

Worker: Smash and recover

Feeder: Lift to backhand corner

Worker Smash and recover

Repeat

© Jonathan Tang – Swift Badminton School

 Section 11: What Next
If you’ve read all the way to the end, I want to thank you for taking
the time to read this ebook. I truly hope the information inside has
helped you as I have seen it do for many a badminton player. The
smash is one of the most beautiful aspects to badminton, and I hope
you’ve gotten the results you wanted from this ebook. If so, I’d love to
hear from you! Email me and let me know. The same goes if you are
struggling and have any questions to ask. I’m just a quick email away,
and I’d love to help you develop your badminton further.

swiftbadminton@protonmail.com

I also upload all sorts of badminton coaching videos to the Swift

Badminton School YouTube channel. If you’re looking to take the
rest of your game to the next, you won’t want to miss it.

Jonathan Tang
Swift Badminton School

© Jonathan Tang – Swift Badminton School