BADMINTON BASICS

Forehand Grip

- This grip is used to hit shots that are on the forehand side of your body and around the head
shots.

- Hold the racket head with your non-playing hand so that the handle points towards you.

- Your racket face shall be perpendicular to the floor.

- Place your playing hand on the handle as if you are shaking hands with it.

- There shall be a V shape in between your thumb and your index finger.

- The racket handle shall rest loosely in your fingers for greater flexibility.

- Can try shortening your grip and place it nearer to the shaft to increase control and accuracy
when serving and hitting from the forecourt and midcourt.
                

Backhand Grip

- This grip is used to hit shots that are on the backhand side of your body.

- Hold the racket as you would on a forehand grip.

- Turn the racket anti-clockwise so that the V shape moves leftwards.

- Place your thumb against the back bevel of the handle for greater leverage and power.
- The racket handle shall also rest loosely in your fingers.

- Can try shortening your grip and place it nearer to the shaft to increase control and accuracy
when serving and hitting from the forecourt and midcourt.

               

Possessing a correct Badminton Grip is like having a good head start in a race. Don't lose out and
make every effort to improve your game.

The 4 Basic Strokes

Hopefully you’ve been practicing the use of proper badminton grips (fore/back) and getting used
to the pronation/supination movements.

The next thing is to take these techniques and turn it into a stroke. A stroke is the swing motion
of our racket arm. It is not a shot. We need proper strokes to execute certain shots!

The power of any badminton shot (clear, smash, drops, etc) is directly related to how well you
can perform your stroke.

So, we must learn strokes first!

There are 4 basic strokes:

 Overhead forehand – the most common we see, the first to learn

 Overhead backhand – many people’s main weakness
 Underarm forehand – a low shot on the forehand side
 Underarm backhand – a low shot on the backhand side

The graphic shows the typical application of the basic strokes depending on where the shuttle
will be struck.

 
                                  

Starting Right - How crucial is the serve

As the service marks the start of every rally and subsequently dictates its flow, it is a crucial
aspect of the game to get right in badminton.

These are the four main types of services in badminton and most can be executed with either
your forehand or backhand.

1. Low serve
This low serve is almost a gentle tap over the net with the shuttle, with the aim of flying just over
the net, yet falling just over the front line of his service court. It must not be too high or
predictable otherwise it would be easy for your opponent to do an outright smash or net kill. 

2. High serve

The high serve is a powerful strike upwards with the shuttle, that aims to travel a great distance
upwards and fall deep at the rear end of the court.

Although it is a strong serve and the popular choice of beginner players, its a serve that isn't so
easy to disguise especially since you're using a forehand grip. Your opponent will already expect
the shuttlecock to land at the back of the court.

Do remember that shuttlecocks have to fall within the corresponding service areas and this is
different in singles and doubles.

3. Flick serve

This flick serve is also played upwards but at a much lesser altitude. It is most common for
players to use their backhand to execute the flick serve and the trajectory is lower as this grip has
less power.

The whole point of the backhand flick serve is deception, by mixing your serves up and making
it look like you're doing a low serve. For this reason, serving with your backhand is thus very
popular with competitive players.

It becomes hard for your opponent to predict if you are going to do a flick or a low serve as your
stroke will look exactly the same until the point of contact.

4. Drive Serve

This is an attacking serve that is used by top badminton players like Lin Dan. The idea is to hit
the shuttle directly at your opponent, limiting their return options and catching them off guard,
winning you easy points. It's a good change of pace but it is also risky as if your opponent is
prepared, he could just smash the shuttlecock back at you.

This serve is executed with your forehand through underarm action and following through. The
shuttle should be dropped a bit sideways rather than in front of your body and hit flatter.

 
 

Now that you've determined the type of serve you want to make, here are a four tips on how to
execute these serves well.

1. Keep your feet still

During the service, some part of both your feet must be in contact with the ground for it to be a
legal serve.
 2. Disguise your shots

Make sure your stroke is the same up to the point of contact with the shuttle. This will make your
serve possible to predict only at the last possible second. Advanced players can try to trick their
opponent by making it deliberately look like you're leaning back and about to do a high serve
when you're really going to do a low serve.

3. Observe your opponents position

Is your opponent leaning towards the back already anticipating a high serve to the rear-court? In
that case, you may want to execute a low serve to catch him off-guard. Always be aware of the
position of your opponent. Try to imagine what he's expecting and do the opposite to gain an
advantage.

4. Mix up your serves

Using just one type of service will make you too easy to predict. Make sure you incorporate at
least two types of serves into your play. Once you've mastered the basic high and low serves, you
can learn the flick and drive serves to add more dimension to your play.

In a nutshell, executing a service well allows you to start the rally strong and dictate its flow.

As in any sport, choosing the right shot is essential to excel in Badminton. If you are a beginner,
read on to know about the five essential badminton shots – Clear, Drive, Drop, Smash, Net – and
when to use them.

Clear shot

Trajectory: high, towards the back court

Played from: Back court
Purpose: Defensive shot
Aim of this shot is to let the shuttle fly high in the air and land at your opponent’s back court. It
is used when you need time to get back to the base before the next return or if you don’t have a
clear opportunity to kill and win the point.

Drop

Trajectory: Looping close to the net

Played from: Back court
Purpose: Attacking Shot

It is used when the shuttle is heading towards you in the back court. As an attempt to this stroke,
the player must hit downward towards the opponent’s fore-court, aiming for it to go just over the
net. The closer the shuttle drops to the net, the harder it is to return.

This shot is used when the opponent is in the back court, expecting a clear shot or a drive.
Drive

Trajectory: Flat, towards the body

Played from: Mid-court
Purpose: Defensive Shot

The drive is a flat shot hit directly and slightly over the net. It is a very powerful and quick
counter attacking shot. Your racket should be held with the head facing straight ahead. It can
sometimes be strategic to aim the shot at your opponent who will be unable to react or shift his
body in time as their natural reaction will be to duck/avoid the shot.

 
Smash

Trajectory: Close to the net

Played from: Back court/Mid-court
Purpose: To provide less time for the opponent

Most lethal shot in badminton. It can be defined as a drive angled downwards. It can be used
when the shuttle is high in the air and can be angled downwards.
Net Shots are used to create opportunities and dominate the front court.

Net Lift

Trajectory: high, towards the back court

Played from: Forecourt

Purpose: Defensive shot

The net lift sends the shuttle high up to your opponent’s baseline. It is hit from very close to the
net. When you find it difficult to retrieve your opponent’s net shot, you can choose the defensive
net lift. Do not hesitate to lift it high and towards the back court. This can prevent your opponent
from striking with a net kill. Practice to lift the shuttle high enough so the shuttle won’t hit the
net.
Net Kill

Trajectory: Flat and downwards

Played from: Fore court

Purpose: To end a rally

A very useful shot to end a rally

when your opponent executes a poor quality (too high) net shot.
TIP: Once you have good control over the shots, try to disguise them and be unpredictable. This
will make it hard for your opponent to react.