Badminton Equipment & Facilities

Different versions of badminton have been played for centuries, but it was the game of "Poona" in India
that was the basis for the game of badminton we play today. In the 1860's a group of stationed British
army officers learned the game and took it back with them from India. The game grew in popularity until
1895 when the Badminton Association of England was formed, along with the rules of game play that
are used around the world even today. In order to play this form of badminton, certain equipment and
facilities are needed.

Racket

The badminton racket is one of the most important tools a player has in the game. Badminton rackets
are much lighter than most other sports rackets because they are made from materials such as carbon
fiber or lighter metals such as aluminum. Parts of the racket include the head, throat, shaft and handle
with a maximum length of 27.77 inches and a width of 9 inches. It Strings that are stretched across the
opening of the racket in a checkerboard pattern, which acts as the hitting surface. Badminton rackets
can vary widely in cost depending on whether they are purchased as part of a basic backyard set or as
more expensive professional models.

Shuttlecock

The badminton shuttlecock, also referred to as a shuttle or birdie, acts similarly to a ball in other racket
sports. However, the design of the birdie creates more drag as it is propelled through the air due to its
feathered shape. The shuttlecock is made up of a cone shape with a hard cork at its tip. Shuttlecocks can
be made from a variety of materials -- more expensive models are actually made from feathers, and less
expensive models are made from plastic feathers. The shuttle has 16 feathers attached to the base and
the length of the feathers range between 2.44 and 2.75 inches.

Net

A mesh net divides the badminton court into two sides. A badminton net is placed lower than a
volleyball net at five feet and one inch high on the sides and five feet high in the center. The length may
vary depending on whether doubles or singles are playing, with singles reaching 17 feet and doubles
reaching 22 feet. The net is 30 inches wide with a 3-inch white tape doubled over the top.
Facilities

The badminton court should be 44 feet long by 22 feet wide if playing doubles, and 44 feet long by 17
feet wide for singles. If the facility is indoors, there needs to be enough height for the shuttlecock to be
able to float across the net without hitting the ceiling. This height will vary depending on the strength of
the players.

Rules

 A match consists of the best of three games of 21 points.

 The player/pair winning a rally adds a point to its score.
 At 20-all, the player/pair which first gains a 2-point lead wins that game.
 At 29-all, the side scoring the 30th point wins that game.
 The player/pair winning a game serves first in the next game.
 A badminton match can be played by two opposing players (singles) or four opposing
players (doubles).
 A competitive match must be played indoors utilising the official court dimensions.
 A point is scored when the shuttlecock lands inside the opponent's court or if a returned
shuttlecock hits the net or lands outside of the court the player will lose the point.
 At the start of the rally, the server and receiver stand in diagonally opposite service
courts.
 A legal serve must be hit diagonally over the net and across the court.
 A badminton serve must be hit underarm and below the server's waist height with the
racquet shaft pointing downwards, the shuttlecock is not allowed to bounce. After a
point is won, the players will move to the opposite serving stations for the next point.
 The rules do not allow second serves.
 During a point a player can return the shuttlecock from inside and outside of the court.
 A player is not able to touch the net with any part of their body or racket.
 A player must not deliberately distract their opponent.
 A player is not able to hit the shuttlecock twice.
 A 'let' may be called by the referee if an unforeseen or accidental issue arises.
 A game must include two rest periods. These are a 90-second rest after the first game
and a 5-minute rest after the second game.

The basic strokes are:

  Overhead Forehand Stroke-The overhead badminton forehand stroke is very common
and is used most often in badminton.
In badminton, this stroke generates the most power.  The power of a badminton forehand
stroke comes from correct technique, NOT how much strength you exert into a swing. The
larger the swing motion, the more momentum generated. Hence, more power.
Therefore, the KEY to generate power in any badminton shot is to make a complete swing in
your strokes.

In fact, it is INCORRECT to use too much strength for your badminton forehand stroke. When
you focus on power, you’ll most likely get the technique wrong. That means the quality of your
shot will be poor!

Overhead Backhand Stroke-The overhead badminton forehand stroke is very common

and is used most often in badminton. This stroke helps generate the most power.  
The power of a badminton forehand stroke comes from correct technique and not
how much strength you exert into a swing. The larger the swing motion, the more
momentum generated.
Hence, more power. However, keep in mind that the more you focus on power the
more likely you get the technique wrong.

Underarm Forehand Stroke-The badminton backhand stroke is the Achilles heel for a
lot of people, it’s a difficult stroke to execute and the technique, therefore, needs to be
perfect.
It’s important to keep in mind that the backhand stroke for badminton is not like
tennis or squash backhand! The correct technique to perform a badminton backhand
stroke is more complicated than a tennis backhand.The correct backhand technique is
about generating power. Similar to the forehand, you make a complete backhand
swing to generate the power to hit strong backhand shots.

Underarm Backhand Stroke-The correct badminton underarm forehand swing pattern

is important if you want to hit quality badminton shots and maintain good body
balance. This stroke does not require a lot of strength.
Since underarm strokes are usually performed at the front of the court, not much
strength is needed to perform a baseline clear.
Your wrist action plays an important role in contributing to the power in
your badminton underarm forehand.
Gently flick your wrist towards the direction you want the shuttle to fly. It’s important
that you use the forehand grip to perform an underarm forehand stroke. Make sure
you do not hold your racket too tightly or you’ll limit the movement of your wrist.
As you lunge forward, raise your racket to the height where you’re going to hit the
shuttle. When you’re about to commence your swing motion, your dominant leg
should be at the front, supporting your body weight.
When the shuttle flies towards a particular area around your body, you’ll need to use different
strokes to hit the shuttle. The picture above shows you the 4 different areas around your body
where you’re required to use the 4 different badminton strokes to return the shuttle.

Once you learn how to perform these basic strokes, you can then use these strokes to hit all
types of shots in badminton; Clear, Drop and Smash.