Week 1

Module 1: The History, Facilities and Equipment in Badminton

§  Court
§  Net
§  Racket
§  Shuttlecock
§  Shoes
History of Badminton
Badminton has its origins in ancient civilizations in Europe and Asia.  The ancient game known as battledore (bat or
paddle) and shuttlecock probably originated more than 2000 years ago.
In the 1600's battledore and shuttlecock was an upper class pastime in England and many European countries.
Battledore and shuttlecock was simply two people hitting a shuttlecock backwards and forwards with a simple bat as
many times as they could without allowing it to hit the ground.
Modern badminton can be traced to mid-19th century British India. It was created by British military officers stationed
there.  A net was added to the traditional English game of and shuttlecock. As it was popular in the British garrison
town of Poona, the game came to be known as "Poona" or "Poonai" Initially, woolen balls were preferred by the
upper classes in windy or wet conditions, but ultimately shuttlecocks took over the role of a "ball." This game was
taken by retired officers who got back to England. It was introduced as a game for the guests of the Duke of Beaufort
at his stately home 'Badminton' in Gloucestershire, England where it became popular. Hence, the origin of the name
"Badminton."
In March 1898, the first Open Tournament was held at Guildford and the first 'All England' Championships were held
the following year.
The International Badminton Federation was formed in 1934 with nine founder members, England, Wales, Ireland,
Scotland, Denmark, Holland, Canada, New Zealand and France.  India joined as an affiliate in 1936.
The first major IBF tournament was the Thomas Cup (world men's team championships) in 1948. Since then, the
number of world events has increased with the addition of the Uber Cup (women's team), World Championships
(individual events), Sudirman Cup (mixed team), World Junior Championships and the World Grand Prix Finals.
Badminton is a relatively new Olympic sport. It was a demonstration sport at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Badminton
eventually became an Olympic sport in Barcelona in 1992. Only the singles and doubles were introduced for the first
time in the Olympic Games. Mixed doubles was included in the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games and badminton is the
only sport that has mixed doubles event in the Olympics.
Only five countries have won gold medals at the Olympics since badminton was introduced in 1992 - China,
Indonesia and Korea, England and Denmark.
Badminton Facilities
Court Dimensions
The overall dimensions is 20 feet by 44 feet, marking the sidelines for doubles play and long service lines for singles
play.

                                          
 Badminton court
Source:  https://medium.com/@sportzprime/how-to-play-badminton-598d69a0b0c3
Baseline:
It is basically the back line at the boundary that is parallel to both the ends of the net. The length of baseline is
typically the overall width of the court.
Center line:
A line that is perpendicular to the net and separates the left and right service court boxes down the middle is the
center line of the court.
Service box:
An area formed by the center line, base line and singles side line on singles match while on the doubles match, it is
formed by the center line, doubles side line and doubles long service line.
Short service line:
This line covering the width of the badminton court. It happens to be the nearest line running parallel to the net.
Doubles side line:
That covers the external boundary lines along with the base line.
Singles side line:
A line running at the inner of the doubles side line and parallel to it.
Alley:
Alley is an area forming between the doubles and singles side line. It is basically counted as the outer of the
boundaries in singles match.
                                             

 
Badminton Net
Source:  https://sites.google.com/site/badmintonfriend2/courtandequipments
The depth of the badminton net must be 2 feet 6 inches. The thickness of the net is 15 mm to 20 mm. This is the
basic measurements of the Badminton net all around the world. It is very important to attach the net to proper height
or else your sports will be blunder one.
Badminton Equipment
Racket – used to hit the bird, the racket is shaped like a tennis racket and has strings, but weighs much less. The
frame of the racket, including the handle, is not to exceed 680 mm (26.75 inches) in
Overall length, and 230 mm (9 inches) in overall width. The overall length of the head is not to exceed 290 mm. Most
rackets are made from light man-made materials such as aluminum or graphite, and are strung with synthetic
material such as nylon. 
                                                     

Parts of Badminton Racket

Source:  https://sites.google.com/site/badmintonfriend2/courtandequipments
Shuttlecock (also called a bird or birdie) - a high-drag projectile used in the sport of badminton. It has an open
conical shape formed by feathers (or a synthetic alternative) embedded into a rounded cork (or rubber) base. The
shuttlecock's shape makes it extremely aerodynamically stable. Regardless of initial orientation, it will turn to fly cork
first, and remain in the cork-first orientation.
An official shuttlecock must have 14-16 feathers and are usually made from a goose or duck and from the left wing of
the bird only.
Two types of Shuttlecock

 Feathered shuttle are brittle and more prone to damage. It need to be replaced several times during a
game. That's why shuttles made of synthetic materials like plastic are frequently used these days. But
feathered shuttlecocks can be controlled easily so experienced players prefer feathered shuttle over
plastic ones.

 Plastic shuttles are very durable and last many matches without any impairment to the flight. Plastic
shuttles can be hit hardly.

 
                                                        

Week 2

Module 2: Types of Grips

§  Forehand grip
§  Backhand grip
§  Hammer grip
§  Thumb grip
§  Pan hand grip
§  Neutral grip
 
Grip is a way of holding the racket in order to hit shots during a match. The most commonly used grip is the orthodox
forehand grip. Most players change grips during a rally depending on whether it is a forehand or backhand shot. 
 
Types of grips
 
Forehand grip - The most used grip in badminton, and the most important thing to learn. The forehand grip
technique is the base/neutral grip, and the grip that is closest to all the other grips.

                                                                                            
                                                                                                                      Forehand grip
Backhand grip – Using a forehand grip, rotate the hand slightly so the thumb is alone and parallel to the wide side of
the handle. 

                                       

                                                   Backhand grip

Hammer grip - The panhandle grip is used in many places on court, but still be careful using it too much, as you can
get "locked" in that position. The hammer grip is the grip most beginners and kids use, as it is the most natural grip to
do, because you think the strings need to be parallel towards the shuttle, but that is wrong. If you hold a 100%
hammer/panhandle grip then you can´t rotate the forearm and add power to your shots.

                                         
                                                                  Hammer grip
Thumb grip - The most used grip in badminton when using the backhand, and the grip where you add power to your
shots. The thumb grip can also be the ending up point from the bevel grip, meaning that you can start your power
shot at the bevel grip, and then rotating the grip inside your hand ending up with a thumb grip, that way you can
generate more power.
                                    

                                                                     Thumb grip

Pan hold grip - This is the kind of gripping needed on the front court near to the net when the shuttlecock is returned
very closely to the net. At just the right moment before the shuttlecock starts to descend, a short tapping action needs
to be executed.
                                                        

                                                                                 Pan hold grip

Neutral Grip - The neutral grip is one that is in between them to allow you to switch between them quickly - otherwise
if you hold the backhand grip all the time, you may not have enough time to switch to the forehand grip when needed.

                                             

                                                    Neutral grip
Week 3
Stance and Types of Grips § Stance
Types of stance
a.    Attacking stance
b.    Defensive stance
c.    Net stance
Types of service
a.    Low serve
b.    High serve
c.    Flick serve
d.    Drive serve
 
Stance
The position of one's body and feet while waiting for the opponent to hit the shuttle. Can be very important since
improper stance can give unwanted clues to the opponent and make quick effective response more difficult. Classic
improper stance for beginners would be flat-footed with weight on heels.
•       Attacking stance
•       Defensive stance
•       Net stance
                                        

                                                                                                              Attacking stance
Attacking Stance
It is used to get into position before playing an overhead forehand stroke. To stand in the attacking stance turn your
body facing the sidelines with racket leg behind and both legs shoulder-width apart. Now raise both racket and non-
racket arm to generate the power to attack the shuttle on its downward trajectory.
                                       

                                                                                                             Defensive stance
Net Stance 
To defend the opponent’s smash, you need to be prepared with the defensive stance. Face the body to the net and
place your racket in front at waist height, slightly pointing forward. You can keep the non-racket arm as comfortable
while ensuring a better balance.
                                      

                                                                                                                      Net stance
This stance is to be ready for the opponent’s return after playing a net shot. To play this shot, place your foot on the
racket side forward while keeping non-racket foot at the back. Place the racket in front of the body, slightly above
waist height while raising the non-racket arm. Shift the body weight slightly forward to be ready to pounce forward.
Types of service
 Low serve
The low serve allows you some flexibility because you can use either forehand or backhand. Play to your strengths
and use the style that you are best at. The low serve will be most effective if you allow the birdie to float just over the
top of the net. This will allow the birdie to land very near to the short service line and will require your opponent to run
forward and hopefully miss the play. Although this serve is used both in singles and doubles, the low serve is the
most common serve used in doubles.
                                                    

                                                                                                                                     Low Serve

High Serve
When playing singles, consider using a high serve to drive the birdie deep into your opponent's court. Make sure not
to use this serve too often, as your opponent will come to expect it and learn to stay near the back of his court during
your service. You should refrain from using this serve during doubles as well, since the player receiving your serve
will likely always stand in the back court during doubles. This serve requires a forehand underarm action and a
careful follow through. Make sure you stand two to three steps behind the service line to give yourself enough room
for a proper follow through and to ensure that the birdie stays in bounds. 
                                           

Flick Serve
The flick serve should be used sparingly, because it can be a fairly easy serve to play if expected. Use this serve no
more than once every five serves to keep your opponent guessing. Begin the serve the same way that you would
when executing a low serve; however, instead of gently tapping the birdie over the net, flick your wrist quickly to bring
the birdie unexpectedly into your opponent's back court. You can use this serve in either doubles or singles, but it is
more commonly used in doubles.
                                     

                                                                                                                Flick Serve

Drive Serve
The drive serve is an extremely risky serve, but many expert badminton players enjoy it because of the high reward it
can yield. Observe your opponent carefully. If you determine that your opponent has a slow reaction time, it is best to
throw in the drive serve occasionally, as you are likely to get the point. The drive serve is executed using forehand
underarm actions. It should be a quick serve and the birdie should go low over the net and deep into your opponent's
court. Be careful and stay on your toes, because if your opponent hits your serve it will likely come back to your side
very quickly.
                                        

                                                                Drive Serve

Week 4

Module 4: Footwork and Strokes

Footwork
The movement of one's feet, and the body while moving around the court. As in many sports, footwork is a critical
part of success in badminton since good footwork enables the player to move more efficiently (less expended
energy), quicker, and with less potential for injury while at the same time positioning himself for more effective shots.
Footwork if often ignored by beginning players, leading to visibly clumsy movement inside the court.
Types of Footwork
Two-step shot – The left foot takes  a step forward in the direction where the shuttle coming, and then the right foot
takes a big step forward to hit the shuttle.
Three-step shot – The right foot first takes a small step forward in the direction where the shuttle coming, then the
left foot goes forward. Finally, the right foot takes a big step to hit the shuttle.
Hop step and Lunging – The right foot takes a step forward in the direction where the shuttle coming, followed by a
small step of the foot lunge outward on the floor. While the right foot is lifted up using the force of the left foot to takes
a big step and hit the shuttle.
Front crossover – The right foot first takes a small side step forward, then the right foot is lifted up. Using the force
of the foot take a big step to hit the shuttle.
Back crossover – The right foot first takes a small side step forward, then the left foot takes a second sidestep to the
right foot. Finally, the right foot is lifted up. Using the force of the left foot to takes a big stride and hit the shuttle.
Jump step – The standing position is slightly lean forward, judging if the opponent wants to repeatedly hit the shuttle
before the net. Use the feet to squat, quickly jump to the front of the net, and use the bounce technique to hit the
shuttle.
Stroke
A badminton stroke is the movement of the player’s racket with an intention to hit the shuttle.
 
It is important to note here that only the intention of hitting the shuttle is already considered a stroke. So, you could do
a stroke and fail to hit the shuttle and that would still be considered a stroke.
 
In the image below you can find a representation of the area that these four different types of cover. There are 4
basic strokes that every beginner needs to learn. By knowing these, beginners can create good badminton stroke
habits, which they can use in the future for more advanced shots like drops, smashes, and drives. These are:
                                                                     

                                                               
Overhead Forehand Stroke
This is probably the most common badminton stroke and many beginners are usually comfortable in using this
particularly for stronger badminton shot.
Overhead Backhand Stroke
This stroke is slightly hander for beginners because you are required to face your body in a backward position to
shoot effectively.
Underarm Forehand Stroke
This stroke let you hit low badminton shots with a lot force, but it can be difficult to aim in the beginning stage.
Underarm Backhand Stroke
It is easier to perform this stroke than the overhead stroke because you will not have to turn your body backward.
Week 5

Module 5: Types of shots

The following to be on chapter 5 parts:
·         Types of shots
·         Types of smash
 

Clear
A clear is a high shot where the player hits the shuttlecock from one end of the court to the other
end. It is the most fundamental shot in badminton and should be learned before any other shot.

Drop
A drop is a soft shot that places the shuttlecock close to the net, often in an attempt to make the
opponent move or to set up for the next shot. Drops can be played from anywhere on the court,
but the most common places are at the back court and the front court
Types of Drop
1.              Slow drop shot shall land in your opponent's frontcourt area, as close to the net as
possible. The point of impact is above the racket shoulder. It is intended to move your opponent
to the frontcourt, hopefully forcing a weak return to your midcourt for you to kill.
 
2.              Fast drop shot shall land in the front of your opponent's mid court area, preferably to
the sides. Hit the shuttle slightly further in front of the body to produce a shallower trajectory at a
faster speed. It is intended to catch your opponent off balance and have less time to respond.
 
3.              Cross court net drop is a tight drop that is hit from one of the front corners of your
court to the opponent’s opposite front corner position. It’s a favorite shot of many amateur
players because most players typically expect a straight drop instead of a cross shot.
 
4.              Reverse slice drop is a steep drop shot that usually looks like a smash. This shot is
very deceptive because the arm action can be done really quickly as if you are performing a
smash but falls much closer to the net.

Drive
A drive is a fast and flat shot that travels just above the net which is used for both offensive and
defensive purposes. Drives are great for putting pressure on your opponent because it challenges
their reaction time due to the speed of the shot and also their precision because of how close it is
to the net.
Smash
A smash is a fast, downward angled shot that is performed with an overhand motion. It is the
most offensive shot in badminton and typically lands between the opponents’ mid to back court
depending on how steep it is.

Types of Smash
1.              Smash block is a defensive drop shot that is performed in response to a smash. It is a
soft shot where you guide the shuttlecock to the desired location and uses the smash’s power to
provide most of the pace.
 
2.              Smash lift is a defensive lift that, similarly to the smash block, is performed in
response to a smash. You will need to have good wrist strength and timing to perform this well
because you have to absorb all of the smash’s power before hitting it back towards the rear of the
opponent’s court.
 
3.              Jump smash is exactly what it sounds like – a smash that is executed while jumping.
This can give the player more height for added steepness and potentially added power as well if
the player’s rotation is good.
 
4.              Fake smash is a shot that looks like a smash, but is changed to a drop or a punch clear
at the last moment. The purpose of the shot is to deceive the opponent who has planted their feet
for a smash.

Lift
A lift is a defensive shot that is typically performed from the front of the court by pushing the
shuttlecock high and far to the back of your opponent’s end of the court. It is the most defensive
shot in the game because it gives the opponent the most time to reach the shuttlecock.

N e t  k i l l
The net kill is a fast and quick shot used against a net drop in order to end the rally. In order to
execute a net kill, you have to reach the shuttlecock above and near the net and push it down
steeply.