Play Badminton Better

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Badminton is a fun sport and a great form of exercise. To be a knockout badminton player, you have to have lighting-fast feet, strong technique, and a cunning sense of strategy. If you already know how to play badminton but want to elevate your game, you will have to find a way to maximize your strengths and exploit your opponent's weaknesses.

Steps

Master the Basics

Always hit the centre of the shuttle. You should hit the round rubber centre, or the "sweet spot" of the shuttle every single time. You can practice this technique by looking right at the center of the shuttle when you hit an overhead shot you can have a point. You can also practice with your hands to try to get a feel for the shuttle.

  1. Hit the shuttle at the top of its arc. To benefit from the speed and height generated by the shuttle, hit it at the top of its arc. This will allow you to shoot a killer overhead and to have more control over the position of the shuttle. Don't wait for the shuttle to come close to you, or it will be losing momentum and height.
  2. Always return to the middle of the court. Don't get out of position after you hit the shuttle. Return to the middle of the back of the court. This will make it more difficult for your opponent to run you around and to hit the shuttle in a place that you can't reach. Standing in the middle of the court while moving your feet and preparing for the next shot will place you in the "position of readiness."[1]
  3. Hit the shuttle toward the back line. Hitting the shuttle toward the back line takes precision and strength, and it will make your opponent have to shuffle backwards and hit the shuttle with a considerable amount of strength to return your shot. If you're not sure where to hit the shuttle next, and the back line is wide open, aim it there. At the beginning, aim the shuttle a bit before the back line so you don't commit a fault if it falls out of bounds behind the back line.
  4. Practice your footwork. Badminton is like squash -- success is all in the footwork. If you're flat-footed on the court, you won't be able to return your shots. Instead, stay on your toes, move your feet up and down as you wait to return a shot, and move your feet back and forth and side to side in tiny motions to position yourself to return the shot. Don't be lazy and reach out your hand too wide to try to return the shuttle -- instead, make tiny movements with your feet until the shuttle is in perfect position.
  5. Practice the short serve. Whether you're playing singles or doubles, the short serve will catch your opponent off guard. He won't be expecting it, and may not be able to run up to return the serve in time. To hit the short serve, you shouldn't just hit the shuttle really lightly, or it will fall on your side of the court. Instead, hit it at a higher contact point and drop it closer to the racket instead of in front of the racket.[2]
  6. Practice the long serve in singles. In singles, hitting a long serve all the way to the back of the service line will throw your opponent off guard. He may be standing in front of the shuttle and can miss it completely, or he may not have enough power to return it. To hit a longer serve, let the shuttle fall in front of you as you swing your racket further back almost to your shoulder level so you generate more momentum before you swing forward and hit the shuttle.[3]
  7. Never give up. Always try to hit the shuttle.

Exploit Your Opponent's Weaknesses

  1. Understand your opponent's game. When you're playing a new opponent, whether it's at a competition or during a friendly game at a family outing, you should assess your opponent's game even while you're warming up. You should look for a few main things: if your opponent is more of an aggressive or defensive player, if his forehand or backhand is his dominant shot, and any weaknesses, such as slow footwork or weak drop shot returns, that you can exploit.
  2. Make your opponent move around the court. Don't hit all of your shots to the same location of the court of your opponent will be able to predict your next move every time. Instead, mix things up by hitting a drop shot followed by a shot to the baseline, or by moving your opponent from the right to the left side of the court. Moving from the front to the back of the court is particularly tricky unless your opponent has very nimble feet.
  3. Shoot toward your opponent's backhand. Many players are weaker on the backhand side, so try shooting toward your opponent's backhand and see if this makes your opponent return less shots. If so, continue to exploit your opponent's backhand.
  4. Hit a simple short shot. When you're up at the net, simply hit the shuttle short, just barely over to your opponent's side. This will make your opponent run and will catch him off guard. This is a great technique if your opponent is positioned near the back line. If your opponent knows that you are going to do a short shot, you need to flick the shuttle over the opponent or to another side and if you didn't did this, your opponent will fly the shuttle near the back line.
  5. Change the direction of the shuttle. If your opponent hits the shuttle straight at you, hit the shuttle in a different direction instead of hitting it right back at your opponent, where he will expect it to go. This will work especially well if the shuttle has generated a lot of momentum. If you're quick on your feet, you can change the direction of the shuttle and not give your opponent enough time to react to a fast-moving shuttle.
  6. Hit a drop shot followed by a shot to the back of the court. If you have mastered the drop shot, then use it to make your opponent run all the way to the front of the court. Then return the next shot all the way to the back of the court. Not only will this force your opponent to be quick on his feet, but it will also catch him off guard. This is also a great way to tire your opponent.
  7. Make your opponent play your style of game. If you like staying near the net, serve short, hit drop shots, and do whatever you can to make sure that your opponent can't hit the shuttle to the back line. If you're more comfortable at the back line, then serve long and hit speedy long shots so your opponent doesn't have a chance to move you toward the net. Make the opponent lose all control as you play your style of game and maximize your strengths.

Master More Advanced Techniques

  1. Slice your net shots. This will make the shuttle spin and fall in an unpredictable direction. To slice your net shot, start the forward motion as you normally would, and then move the racket inward as you slice the racket perpendicular to the center of the birdie. Your opponent will be expecting you to hit the birdie directly forward, while it will actually spin cross court.[4]
  2. Slice your drop shots. To do this, slice the racket, or move it perpendicularly over the center of the shuttle when it's in the air. This will make the shuttle lose much of its momentum and quickly fall on the opponent's side near the net.
  3. Smash the shuttle. Smashing is when you hit the shuttle with all of your strength at the top of its arc. Aim your free hand up toward the direction of the shuttle for precision, and then swing the racket over your head with the other racket, hitting the center of the birdie and smashing it down into the opponent's court. This is similar to serving in tennis.
    • When you're smashing the shuttle, aim is just as important as strength. Don't just blindly hit the shuttle as hard as you can -- you should try to aim it either as far away from your opponent as possible or right at your opponent's body so he will be caught off guard.
  4. Jump before you smash the shuttle. Once you've mastered the standard smash, you can practice jumping up as you smash the shuttle. This will give you even more momentum and will make the shuttle fall into your opponent's court even faster. Just jump up a foot or two, aiming your chest and body in the direction that you want the shuttle to go, and smash it at the center of its arc.
  5. Don't smash the shuttle every time. The smash should be used at a time when the shuttle is high in the air and you have plenty of time to approach -- it should end the point in your favor. If you smash the shuttle at every opportunity, you will tire your arms and will risk smashing it into the net at inopportune moments.
  6. Always plan your next move. A beginning player is just happy when he hits the shuttle over the net. An advanced player understands that a good game of badminton is like a game of chess -- you should always position your shot wisely so that you move your opponent to the exact place where you want him to be so you can hit the following shot. Always plan your next move and always think one step ahead of your opponent.

Video

Tips

  • Always be precise and deceptive with the service. For example, act as if you are going to serve front but serve back.
  • Aim for the four corners of the opposite side.
  • Communication is the key in doubles. Call for shots and tell your partner to 'leave' shots that are going out. Use visual communication, letting the player who cannot see his partner make the tactical decisions. For example, when you are in front of your partner, you decide which shots to take and where to move. Do it quickly, so your partner isn't left guessing.
  • Study your opponent's weaknesses. Is his backhand weak? Does he have difficulty returning smashes to the body, returning drops, moving backwards, etc? In doubles, is one player weaker than the other? Is one better at the net than the other?
  • If playing doubles, when you serve, the server should go close to the net forcing your opponents to hit it long. Your partner, who is behind you can then return it easily.
  • A backhand smash is good move to catch your opponent off guard.
  • When your opponent gives you a backhand shot, try to convert it to forehand by playing the round the head shot whenever possible.
  • Hit the shuttle quickly. This technique will confuse your opponents.
  • If possible try to send the shuttlecock to the back line of the court.
  • In short, if you're pretty sure your opponent cannot return your shot to the back lines, you can stand closer to the net. Remember, these are only assumptions; you still need to keep other possibilities in mind so you aren't caught off guard.
  • Cross drop shots and cross serves will do magic. Try dropping the shuttle diagonally near the net. It is easier to stymie the opponent.
  • Try to do half smashed. They have half the speed and travel half the distance. Practice it with someone you know. It involves wrist work by jumping up and smashing only with your wrist.
  • Advanced players know how to use deception, so try not to guess what the next shot will be beforehand.
  • Always return to the center of your side, so that your opponent doesn't succeed in tiring you.
  • If you are trying for short serve, tilt the racket as you hit the serve. This will lead to a wobbling shuttle, making harder for the opponent to return with accuracy or power.
  • In doubles, avoid blocking a smash softly. There is a person standing in the front waiting to intercept it. Instead, keep lifting it back until they hit back a weaker shot that you can counterattack.
  • Don't rely on your arm. Instead work your wrist to conserve your stamina. Good wrist play also required to practice more advanced shot techniques. For more power, keep your grip relaxed and tighten your grip on the moment of impact.
  • Many people learn to always return to the exact center of the court after each shot. This is actually incorrect. Your "base" changes depending on the type of shot you make. For instance, when you hit a net shot, you bias your base closer to the front. The closer the birdie is to the net, the more forward you stand, because it is harder for your opponent to push you back. (If they try, it is rare that the shuttle will reach the back lines, so you don't need to worry about covering there.) When you lift to the back, you might want to move back as well to prepare for the smash (especially when you hit high and shallow). And when you smash in singles, your opponent will almost always block it to the front, so prepare to move forward.
  • Net shots are delicate. To control them more accurately, use your fingers to send them where you want.

Things You'll Need

  • Board shorts
  • 2-4 players
  • Badminton court
  • Badminton net
  • Racket
  • Shuttlecock(s)
  • Good sports shoes

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.fernandosbadminton.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=51&Itemid=63
  2. ↑ http://www.badminton-information.com/badminton_serve.html
  3. ↑ http://www.badminton-information.com/badminton_serve.html
  4. ↑ http://www.badminton-information.com/badminton_slicing_techniques.html

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