Master Badminton Basic techniques | Rules about badminton

Badminton is a popular racket sport, which is easy for anyone to learn all basic techniques and rules about badminton game and start to play it.

If you want to be a professional badminton player, you should fully understand how to play badminton in a right way through learning the basic techniques, tactics, rules, and skills of badminton to master the game.

Starting from the basic techniques of how to hold the badminton racket, how to move in the court, how to serve, how to swing,
how to pick up the shuttle, how to make an offensive/defensive attack, how to play with your forehand/backhand and,
rules about badminton and all other information about badminton until you be able to win a badminton game easily.

In this guide, Not badminton will teach you how to play badminton step by step by learning the following basic badminton techniques, skills, officials, as well as latest rules and regulations about badminton organized by Badminton world federation (BWF)

Table of contents:

1. What is the badminton?

Badminton is a racket sport, which is played both indoors and outdoors. According to the number of participants, it is divided into singles and doubles.

The badminton is played by a badminton racket and badminton ball which is called badminton shuttlecock or badminton birdie.

Badminton racket consists of a head with strings, a stick (shaft), a handle and a joint between the frame and the rod. The length of a racket is not more than 68 cm, in which the length of the racket shaft is not more than 41 cm, the length of the frame is 28 cm, and the width is 23 cm.

With the development of science and technology, the racket became lighter, the frame harder and the elasticity of the stick better, and usually made of carbon, titanium or graphite. The weight usually ranges from 75 to 95 grams, and the strings may be natural or synthetic form nylon.

Badminton shuttlecock is the ball of the badminton game, which is made of 16 goose feathers arranged to form an open cup and a half-spherical base made of a rubber foam material.

The length of the feathers ranges from 62 mm to 70 mm, and the diameter between the ends of the feathers should be between 58 to 68 mm.

2. What is the History of badminton game?

Modern badminton

Modern badminton originated in the UK. In 1873, in the town of Bloomington, Glasgow County, England, there was a Duke named Bowford. When he opened a garden party in his territory, several retired officers who came back from India introduced the new net game.

There was a great interest in the game, and because this activity was exciting, it quickly became popular in the social field of the upper class. “Badminton” became the name of English badminton.

In 1893, 14 badminton clubs in the UK formed the Badminton Association, the predecessor of the All England Open.

All international badminton tournaments and competitions:

All England Championship
Official World Championship (World Badminton Championship)
Asian Championship (Asia Badminton Championship)
Badminton Championships in Asian games, SEA Games, Commonwealth Games (teams and individuals)
The world team championship consists of Thomas Cup Championship (for men) and Uber Cup Championship (for women).

History of Badminton | Secrets you don’t know about badminton

History of Badminton | Secrets you don’t know about badminton...

3. How to hold the badminton racket? Basic technique

The basic technique of holding a badminton racket correctly in a badminton game does look easy to do, so that some people may underestimate it. However, you should know thatو holding badminton racket in the right way is the key that will determine the quality of the punch.

The right technique to hold badminton racket is one of the most important things that should be mastered by all badminton players.

Hold the badminton racket using your fingers to keep your wrist more flexible and relaxed, and do not hold it using your palm.

This will give your wrist more strength while hitting the shuttlecock and will be translated into powerful strokes, shots, and preserve your energy.

Types of badminton racket grip

There are three types of badminton grips often used in badminton games:

Forehand grip
Backhand grip
Panhandle grip

All types of punches in badminton are done mostly with the first two types of grips. All these types of holding the racquet are used interchangeably according to the situation and conditions in the game.

For beginners, usually learn how to hold the forehand grip first, and then the backhand.

Forehand racket grip

Hold the racket by the right or the left hand, hold tightly (like shaking hands) with your middle, ring and little fingers.
Make your thumb and index finger like “V” shape, slightly to the left of the handle center.
Left a gap between the index and the middle fingers and avoid clumping your fingers together.

Uses of forehand grip

Use forehand grip to execute the forehand serves, the drive, the drop shot, the smash and the clear.

Tip: Make your hand a little down near the bottom of the handle to execute power shots, and make it up for net shots as it gives you more control.

Backhand racket grip

Hold the racket by right or left hand, hold tightly (like shaking hands) with your middle, ring and little fingers.
Twist your wrist, and in turn the racket 90 degrees to inside to be parallel to the ground.
Leave a gap between the base of the thumb and the racket to make a diagonal shape.

Uses of backhand grip

Use backhand grip for the backhand serves, the net kill, the lob, the drop shot, and the block.

Panhandle racket grip

Use this grip to hit the shuttle when it comes above and very near to the net (the forehand net kill).

We will speak in more details on these rules about badminton grips in the next sections.

Read more about How to play badminton as professional players?

How to train on badminton grips?

Before the practice of shooting exercises, it is necessary to know how to move your wrist properly while holding the racket.

Hold the racket with your fingers, relax your hand muscles and hold it gently, but still have power.
Train to move the racket to the right, left, forward and backward.
Hit the shuttle to the wall and try foreword grip.
Train with another player and hit bouncing birdie to improve backhand grip.
Practice at home on changing your thumb position to master combination grip.

Always remember, the main difference between these techniques is your thumb position, as it will increase the strength of your strokes.

Frequent errors while holding the badminton grips

Extension of the palm of the hand below the handle.
Holding badminton racket in a tight manner.
Griping the racket by whole hand instead of fingers.

Tip: to develop and improve all types of shots in badminton game basically, you have to master the racket grip technique properly.

In badminton game, you will use your wrist frequently, so the way of holding the badminton racket correctly while playing will greatly determine the quality of the shot.

4. badminton footwork

How to move in the badminton court?

Another skill you should learn is the footwork, which is very important as hand movement while playing badminton.

There are two types of badminton movements inside the court:

a. Chasse movement

– Use this movement to move in the court.

– Starting from the ready position and the badminton racket in front of you, Hit the ground with your feet and jump in the air making them close to each other while moving to the shuttle at any site of the court.

– Do not forget to extend the free arm behind to keep your balance.

– This movement allows you also to move back to catch the shuttle.

a. Lunge movement

– Use this movement to be ready to hit the badminton shuttlecock.

– Starting from ready position and the badminton racket in front of you, bend your knee then hit the ground with your heel and then your toes, and stretch the back foot outwards.

– The toes should be pointed a little away from the shuttle to get a space to move the racket and shot the shuttle.

– Keep your upper body in an upright position and your shoulders above your hips.

– Keep your non-racket arm stretched as well.

– It is so important to keep your knee aligned with your foot to avoid lower limb injury.

Practice both of badminton movements in all sides of the badminton court.

Mix between both movements to cover long distances quickly, starting by chasse step, then run and lunge to catch the shuttlecock.

Learn how to ‘move‘ in the field and not to run as it will make you faster and save a lot of your energy.

Do not practice with the shuttlecock while learning the basic rules about badminton foot movements.

Enjoy your game and consider your movements as a dance.

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Badminton speed Types | How can you increase? Lee Chong...

5. Forehand techniques

Another group of techniques and rules about badminton, which is related to the way of hitting badminton shots and how to deal with them, and when to use your forehand or backhand? so, let’s see.

a. How to hit a forehand badminton smash?

– Starting from the ready position, move your racket leg to the back and twist your body to the sideway. Lunge on your racket foot.

– Raise both arms to keep your body balance and use your forehand grip.

– Make an inclination in the racket of about 45 degrees and then swing it behind your back.

– With a tight grip, rotate your arm forward and direct your wrist to the target point.

– Return to the ready position near the middle of the badminton court.

b. How to hit a forehand badminton drive?

When your opponent hits the shuttle too low, you will not able to hit a smash, but you can hit a forehand drive as it is also considered as an attacking shot.

– To hit that type of shot, take a step toward the shuttle and lunge or sidestep.

– Shot using your forehand grip, make your wrist facing upward and rotate your shoulder backward to produce a backswing.

– Extend your racket arm, roll over your forearm, unlock your wrist and hit the shuttle.

– Go back to the ready position.

c. How to hit a forehand badminton net kill?

When the other player hit the shuttle loosely, you can use the net kill shot to end the rally, as it is an aggressive shot.

– First, move toward the net, lunge on your racket foot toward the shuttle and extend the free arm to the side to keep your balance.

– Using a panhandle grip, make your racket as high as possible to make the shuttle lands very close to the net of your opponent and hit.

– After hitting the birdie, return to the ready position and expect that your opponent may catch the shuttle.

d. How to hit a Lob in badminton?

i. An underhand forehand clear:

It is a defensive shot in response to a drop shot from your opponent, which will drive him/her to the rear side of the court.

– Take a side step, move forward and lunge on your racket leg.

– Move your racket arm back, keep it stretched, and again move it forward to hit the shuttle using your forehand grip.

– Move your wrist quickly and hit the birdie along its original track.

– Push off with your legs and move to the ready position.

ii. Forehand overhead clear:

Another type of lob shot played from your baseline to the rear court of your competitor.

– Make your body perpendicular to the net, while your face looking at it.

– Go back and lunge on your racket leg.

– With a forehand grip, bend the elbow, make your shoulder behind your head, tighten your wrist and swing forward with the head of the racket pointed downward.

– Jump on your non-racket leg, hit the shuttle by making your elbow straight and rotate your forearm to hit the shuttle as high as possible.

e. How to hit a forehand round the head shot?

Use this type if you want to clear a shot, which comes to your backhand rear court, using your forehand to generate more power.

– Move back to the backhand corner, take a side step and make the racket leg behind you in a diagonal shape.

– Move your racket hand behind your back, bend your elbow and lock the wrist to make the racket head pointed downward.

– Hit the shuttle using a forehand grip by swinging and then return to ready position.

f. How to hit a badminton forehand deceptive flick?

Trick the other player by hitting a flick shot to the rear court instead of drop shot.

– Run forward to the net, lunge on your racket foot, make your racket in a low position and rotate your arm to outside.

– Wait until the shuttle become very close to your racket and then snap your wrist powerfully to trick your opponent using the forehand grip.

– Go back to the ready position again.

6. Backhand techniques

a. How to hit a badminton backhand smash?

It is a very tricky shot to your opponent who waits for you to make a drop or a clear.

– Move to the end of the court and make your face opposite the net. Make your racket hand behind the shuttle.

– Use your backhand, make a semi-lunge, point the racket downward and rotate your elbow very fast to hit the shuttle.

– Go back to the middle of the court to your normal position.

b. How to hit a badminton backhand net kill?

– As in forehand net kill, use the backhand net kill shot to end the game and win the point.

– Hold the racket in front of you and higher than the net, use your backhand with a tight grip to shot the badminton shuttle over the net.

c. How to hit a badminton backhand drive?

Shot the birdie in a low horizontal way to the sideline of the court to avoid the counter-attack from your opponent.

– Use a backhand grip with the racket behind your twisted body.

– Move the racket forward to hit the shuttle while rotating your elbow and unlocking your wrist.

– Do not forget to extend the non-racket hand to keep your body balance.

d. How to defend a badminton smash?

– Flex your knees and bend your non-racket hand, follow the way of the shuttle.

– Using a neutral grip, make the racket parallel to the net and hit the shuttle to your opponent’s midcourt.

– Use your backhand if the smash came directly toward your body.

– After catching the smash, go back to the ready position.

e. How to hit a block shot in badminton?

Another way to deal with the smash by hitting it to the forecourt of your opponent that helps you to take the lead of the rally as you force the other player to play a drop or clear.

– Use your backhand to receive the smash and make the racket in front of you and parallel to the net to absorb the power of the smash.

– Direct the shuttle to your opponent’s forecourt and back to the normal position.

f. How to hit a badminton backhand deceptive flick?

Another way to trick your opponent, by hitting a flick shot to the rear court, but this time with your backhand.

– Move forward and lunge on your racket foot, Make the palm of your hand faces downward by rotating your arm inside.

– Wait until the shuttle become very close to your racket and then snap your wrist powerfully to trick your opponent using the backhand grip.

– Go back to the ready position again.

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sports nutrition | Badminton supplements & balanced diet Sports nutrition...

7. Badminton serving rules and techniques

In this section, you will know all the rules about badminton serving and the different methods to hit an effective serve. stay tuned 🙂

a. Badminton rules of serving in singles

– Limits of the service court: Start in your right service court with:

Service line in front
The middle line to the left
Sideline to the right
The anterior back line behind.

– You should hit the shuttle to any site of the opposite court within the same previous borders except that the area, which is allowed, is extended to the posterior back line.

– It is not allowed to trick your opponent or deceive him while serving.

– Make the shuttle below the waist and do not lift your feet from the court.

– If you win the point, you will continue serving and if lose, the other player will hit the serve.

– When the score of the server is an even number, he should serve from his right service court and from the left, if the score is odd.

– In November 2017, the World Badminton Association passed a new regulation for badminton serve. The new rules require that the height of the hitting point should not exceed 1.15 meters.

b. Badminton rules of serving in doubles

– Limits of the service court: The same as in singles.

– You can hit the shuttlecock to your opponents’ court which is opposite to you at any site except the back tramlines and the area in front of his/her service line.

– If the double team won a point, they should exchange their positions but not the receivers.

– Other rules are the same of singles.

c. How to play a low backhand serve in badminton?

It is an effective serve to start your game with it, as your opponent will not be able to play an attacking shot.

– Hold the shuttle with your thumb and index fingers and extend the other fingers away.

– Make your weight on the front of your feet and use your backhand.

– Put the racket in front of you with its head directed downwards.

– Start to hit the shuttle and aim to throw it to fall right behind your opponent’s service line.

To achieve this correctly make your backswing and the follow short so the shuttle will move in a low height and to a short distance.

d. How to hit a high forehand serve in badminton?

The aim of this serve is to send your opponent to his/her rear court.

– Hold the birdie in front of you making your body weight on the back foot and then transfer it to the front foot.

– Drop the shuttle in front of you, wait a moment and move your racket using your forehand grip.

– Rotate your forearm to make your palm upward, but keep your wrist in the extended position.

– Hit the shuttle high to go to the rear court.

e. How to hit a badminton backhand flick serve?

Play this serve to trick your opponent who is normally expecting a high or a low serve.

– Make your body weight on the front foot and the racket should be directed downward.

– Use your backhand grip with a bent elbow, swing the racket back and move it quickly forward in the same path to make the shuttle come over your opponent.

8. Drop shot techniques in badminton

Our last section in this article will be around different types of drop shots, basic technique of each type and how to master it?

a. How to hit a forehand cross-court drop shot?

In this type of drop shot, the shuttle will be hit from your right forecourt to your opponent’s left forecourt, if you are right-handed.

– Using your forehand grip, move to the net with a side step, lunge on your racket foot and stand on the toes of the other foot to keep your balance.

– Make your racket head tilted diagonally across the court.

– Flex your wrist as you shot the birdie.

b. How to hit a backhand cross-court drop shot?

– The same as the in the forehand type except that the shuttle will be played from the left forecourt to the right forecourt if you are right-handed.

– Use your backhand grip and extend your wrist (move it out) while shooting.

c. How to hit a forehand hairpin net shot?

Play this type of drop shots to deal with your opponent’s drop shot.

– When the other player hit a drop shot in your forecourt, move quickly toward the net, lunge on your racket foot with standing on the toes of the other foot for balance and bend your knees.

– Make the racket facing upward and then move it downward by bending your wrist outward.

– Hit the shuttle to fall just over the net and close to it.