By Fun Fact!
Badminton is the fastest racquet sport in the world! Amazing how a shuttle can travel as fast as 200 miles an hour!
Wouldn’t it be a good idea to try your hand at this sport and master the skills in badminton? It is not just a simple game of racquet and shuttle; the sport requires skills and expertise. If you also want to learn the fundamental skills for badminton, read the blog till the end to learn about the skills that will make you a master badminton player!
Fundamental Skills Of Badminton
Listed below is a list of skills for badminton that can help you become a seasoned badminton player. Have a look at these skills to know more:
Grip: An Essential Component
An essential skill for badminton mastery that one needs to master is the grip. As a beginner, if you get the correct grip, you’ll have no problem playing any of the shots! A lot depends on it. A right grip can help you control the shuttle’s direction. A good grip on the racquet is similar to a firm handshake: Neither too loose nor too tight! Holding the racquet too tight will reduce flexibility, while a loose grip on the racquet will hinder control. So having a firm grip of the racquet is one of the fundamental skills for badminton.
Seasoned badminton players prefer to use two types of grips: Backhand Grip and Fronthand Grip. The difference between the two is only the finger grip. Let your index finger control the racquet for a forehand stroke, and the thumb is pressed forward/takes control while playing a backhand shot. So this skill for badminton plays a fundamental role if you want to strive for perfection.
Stance: The Much-Needed Skill
Not only in badminton, but stance plays a crucial role in most games and sports activities. To aim for a good shot, it is necessary to have a good stance. Depending on the shot played by the opponent, you have to change your stance. While playing badminton, the players use three main types of stances (Attacking, Defensive, and Net stance). This is one of the technical skills in badminton to learn, but the most crucial one!
The player takes an attacking stance while aiming for a smash shot. The correct position is to face the body to the sidelines, shift the bodyweight to the racquet hand, raise the non-racquet hand to balance, and with full force, hit the shuttle so that it follows a swift downward path and lands on the opposite side, giving the opponent no chance to hit it back again. This is one of the most important skill for badminton; even though a little technical in nature, once learned can make a lot of difference to the sport.
The player assumes the defensive stance to play high shots. The correct position is facing the body towards the net, keeping the racquet low (till your waist), and bending your knees for flexibility and comfort. Keep your eyes on the shuttle and raise your arms to play the shot.
To defend the net shot:
- Keep the racquet foot forward and the non-racquet foot backward.
- Stay close to the net and keep the racquet above the waist.
- Ensure that you position your knees in position to give you balance.
- Keep an eye on the shuttle and move your body weight to pounce on the shuttle.
Footwork: To Master The Craft
Footwork is a much-needed skill for badminton that a beginner needs to learn and a seasoned player needs to practise. Planning the moves on your side of the court can help you tackle every shot efficiently. Mastering the art of footwork while playing badminton can amp up the level of your game.
Here are a few of the footwork frameworks that you must learn:
Ensure that you remember your base position, and while moving forward to hit the shot, take 2-3 steps to get to the forecourt, and use a similar motion for the backcourt.
While moving backwards, ensure to use a skipping, chasse motion while using the non-racquet foot to manoeuvre the movement.
Try to shuffle only one step on each side so that you stay close to the original position.
Apart from these, there are a few footwork movements that the player must practice. It includes:
Moving to the forehand and backhand side of the net, covering the mid-court and rear-court (both backhand and forehand).
Serve: Start The Game With Expertise
A good serve is an underrated yet the most necessary skill for a badminton player. A good player should master serving to get a headstart in the game. There are two main types of serves that can be used, namely: High Serve and Low Serve.
A high serve aims to drop the shuttle at the back end of the court. This kind of serve is presented to the opponent who has a tendency to hit a smash shot, which ultimately leads the opponent to miss the shot in an attempt to hit a smash.
On the other hand, a low service is used to bring the player close to the net area. A low serve is attempted to land the shuttle in the front court, close to the net. A low serve provokes the player to play a defensive shot and end up in poor execution, in turn scoring a point for the player.
Smash: Unleashing Power and Precision in Badminton
The smash is a fundamental and pivotal skill in badminton, offering players a potent offensive weapon. It requires precision, timing, and power to execute a forceful downward swing, propelling the shuttlecock with a challenging trajectory. Mastering the smash empowers players to assert offensive dominance and secure valuable points.
The Perfect Smash:
Position yourself correctly with a shoulder-width stance.
Shift weight to the back foot and prepare to jump.
Swing the racket arm back and generate power.
Jump, timing it with the shuttlecock’s height.
Execute a forceful downward swing, hitting the shuttlecock at its highest point.
Follow through with your arm and maintain balance upon landing.
Along With Technical Skills In Badminton…
These are a few other necessary skills that the players need to master the skill for excellence in badminton and become star players. Apart from these technical skills in badminton, a player should also focus on some other skills to improve performance. These skills relate to agility and the motor skill of the player.
Hand-Eye Coordination
The hand-eye coordination is one of the most crucial skills for a badminton player. A powerful stroke by the player on the reception of the shuttle makes for a good shot. Good hand-eye coordination is an integral part of the game. Badminton players use various techniques and continuous practice to improve their motor skills.
Coordination and Judgement
The most important skill in any sport is the coordination and connection between the team players. Similar is the case with this sport. Along with the technical skills in badminton, it is necessary for the team player to bring out the best in each other. Along with coordination comes the ability to trace the movement of the opponent and plan your moves accordingly. A combination of these two skills can help in winning the game.
Summing Up….
This list of Fundamental skills of badminton can help a beginner to start a career in the field. Brushing up on the core badminton skills before you start playing badminton professionally is necessary. Having expertise in this skill is necessary. Along with having the necessary skills of badminton, regular practice of the sport also plays a major role in becoming a good badminton player.
Let us know in the comments if any of the skills for playing badminton mentioned in the blog helped you. Also, feel free to mention any technical skill in badminton that we missed.
How can I improve my badminton skills?
The only way to improve any skill is through continuous practice. The same goes for badminton. To polish your skills, the best way is regular practice.
What equipment do I need to play badminton?
If you want to play it casually, you just need a shuttle and a racquet to play the game.
Is badminton a technical sport?
Professionally playing badminton requires good motor coordination and the utility of the fundamental skills in badminton, which adds an aspect of technicality.
Is badminton a complex game?
Playing badminton is not very difficult. The sport is relatively simple once you get a hand with the few basic rules and learn the techniques.
