Basic Skills of Badminton

 Back Hand
1 Grip
 Forehand

 Attacking Stance
2 Stance  Defensive Stance
 Net Stance

 Move only 2-3 steps backward.

 High Serve
4 Serve
 Low Serve

 Fore Hand Smash

GRIP
The right grip in holding the racket is really important to achieve control on shots while avoiding
the chances of a wrist injury. A proper grip will allow you to play both backhand and forehand
strokes effortlessly. A racket is held in a manner comparable to a handshake. Just the thumb will
fit nicely against the handle grip's broader surface. The remaining hand will be used to simulate a
handshake. Don't forget to maintain a loose, welcoming grip during the handshake. It will limit
one's range of motion and could eventually result in wrist damage.
Backhand and forehand Grip:

The only difference while playing the 2 kinds of strokes is in the use of fingers. 

 Push the index finger forward while playing forehand strokes.

 Push the thumb forward while playing backhand strokes.

STANCE
The stance is how you stand while playing badminton, both in between a rally and before the
serve. A stable and correct stance will bring a huge change in the results due to easier movement.
There are 3 types of 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 the racket leg behind and both legs
shoulder-width apart. Now raise both racket and non-racket arms to generate the power to attack
the shuttle on its downward trajectory.

DEFENSIVE STANCE

To defend the opponent’s smash, you need to be prepared with a 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 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 a 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.

FOOTWORK

Badminton is played on a badminton court with limited space, and the athletes have to take care
of the same while playing. Footwork plays a huge role in helping with an effective and organized
movement on the court. In fact, some coaches even raise footwork to prime importance over
other skills.

Tips for proper footwork:

●Always remember the base (starting point). ●Move only 2-3 steps backward.
●Shuffle only 1 step sidewards. ●Move only 2-3 steps front.

SERVE

Service is among the most basic skill that you need to master in Badminton. Also, you should
ensure to make a legal service otherwise it might lead to penalty points.

There can be 2 types of service in badminton, depending on the landing aim of the shuttle.

High Serve

High serve aims at the back-end corner of the opponent’s court. Ideally, a good high serve results
in the shuttle dropping steeply downwards at the back end of the court. In fact, a high serve is
presented to opponents having the ability to executing a strong smash. You can always expect a
lob or a drop from your opponent as a reply to a properly executed high serve. In general, it is
advised to serve the shuttle to the backhand area of the opposition. This is done to take advantage
of the weaker backhand that most players have.

Low Serve

Unlike high serve, the low serve aims to the front of the court. The objective is to let the shuttle
fly just above the net landing in the front corner of the court. In this case, your opponent has the
opportunity to dash forward and smash the shuttle to you if the execution is poor.

SMASH/STROKE
Smash is the most potent and powerful stroke in badminton which naturally turns out to be the
most familiar term to all. The shot is basically to hit the shuttle powerfully towards the
opponent’s body or downward on the court. A perfectly executed smash has no defense. This
badminton skill is the most aggressive and technical one. Fundamentally there are 3 types of
smashes:

Forehand smash
The forehand is an overhead smash which is similar to the action of throwing a ball. You
shouldn’t have a problem playing this stroke if you can throw a ball well. This skill in badminton
acts as a game-changer for beginners.

BACKHAND SMASH

This is one of the toughest strokes in badminton, and even experts face difficulty in playing the
stroke. Still, it is important to practice and get the technique to rise in the skill level. To execute
this stroke, getting the backhand grip is extremely important. Also, it is equally important to
return back to stance.

JUMPING SMASH

A forehand smash with a timed jump added to it counts under jumping smash. This skill in
badminton is the most glamorous of all.