If badminton is currently the sport that you want to try to learn, then you should know the basics of the game. It does not take any required skill to learn it, but to master the game is a different story.
As a beginner, you should learn the basics even before you start buying equipment or playing. This can help you avoid developing bad habits that will hold you back from becoming a pro player.
Basic Racket Gripping Skills
When learning how to play badminton, one of the most important things is to learn about the basic gripping technique. You need to learn how to hold your racket using both forehand and backhand grip. Failing to learn this will prevent you from executing powerful shots. Just remember that the correct way of holding the racket is like giving a ‘friendly shake.’
So imagine the grip of the racket as a hand that is approaching to shake your hand. Then hold the racket as if you are shaking another persons’ hand – not too soft, but not too right either. Remember that how you hold the racket will affect the flexibility of your wrist.
Basic Footwork on the Court
With good footwork, you can easily move around the court. This is important to learn for you to be able to efficiently return your opponents’ shots. Even though this is a very important skill to learn, many are still neglecting its importance. In fact, this is the most important skill that every badminton player should learn. Remember that playing badminton is all about speed. Your opponent can make the shuttlecock move extremely fast so you need to move faster than it to be able to hit it.
Badminton Serve
Every badminton rally will start with a serve. You need to learn different types of serving technique to be able to deliver good serves. This can give you an edge over your opponent right from the start of each rally. You can serve high or serve low depending on where you want to shuttlecock to land.
Basic Strokes
When it comes to badminton strokes, this is simply your swinging action to hit the shuttlecock. If you cannot hit properly, you will not be able to return your opponent’s shots. Bad badminton strokes can restrict your performance and oftentimes, this becomes your weakness. Once the shuttle is coming towards you, you will have to use different strokes to hit it. You can use overhead forehand stoke, overhead backhand stroke, underarm forehand stroke, or underarm backhand stroke. Once you learn all this, you can hit different types of shots like clear, drop, and smash.
Basic Stance
With a good stance, it can set you up to defend and attack your opponents’ shots during the game. You should learn the offensive, defensive, as well as the net stance. The stance basically is the way you stand when retrieving a shot from your opponent. The correct stance can give you an advantage in a rally.
Remember that for you to move from a beginner to an intermediate or advanced player, it will take practice and patience. You should learn the basics and make them your habit. Training regularly is important because you are the only one who can help yourself to become better.
