Badminton Drills | 14 Essential Drills For Super Play

The drills are an important factor of effective badminton play. Various types of drills like footwork, double drills, wall rally, drop shot, backhand, drive, warm up, smash drills etc. are a few types of drills that are discussed here with examples, images and explanation.

Badminton Drills & Skills For Effective & Practical Badminton Sports

You might have observed, in your everyday life, that the tasks you do in routine seem quite easier to execute than those which you do occasionally.

  • How do you do your routine work easily and perfectly?
  • Why do you complete routine tasks quickly but new task take time?
  • What is the thing that helps you in doing regular tasks with such ease?

The answer to these questions is PRACTICE. So, seemingly difficult tasks turn out to be easier after few rounds of their execution. Slowly and gradually you acquire expertise by means of repetition of those activities. Same rule applies to the Badminton too.

No player can claim to be the master of badminton without doing drills of its shots, footwork, movement etc. This game certainly demands rigorous drills for honing your weak skills and also crafting your dominant skills, and thus making you a considerably perfect player of the game.

Remember, playing an actual match on the court with opponent and practicing the game out of it are entirely different things. The former needs prior preparation and the later offers necessary preparation. An ill prepared player is destined to defeat while a well prepared player is sure to win.

Thus, it is necessary for a player to improve his skills before facing his opponent and tasting a shameful defeat. To improve one’s skills one has to make a routine for practice.

You may practice any time you feel suitable, and your practice may comprise of any of the various drills in badminton such as; shadow drills, footwork drills, wall rally drills, drills for drop shot, backhand drills, badminton drive drills, ready position drills, overhead clear shot badminton drills, badminton drills without net, badminton drills for smash shot, badminton warm up drills and so on.

14 Essential Drills For Efficient Badminton Play

Let’s know about above mentioned drills in detail and try to master them for becoming champion of the game.

  • Shadow Drill (imagining the shuttlecock)
  • Wall Rally Drill (Smashing the wall)
  • Drill with Multiple Shuttles (hitting multiple shuttles)
  • Drills on half court singles (using one side of the court)
  • One player facing two opponents
  • Drills for improving footwork
  • Drills without net
  • Drop Shot Drills
  • Backhand Clear Drills
  • Drive Shot Drills
  • Ready Position Drills
  • Clear Shot Drills
  • Smashes Drills
  • Net Shots Drills

1. Shadow Drill (imagining the shuttlecock)

This drill is imaginary as its name suggests. To perform this drill, two players are required. One is to give directions with his racket (as if he were hitting a shuttlecock) and other is to follow him and play shots accordingly.

Interestingly, there is no shuttlecock, and the player being directed, does not need to hit the shuttlecock but imagine to do so. The directing player may direct other player to go in different directions on the court such as; front, back, left and right.

He may also direct him to jump or lower his racket to play different shots. After some time, players change their position and play in the same way. The purpose of this drill is to improve your technique, fitness, footwork, confidence and to save a shuttlecock from being used before the match.

2. Wall Rally Drill (Smashing the wall)

This drill is quite easy to perform. Simply, you have to find an at least 15-20 feet wall to hit the shuttlecock to, a racket and a used shuttlecock.

You do not need another player since the wall acts as your opponent and returns your shots to you. You have to stand five to six feet away from the wall and start your rally. Once you start your rally, try to go with one shot at a time.

Once you end up playing a long rally with one shot, try another rally with another shot. Continue doing it until you find it enough for the day. You can also chalk out a net on the wall so as to give it an original look. The size of net may be in accordance with the original one. It will offer you the experience of real game and real opponent in the shape of the wall.

Wall rally drill is tailor made for a single player who does not find any other player to practice with. This drill helps you in many ways such as; footwork, quick response, wrist work, forehand and backhand shots, coordination, agility and speed.

3. Drill with Multiple Shuttles (hitting multiple shuttles)

This drill is to improve your quick moves, dives, speed, accuracy and alacrity. To perform this drill, you need to have dozens of shuttlecocks, a feeder of the shuttlecocks, a racket and an entire court.

You need to stand on one side of the court with your racket, and the feeder need to stand on the other side of the court with one racket and many shuttlecocks. On the one hand, the feeder needs to pick as many as shuttlecock as he can, and start hitting them to you one by one.

On the other hand, you have to respond to his varying degree of shots. The shuttlecock, once hit by the feeder and you, goes dead and the new shuttlecock comes into play. You can play any shot you want while responding to your feeder. You can play smashes, drives, drop shots, clears, net shots, lifts and so on.

Note:

  • You need to move, in different directions, on the court for attempting various shots and to come on a specific position after responding a shot on the court.
  • Your shots must not go astray.
  • They need to maintain the direction you wish them to go to

4. Drills on half court singles (using one side of the court)

To practice this drill you need a partner with a racket, a shuttlecock and the court. Both of you are bound to use only one side of the court for this drill.

This drill narrows the playing area for both of you. Thus, restricts you from playing freely, and compels you to maintain your shots accordingly. This drill increases the pressure of shots on you and simultaneously reduces the response time.

You will experience the pressure of an actual match and that’s why this drill needs to be included in your daily routine. The more you play, the better you become.

5. One player facing two opponents

This drill will certainly make you a better player when it comes to the singles. In this drill, you need two opponents with rackets, one shuttlecock and a badminton court.

You face two opponents who stand on the other side of the court. You need to be alert, speedy, confident and accurate with the shots. Your opponents will surely put you under tremendous pressure by continuous shots. It’s you, who have to maintain this pressure and respond their aggressive shots with quick moves and brisk hand movements. You will observe a change in your skills once you adapt this drill in your daily routine.

6. Drills for improving footwork

Lower limbs are equally important in badminton as upper limbs are. Our legs help us move from on part of the court to the other to reach the shuttlecock.

They help us in standing and jumping while swinging our racket. So, it’s necessary to make our legs and thighs stronger and sharper.

There are different footwork drills one can go with such as;

  • Placing rackets at each alternate corner of the court, and shuttlecock on remaining corners.
  • Player has to run to the racket first and then to the shuttlecock.
  • As soon as he reaches the shuttlecock, he has to hit it and leave the racket at that corner and run to the other corner for following the same procedure.
  • This drill should go on until all shuttlecocks are hit.
  • A player may remove the net for a while and start playing alone on the court.
  • He has to divide the court into two halves by a mid-line, and start playing shots from one half of the court and then run to the other half of the court and hit the shuttle back before it falls down.

Remember:

You have to improve your footwork, so you need to focus on this and hit higher shots so that you can manage to reach the other side of the court before the shuttlecock kisses the floor.

7. Drills without net

Badminton court and net are required for official matches. If you need to improve your game, you can do it without court and net.

You simply need a racket, shuttlecock and a playing surface. You can also add your partner to practice with you. You and your partner can stand in opposite direction, and start playing shots assuming a net in the middle of you. Try to cross the imaginary net. Your aim should be to prevent the shuttlecock from falling down as a result of swing and miss.

The one who misses the shuttlecock and lets it drop on the ground, loses a point. You can practice variety of shots, except the net shot, which requires a concrete net. Continue playing it until either of you feels tired. You can also practice with the help of a wall as discussed above.

8. Drop Shot Drills

To master the drop shot, you need to have dedicated practice. Drop shot is played from higher to down position. A player has to stand in ready position, hold his racket higher in his dominant hand, and the shuttlecock, lower than racket, in his other hand.

Now, he has to hit the shuttle in downward position with the aim to manage the shuttlecock cross the net and fall on opponent’s side. Opponent, on the other side, should try to respond him by hitting the shuttlecock back to him, before it kisses the surface of the court. Two players can play ten to twenty rounds of this shot and then exchange their roles.

9. Backhand Clear Drills

Backhand clear shot is definitely the best shot in badminton. You may not be able to master it in an hour or two. You certainly get hold of it but after a few days of drills. If you desire to play badminton and beat your opponent, you ought to master this shot for getting upper hand over him.

To play this shot, you have to take your racket foot forward and face the shuttlecock that goes to non-racket hand. Backhand shot comes into play when your opponent has responded your shot and the shuttlecock comes back to you on you non-racket hand side.

Now, you bring the face of your racket to your non-racket hand and manage to hit the shuttlecock from there. You need to master this shot by dedicated drills. You can take a player with you to feed shuttlecocks to your non-racket hand side, and thus compel you to play backhand shots. Practice this shot for half an hour and see the results afterwards.

10. Drive Shot Drills

Drive shot is a great way to warm up and improve your reflexes. To start this drill, two players have to stand, in middle of the court, in the ready position.

Player A starts as the server and drives to the back hand of player B. Player B should drive back to player A’s forehand. Continue this drill for 20 odd rounds and then exchange roles and repeat the same drill.

11. Ready Position Drills

Taking a suitable position is always in your favor. No matter, whether you are playing singles or doubles, you have to maintain a position. Position relies on once comforts and strategy. Standing still or straddle, putting weight on the legs, leaning forward, bending arms, facing opponents and all that ultimately benefit you.

If you are slow in advancing, you might wish to stand in the front of the court to handle the shuttlecocks that are bound to fall in the front of the court. If you are slow in retreating, you might sneak to the back of the court to tackle shuttlecock that fall in the back of the court.

Where you stand is all up to you and depending on how good you are in the front of the court, and how good you are at the back end of the court. When it comes to putting weight on you, again it’s you, who decides it. You have to decide whether you like to put weight on both legs or on one leg keeping in mind the situation. You can change positions during the match keeping in mind the position of the shuttlecock.

12. Clear Shot Drills

You need a partner to perform this drill. The position for clear shot is just like the position of the serve. You have to take your non-racket foot in the front and racket foot in the back. When you get ready, you turn sideways, a little bit towards your opponent, not completely towards the wall because you need to see your opponent.

To start, your partner should feed you and you respond his shot back. This process should go on until one of you fails to return the shuttle. You can practice this shot by standing on one side of the court or in cross court. You need to play diagonally if you choose cross courts. This shot normally takes little time to master. It depends on you, how much time you take to master it.

13. Smashes Drills

To master this shot, you need to be aggressive and strategic. This shot is equally significant for singles and doubles. To start its drills, you need a partner to feed and respond you.

You need to take a ready position and wait for your partner to feed you. When he feeds you the shuttlecock, you need to hit the shuttlecock with full power, in a targeted direction, and beat your partner with your shot.

You need to hit the shuttlecock with forehand style since it generates brutal power, that is the soul of a smash shot. You can hit smash shots diagonally, straight to you partner, over his head, in front of him when he is at the back of the court.

Continue this drill for half an hour to bring perfect to it. The basic aim of this shot is to bag a point and this aim is served when you beat your opponent and manage to make the shuttlecock kiss the floor in no time.

14. Net Shots Drills

Net shot is the most prolific shot when it comes to the scoring. This shot is in contrast with the smash. To master this shot, you do not need immense power, you simply need to learn that how to nudge the shuttlecock and make it pass the net and drop on the other side of the net just near it.

To practice this shot, you need a partner. You and your partner should stand near the net and start feeding the shuttlecock. Once the rally starts, continue it as long as you can. Your aim should be to make the shuttlecock cross the net, without coming in contact with the net or colliding with it.

Remember, you can play this shot forehand and back hand. This shot only needs gentle pushes to make it cross the need. Net shot is predominately played near the net and that’s why it’s known as such.

1. What are the 5 shots in badminton?

Among all, the 5 essential shots in badminton play are the following;

1. Shadow Drill
2. Wall Rally Drill
3. Back hand Clear Drills
4. Drop Shot Drills.
5. Drive Shot Drills.

2. How should a beginner learn badminton?

Badminton is very interesting and easy to learn game. It doesn’t involve hard core skills or rules to learn before you hit on the court. There are simplistic rules, one can easily understand within a few trial plays.

3. What makes a good badminton player?

The badminton is the game of agility, swift movements and body and mind coordination. A good badminton player must be a man of good physical strength, mental swiftness, sound psychology and understanding of all things to work under stiff pressure.

4. How long does it take to be good at badminton?

Well, there is no time frame by which you can assuredly say that one can lean badminton in a certain period of time. However, keeping the advanced playing apart, You can learn the beginner or intermediate level badminton playing easily within a short span of time.

However, for learning badminton to the next level you need to regular practice to gain a fair advantage and experience.


Related helpful Topics

  1. Badminton Skills & Tactics Guide
  2. Comprehensive Badminton Shots Guide
  3. Badminton Smash | Types
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