Badminton Shots | Types & Techniques For Super Play

Shots hold a vital place in Badminton. Having a considerable arsenal of shots makes a badminton player competitive and nearly invincible. It is the process of exchanging the shuttle between two players or teams is carried out by means of different shots. Different types of badminton shots involve a multiple set of skills and techniques needed for a beginner to advanced level playing of badminton sport

Badminton Shots, Types & Techniques For Playing Badminton like a Pro

Badminton relies heavily on the use of one’s firm grip and fast hand reflexes. Hand acts as an integral component while playing Badminton since it holds your racket, and also makes its proper use by helping it hit the shuttle and send it back to the opponent.

How to hold a Racket? Grip of the Racket:  To hold a racket one has to follow certain procedure. If you are right hander, hold the bottom end of the handle of a racket with your left hand, and put your right hand on the net of the racket.

Now, slide your right hand to the bottom of the handle of a racket and replace your left hand with the right hand. Hold your racket as you shake hands with friends. Make a solid or soft grip, as per needs of the shots, by putting your four fingers on one side of the handle of the racket, and your only thumb on the other side of the handle.

Place your index finger higher than rest of the fingers to support you in better grip. Remember, there is no rigid way to make a grip. Every player is free to grip a racket as per his wishes and comforts. However, its proper grip is highly recommended. Let’s find out and master different shots in Badminton.

1. Serve Shots in Badminton

This shot starts the game and consequent rallies in badminton. The server has to be in the service box while playing this shot. You can play this shot with forehand or backhand. The serve shot needs carefulness while playing it since a wrong serve might cost you points. There are three major types of serve shot.

a. High Serve Shot:  High serve shot is possibly the most effective shot in badminton. This shot is executed from a lower position and it goes toward a higher level with the shuttlecocks. The basic purpose of this shot is to pass the shuttle from a lower trajectory to a higher place to the end of the playing area of your opponent.

b. Low Serve Shot:  The low serve shot stays low after being attempted. You can gently hit the shuttle slightly on top of the net, and shuttle should fall on the line of your competitor’s side. This shot might go wrong occasionally and hit the net instead of crossing it.

c. Flick Serve Shot:  This shot is self-explanatory. You have to make a flick with your racket and make the shuttle pass the net. Remember, you have to hit the shuttle high in the air with the aim to land it at the back of your opponent’s court.

2. Clear Shot in Badminton

This shot seems fairly easy. While attempting this shot, you have to send the shuttle to the higher point from one side of the court to the other side of the opponent. The purpose of this clear shot is to force the opponent to move to the back of the court so you will have a better opportunity to hit a winning shot.

3. Smash Shot

Smash is one of the most powerful shots in badminton, especially while flaring the deep control or when you see the opportunity is coming, smash is the best way to hit a winning shot. You have to hit the shuttle with full potency toward the competitor.

This shot is played with full extension of the arm and full follow-through. Attempt this shot when the shuttlecock is in the hitting arc or in front of you.

Smash shot plays a pivotal role in badminton. In this shot, you need hit the shuttle with immense power with your racket, so as to make the shuttle fly briskly from your court to the middle of your competitor’s playing court. Before playing this shot, you have to make sure that your direction of shuttle goes perfectly.

Smash shot is crucial in badminton because it really helps a lot to end up the position. Additionally, it is vital for both doubles and singles. In singles, you can get many points with your sharp movements and technically played shots and by compelling your opponent to go off balance and missing to respond your shots.

In doubles, you can get many points in different ways, by maintaining your strategy and organizing to come back with powerful shot, without smash shot it is impossible to get success in doubles.

4. Net Shot

A net shot is bit tricky. To play this shot, you have to hit the shuttle slightly above the net. This shot helps to put your opponent in trouble while returning your net shot.

The purpose of the net shot is to make the opponent run from the back or to the front core and also to force the opponent to leave your way in order for you to gain the attack. This shot is played near the net and with gentle pushes.

5. Backhand Shot

A backhand shot is played differently. While attempting this shot, a player has to stretch his elbow out, move his dominate hand back to the opposite hand, and bring the head of the racket near his shoulder and from their he needs to swing and hit the shuttle. Remember, you are to hit the shuttle, when you have insufficient time to react to it.

6. Lob Shot in Badminton

It is a very basic and protective shot in badminton. The purpose of this shot is to get a player out of the critical situation. To play this shot, a player just has to wait for the falling shuttle.

And as soon as the shuttle comes somewhere near the height of player’s waist, he can swing his racket and hit the falling shuttle back to the opponent. A lob shot usually draws your approaching opponents away from the middle net and thereby creating room for you.

Types Lob Shots

a. Defensive Lob ShotIt is a savior shot in badminton. While executing this shot, you have some time to capitalize on and to come back comfortably if you are in difficult or awkward position.

b. Attacking Lob Shot:  It is possibly an annoying shot in badminton. An attacking lob is played horizontally with speed. After playing this shot, the shuttle is bound to fall in the back end of the opponent’s court, and thus it creates difficulty for your competitor and push him back comfortably.

7. Drop shot in Badminton

To execute the drop shot, start with the offensive position. Stand straight and put your weight on your body. Now, hold the racket higher than your face and swing your shot by pushing your body forward and locking your wrist and extending your arm for a little bit.

As you hit the shuttle, make sure your racket comes from upper position and must make the shuttle fall on the other side of the court with downward motion. The purpose of drop shot is also to force the opponent to move from the back court to the front court so you will have a better opportunity to score a point.

Drop shot is considered a very graceful shot in badminton. The aim of drop shot is to send forward your shuttle with racket from your playing area to the competitor’s area, but shuttle must not be away from the net, it should be close to the net.

It is an artful shot and to be executed skillfully. It is equally useful for both single and doubles. Though, it is mostly used in single than doubles. In doubles, you have to make free space for your competitor, in order to get the first step.

Besides, it is handy to shift a position from their playing area. In singles, it is fruitful to make a drop shot because you have the entire half of the court open for the execution of this shot.

Types of Drop shots

a. Basic Drop Shot:  It is performed softly, because, it cannot come down being slop, and basic drop shot is a fabulous peculiarity of performer to pass the shuttle perfectly above the net.

b. Slice Drop Shot:  This shot is both; subtle and tricky. A slicing drop shot makes it difficult for your competitor to hit the shuttle back.

c. Fast forehand Drop Shot:  It is considered one of the fastest shots in badminton. You have to hit a shuttle with full strength, in order for it to go fast towards the net, and land on service line.

8. Drive Shot in Badminton

You need to attempt this shot when you are facing the shuttle, that is lower and deeper, on the court of your side. Here, you have to hit the shuttle very flatly as well as fast. The purpose of the drive shot is to put a pressure and to force the opponent to have less time to the air.

The drive shot is considered a fundamental flat shot in badminton. It is played to hit straight over the net. Moreover, it is one of the quickest shots in badminton because with it, you can attack your competitor easily.

If you execute this shot perfectly, this shot will compel your competitor to hit towards higher point, here, you have a great chance to respond wisely against your competitor.

It mostly happens in doubles, because, there, the competitors always try to keep the shuttle at lowest point. The main purpose of drive shot is to hit the shuttle quickly and straight in order to make it reach your competitor and make him unable to return it.

a. Flat forehand Drive Shot:  In this drive, the position of players should be impartial and shuttle must be flat in order to interchange with a forehand control, by doing this , you can hit the shuttle powerfully. The flat drive makes arm powerful.

b. Defensive forehand Drive Shot:  The basic concept behind this is just having a better grip of the handle of the racket. This shot serves as the defensive wall against the shots of your opponent.

c. Backhand flat Drive Shot:  In this short, you need to have considerable focus on your thumb. Your thumb must be on racket’s handle. This will create a power to hit the shuttle.

d. Backhand defensive Drive Shot:  This shot is to counter the smashes of your opponent. You can also make a good use of this shot while responding other shots of your opponent.

9. Lifting Shot in Badminton

This shot is played for lifting the shuttlecock that is to drop on the ground. You can play this shot in a forehand or a backhand style. However, forehand seems comfortable. You need to wait for the shuttlecock to come in downward direction and let it drop down until it reaches your waist.

Now, swing your racket to make a contact with the shuttlecock. Remember, you have to take one decision keeping in mind the position of your opponent.

On the one hand, you can hit the shuttlecock harder to make it go high and fall in back of the court of your opponent. One the other hand, you may go for a softer hit to make the shuttlecock cross the net and fall in the front of the court.

Related Topics

  1. Comprehensive Guide of Badminton Rules & Regulations.
  2. Badminton Serves | Types & techniques
  3. Faults & Lets in Badminton Explained
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