Origins and History of Badminton

Badminton for Beginners
Origins and History of Badminton
Badminton is a sport that is not that popular in most of the world, although
there are many people who know it, especially because it is played with a feather
(called a steering wheel), but consider a variant of tennis and not a sport or not You
know it’s called Badminton. The Badminton we know today was developed in the
mid-nineteenth century by the British, but the act of playing with a racquet and a pen
has been around for hundreds of years, especially in Europe and Asia. A group of
countries (England, Scotland, Wales, Canada, Denmark, France, Ireland, Holland
and New Zealand) joined and created the International Badminton Federation, thus
making this sport stronger and more regulated, which helped its expansion.
Currently, Badminton is an already well-known Olympic modality, which is dominated
by Asian countries such as China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia or South Korea. male
and female.
The origins of the game of badminton date back at least 2,000 years to the
game of battledore and shuttlecock played in ancient Greece, China, and India. A
very long history for one of the Olympics newest sports! Badminton took its name
from Badminton House in Gloucestershire, the ancestral home of the Duke of
Beaufort, where the sport was played in the last century. Gloucestershire is now the
base for the International Badminton Federation.
The IBF was formed in 1934 with nine members: Canada, Denmark, France,
Netherlands, England, New Zealand, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The United
States joined four years later. Membership increased steadily over the next few
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years with a surge in new members after the Olympic Games debut at Barcelona.
The first big IBF tournament was the Thomas Cup (men’s world team
championships) in 1948. Since then, the number of world events has increased to
seven, with the addition of the Uber Cup (ladies’ team), World Championships,
Sudirman Cup (mixed team), World Juniors, World Grand Prix Finals, and the World
Cup.
The World Cup invitational event started in 1981 and is organized by the
International Management Group (IMG). The World Cup series is due to end in 1997,
and the IBF is considering organizing exhibition matches featuring the world’s top
players to replace the World Cup.For the recent Thomas and Uber Cups in Hong
Kong, the sale of commercial and television rights was a multimillion dollar contract.
And it’s not just in Asia. In Europe also, there’s a growing number of companies
bidding for rights. Television companies worldwide are already buying exclusive
rights to the 1997 World Championships to be held in Glasgow, Scotland.
A turning point in badminton’s growth was the $20 million tripartite contract in
1994 for sponsorship of the World Grand Prix Finals. Under the terms of the deal
between the IBF, IMG, and STAR TV, STAR injects the monies into the promotion
and development of badminton. In return, STAR gains total exclusivity for the
exploitation of the commercial and television rights to the WGP Finals. “The deal was
good for both main parties,” said David Shaw, IBF’s executive director, who was
brought into the organization with a brief to grow the sport. “We needed a strong
partner in television, and the broadcaster had identified badminton as a vehicle
which would attract audiences across Asia to its prime sports channel.”
The next phase in the rise and rise of international badminton has been to
retake the USA. The U.S. was an early member of the IBF and initially one of the
most successful. When the Uber Cup was introduced in 1956, Americans won the
first three events. But then interest waned.
Badminton is a well liked and familiar sport in the USA but, predominantly, is
usually played as a fun game in the backyard or on the beach. We know that once
Americans see the other badminton—international badminton, the world’s fastest
racket sport—they will want to see and play more. The Atlanta Olympics started to
raise the sport’s profile in the U.S. The event was a sell-out and became one of the
“must-see” sports. Ex-President Jimmy Carter, Chelsea Clinton, Paul Newman, and
Princess Anne were among the celebrities who came to watch. David Broder of the
Washington Post reported “seeing one of the supreme athletic spectacles of my life.”
The year 1996 was a landmark in USA badminton. It’s not only the Atlanta
Olympic Games that started to generate tremendous interest in the U.S. market. In
December 1995, the IBF introduced a new concept tournament in California, the
Hong Ta Shan Cup, a men’s invitation tournament with the best players and big prize
money. There are now plans to add a women’s event and to increase the prize
money. The Hong Ta Shan Group has gone on to sponsor the U.S. Open, increasing
the prize money to $200,000. This makes the event the most valuable World Grand
Prix event in the series and gives it six-star status.
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The degree of change is increasing. Badminton’s debut as an Olympic Games

sport has manifestly boosted interest internationally. The STAR TV agreement has
increased the sport’s coverage dramatically. Sponsors and television companies are
being attracted to a sport which gives them access to the Asian economies. And
spectators are increasingly attracted to the exciting mix of angles, tactics, touch,
reaction, and fitness that would exhaust a squash champion.
Child’s Play
Poona developed from a children’s game called battledore and shuttlecock.
The object of this game was to see how long a group could volley the shuttlecock by
hitting it with the battledore, or paddle. This cooperative, non-competitive game was
originally played without a net. The shuttlecock is often called a bird because its
made out feathers. Today, some models are made of plastic, but competition
shuttlecocks consist of 16 real feathers. Experts claim the very best shuttles are
made from feathers taken from the left wing of a goose.
Even before battledore and shuttlecock evolved, there were similar sports
being played throughout the world. In fifth century China, ti jian zi was played by
kicking a shuttle into the air. By the 1600s, people in Europe were playing jeu de
volant, a game that used a racket rather than feet to volley the shuttle.
By the time British officers stationed in India encountered poona the game was
a fast-paced competitive sport. These officers took the equipment for poona back to
England in the early 1870s.
A Party at Badminton
It was the Duke of Beaufort who officially introduced the game to England. In
1873, guests at a lawn party on his country estate, Badminton, played a game of
poona. The game was a hit and soon became popular among the British elite.
People began calling the new party sport “the Badminton game.”
The game was played both indoors and outdoors on a court with an hourglass
shape. It has been suggested that this unusual shape developed so the game could
be played in Victorian salons, large rooms with doors that opened inward on both
sides. In 1901, the official badminton court became rectangular.
Badminton clubs were started throughout England. By 1893, badminton had

grown to the point where 14 clubs joined to form the Badminton Association. (Later,
when more countries started their own federations, the name was changed to the
Badminton Association of England.) This group was instrumental in standardizing the
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laws of the sport and in starting the earliest and most prestigious badminton
tournament, the All-England Badminton Championships.
As badminton spread to more countries, the need for an international

governing board became apparent. The International Badminton Federation was
created in 1934 and today has its headquarters in Kent, England. These nine
countries were the original members of the IBF:
Canada
Denmark
England
France
Ireland
The Netherlands
New Zealand
Scotland
Wales
Today, the IBF has more than 150 member nations. The American Badminton
Association was formed in the United States in 1936 and joined the IBF in 1938. In
1978 the ABA changed its name to the U.S. Badminton Association
Top 10Greatest Badminton layer of All Time

Badminton is one of the most famous racket sports around the world. It is an Olympic
sport that was first played in 1992 at the Olympic Games in Barcelona.Badminton is the
second most popular participatory sport in the world, just behind soccer, and is considered as
the fastest racket sport. We recognize badminton with the racquets and player hitting
shuttlecocks at the speed of 300 kmph.
Let’s go back to the history and see some of the most famous badminton players
around the world. DSport has picked up the top ten greatest badminton players of all time,
just for you.
Lin Dan
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Lin Dan is a Legendary Chinese professional badminton player Lin Dan was
nicknamed “Super Dan” by Peter Gade. He is regarded as the greatest singles
player of all time by many all over the world. He is the first and only player to
complete the “Super Grand Slam” by the age of 28, which includes all nine major
titles in the international badminton.
He is a two-time Olympic champion, five-time World champion, as well as a

six-time All England champion. He also became the first men’s singles player to
retain the Olympic gold medal by winning in 2008 and defending his title in 2012.
Lee Chong Wei
Malaysian Chinese professional badminton player Dato’ Lee Chong Wei is the
sixth Malaysian to win an Olympic medal. He achieved the silver medal in both the
2008 and 2012 Olympic Games and became the first Malaysian to reach the finals in
the men’s singles event of the badminton at the Olympiad. Lee Chong Wei was
described by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak as a national hero and has
earned the title Dato’ for his contribution in the Malaysian sports.
Lee Chong Wei held the World Number 1 spot for 199 consecutive weeks
from 21 August 2008 to 14 June 2012. He is the only Malaysian badminton player to
hold the top position in the world ranking more than a year.
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Taufik Hidayat
Retired Indonesian badminton player Taufik Hidayat won the Indonesian

Open a record six times (1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006). Hidayat won the
men’s singles competition in badminton at the 2004 Summer Olympics. In August
2005, he won the men’s singles competition at the IBF World Championships.
His major achievements includes a gold, a silver and two bronze medal in
World Championships, 3 gold, a silver and two bronze medal in Asian Games, 2
gold, a silver and three bronze medal in Thomas Cup, 3 gold, two silver and a
bronze medal in Asian Championships, and 2 gold medal in Southeast Asian
Games.
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Rudy Hartono
Rudy Hartono is a former Indonesian badminton star who won the men’s
singles title at the prestigious All-England Championship eight times which include a
record seven consecutive wins from 1968 to 1974. Rudy attempted just once in BWF
World Championships in his career and won the title in the single attempt at 2nd IBF
World Championships in 1980 in Jakarta.
Besides international badminton events, he also participated and won the

men’s singles title at 1972 Munich Summer Olympics when the badminton was
included as a part of the Olympic program for the first time.
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Gao Ling
Chinese female badminton legend Gao Ling is noted for her forecourt
prowess, consistency, and anticipation. Gao is one of the most successful doubles
players in the history of women’s badminton. Her four Olympic badminton medals
are the most of any player. She has won titles at almost every top-tier tournament in
the world. Gao has earned four gold medals (among nine medals in total) at the
BWF World Championships, three of them in women’s doubles with Huang Sui
(2001, 2003, and 2006) and one of them in mixed doubles with Zhang Jun (2001).
She and Zhang Jun won consecutive gold medals in mixed doubles at the 2000 and
2004 Olympics, overcoming severe tests in both. She with her partner Huang Sui
bagged six consecutive women’s doubles titles from 2001 to 2006 at the All-England
Championships.
Tony Gunawan
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Indonesian-born badminton player Tony Gunawan is regarded by many as

one of the greatest male doubles players in the international badminton’s history. He
is a former Olympic gold medalist and world champion for Indonesia and now
represents the United States.
He won the Men’s Doubles gold medal in the 2005 World Championships with
his American partner Howard Bach. Gunawan partnered with Halim Haryanto to win
the 2001 World Championships as well as the 2001 All-England Open, and with
Candra Wijaya to win the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. He was a member of the world
champion 2000 Indonesia Thomas Cup team, winning his match in the final against
China with yet another partner, Rexy Mainaky.
Morten Frost Hansen
Retired Danish badminton star Morten Frost Hansen spent twelve years in the top
three spots in the world rankings and is inducted in the seventh place in our list of
Top 10 Greatest Badminton Players of All Time. He was nicknamed “Mr. Badminton”
by his fans and media for winning almost every international top level championship
except the World Badminton Championships.
He won the prestigious All England Open Badminton Championships four times in
1982, 1984, 1986, and 1987. Hansen won the European champion twice in 1984 and
1986 and also achieved the Nordic championship a record consecutive seven times
from 1978 to 1984 and again in 1988. He achieved his home country’s Denmark
Open consecutive seven times from 1980 to 1986 and again in 1989.
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Li Lingwei
Former Chinese female badminton player Li Lingwei is considered by many

as the greatest women’s single badminton player of all time. A brilliant all-around
player whose court coverage and net play were particularly impressive, she
maintained an overall edge on her teammate, rival, and sometimes doubles partner
Han Aiping.
Lingwei with her doubles partner Han Aiping dominated international women’s
singles and won the IBF World Championships twice and also achieved the IBF
World doubles title in 1985. She won 3 gold medals and two silver medals in BWF
World Championships in her career and also achieved the World Grand Prix singles
title. She was inducted into the international Badminton Hall of Fame in 1998.
Han Aiping
Former Chinese badminton

player Han Aiping ranks among
the greats of the woman’s
international badminton. She
was widely regarded for her
superb overhead strokes and
dominated international
women’s singles in the 80s.
She won three gold medals and three silver medals in World Championships, and
also achieved the 1986 Seoul Asian Games title. She won two gold medals in World
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Grand Prix and also won the World Badminton Federation’s version of the World
Championships in 1979. Han Aiping won the Japan Open twice, Malaysia Open
thrice and Hong Kong Open four times during her astounding career. She was
named in the Badminton Hall of Fame in 1998.
Peter Høeg Gade
Peter Høeg Gade is a retired Danish professional badminton player. He was

ranked as world number 1 from 1998 to 2001 and again recaptured the number one
spot in the world rankings on June 22, 2006, for a brief period. With his 22 Grand-
Prix titles, Gade has become one of the sport’s most successful players.
He has always combined genuine sportsmanship with a true battling spirit,

competing for every single point. He was famous for his smooth footwork, fast
attacks and the ability to handle constant pressure, and also for his trademark shot,
the Double Action.
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Getting Started - Basic Badminton Equipment

and Gear
Although it wouldn’t hurt to have chic shoes and smart looking attire, you
should be looking for function over aesthetics when it comes to your badminton
equipment.
The four basic equipment and gear required for a game of badminton.
1. Badminton Racket
Badminton rackets can be made from several types of materials. Depending

on the material selection, this can result in different combinations of racket weight,
balance points and string tensions. With so many different combinations, it will take
time to decide which is most suited for your playing style.
Instead of making purchases online, pop by a badminton shop. Ask for

assistance and select a racket that you feel comfortable with. Swing the racket
around to get a good feel of its overall weight and grip.
Some popular badminton brands are Yonex, ProKennex, Wilson, ProTech and Li-
Ning. For more detailed information you can refer to “How to choose your badminton
racket”.
2. Shuttlecock
There are two types of shuttlecocks - plastic and feathered shuttlecocks.
Plastic shuttlecocks are far more durable compared to the feathered types
which are commonly used. However, plastic shuttlecocks are only recommended for
beginners who are just starting out. This is because feathered shuttlecocks are
expensive and fray easily especially if the wrong technique is used. Hence, plastic
shuttlecocks are good for beginners to use for training. Plastic shuttlecocks are
usually used by young children who play badminton for recreation.
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Plastic shuttlecocks tend to travel shorter distances as they are heavier.

Hence, they are good for building strength as you make the transition to feathered
shuttlecocks. Most people will progress to using feathered shuttlecocks as they are
used at all competitive tournaments.
3. Badminton Shoes
Badminton shoes are designed to give you better traction and grip to stop in
time to return a shot. They should also be lightweight have good cushioning to
absorb impact when you jump or land.
Regular players will find heel cups useful to prolonging the lifespan of your shoes.
Do not wear jogging shoes as they usually lack grip and traction. You might
end up crashing through the badminton net if you are unable to stop in time to
receive a drop shot.
4. Badminton Attire
For casual to non-competitive players, a comfortable pair of shorts and cotton

or dri-fit t-shirt is sufficient. Some players may want to equip themselves with hand
grips, wrist bands and ankle guards.
Each of these items serve a purpose and might also add a dash of colour to
the entire get-up.When it comes to badminton equipment, select what is appropriate
before turning your attention to aesthetics.
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Officials and Function
Who are the officials of badminton?
The officials are the judges responsible to ensure a fair badminton game is
being played.They consists of:
Umpire: The ‘main judge’ for the particular badminton game. He/she has the power
to overrule any decisions made by the service judge or line judges. The umpire is the
person ensuring that the badminton game is run smoothly and prevent any players
from delaying the game play.
Whenever a player requests to change the shuttle, the umpire will need to
approve that the change could be made.
The umpire also looks out for faults committed around the net area such as
whether a player touched the net when returning the shuttle. Besides, the umpire is
responsible to make a ‘fault’ call when the shuttle touches the player or the players’
attires except for the badminton racket. In badminton, it will be a fault/foul to a player
if the shuttle touches any part of that player’s body or attire.
Service Judge: The service judge is responsible in making a ‘service fault’ call and to
provide shuttles to the players.
Line Judges: Line judges sit beside the badminton court (right in front of every in/out
lines) to determine whether the shuttle is inside or outside the boundaries of the
court.
The referee handles general tournament organization, extraordinary

situations on court, and also supervises the other technical officials. Tournament
organization includes, among many others, basic scheduling, informing officials and
team managers of any tournament-specific details, shuttle testing, checking that
courts and equipment are in order, selecting and evaluating umpires etc. . At larger
tournaments, there is usually one head referee and multiple deputy referees, working
together as a team. The referee team is typically seated next to tournament control.
Normally, referees wear red uniforms. Referees come on court in case of injury,
significant disputes, and extraordinary misconduct.
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Badminton officials share the officiating roles and responsibilities during the
game. Understanding the function of technical officials in badminton will help you
keep control of players and spectators.
In most major tournaments, there will be at least thirteen (13) officiating

officials in badminton. The list includes one referee, one umpire, a service judge, and
up to ten (10) line judges.
Role of Referee in Badminton
The laws of the Badminton World Federation grant overall authority to the
match referee. So, a badminton referee will have total governance during any entire
tournament or formal event.
Match referees should ensure the practice schedules, facilities, playing

conditions, and player's equipment meet the standards set out by the health and
safety rules and official laws of the game.
All referees will have attained significant badminton qualifications in order to

officiate the games. But, it is a tournament referee who establishes an appropriate
panel of technical officials (where required).
The tournament referee has complete authority over any championships or

international competitions. It includes those with several individual umpires or
judges. That said, they all have contributing roles and responsibilities as sanctioned
officials.
Role of an Umpire in Badminton
There are many responsibilities of an umpire in badminton. But, umpires have

one main focus. That is the close monitoring and governance of all sporting activities
on the court. Match umpires should apply, authorize, and regulate the laws of the
game. They will supervise the service judge and line judges (details below).
The Badminton World Federation (BWF) is the governing body of the sport.
As such, control administered by badminton officials, and conduct of the players,
must fall under the BWF codified regulations of play.
Badminton Umpires Authority
Umpire roles and responsibilities apply to the match being played on the court
they are officiating. Thus, they should enforce all badminton rules and regulations on
their particular court. These rulings apply to calls and umpire hand signals relating to
'LETS', game faults, and service faults.
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Umpiring responsibilities provide them with full authority in the application of any
lawful sanctions during the particular match which they oversee.
Officiating officials of badminton, and their functions, have several levels of

jurisdiction. They would all have control over the players and spectators. They
govern the regulations of a match 'collectively'.
Umpiring assistants should include a service judge and several line judges.
They will be responsible for calling service faults and line errors (in or out).
There is great importance in the functional duties and roles played by the
service and line judges. But, the umpire in badminton can use discretion and
overrule calls or signals made by refereeing assistants.
The umpire should announce the score to the players and to the audience
after each point. The same duty would apply as the scores change throughout a
match.
Another function of the umpire is to record any incidents of misconduct

committed by the players and to report infringements to the referee.
Note: As a rule, championship organizers would provide badminton umpiring

equipment and clothing.
The jurisdiction of umpires in badminton exists from the moment they enter
the court. That means they have control even before a match starts. It would
continue until the game has finished - reporting to and acting under the authority of
the referee.
Roles and Responsibilities of Officials in Badminton 2019Umpire in Badminton

Duties and Decisions
 A badminton umpire signals for, records, and then reports all incidents of
player misconduct.
 In most cases, badminton umpire hand signals will be directed to the players
while seated on a high chair.
 Umpires in badminton must enforce all game laws and court rules.
 A badminton umpire calls decisions on service faults, lets, and any other
player faults.
 Throughout the game, the umpire must announce the match score to the
players and to any watching audience.
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 What if an umpire chooses to appoint officiating officials in badminton? In fact,

appointing any particular service judge and line judges is another role and
characteristic of the umpire.
 Match umpires can appoint a team of judges at their discretion - explaining
how to officiate badminton on his or her court. They also have authority to
replace them (after consulting with the tournament referee)
Responsibilities of a Service Judge
A popular question is: what is the role of a service judge in badminton? In fact, they
have two important roles:
 Calling service faults

 Keeping hold of, and handing out, shuttles
It would not be uncommon for the umpire to delegate some of their own duties to
a service judge. Typical examples include:
 Checking shuttle speeds and the height of the net

 Making sure the position of the poles is correct
Even so, the chief role for a service judge is watching over the server and
checking whether the serves made are legal.
The service judge will sit on a low chair, located at the middle of the court
(directly opposite the umpire). But, the role of the service judge would go to the
umpire if no service judge has been appointed.
Note: Don't be fooled in thinking the service judge has an easy job. In fact,
monitoring the badminton serve is an important, and sometimes controversial,
aspect of the game. Hence the need to dedicate a judge to that particular role.
Badminton Line Judge Responsibilities
There are several functions for a line judge in badminton. They are
responsible for monitoring the service, side lines, and baseline during a match.
The role in the game is such that a line judge must decide and announce - by
verbal call and hand signals for badminton - whether the shuttle has landed inside or
outside of the boundary lines.
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Line judges have the responsibility of calling a shuttlecock IN or OUT.

Whereas, the chief task of a service judge in badminton is calling any service faults
committed by the players.
Badminton Officials and Player Appeals
Players can appeal decisions made by service or line judges. If it happens,

the umpire should provide a ruling on any protested calls. The outcome may result in
them upholding or overturning the original call.
Umpires in badminton should consult the tournament referee if they are

unsure how to rule any particular appeal. All player appeals should reach an amiable
result before the match resumes at the next serve.
General Rules
Each organization is allowed 1 singles and 1 doubles team. A student may compete
in both.
Rules
 A player must wait until his opponent is ready before serving. If the opponent
attempts a return then he is ruled having been ready.
 The feet of both players must remain in a stationary position until the serve is
made. Your feet can not be touching the line at this time.
 It is not a fault if you miss the shuttle while serving.
 The shuttle cannot be caught and slung with the racket.
 A player cannot hold his racket near the net to ward off a downward stroke by
his opponent or to interfere with his racket.
Faults
 The shuttle, at the instant of being hit is higher than the servers waist or the
head of the racket is higher than the servers racket hand.
 The shuttle does not land in the correct service court.
 The server's feet are not in the service court or if the feet of the receiver are
not in the court diagonally opposite the server.
 The server steps forward as he/she serves.
 Any player balking or feinting his opponent before serve or during serve.
 A serve or shot that lands outside the court boundaries, passes under or
through the net, touches any other obstructions or a players body or clothing.
The boundary and service lines are considered in play.
 The shuttle in play is struck before it crosses the net to the striker's side of the
net. You may follow through over the net.
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 A player touching the net or its supports with his body or racket while the
shuttle is in play.
 Hitting the shuttle twice in succession by a player or team.
Scoring System
 A match consists of the best of 3 games of 21 points.

 Every time there is a serve – there is a point scored.
 The side winning a rally adds a point to its score.
 At 20 all, the side which gains a 2 point lead first, wins that game.
 At 29 all, the side scoring the 30th point, wins that game.
 The side winning a game serves first in the next game.
Interval and Change of Ends
 A 1 minute interval between each game is allowed.

 In the third game, players change ends when the leading score reaches 11
points.
Singles
 At the beginning of the game (0-0) and when the server’s score is even, the
server serves from the right service court. When the server’s score is odd, the
server serves from the left service court.
 If the server wins a rally, the server scores a point and then serves again from
the alternate service court.
 If the receiver wins a rally, the receiver scores a point and becomes the new
server. They serve from the appropriate service court – left if their score is
odd, and right if it is even.
Doubles
 A side has only one ‘set’.

 The service passes consecutively to the players as shown in the diagram.
 At the beginning of the game and when the score is even, the server serves
from the right service court. When it is odd, the server serves from the left
court.
 If the serving side wins a rally, the serving side scores a point and the same
server serves again from the alternate service court.
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 If the receiving side wins a rally, the receiving side scores a point. The
receiving side becomes the new serving side.
 The players do not change their respective service courts until they win a
point when their side is serving.
 If players commit an error in the service court, the error is corrected when the
mistake is discovered.
 In a doubles match between A & B against C & D. A & B won the toss and
decided to serve. A to serve to C. A shall be the initial server while C shall be
the initial receiver.
The absolute basics
The aim of badminton is to hit the shuttle with your racket so that it passes
over the net and lands inside your opponent’s half of the court. Whenever you do
this, you have won a rally; win enough rallies, and you win the match.
Your opponent has the same goal. He will try to reach the shuttle and send it
back into your half of the court. You can also win rallies from your opponent’s
mistakes: if he hits the shuttle into or under the net, or out of court, then you win the
rally.
If you think your opponent’s shot is going to land out, then you should let it fall
to the floor. If you hit the shuttle instead, then the rally continues.
Once the shuttle touches the ground, the rally is over. In this respect,
badminton is not like tennis or squash, where the ball can bounce.
You must hit the shuttle once only before it goes over the net (even in
doubles). In this respect, badminton is not like volleyball, where multiple players can
touch the ball before sending it back over the net.
Badminton is played indoors
Some of you may be familiar with playing badminton on a beach, or in the

garden. This is fine when you’re playing it as a casual game, but it doesn’t work
when you start to get competitive.
The shuttle is blown off course by even the slightest breath of wind. That’s why
competitive badminton is always played indoors.
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Setting up a badminton court

Badminton has its own nets and posts; the net is much lower than for
volleyball. Sometimes a sports centre will set up the court with a slack volleyball net
instead, because the staff don’t know anything about badminton. Ask for proper
badminton posts and a badminton net.
If you need to set up the court yourself, then check three things:
 The net covers the whole width of the court.

 The net is pulled tight, not slack.
 The net is in the middle, so that both court halves are the same size.
Often it can be hard to see the badminton court lines, because lines for other
sports are also painted on the floor. The badminton court lines should all be in one
colour, so try to focus on that.
Singles, doubles, and mixed doubles
You can have either two or four players on a badminton court: one player on
each side, or a team of two players on each side. One-against-one is called singles;
two-against-two is called doubles.
 In doubles, either player can hit the shuttle; you do not have to take it in turns.
The only exceptions are the first two shots of the rally; I’ll explain this when we
discuss serving.
In total, there are five types of badminton:
 Men’s singles
 Women’s singles
 Men’s doubles
 Women’s doubles
 Mixed doubles (each team is a man and a woman)
 Men’s doubles and women’s doubles are also called level doubles.
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These are the only types of badminton played in serious tournaments. In casual play,
however, women sometimes play against men (e.g. two women against two men).
What are all those lines for?
When you first look at a badminton court, you could be forgiven for thinking it
has too many lines. This is mainly because the court is marked up for both singles
and doubles, which use slightly different court sizes.
The outermost lines form the doubles court. So in a doubles rally, the shuttle
is allowed to land anywhere on the court.
The singles court is slightly narrower than the doubles court. The singles side
lines are not the outermost lines, but the next ones in. Taken together with the
outermost (doubles) side lines, these make narrow alley shapes along the sides of
the court. These alleys are often called the tramlines or side tramlines, since they
look like tram or train tracks.
So here’s another way to think about it: the side tramlines are in for doubles, but out
for singles.
All the other lines are for serving
There are still three lines we haven’t discussed yet. These lines mean nothing
during the main rally, and only apply when you’re serving. This is similar to how a
tennis court has special lines for serving.
Serving
Serving is how you start the rally: someone has to hit the shuttle first! To
prevent the server gaining an overwhelming advantage, there are special restrictions
placed on serving that don’t apply during the rest of the rally.
The receiver is the person who hits the second shot in the rally. In doubles, the
receiver’s partner is not allowed to hit this shot.
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How to serve
In badminton, the serve must be hit in an upwards direction, with an underarm

hitting action. You are not allowed to play a tennis style serve.
The main rule here is that when you hit the shuttle, it must be below your
waist. To be exact, the rules define this to be a height level with the lowest part of
your ribcage. In other words, you can serve from a bit higher than the top of your
shorts, but not much.
Length: 44’ | 13.41 m
Width (Full/Doubles): 20’ | 6.1 m
Width (Singles): 17’ | 5.18 m
Area (Full): 880 ft2 | 81.75 m2
Clearance: 2’ | .61 m around full perimeter
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Badminton courts are rectangular and are divided in half by a center net.
Regardless of the game type, courts are usually marked for both singles or doubles
games. Both play styles require the same court length of 44’ | 13.4 m, but double
(full) courts are 20’ | 6.1 m wide and single courts are reduced to 17’ | 5.18 m;
shrinking by 1.5’ | .46 m on both sides. Service courts are split by a center line
dividing the width of the court and are set back from the net by a ‘short service line’
of 6.5’ | 1.98 m. Doubles games also require a ‘long service line’ that is drawn 2.5’ |
.76 m in from the back boundary. Clearances of 2’ | .61 m should be providing
around the full court.
Service courts
The service courts are smaller box shapes inside the court. We’ll look at what
they are used for in a moment, but first let’s get the right boxes.
Notice that the badminton court has a line down the middle, extending from
the back to near the net; this is the centre line. At the front of the court, the centre
line is met by another line; this is the front service line. These two lines form a T
shape where they meet.
A singles service court is a box made from four lines:
 The centre line

 A singles side line (inside side line)
 The front service line
 The back line (the outside one, all the way at the back)
On your side of the net, you have two service courts: your right service court, and
your left service court. The same is true for your opponent.
The doubles service courts are slightly different. They are wider, because they
use the outside side line (remember: the doubles court is wider); and they are
shorter, because they use the inside back line.
That’s what the inside back line is for: doubles service, and nothing else. It’s
probably the most confusing line on a badminton court, because that’s all it does!
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So just to be clear, a doubles service court is made from these four lines:
 The centre line

 A doubles side line (outside side line)
 The front service line
 The inside back line (not the very back line, but the next one in)
How service courts are used?
Service courts are used for three things:
 The server must stand inside a service court.

 The receiver must stand inside the diagonally opposite service court.
 The serve must travel into the diagonally opposite service court.
For example, suppose the server is standing in his left service court. The receiver
will be standing in his left service court, which is also where the serve has to go.
If the serve is going to land outside the service court, then the receiver should
let it fall to the floor. If the receiver hits the serve, then the rally continues even if the
serve had been going out.
The server and receiver must stay inside their service boxes until the server
contacts the shuttle with his racket. After that, they can leave the boxes immediately
and move anywhere on court.
Net
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Height (Overall): 5’1” | 1.55 m
Height (Center): 5’ | 1.52 m
Width: 20’ | 6.1 m
Above Floor: 2.5’ | .76 m
Net Mesh: 3/4” | 19 mm
Material: Polyethylene, nylon, vinyl
Badminton nets run the entire width of the court (20’ | 6.1 m) and are placed
over the doubles sidelines, even when singles games are played. The net is 5’1” |
1.55 m high at the edges and sags slightly at the center resulting in a height of 5’ |
1.52 m. Badminton nets are split into a 1:1 ratio from the floor to the top providing a
2.5’ | .76 m opening below and an equal mesh surface above. Variations of
badminton nets come in polyethylene, nylon, and vinyl.
Badminton Net Posts
Badminton is a type of racquet sport. The minimum number of players

required for this sport is two. This is called singles play and the two players are each
other's opponents.
The maximum players allowed is four; with teams of two players each face
each other across the net. The play is carried out in a rectangular court. The two
teams or players face each other across the net which is strung out midway between
the courts by the means of badminton net posts.
Although today we cannot visualize the game of badminton without the net
and consequently, without the badminton net posts, these equipments were not
always part of the game. Badminton is a really old sport and is believed to have
originated in ancient Greece.
From there it spread towards the East, reaching India, China and ultimately
Malaysia. During medieval times in England, a variation of the game called
Battledore and Shuttlecock was quite popular. Essentially a child's game, it made
use of a paddle to keep the shuttle in the air. Thus, the net and badminton net posts
had as yet not become an essential, part of the sport.
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It was in the 1860s that the net and the badminton net posts made an
appearance in the game. We can credit this to the popularity of the game among the
officers of the British Army stationed in India. Thus the badminton net posts and the
net are a legacy of the British Raj. It was in the Indian city of Pune that the above
equipment made its debut.
The officers were initially engaged in the standard game of Battledore and
Shuttlecock. Later, to add a competitive edge to the game, they introduced the net
and the badminton net posts. The height of the net is 1.55 meters at the edge of the
court and 1.254 m at the centre. Thus badminton net posts have to be of comparable
height to accommodate this specification.
One of the peculiarities of this game is that the playing court is marked for
both the doubles and singles play even if the tournament is a singles game. Thus, as
a result, the rules state that the badminton net posts should be placed over the
doubles side lines, regardless of singles or doubles play.
Badminton net posts, today, are not sold separately but are bundled together
with the net and the guy ropes and pegs. Badminton net posts are usually
differentiated on the basis of location - indoor or outdoor.
A good quality outdoor badminton net posts set should be made of heavy
gauge steel and should be able to withstand the weather. Therefore make sure that
the company has treated them to be rust proof.
Indoor net posts come in two varieties. One of them is the 'wheel-away' model
and the other is built to plug into the floor of the indoor stadium. The former net posts
are designed as steel uprights. The net hooks, cleats and grooved tops for the fixing
of the net are attached to the post.
These kinds of badminton net posts are T-shaped at the base. Rubber floor
pads should be a standard part of this design (for the protection of the floor). Also,
they should come equipped with in-built weights so that the whole arrangement
remains stable during play.
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Floor pugs should come as standard accessories of the second type of

badminton net posts. Also, they feature brass pulley wheels for the fixing of the net
onto the post. An arrangement called the T-bar is used to fasten the whole structure
to the floor of the court.
Shuttle Cock
A Shuttlecock shall have 16 feathers fixed in a cork base covered in kid

leather. Interestingly, the best Badminton Shuttlecocks are made from feathers from
the left wing of a goose.
The feathers shall be measured from the tip to the top of the base and each
shuttle shall be of the same length. This length can be between 62mm and 70mm.
The shuttle shall weigh between 4.74 to 5.50 grams.
Shuttles are usually graded according to speed. If you have reached a certain
level and can hit from baseline to baseline, use standard speed shuttlecocks. If your
strength is not there yet, you can use shuttlecocks of a slightly faster speed.
You will enjoy the game more if you can send the shuttles to the baseline.
The speed at which the shuttle travels is also affected by the weather, altitude
and temperature. When it's hot, the shuttle will fly faster. When it's cold, the shuttle
will move slower. If you are playing in an air-conditioned hall, use a slightly faster
shuttle. If you're playing at high altitude, use a slower speed shuttle.
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To test the speed of a shuttle, use a full underhand stroke which makes
contact with the shuttle over the back boundary line. You shall hit the shuttle at an
upward angle and in a direction parallel to the side lines.A shuttle of correct speed
will land not less than 530 mm and not more than 990mm short of the Badminton
Court back boundary line as in the diagram below. If you find the shuttle is too fast or
too slow but you don't have shuttles of different speed, you can try tipping the
shuttlecock. Tipping the feathers of the shuttles outward will slow it down. Tipping
the feathers of the shuttles inward will speed it up.
A racket or racquet[1] is a sports implement consisting of a handled frame with an

open hoop across which a network of strings or catgut is stretched tightly. It is used
for striking a ball or shuttlecock in games such as squash, tennis, racquetball, and
badminton. Collectively, these games are known as racket sports. Racket design
and manufacturing has changed considerably over the centuries.
Rackets
The frame of rackets for all sports was traditionally made of solid wood (later
laminated wood) and the strings of animal intestine known as catgut. The traditional
racket size was limited by the strength and weight of the wooden frame which had to
be strong enough to hold the strings and stiff enough to hit the ball or shuttle.
Manufacturers started adding non-wood laminates to wood rackets to improve
stiffness. Non-wood rackets were made first of steel, then of aluminum, and then
carbon fiber composites. Wood is still used for real tennis, rackets, and xare. Most
rackets are now made of composite materials including carbon fiber or fiberglass,
metals such as titanium alloys, or ceramics.
Catgut has partially been replaced by synthetic materials including nylon,

polyamide, and other polymers. Rackets are restrung when necessary, which may
be after every match for a professional. Despite the name, "catgut" has never been
made from any part of a cat.
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Beginner's Guide : 10 Rules of Badminton
The sport of badminton is supposed to have originated in Greece, about 2000

years ago. From there it spread to other parts of Europe, Asia and the World. Today,
it's a popular sport worldwide, both at amateur and professional levels. The following
article contains the 10 rules of badminton and other regulations that you familiarize
yourself with to play the sport.
Badminton is played with two single or two teams of two players each. It is a
racquet sport. The rectangular court is divided into two halves with a net in the
centre. Unlike other racquet games like squash or tennis badminton does not use a
ball. It is played with a feathered projectile, which is called a shuttlecock.
Shuttlecocks characteristically are light weight and are thereby affected by the
wind. Thus professional badminton is played indoors as even the slightest breeze
can effect the direction of the shuttlecock. The 10 rules of badminton given below are
valid for both professional and amateur badminton games.
The game involves the two opponents hitting the shuttlecock over the net into
the other person's side. The rally ends when the shuttlecock touches the ground.
Only one stroke is allowed to pass it over the net. One badminton match is made up
of three games, of 21 points each. Professional badminton games are of five kinds:
Men's singles, Men's doubles, Mixed doubles, Women's singles and Women's
Doubles. In a badminton match, the court size for a single's game is 44 feet long X
17 feet wide and for a doubles match it is 44 feet long X 20 feet wide. The height of
the net is 5 feet.
The 10 rules of badminton are as follows:
1. A game starts with a coin toss. Whoever wins the toss gets to decide whether they
would serve or receive first OR what side of the court they want to be on. The side
losing the toss shall then exercise the remaining choice.
2. At no time during the game should the player touch the net, with his racquet or his
body.
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3. The shuttlecock should not be carried on or come to rest on the racquet.
4. A player should not reach over the net to hit the shuttlecock.
5. A serve must carry cross court (diagonally) to be valid.
6. During the serve, a player should not touch any of the lines of the court, until the
server strikes the shuttlecock. During the serve the shuttlecock should always be hit
from below the waist.
7. A point is added to a player's score as and when he wins a rally.
8. A player wins a rally when he strikes the shuttlecock and it touches the floor of the
opponent's side of the court or when the opponent commits a fault. The most
common type of fault is when a player fails to hit the shuttlecock over the net or it
lands outside the boundary of the court.
9. Each side can strike the shuttlecock only once before it passes over the net. Once
hit, a player can't strike the shuttlecock in a new movement or shot.
10. The shuttlecock hitting the ceiling, is counted as a fault.
Learning and inculcating the 10 rules of badminton is the first step towards
getting into the game. Besides these, it's a good idea to get to know more about the
equipment laws, which govern what equipments can be used - the design of the
racquet, the weight and shape of the shuttlecock (for correct speed). Surprisingly
there is no rule for the minimum height of the ceiling, but nevertheless, a low ceiling
would be problematic. Overall Court Dimensions
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The overall dimensions of a badminton court are 20 feet by 44 feet. The lines
along these measurements mark the sidelines for doubles play and long service
lines for singles play.
The Net Line
The net line marks the middle of the court where the net is placed, creating a 22 feet
by 20 feet area on each side of the net.
Short Service Line
The short service line is marked 6 feet 6 inches (some are marked 7 feet) from the
center line. The area inside the short service line is also called the Non Volley Zone.
Center Line
The Center Line is the line that divides the court from the Short Service Line to the
Back Boundary Line. This delineates the Left from Right Service Court. Side Line
for Singles Play
The Singles Side Line is marked 1 1/2 feet from the edge of the outer boundary
(doubles side line)
Back Boundary Line and Long Service Line for Singles
The back boundary line is the same for singles and doubles play it is the outermost
back line on the court.
Long Service Line for Doubles
The Long Service line for Doubles is marked 2 1/2 feet inside the Back Boundary
Line.
The Badminton Net
The badminton net measures 5 feet tall in the center.
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Badminton Strategies
Being able to use Badminton Strategies in your game is essential in winning

you crucial points and games. Just knowing how to smash powerfully will not bring
you success if you don't have a game plan. You have to use some badminton tactics
and badminton strategies to outwit your opponent.
Always remember that you are trying to make your opponent play a weak shot
in which you will be able to make a 'kill'. Too many beginners try to make every shot
a winning shot instead of a negotiating shot to play a winning game.
Singles Badminton Strategies
One simple badminton strategy often used in singles is to serve long and high
to your opponent's back court. This will force your opponent to move back to the
baseline and open up his forecourt.Throw in some disguised low serve occasionally
and you might just catch your opponent off guard and win a point outright.
Nowadays in professional men's singles, you seldom see them use the long
serve. This is because the professional players are extremely athletic and possess
great techniques. They can jump really high and smash powerfully even from the
baseline.It all depends who you are playing with. If the high serve turns out to be
your opponent's favorite and put you under pressure, use the low serve.
Always try to hit the shuttle away from your opponent and make your
opponent move around the court. One exception to this rule is that when you
encounter a tall opponent, you might want to smash straight to his body to gain an
advantage.Observe your opponent's strength, weakness, favorite shots and pattern
of play. Use it to your advantage.
Your aim is to make your opponent play a weak return, such as a weak
backhand shot from the back court. If your plan works and forces a mistake or a poor
return which you can make a 'kill', use it again. If it is not working then have the
courage to make changes. The key is to be flexible.
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If you are in a difficult situation in the game and your opponent is not, you
need to make time for yourself to get back to a favorable position. Do this by hitting
the shuttle high towards the back of the court, preferably near the middle of the
baseline. Your opponent will find it difficult to catch you out with acute angled returns
from there.
Remember always to get back to your base position in the midcourt area after
making each shot. This is a position where you can possibly reach any of your
opponent's shots.
Doubles Badminton Strategies
In doubles play, the tactic is to serve low so that the serving side would not be
placed in a defensive position. If you are serving low, take position on the front and
part of the midcourt area immediately. Your partner shall then cover the back court.
This is known as the Attacking Formation (Front-Back).
You can also use the flick serve to prevent your opponent from rushing to the
net. But you and your partner will have to take up a defensive position standing side
by side. This is known as the Defensive Formation (side-side).When you defend, try
to hit the shuttle deep into your opponent's court. This is to prevent your opponent in
the front position intercepting the shuttle from mid to front court.
When a chance presents itself, push or drive the shuttle to the area in
between your opponents. Or make a return to the front court of your opponents,
forcing them to lift the shuttle.In this instance, the player who played that shot will
have to take up the front position immediately while the partner takes the back. An
attacking formation shall be formed. If you are taking the back position, your aim is to
make shots that can create openings for your partner to 'kill' in the front court.
In all types of doubles play, teamwork is the key in forming a formidable

partnership. Although an ideal player will be skillful in all areas of the court, most will
either show greater flair around the net or be more effective with overhead shots.You
and your partner have to figure out how to make the best out of your skills together.
Play to your own strengths and your opponent's weaknesses.
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You will find this much easier if you communicate well with each other. Do not
leave it to guesswork! Talk to your partner. Is there a leader in the partnership or is it
all a matter of shared responsibility? A quick word on court might change the result
of a game which is slipping away from you.
Remember...Teamwork is the success formula in doubles!
Mixed Doubles Badminton Strategies
In mixed doubles, the women usually play in the front of the court, and her
partner takes the shots that get past her. The man should try to hit downward shots
or horizontal shots, while the woman should play net kills and tight net shots.
Both players should be in a good position to push the shuttle low over the net
to the mid court area, just past the front player's area but in front of the back
player.The woman should always assume a front position in an attacking formation
(Front-Back) unless forced to move to the back. When defending, the defensive
formation (Side-Side) is used. Apply flick serve frequently to the woman receiver
forcing her to the back court.
Badminton is not only a physical demanding game, it is mentally challenging

as well. You will come to a stage where skills and fitness alone will not be enough to
beat your opponent. Having the right Badminton Tactics in place will give you that
extra edge.
Those who fail to plan, plan to fail
Mental Strategies – Reframing in Performance
In a Badminton match one has to cope with different things that are not easy
to handle: own mistakes, wrong umpire decisions or a cheering crowed for the
opponent. Top players have developed techniques to get along or even use such
situation for their advantage. One of these techniques is Reframing.
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In the world of sports psychology reframing refers to a technique where a

negative felt situation is put into a neutral or (more) positive context or frame and
therefore rate it not anymore in the same negative way. This technique delivers new
and different opportunities for the subject or/and can have a direct positive influence
on ones well-being with a situation – not only on-court.
A typical example happing sometimes in a Badminton training session that

comes to my mind is the statement of an athlete complaining about the physically
demanding training: “I am done, I cannot go further.” I therefore love the commercial
campaign of a sports brand saying that nothing is impossible, it is just temporary.
The following thoughts of that athlete would be much better: “I am done – but this will
also happen in a tournament in the last match – if I go on trying hard, I will be easily
able to the same in an upcoming important match.” The situation has not changed,
but the athlete now reframes his first thoughts and given the situation a new
challenging context.
Below you will find several statements – one example statement and six
exercise statements. Here you can exercise how different situations could be change
via Reframing – possible solutions could be found in Part Two of this miniseries.
Example: I wanted to play football, but now is bad weather – such a shame.
Reframing: I want to play football and now with the bad weather, I think there will be
some great sliding tacles possible.
Exercise 1: “This glass is half empty.”
Exercise 2: “The crowd is only cheering for my opponent, but it’s me winning the long
rallies.”
Exercise 3: “The shuttle is damaged – just in between the rally – how should I
practise right?”
Exercise 4: “18 all – and just now my string flies apart.”
Exercise 5: “The umpire is from his club, he will be positive to my opponent.”
Exercise 6: “Everybody knows that he is better than me, I will not have a chance.”
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A small wrap up of the first part: A normal Badminton set between equally
strong opponents ends maybe 21:19 - meaning even though a player has won the
set, he has to cope with 19 own mistakes, forced or unforced ones and winning
shots of his opponent. Also meaning the player has to overcome possiblity 19
negative thought associated with the opponents points. If the player has no
strategies to deal with the opponents small successes and his own failure, he will
mentally go down and will not be able to show a good performance. But not only this,
numerous other negative thought might come to his mind - a cheering home crowd,
bad line calls, broken string, ... - that the player should be able to deal with. One
technique is reframing - simplyfied explainded meaning, that you take a given
situation and putting it in a for you positive context or view. A simple example is the
first one:
Exercise 1: “This glass is half empty.”
Solution 1: Of course, the answer is something like "The glass is still half full."
Exercise 2: “The crowd is only cheering for my opponent, but it’s me winning the long
rallies.”
Solution 2: A possible solution could be: "The crowd sees me as a strong opponent
and is feeling that without their help, their player has not the ability to win this match.
They are giving me the feeling, to be the better player."
Exercise 3: “The shuttle is damaged – just in between the rally – how should I
practise right?”
Solution 3: "This happens also in tournament matches - I try to finish the rally as
good as possible. This will help me to deal with this in important match situations. If
this happens - I will be prepared."
Exercise 4: “18 all – and just now my string flies apart.”
Solution 4: "The small break is also a break for the opponent. My other racquet is as
good as the old one, the string is even never. I will make a few shots for trial and go
on with my tactic - he is the one distracted."
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Exercise 5: “The umpire is from his club, he will be positive to my opponent.”
Solution 5: "Umpire are neutral - the last thing they wanna be blamed for is to favour
their home player, maybe even be more critical with him because people know, they
are in the same club."
Exercise 6: “Everybody knows that he is better than me, I will not have a chance.”
Solution 6: "He is so secure that he will win, he is underestimating me - this will be

my chance."
Badminton Technique
There are articles about trick and deceptive shots coming up. With the following clip I
want to encourage coaches to teach deceptive shots with young children.
At first, deceptive shots do not seem to be one of the easiest things to learn in
Badminton training – at least they are not that simple when you are not practising
them. But with a little practise even deceptive shots can be learned – not just by
professionals like Peter Gade and Marc Zwiebler or advanced Badminton players but
also by young
Badminton players and even small “Badminton dwarfs” – you as a coach just
need the courage to deal with the topic.The coaching of the technique of such shots
has an enormous additional value. Therefore, I like to call it “Badminton specific
coordination training” – and under this definition this topic should absolutely be
considered in the training of our youngest players. But should the basic strokes not
be taught first? No, they do not! Especially when such a seemingly difficult thing is
practised, similar but also different basic strokes can be learned a lot easier than
before. And – as far as I can say, we often underestimate the children (so did I for a
long time) – but watch for yourself: the small boy in the video is 6 years old, the
exercise took about four minutes – the result is impressive.
Double Defense
At the beginning of technique learning imitating with slow motions and having
less pressure helps in learning a new skill. But once acquired the new skill has to be
put in more game like situation. Especially when it comes to double defense, speed
is required.
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The task of the coach is to recognize “the speed limit”. This is the point, where
technique breaks down. When the technique breaks down, something is to slow.
Most of the times it is the points stated above. Recognizing this, giving feedback,
making corrections, speeding up and slowing down the feeding so that the player is
in the challenging zone - these are the major task of the coach.
Tactics & Tactical Training
Learning deceptive shots at an early training age is not only fun for children but when
you consider it as specific coordination training valuable – but not only the technical
part should be taught, also the effective application must be learned.
Learning different deceptive shots or trick shots has many advantages. One
has to execute a more complicate stroke which might be build of two or more
consecutive arm, wrist and racket movements in a small time frame which is very
important when you look at the demands on agility and coordination. Also it happens
quite often that when you learn a new deceptive shot belonging to the same category
as a basic shot – the basic shot also becomes more efficient, especially when you
look at movement coordination and smoothness of the execution. Another aspect is
motivation. Especially young children love to practise trick shot – they are
challenging to learn and fun to play. But also adults like practising deceptive shots as
they often think before that only elite Badminton athletes could hit shots like them.
ut to integrate them in ones gameplay in a way that makes sense, deceptive

shots must be taught and practiced in a tactical way, coaches like to call decision
making. So now we are talking about tactic training: the player has to understand his
and the opponents situation (e.g. is he in balance, where is my opponent (moving
towards)) and decided for a shot that makes most sense – in most of the times in
only a fraction of seconds.
The exercise for a group of three players looks as follows: players A and B
are practising, while the pausing player C has the task to hand player A shuttles if
needed and to clear the court of shuttles in between the exercise. Player A makes a
long serve and player B hits an attacking shot. This could be at the beginning either
a cross or longline smash or a cross or longline drop – in a more advanced stage
this could also be a flat clear. Player A has to return the attacking shot of player B
with a longline shot towards the net. The task of player B is to follow his own shot,
39
get to the next shuttle early (with both his own body and his racket) and try to finish
or at least get his opponent in a very disadvantageous position using deceptive
shots. Player A then tries to reached the shuttle as offensive as possible and the
rally ends hereafter. At the same time the coach has to look at how effective the
used (deceptive) shot of player B was and give feedback as well as player B has to
rate (in mind or explaining) how useful his shot was, looking at how well player A
managed to reach it in an offensive way. After 12 rallies, the players change
counterclockwise, so player C in taking the role of player B and so on.
The goal of this exercise is for player B to use an effective shot at the net –
this has not to be a trick or deceptive shot, but can be. For example is player B is
following his cross smash which player A reached at the last moment (still has not
recovered well), a stop-lob-stop shot could be dangerous for player B as player A is
still in that corner – here a non-deceptive cross lob shot could be much more
effective. But there is not only a goal for player B – the goal for player A in that
situation is to read and anticipate which shot will be played next – a very important
ability in the Badminton game.
This exercise will help young players not only playing deceptive shots for its
own sake, but with a clear purpose in mind – also the idea behind the exercise is
what a lot of tactic exercises should have in common. One has to read a situation
and make a useful decision out of ones possibilities.
Multishuttle exercises are an important tool in developing Badminton players.

Especially for double and mixed players in Badminton it could be an essential tool for
working at higher speed to improve performance on court.
Multishuttle exercises could be a good method of training when the players

are in transition from the learning phase to a more complex situation. Naturally one
should go to a more realistic setup with “one-shuttle-exercises” but still for your best
players in a youth or even senior setting it could be difficult to create the speed they
need and have to cope with on tournaments if the level of the next best players is not
sufficient enough.
On that point it is practical, if you can create multishuttle exercises that

simulate specific situation that can occur in a Badminton double or Badminton mixed
at the net. Exercise Nr.1 for example is “Killing at the net – left to right” – an exercise,
where the net player is moved in the front court and still has to be high at the net an
kill the shuttle.
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Exercise Nr. 2 is “Backhand kill and forehand stick” – an exercise which practices to
kill at the net and still be ready for the next shot or cover the next shot fast. This of
course can also be done on the other side of the Badminton court.
Exercise Nr.3 is a combination of Nr.1 and Nr.2 – to kill both shuttle on the forehand
and backhand site and still be ready for a lift or fast longline shot.
The first three exercises where mainly with a focus on rhythm and both stroke
and footwork techniques – but when you look at good doubles or mixed players like
Zhao Yunlei from China, Kien Keat Koo from Malaysia, Mathias Boe and Carsten
Mogensen from Denmark or Birgit Michels from Germany (the latter three winning
the London Grand Prix Gold in the last week) – high speed and a more open
scenario has to be build up – this can also be done with multishuttle and will look like
this:
Still a closed exercise but at far higher speed is exercise Nr.4 which is a
combination of Nr.1 and Nr.2 but open to both sides – the player is move left to right
and back and still has to manage to be ready for the next shot at the net.
Exercise Nr.5 is an open exercise – and really do not let the player be the limit of the
speed – try as a coach to be as fast as you can and the player has to adapt to that
speed.
Three against one corner is a pretty common exercises used everywhere in

the Badminton world. Single change can make the exercise more challenging and
bring something variation for the players.
Eventhough the number one goal in Badminton is to score point, most of the
points in Badminton are made trough either un-forced or opponent forced mistakes.
So, bringing the shuttle over the net over and over again, preferably in best quality, is
one important goal in Badminton training.
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One standard exercise for that is "Three against One Corner", where you
have one feeder in one corner moving the working athlete around in three corners.
The feeder has two main options: standing in one front court corner he can play a
short block and lift to both rear court corners or the second possibilty, that he is
standing in one of the rear court corners, being able to hit long-line clears and drop
shots into both front court corners.
Two possible variations of these exercise are shown in the video (explanation in
German, though the exercises itself are pretty obvious):
a) player roles change after a certain number of shots - that makes it easies to have
a specific workload or interval time for each player
b) corners change after a certain number of shots - the working player here is
working on a variety of strokes in one exercises.
Badminton Men’s Double is the fastest of all 5 disciplines, slightly followed by

the net scenes in a Badminton Mixed Doubles - quick decisions and follow ups
especially essential at the net. The following articles shows two multi shuttle
exercises that can be used to develop your net game.
Badminton multi shuttle exercises are very important for double players. But
why so? The normal frequency of these deciding moments is - especially in training -
not always sufficient to develop good and fast net skills. The same counts for live
shuttle exercises where even one against two exercises could be difficult if you have
a superb net player working against two players in defense.
How to Get Faster Reflexes
These steps will show you how you can rather quickly gain an edge in any
sport.
Realize that there are 3 phases of speed.
Reaction time: This is the perception of an attack, or rather the interval

between stimulus and the beginning of a response.
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Response time: This is the time it takes to choose an appropriate response to

the initiation of the actual movement.
Movement-speed: Quite simply, this is how quick your counter punch is or

how fast your body moves to get out of the way of trouble, etc. You will notice some
of these examples seem geared more towards martial arts and their methods of
training, but not to worry, you’ll also see how they can be adapted to any sport.
I.Reaction Time
1. Run in the Woods: All that is needed is a little bit of nature, so go to a local
park with a batch of thick untamed woods, shrubs, ditches, streams, and other
natural obstacles. What makes this a good exercise is that you have to react with
your body in very unpredictable ways, on uneven footing, while making cuts, ducks,
jumps, bobs, & shuffling of the feet. The key to a successful session is to run fast!
Yes, the faster you run the harder adapting will be. Interestingly enough, your mind
will be so preoccupied with this live video game that you won’t even notice how
winded you're getting! You can make this drill harder in a couple of simple ways:
 Try putting on an eye patch. This creates a major deficit in depth

perception.
 Try this wearing sunglasses, giving you less distance vision in a shady
wooded area.
 Simply add ankle weights, that will throw off your innate sense of
timing.
2.Play Dodge Ball: To start, you need a partner to be a thrower. You can
switch up to make it fun and interesting for both of you. Begin at about 10 feet (3.0
m) apart and use a soft rubber or foam ball. Start slow, then as you get better, have
the pitcher increase his velocity and get closer. Here’s a short list of some variables
you should use to continually make dodgeball more challenging and fun:
 Use multiple throwers.

 Start with eyes closed and have the pitcher cue you before he throws.
 Thrower can disguise his toss with "feints."
 Color code balls: Red ball = catch, blue = dodge, green = strike. These
force you to recognize as well as react.

3.Solo Wall Bounce: Stand in front of a wall with any kind of ball that bounces.
Throw and catch. Make this more difficult by increasing your velocity, standing closer
to the wall, progressing to smaller balls, switching catch/throw hands, and starting
facing away from the wall, throwing the ball over your shoulder then turning around
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at the sound of it hitting the wall. You can buy a "reaction" ball that looks like an odd,
uneven bouncing ball that can go in any given direction.
II.Response Times
1.Balloon Kicks: This exercise is mostly a coordination builder. It will improve

timing, accuracy, and responsiveness quickly without seeming tedious at all. Blow up
a balloon and go into a room that has numerous natural obstacles like chairs, stools,
counters, and coffee tables. If you’re so inclined, get some cones and small objects
to clutter the floor, preferably nothing dangerous. Now, start kicking the balloon with
the purpose of not letting it touch the floor. Kick, kick, kick! If it drops, you lose. Time
yourself to see how long you can last each session.
2.Side Shuffles: Here's one your football and basketball coaches wish they
knew. If you have access to a treadmill, you will make agility leaps and bounds. You
are certainly going to look ridiculous doing this but that’s ok; the more embarrassing
your training is the better it works! What you need to do is crank that machine up to 5
mph (8.0 km/h) to start and gallop sideways, trying to gradually increase the speed
to your limit. Switch sides. Next, slow it back down to 5 mph (8.0 km/h) and try cross-
stepping front and back. See what your threshold is in terms of mph. Your objective
is a slight increase in each session. The final set is backpedaling. Better start slower
than the 5, this one's harder. The treadmill is necessary because it forces a pace.
Next time some ball hog tries to take you on a dribble he’ll have another thing
coming!
3. Catch a Coin: Throw a coin in the air and try to catch it as fast as possible.
This will improve you response/reaction time and speed. If you want it to be harder,
throw two coins.
III.Visual Speed & Acuity
1.Play Video Games: This is a perfect way to enhance response action, and
visual perception all while having fun! You don’t need to go out and purchase a $200
Xbox or a $250 PS3; a simple Game Boy to carry around for the next time you're
waiting to renew your plates or visit the dentist is fine. Stay away from Mrs. Pac-man
that you mastered ages ago. Try something new and challenging, change-up every
other time you play to keep it unpredictable!
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2.Peripheral Driver: Not much need to go into the importance of side vision
awareness & expansion. Its usefulness carries over to every sports activity
imaginable. You need to know if a potential defender or tackle is just out of your sight
coming up the sides of your vision. Here is a great way to develop your P.V. while
driving. Next time you’re on the road, try to be consciously aware when you catch a
glimpse of a vehicle in the corner of your eye. Call out the color or make if you can.
Gradually, you’ll be noticing them much sooner. The real trick is just remembering to
practice it when you get in the car, so write it on the rear view with dry erase if you
can.
3.Eye Accommodation: Or rather the ability for your eyes to quickly adjust
from focusing on objects close to far. The ability to make rapid adjustments in depth
perception is a skill that can be developed quickly & easily. This will play a key role in
how well you can respond. If a fist is flying at your face, you need to be able to zoom
in before you can gauge an appropriate counter move. Try these 2 simple drills once
daily.
Hold a pen out at arm's length, and look across the room about 20 feet (6.1
m) away. Shift your focus from a far object, then back to the pen several times
quickly. Rest and repeat, changing the proximity of the pen (closer to your face)
every couple of sets. This is known as shifting.
The next drill is called figure 8’s. Hold your thumb up at arm's length & begin
moving it in yes, figure 8’s. While you’re doing this, also bring your thumb closer &
further from the face as well as vary the speed at which your thumb moves every 10
seconds.
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Warming Up & Agility Training
Warming up in sports has many goals. For example the pulse rate should go
up, muscle temperature should go up or synovial fluid should enter the joints to make
the bones run smoothly in them – in short terms: the body is getting ready to
perform. But why not achieve more at the same time?
Exercise 1 – Miniband Hip Roation
Start is a slightly forward bent defensive athletic position with the following
coaching cues: naturally arched back with “chest up” and eyes straight ahead, feet
are pointing straight ahead, knees are over the feet and hips sit back. The miniband
is placed round the humerus slightly above the knee joint.From this position the left
humerus rotates inwards while the left big toe stays on the ground to keep the feet
flat on the ground, from end position (where the foot cannot be kept on the ground)
the humerus in rotates back to starting position. The hip-knee-shin-line has to be
kept straight as seen on the pictures or in the video. Do eight repetitions, repeat on
the right side for eight repetitions and repeat with both sides at the same time for
again eight repetitions.
Exercise 2: Miniband Lateral Walk
Starting position is upright athletic position as seen in the pictures. The

miniband is placed round the ankles. For the exercises one executes ten steps from
the hips to the right and ten steps back to the left.
Warming Up in Badminton as in any other sport is essential. Using a

functional approach you can achieve much more while using functional warm up
exercises instead of just jogging and stretching.
As sample warm up program can look as follows:
1) Jog (80 m)
2) Jog backwards (40m)
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3) Miniband Rotation (8/8/8)
4) Miniband Lateral Walk (8/8)
5) Ankle Run (40m)
6) Toe Walk with Shoulder Rotation (20m)
7) Heel Walk with Arm Rotation (20m)
8) Knee-to-Chest-Walk (20m)
9) Heel-to-Butt-Walk (20m)
10) Handwalk (10-20m)
11) Frankenstein-Walk (20m)
12) HugMe-HugTheWorld-Walk (20m)
13) Crawling Lunge (20m)
14) Reaching Lunge (20m)
15) Backpedal (20m)
16) Push-Up-Jumps (8)
A complete Badminton warming up routine for a training session could look like this:
1) Glute Activation with Miniband
2) Running
3) Running with arm circling backwards
4) Running with double contacts (each leg)
5) Running with double contacts (left leg double contact, right leg single contact)
6) Running with double contacts (right leg double contact, left leg single contact)
7) Dynamic Stretch: Heel to Butt
8) Dynamic Stretch: Knee to Chest
9) Cross Over Steps 9)Sidesteps – Focus on staying low
10) Sidesteps – Focus on pushing with outside leg
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11) Sidesteps – Focus on Rhythm
12) Skipping
13) Handwalk
14) Lunges with Rowing
15) Swimming on the Floor
16) Glute Bridge Up and Down
17) Overhead Squats with Racquet
General Preparation
Basic endurance training or aerobic energy system training has many goals.
For example to train the cardiorespiratory system making it more efficient or to train
the fat metabolism which is useful when you look at mid term and long term
regeneration processes. Many of the body metabolic processes during regeneration
correspond to processes running while doing slow basic endurance work. The body
literally trains to regenerate better and faster. This is useful for the athlete in many
ways. Cumulated in-season training loads are tolerated more easily through
enhanced restoration, the athlete also becomes more resistant to minor illnesses
both leading to better trainings capabilities. Looking at short term effects, the athlete
playing a tournament at weekends is faster in recovery between matches or even
between single rallies. An athlete with a better aerobic base and similar other
abilities will beat the athlete with the worse aerobic base in the fifth or eight match of
a tournament.
This for intensity – for the other training parameters, the following guidelines
could be used: the endurance run should at least last 20-30 minutes at the beginning
and could go up depending on training goals and disciplines to 45-60 minutes. One
can run 2-4 times a week which gives enough time for regeneration between the
runs – depending on other training loads (e.g. if one is doing other sports or still
training more than two time on-court).
Depending on your training status and goals you should do at least 2, better 4
and up to 6 weeks of basic endurance training before training more advance energy
systems.
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The shoulder and lower back are regions that often make problems for
Badminton players - wether they are only playing on recreational basis or if they are
more ambitious. A functional warm up program can help a lot and the exercise I
would put in every program is Handwalk - discussed here in details.
A good functional warm up program can not only prevent injuries but also can
enhance performance (good programs can be found in former articles and a nice
collection can be found here). As stated before Handwalk is the perfect Badminton
exercise because it works on different key areas:
- ankle mobility
- superior hip flexibility
- core stability
- shoulder stability
Strength training is critical for a Badminton player who is training for

performance enhancement. Besides a proper lower quarter and core strengthening
training, training for the upper body is not only important to get stronger but to stay
healthy.
Regeneration and Injury Prevention in Badminton
Self-Massage exercises with a foam roller recently have become more and
more popular in the performance and professional world in Badminton and many
other game sports.
A few years ago, foam roller exercises became first popular internationally
with the team of experts from EXOS (former Athletes’ Performance) working with the
German Football Team using foam rollers and massage sticks for both session
preparation and regeneration purposes. Not only does it improve muscle tissue
quality like a traditional massage but also enhances blood flow in the musculature
and so supports the delivery of minerals and other nutrients.
A common practice is the work twice on each muscle: try to roll up and down
about 15-25 times on the complete muscle belly, working first on the feet, then the
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calves and followed by the quadriceps (front of the tight) and IT-band (lateral tight). If
you have smaller areas that locally feel more tense („trigger points“) you can apply a
little bit more - but still gentle - pressure on that point and try to relaxe that part of the
muscle (common practices here differentiate from 5-10 seconds to that point where
you feel a noticeable change).
How to Play Badminton
Master the Basics Always hit the centre of the shuttle. You should hit the
round rubber centre, or the "sweet spot" of the shuttle every single time. You can
practice this technique by looking right at the center of the shuttle when you hit an
overhead shot you can have a point. You can also practice with your hands to try to
get a feel for the shuttle.
Hit the shuttle at the top of its arc. To benefit from the speed and height
generated by the shuttle, hit it at the top of its arc. This will allow you to shoot a killer
overhead and to have more control over the position of the shuttle. Don't wait for the
shuttle to come close to you, or it will be losing momentum and height.
Always return to the middle of the court. Don't get out of position after you hit
the shuttle. Return to the middle of the back of the court. This will make it more
difficult for your opponent to run you around and to hit the shuttle in a place that you
can't reach. Standing in the middle of the court while moving your feet and preparing
for the next shot will place you in the "position of readiness."
Hit the shuttle toward the back line. Hitting the shuttle toward the back line
takes precision and strength, and it will make your opponent have to shuffle
backwards and hit the shuttle with a considerable amount of strength to return your
shot. If you're not sure where to hit the shuttle next, and the back line is wide open,
aim it there. At the beginning, aim the shuttle a bit before the back line so you don't
commit a fault if it falls out of bounds behind the back line.
Practice your footwork. Badminton is like squash -- success is all in the

footwork. If you're flat-footed on the court, you won't be able to return your shots.
Instead, stay on your toes, move your feet up and down as you wait to return a shot,
and move your feet back and forth and side to side in tiny motions to position
yourself to return the shot. Don't be lazy and reach out your hand too wide to try to
return the shuttle -- instead, make tiny movements with your feet until the shuttle is in
perfect position.
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Practice the short serve. Whether you're playing singles or doubles, the short
serve will catch your opponent off guard. He won't be expecting it, and may not be
able to run up to return the serve in time. To hit the short serve, you shouldn't just hit
the shuttle really lightly, or it will fall on your side of the court. Instead, hit it at a
higher contact point and drop it closer to the racket instead of in front of the racket.
Practice the long serve in singles. In singles, hitting a long serve all the way to
the back of the service line will throw your opponent off guard. He may be standing
in front of the shuttle and can miss it completely, or he may not have enough power
to return it. To hit a longer serve, let the shuttle fall in front of you as you swing your
racket further back almost to your shoulder level so you generate more momentum
before you swing forward and hit the shuttle.
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Badminton Grip
Starting wtih a correct Badminton Grip is the foundation of Playing Badminton.

Holding the racket wrongly will decrease your stroke's power and accuracy. Your
shots will be limited and therefore you will not enjoy the game as much let alone
improve.
You will need to learn how to change grip quickly during games. Below are
the two basic types of Badminton Grips.
Forehand Grip
- This grip is used to hit shots that are on the forehand side of your body and
around the head shots.
- Hold the racket head with your non-playing hand so that the handle points
towards you.
- Your racket face shall be perpendicular to the floor.
- Place your playing hand on the handle as if you are shaking hands with it.
- There shall be a V shape in between your thumb and your index finger.
- The racket handle shall rest loosely in your fingers for greater flexibility.
- Can try shortening your grip and place it nearer to the shaft to increase
control and accuracy when serving and hitting from the forecourt and midcourt.
Backhand Grip
- This grip is used to hit shots that are on the backhand side of your body.
- Hold the racket as you would on a forehand grip.
- Turn the racket anti-clockwise so that the V shape moves leftwards.
- Place your thumb against the back bevel of the handle for greater leverage
and power.
- The racket handle shall also rest loosely in your fingers.
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- Can try shortening your grip and place it nearer to the shaft to increase
control and accuracy when serving and hitting from the forecourt and midcourt.
Possessing a correct Badminton Grip is like having a good head start in a

race. Don't lose out and make every effort to improve your game.
Badminton Footwork
Badminton Footwork is the most fundamental skill that you need to possess in
order to become a successful. Badminton player.Footwork is the most important
thing in Badminton. One the one hand to have many options for optimal strokes you
have to get to the shuttle early by using efficent footwork, on the other hand a lot of
mistakes especially in beginners but also in advanced players are due to bad
position in the court or to the shuttle.
Your opponent will most certainly try to play every shot away from you and the
only way to reach the shuttle is to have a good footwork.
So how to define what good footwork is?
Good badminton footwork is simply having the ability to reach the shuttle early
while on balance. You can skip, shuffle, bounce, glide, chasse step or lunge on
court.
So long as you reach the shuttle fast, depriving your opponents of time, you
can use all the above movement that suits best to you depending on the situation.
Although there are no fix movements on performing the badminton footwork,

there are some basic things to remember.
Bent your knees slightly with your feet shoulder width apart. Stay on the balls
of your feet and hold your racket up in front of your body. This is the ready position
you shall assume in the centre of the mid-court area.
This centre area which can be referred as your base is not fixed. It is an area
where you are in your ready position and can possibly reach all shots hit towards
your court. Position your base accordingly after considering yours and your
opponent's strength and weaknesses.
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Let say that you are strong and good at hitting shots from the back court. You
may consider positioning your base slightly nearer to the service fault line to gain an
advantage. If you are not certain where your strength lies yet, just make your base
on the centre of the mid court area. You won't go too wrong from there.
For all shots that are played in the frontcourt, take a small step first followed
by a bigger step, extending your racket leg to reach the shuttle. The bigger step
performed is known as a lunge. The timing of the shot will be improved if the landing
of your racket leg is simultaneous with the shot.
For all shots that are played in the midcourt, extend your racket leg to reach
shuttle that are hit towards your racket side of your body. Extend your racket leg or
non-racket leg to reach shuttle that are hit towards your non-racket side of your
body.
For all shots that are played in the backcourt, rotate your hips and shoulder
and move back far enough so that your body is behind the falling shuttle. This will
increase the power and variety of your stroke. If you can't get back fast enough, you
will most likely be forced to hit a weak clear.
Unless you are confident where your opponent will play the next shot, try to
return to your base every time after you make a shot. Always be ready to react
quickly and be alert.
Badminton Drop Shots
Badminton Drop Shots are delicate badminton shots that can win you points
outright if executed well with deception. These shots can be played both on the
forehand and backhand sides.
Use the badminton drop shot to move your opponent to the frontcourt. It will
create space in the midcourt and backcourt for you to exploit.
Wrist action is essential in providing the disguise and element of surprise. The
optimum hitting zone is located somewhere above the central area of your racket.
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Badminton Smash
Badminton Smash is the most potent of all badminton shots. There is almost
no defense against a well executed smash. It can be played both on the forehand
and backhand sides.
The smash is a shot hit with power and speed downward to your opponent's
court. The angle and the steepness of the shuttle's trajectory will make it hard for
your opponent to retrieve.
Contact the shuttle further in front of your body than the clear or the drop shot.
The optimum hitting zone is located somewhere above the central area of your
racket.
You can also jump and smash the shuttle at the same time to generate more
power and create a steeper angle for the shot. This will give your opponent even
lesser time to react. As this is a more advance shot, master the normal badminton
smash first before taking on any jumping smash.
The feeling of being able to smash powerfully and kill off a point is really
great. But try not to get carried away. As the badminton smash requires a lot of
energy, use it only when the opportunity arises. For example, a weak clear from your
opponent to your midcourt area. Do not tire yourself out unnecessarily.
To learn more about the Jump Smash, please visit Essentials of Badminton
Technique Video Sample: The Jump Smash
Forehand Smash
The forehand overhead smash is similar to the action of throwing a ball. If you
can throw a ball well, you shouldn't have problem playing this stroke. You can always
practice throwing with a shuttle first before stepping on to the court.
Here are some pointers for playing a forehand overhead smash.
- Adopt the forehand grip.
- Turn your body and stand sideways to the net with your non-racket shoulder
facing the net.
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- Shift your weight on to your rear foot.
- Bend your elbow and lock your wrist preparing to swing forward.
- Raise your non-racket hand and point at the shuttle to improve timing and
balance.
- Contact the shuttle as high as possible and in front of your body using a
strong throwing action as if you are going to throw your racket high and forward
through the air.
- Straighten your elbow as you hit the shuttle.
- Snap down your wrist at the point of impact giving the shuttle extra power
and angle towards your opponent's court.
- Follow through with your racket and shift your weight from your rear foot to
your front foot.
- Move back to your base position.
Backhand Smash
It is difficult to play a backhand overhead smash. Even experienced players

have problem with this badminton stroke. Try to play an 'around the head' forehand
smash whenever possible.
However, it is important that you know how to play the backhand overhead
smash. There are times when you just can't play the shuttle with your forehand.
Here are some pointers for playing a backhand overhead smash.
- Adopt the backhand grip.
- Turn your body so that your back is facing the net.
- Lead and shift your weight to your racket foot.
- Lift your arm from the shoulder with the forearm parallel to the floor.
- Hold the racket across your body with the racket head pointing down.
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- Keep the racket arm and elbow close into your body.
- Hit the shuttle at a high point of contact and in front of your body.
- Flick down your wrist powerfully at the shuttle.
- A follow through is not needed.
Around the Head Smash
This is actually a forehand overhead badminton smash played at the non-

racket side of your body. Try to use it whenever play permits as a forehand stroke is
always better and more powerful than a backhand.
The techniques for hitting this shot are about the same as the forehand
overhead stroke with only some minor adjustments.
Here are some pointers for playing a forehand around the head smash.
- Stand squarely to the net.
- Bend your upper body sideways to your non-racket side as your arms come
through.
- Shift your weight to your non-racket leg.
- Bend your elbow and bring the racket behind your head.
- As you swing forward, your forearm will brush the top of your head before
straightening.
- Transfer your body weight rapidly as your non-racket leg pushes your body
back to your base position.
An important thing to note here is that whether you are playing a badminton
smash, a drop shot or a clear, your wrist plays a key part in creating deception.
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The basic preparations for these badminton shots are the same, only the
angle of the racket face, the speed of the racket head and the point of impact is
different. Keep your opponent guessing.
Practice hard on your Badminton Smash and use it wisely. Be patient and
wait for the opportunity to strike.
Badminton Drive
Badminton Drive shots are shots that crosses the net flatly in a horizontal
trajectory. It can be played both on the forehand and backhand sides.
The drive is an attacking shot that is usually played from the sides of the court
when the shuttle has fallen too low for it to be returned with a smash. The shuttle
shall be between your shoulder and knee height. It is widely used in doubles as
players want to keep the shuttle low. Although to a lesser extent in the singles, it is
an important stroke as well.
A flat and fast drive is useful in getting the shuttle behind your opponent,
potentially causing them to make a weak return. You can also change your tactics
and play a flat but slower drive shot that falls in the frontcourt or midcourt area. It all
depends on the situation you are in and the on court positioning of your opponent.
Badminton drive shot can be played diagonally crosscourt or straight down the line.
Your stroking motion is similar to a sidearm throwing motion. Footwork is important
as you need to shuffle or glide to your sides to make the shot.
Forehand Drive
Here are some pointers for the forehand drive:
- Adopt the forehand grip.
- Lead with your racket leg and side step towards the shuttle on your
forehand.
- Your racket foot shall be pointing towards the sideline.
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- Lock your wrist and draw your racket arm back in a sidearm, backswing
motion.
- Your forehand grip and backswing place the racket parallel to the floor with
your palm up.
- Put your body weight on your racket leg as you swing your racket arm
forward.
- Extend your racket arm, roll your forearm over, and contact the shuttle as
your wrist unlocks.
- Hit the shuttle in front of your racket foot at the highest point possible.
- Turn your racket inwards for cross court shots.
- Racket head square to the shuttle for shots straight down the line.
- Follow through naturally with your racket arm.
- Shift your body weight from your racket leg to your non-racket leg.
- Move back to your base position
Backhand Drive
Here are some pointers for the backhand drive:
- Adopt the backhand grip.
- Lead with your non-racket leg or crossover with your racket leg to your
backhand side.
- Lock your wrist and draw your racket arm back in a sidearm, backswing
motion.
- Your backhand grip and backswing place the racket parallel to the floor with
your palm down.
- Put your body weight on your leading leg as you swing your racket arm
forward.
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- Extend your racket arm, roll your forearm over, and contact the shuttle as
your wrist unlocks.
- Hit the shuttle in front of your leading foot at the highest point possible.
- Turn your racket inwards for cross court shots.
- Racket head square to the shuttle for shots straight down the line.
- Follow through naturally with your racket arm.
- Shift your body weight from your leading leg to your non-leading leg.
Badminton Drive shots may not win you points outright but it can create
openings for a winning shot. Equip this weapon in your arsenal...
Badminton Drills
Doing some simple Badminton Drills will have a great bearing in you
becoming a better player. Just by playing games alone will not be enough. Spend
some time and effort in your Badminton Training. You'll become a better Badminton
Player.
Here are some Badminton Drills that you can practice on to improve your
game.
 Shadow Badminton
This is to practice the correct movement and technique without actually hitting
a shuttle. Get a partner to help direct you to the areas of the court, making sure that
you cover the backcourt, midcourt, and the frontcourt with both your forehand and
backhand.
Commit fully during this practice as you would in any competition. Imagine
that you are playing against a world class player. It will definitely improve your
movement on court and fitness.
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 Wall Rally Drill
Take an old shuttle and hit it against the wall. Hit the shuttle with your
forehand and backhand, straight or diagonal. It can be used for practicing almost
every stroke. It is a good way to improve footwork, strengthen the arm and wrist
muscles used in badminton.
The wall should be at least 20 feet high to accommodate clears. The practice
will be more effective if you can show the height of the net with a chalk line or a
string, 5 feet above the ground. As the shuttle rebounds so fast from the wall, your
wrist will naturally come into play. You will learn how to switch grips at an instance as
well. You will be amazed on your improved reflexes the next time you step on court.
Hitting a shuttle against a wall is an effective practice at all levels of plays.
 Multiple Shuttles - Overhead Strokes
The more shuttles you have, the better for this routine. The feeder plays the
shuttles into different areas of your backcourt. You will then use your forehand,
backhand or around the head to play the clears, drop shots or smashes. Return to
your base position after each shot.
This badminton drill is meant to improve your speed and accuracy in

executing overhead strokes. You have to remember that merely reaching the
shuttles is not enough. You have to play quality shots to the other side.
 Multiple shuttles - Net Play
Again, you will need a lot of shuttles for this routine. The feeder throws the
shuttles to your net area. You will then decide whether to play a net shot, a net kill or
a net lift with your forehand or backhand. Return to your base position after each
shot.
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This badminton drill is meant to improve your net play and your movement on
court. The quality of your return is important. Pay attention to it or this practice will
not be effective.
 Half Court Singles
Playing half court singles can improve footwork and increase stamina. It will
train you to play more accurate shots with all strokes as well. It is fun to play and
effective in improving your game.
 King of the Court
This game is useful when you are with a lot of players. It is enjoyable and can
improve your overall game. It is played with the normal rules and regulation. You can
set the winning condition, normally whoever reaches 3 points first wins.
The winner will stay in the court as king while another player will take him on.
The king will stay on until he looses. The eventual winner of that duel will then switch
to the other side of the court becoming king.
 2 Versus 1
If you want to improve your singles play, this is a badminton drill that you can't
do without. It is played on a singles court and is great for improving fitness, speed
around the court, footwork and shot accuracy. The two players on one side of the
court must assume a front back position and play as they would in a singles match.
You will then be able to play in a very tough and pressured condition, enabling you to
raise your game.
World class players put in a lot of effort during their Badminton Training. If you
aspire to be one, you should do that too. Practice in the above Badminton Drills and I
am sure you will come off a better player.
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Badminton Glossary
As beginner or even as an advances player or coach some terms used by
other players or coaches are sometimes leaving question marks. This Three-Part-
Series covers most of the terms used. Part I covers court & hitting areas as well as
grips.
Front Court – the front part of the court. In general the part of the court until
the front serice line, but not exactly measureable as it depends on discipline,
individual abilities and tactic. In doubles usually the part of the court that is covered
by the net player.
Mid Court – the part of the court betwenn rear and front court. In general the
part of the court were counter defence and drive play takes part.
Rear Court – the rear part of the court where normally overhead smashes,
clears and drop shots are player. In general the section between the rear double and
single service lines.
Base – the tactical center of the court specific to each situation, e.g. after I
play a high clear, I move a little bit more towards the longline side and depending on
the abilities and what I expect from my opponent more forward or backward into the
court
Center of the court – the geometrical center of the court where the distance to
each corner ist the same. Normally not the ideal tactical center (or base) in most
situations.
Forehand – strokes or shots where the palm of the hand in the moment of
impact points towards the net are called forehand shots, most of the shots are
played on the racket hand side (right side for right handers)
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Backhand - strokes or shots where the back of the hand in the moment of
impact points towards the net are called backhand shots, most of the shots are
played on the non-racket hand side (left side for right handers)
Underhand – strokes that are hit with the racket head under the height of the
hand or strokes that are hit with the racket head pointing left or right out of the court
and the string surface pointing up (with shuttles that moving up)
Sidehand – strokes that are hit with the racket in neutral positions and the
string surface pointing up towards the net at the impact of the shuttle and the shuttle
is traveling straight towards the opponent, mostly flat, sometimes with small angles
as in a flick
Overhand – offensive positions where the racket head is pointing up and the
string surface pointing up towards the net, shot like offensive push, block, drive and
kills are played – often used in doubles also for net shots and deceptive lifts
Overhead – strokes being hit over the head as clear or smash Grips – there
are a number of important grips in Badminton. Different shots are played with
different grips – a very important topic for beginners
Starting Grip – sometimes called (long) V-Grip or neutral grip is the grip used
in ready position in singles (slighty changed in douples). From that grip you change
into the specific grip needed for the next stroke
Re-Grip – or Re-Gripping is the action you see mostly top players perform
before changing from neutral grip into a smash grip, they open their racket hand and
while closing it moving their finger together
Smash Grip – a grip that is used for generate power through the better use of
fore arm rotation, almost as if holding a hammer
Backhand Grip – a grip or better a number of grips that are associated with
backhand shots overhead, at the side of the body or different net shots. In general
64
the thumb is place on the angular surface of the grip (please see thumb grip to see
the difference)
Forehand Grip – sometimes when people talk about the forehand grip, they
are talking about the V-Grip or the frying pan grip – this leads to a number of errors
when not being specific (see backhand grip and thumb grip)
Frying Pan Grip – a grip similar to the grip used to hold a frypan, used for
forehand net kills, pushes in front of the body and (!!!) backhand shots in the far rear
court
Thumb Grip – a grip where the thumb is placed on the broad site of the grip.
Shots are for example net kill and backhand block. The thumb grip is normally NOT
the grip for a backhand clear – a major error in beginners.
Backswing – the active or passive backward motion of the arm, elbow, hand
or racquet needed to generate power for a specific shot through energy transfer of
kinetic chains
Follow Through – the movement of the racquet after the shuttle has been hit,
giving useful information of which shot has been player or the quality of the shot
Longline – shots that are hit straight are called longline shots
Crosscourt – shots that are hit diagonal are called cross or cross court
Clear – a stroke that is hit into the rear court to make the opponent move
there and create space in the front, sometimes played to have enough time after a
defensive situation (see defensive clear)
65
Offensive clear – a flat clear or delayed clear used to pressure the opponent
in the rear court Delayed clear – a clear with delay to destroy the opponents split
step timing, sometimes in addition with the deception of an incoming drop shot
Defensiv clear – a very high clear, played to have enough time after a
defensive situation
Drop – or drop shot is a stroke called that is hit into the fore court
Cut drop – a drop shot with deception that is created with cutting the shuttle
Net drop – a drop shot at the net
Stop – the short (drop shot) return of a drop shot at the net is sometimes
called stop Backhand Serve – a service performed with the back hand, commonly
used in doubles and men’s singles but also more and more often seen in women’s
singles
Deceptive shot – a feint shot or shot with deception, one show’s one or two
possible strokes but at the end performs a different one into an other corner. Used
as a tactical solution. Sometimes played for fun.
Delayed shot – a shot that is resolved at “the last second”, before the point of
impact the opponent does not know where the shuttle flies to, the moment before
impact the racket head is usually moving extra slow towards the shuttle
Feint shot – also trick shot, see deceptive shot
Trick shot – see deceptive shot
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Flick – a shot played from the net or sometimes mid court just over the reach
of the opponent into the deep rear court corners
Swip – see flick Lift – depends on which background it can be a clear, high
clear or flick from the net or underhand position
Serve - or service is the first stroke called that brings the shuttle into play
Return – or service return is the second stroke following the service is called
Short serve – a short serve into the fore or mid court to make it difficult for the
opponent to attack in the return
Flick serve – a service used in both singles in doubles as alternative to a short

serve to make the opponent have to move into the rear court quick, often also to
surprise the opponent
High serve – a high service mainly used in women’s singles that is hit as high
and wide as possible
Net kill – a stroke near or at the net that is hit to finish the rally, either direct on
the ground or into an difficult area to return
Drive – a fast and flat shot used for counter or neutral situations
Push – a controlled flat shot used for controlled counter or neutral situations
Sliced shot – a cut shot normally cut under the shuttle with cut direction
towards the net is called slice
Tumple Net Shot – a cut drop shot at the net that tumbles so that the shuttle is
harder for the opponent to kill or even to return in a controlled manner
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Spin Net Shot – a cut drop shot that spins in either on dimension (see tumple
net shot) or even better is tumbling and spinning around his center of mass that
makes a return even more difficult
Wood shot – or frame shot is a legal shot that is accidently hit with the racket
frame
Carry – a return that is caught with the racket thrown over the net, sometimes
referred as a sling or thrown (shot). This is legal as long as is a continuation of a
normal stroke and not a multiple hit. These accidental shots have not been legal a
long time. Against the rules would be to catch and throw (by purpose).
Forehand – strokes or shots where the palm of the hand in the moment of
impact points towards the net are called forehand shots, most of the shots are
played on the racket hand side (right side for right handers)
Backhand - strokes or shots where the back of the hand in the moment of
impact points towards the net are called backhand shots, most of the shots are
played on the non-racket hand side (left side for right handers)
Underhand – strokes that are hit with the racket head under the height of the
hand or strokes that are hit with the racket head pointing left or right out of the court
and the string surface pointing up (with shuttles that moving up)
Sidehand – strokes that are hit with the racket in neutral positions and the
string surface pointing up towards the net at the impact of the shuttle and the shuttle
is traveling straight towards the opponent, mostly flat, sometimes with small angles
as in a flick
Overhand – offensive positions where the racket head is pointing up and the
string surface pointing up towards the net, shot like offensive push, block, drive and
kills are played – often used in doubles also for net shots and deceptive lifts
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Overhead – strokes being hit over the head as clear or smash
As beginner or even as an advances player or coach some terms used by

other players or coaches are sometimes leaving question marks. This Three-Part-
Series covers most of the terms used. Part II covers Badminton footwork.
Ready step – the step backwards form the lunge or push step position with
your lead leg to get in an anatomic better position for a quick return to the center of
play (not to mingle with plyo or split step or timing step)
Split step – or plyo step is the movement called before the opponent hits the
shuttle. In offensive play it could be a small jump while in defensive situation it is
normally a disengagement from the feet and the ground while the body’s center of
mass is lowered
Plyo step – see split step
Timing (ready) step - see split step
Push step – the lunge like step at the net in offensive position or rear court in
defensive position
Lunge – see Push Step
Directional step – the movement after the split step to get the body in a better
position for quick push towards the shuttle. There are different ways depending on
the athletes abilities and tactical situation. The principle is the same – the pushing
foot needs to be brought away from the center of mass in the direction opposite the
intended way to the shuttle and one leg is place slighty towards the shuttle. Different
players use different legs to do so, both with advantages and disadvantages
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China jump – a parallel jump or sidestep jump mostly done in offensive or

counter situations to intercept the flight of the shuttle in midcourt in singles or
sometimes also in front court in doubles
Chasse jump – see China jump
Chasse step – see side step
Side step – a parallel movement using several lateral pushes while the legs
are not crossing, also seen for example in fencing
Crossover step – a parallel movement using several lateral pushes while the
legs are crossing, slower as a side step but covers more distance. Also the start
movement sometimes are called cross overs where the pushing leg overtakes the
front leg
Scissors jump – the jump backwards initiated be the pushing of the racket leg
and a change of legs in the air initiated by hip extension and hip and trunk rotation,
landing position with non-racket leg behind the body and a kick with the front leg
forwards that hits the ground a slight moment after the back leg (but almost at the
same time – only fraction of seconds difference)
Malay step – a small step with the non-racket leg backwards while moving in
the round-the-head corner, sometimes called double hop
Round-the-head – the backhand corner is sometimes called round-the-head

corner as forehand shot with some pressure are hit over or even left of the left
shoulder – this makes it possible
Footwork – normally the specific running technique is called footwork - in the

Badminton context footwork is sometimes associated with quick feet exercises that
are used widely in the sport.
70

Origins and History of Badminton

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Origins and History of Badminton

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Badminton for Beginners

Origins and History of Badminton

The degree of change is increasing. Badminton’s debut as an Olympic Games

Badminton clubs were started throughout England. By 1893, badminton had

As badminton spread to more countries, the need for an international

Top 10Greatest Badminton layer of All Time

He is a two-time Olympic champion, five-time World champion, as well as a

Lee Chong Wei

Retired Indonesian badminton player Taufik Hidayat won the Indonesian

Besides international badminton events, he also participated and won the

Indonesian-born badminton player Tony Gunawan is regarded by many as

Morten Frost Hansen

Former Chinese female badminton player Li Lingwei is considered by many

Former Chinese badminton

Peter Høeg Gade

Peter Høeg Gade is a retired Danish professional badminton player. He was

He has always combined genuine sportsmanship with a true battling spirit,

Getting Started - Basic Badminton Equipment

Badminton rackets can be made from several types of materials. Depending

Instead of making purchases online, pop by a badminton shop. Ask for

There are two types of shuttlecocks - plastic and feathered shuttlecocks.

Plastic shuttlecocks tend to travel shorter distances as they are heavier.

For casual to non-competitive players, a comfortable pair of shorts and cotton

Officials and Function

Who are the officials of badminton?

The referee handles general tournament organization, extraordinary

In most major tournaments, there will be at least thirteen (13) officiating

Role of Referee in Badminton

Match referees should ensure the practice schedules, facilities, playing

All referees will have attained significant badminton qualifications in order to

The tournament referee has complete authority over any championships or

Role of an Umpire in Badminton

There are many responsibilities of an umpire in badminton. But, umpires have

Badminton Umpires Authority

Officiating officials of badminton, and their functions, have several levels of

Another function of the umpire is to record any incidents of misconduct

Note: As a rule, championship organizers would provide badminton umpiring

Roles and Responsibilities of Officials in Badminton 2019Umpire in Badminton

 What if an umpire chooses to appoint officiating officials in badminton? In fact,

Responsibilities of a Service Judge

 Calling service faults

 Checking shuttle speeds and the height of the net

Badminton Line Judge Responsibilities

Line judges have the responsibility of calling a shuttlecock IN or OUT.

Badminton Officials and Player Appeals

Players can appeal decisions made by service or line judges. If it happens,

Umpires in badminton should consult the tournament referee if they are

 A match consists of the best of 3 games of 21 points.

Interval and Change of Ends

 A 1 minute interval between each game is allowed.

 A side has only one ‘set’.

The absolute basics

Badminton is played indoors

Some of you may be familiar with playing badminton on a beach, or in the

Setting up a badminton court

 The net covers the whole width of the court.

Singles, doubles, and mixed doubles

In total, there are five types of badminton:

What are all those lines for?

All the other lines are for serving

In badminton, the serve must be hit in an upwards direction, with an underarm

Length: 44’ | 13.41 m

Width (Full/Doubles): 20’ | 6.1 m