Badminton has its origins in ancient civilisations in Europe and Asia.

The ancient game known as

battledore (bat or paddle) and shuttlecock probably originated more than 2000 years ago.

In the 1600s battledore and shuttlecock was an upper class pastime in England and many European
countries. Battledore and shuttlecock was simply two people hitting a shuttlecock backwards and
forwards with a simple bat as many times as they could without allowing it to hit the ground.

Modern badminton can be traced to mid-19th century British India. It was created by British military
officers stationed there. A net was added to the traditional English game of battledore and shuttlecock.
As it was popular in the British garrison town of Poona, the game came to be known as "Poona" or
"Poonai" Initially, woollen balls were preferred by the upper classes in windy or wet conditions, but
ultimately shuttlecocks took over the role of a "ball." This game was taken by retired officers who got
back to England. It was introduced as a game for the guests of the Duke of Beaufort at his stately home
'Badminton' in Gloucestershire, England where it became popular. Hence, the origin of the name
"Badminton."

In March 1898, the first Open Tournament was held at Guildford and the first 'All England'
Championships were held the following year.

The International Badminton Federation was formed in 1934 with nine founder members, England,
Wales, Ireland, Scotland, Denmark, Holland, Canada, New Zealand and France. India joined as an
affiliate in 1936.

The first major IBF tournament was the Thomas Cup (world men's team championships) in 1948. Since
then, the number of world events has increased with the addition of the Uber Cup (women's team),
World Championships (individual events), Sudirman Cup (mixed team), World Junior Championships and
the World Grand Prix Finals.

Badminton is a relatively new Olympic sport. It was a demonstration sport at the 1972 Munich
Olympics. Badminton eventually became an Olympic sport in Barcelona in 1992. Only the singles and
doubles were introduced for the first time in the Olympic Games. Mixed doubles was included in the
1996 Atlanta Olympic Games and badminton is the only sport that has mixed doubles event in the
Olympics.
Only five countries have won gold medals at the Olympics since badminton was introduced in 1992 -
China, Indonesia and Korea, England and Denmark.

Susi Susanti from Indonesia won the women's singles in Barcelona, becoming Indonesia's first medallist
after forty years participating in the Olympics. Ironically, Susi's future husband, Alan Budi Kusama won
Indonesia's second gold medal in the men's singles.

Badminton Equipment & Facilities

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Chris Sherwood

Chris Sherwood

Published:

11 December, 2018

Different versions of badminton have been played for centuries, but it was the game of "Poona" in India
that was the basis for the game of badminton we play today. In the 1860's a group of stationed British
army officers learned the game and took it back with them from India. The game grew in popularity until
1895 when the Badminton Association of England was formed, along with the rules of game play that
are used around the world even today. In order to play this form of badminton, certain equipment and
facilities are needed.

Racket

The badminton racket is one of the most important tools a player has in the game. Badminton rackets
are much lighter than most other sports rackets because they are made from materials such as carbon
fiber or lighter metals such as aluminum. Parts of the racket include the head, throat, shaft and handle
with a maximum length of 27.77 inches and a width of 9 inches. It Strings that are stretched across the
opening of the racket in a checkerboard pattern, which acts as the hitting surface. Badminton rackets can
vary widely in cost depending on whether they are purchased as part of a basic backyard set or as more
expensive professional models.
Shuttlecock

The badminton shuttlecock, also referred to as a shuttle or birdie, acts similarly to a ball in other racket
sports. However, the design of the birdie creates more drag as it is propelled through the air due to its
feathered shape. The shuttlecock is made up of a cone shape with a hard cork at its tip. Shuttlecocks can
be made from a variety of materials -- more expensive models are actually made from feathers, and less
expensive models are made from plastic feathers. The shuttle has 16 feathers attached to the base and
the length of the feathers range between 2.44 and 2.75 inches.

Net

A mesh net divides the badminton court into two sides. A badminton net is placed lower than a
volleyball net at five feet and one inch high on the sides and five feet high in the center. The length may
vary depending on whether doubles or singles are playing, with singles reaching 17 feet and doubles
reaching 22 feet. The net is 30 inches wide with a 3-inch white tape doubled over the top.

Facilities

The badminton court should be 44 feet long by 22 feet wide if playing doubles, and 44 feet long by 17
feet wide for singles. If the facility is indoors, there needs to be enough height for the shuttlecock to be
able to float across the net without hitting the ceiling. This height will vary depending on the strength of
the players.

5 Basic Badminton Skills Every Beginner Needs to LearnPosted by whsc in Badminton On August 29, 2018

Badminton is a beginner-friendly sport as anyone can start out and try to play the game. Usually,
beginners are only focused on trying to make sure that whenever they hit the shuttle, it goes over the
net and within the bounds of the court. But even for beginners, learning these basic badminton skills can
help increase both competitiveness and also the fun in playing.

1. The Ready Stance

Badminton Ready Stand

Always having the right stance when playing makes it a lot easier to minimize the movements you need
to make to hit a shot. The ready stance done by putting your non-racquet leg a step forward and about
shoulder width away from your racquet leg. Slightly bend both knees with your weight balanced
between both legs. Slightly bend forward from the hip, keeping your back straight, and lift your racquet
up with your racquet-hand in front of you slightly above your shoulder and the head of the racquet to be
right above your forehead. Raise your non-racquet arm to help improve your balance.

2. Forehand and Backhand Grip

Badminton Forehand

Badminton Forehand

Having the right grip is crucial in helping new players control their shots better and protects from
possible injury from putting too much pressure on the wrist. The simplest way to grip your badminton
racquet is by imitating a handshake. Your thumb should press against the handle while the rest of your
hand and four fingers wrap around the racquet. This handshake should be a friendly one. Don’t grip too
tightly because you need to retain flexibility in your wrist. It is recommended that you opt to put a wrap
around your grip to make it more comfortable and less slippery.

This grip applies to both forehand and backhand grips used for both forehand and backhand shots. The
variations lie in that for the forehand grip, it’s better to fold your thumb a bit and let your index finger
control the racquet on the stroke, while for the backhand grip, the thumb pressing against the racquet
will control the stroke. Having a loose grip and being able to quickly switch between grips is an advanced
skill that allows pros to shift from forehand to backhand easily.

3. Footwork

badminton Footwork
Footwork is basic badminton skill that a lot of new players often overlook. But having the right footwork
makes the game so much easier as it allows you to cover more ground around the court while using less
time and energy. Lateral steps are the best way to move around the badminton court as it allows you to
cover a lot of ground and change direction fast, while putting less strain on your knees. By practicing the
right footwork, you’ll feel that it is easier to recover to hit shuttles that are flying towards the other side
of the court. Some basic drills to improve your lateral movement can be very effective in helping train
yourself to move around the court better.

4. Strokes

badminton Strokes

badminton Strokes

There are 4 basic strokes that every beginner needs to learn. By knowing these, beginners can create
good badminton stroke habits, which they can use in the future for more advanced shots like drops,
smashes and drives. These are:

Overhead Forehand – this is the most common stroke and most beginners are very more comfortable
using this especially for stronger strokes. Make sure to have a forehand grip, lift your racket arm up with
the racket slightly above your head, and tilt your body to the side of your racket arm with your racket
arm behind you. Widen your chest and use your non-racket hand to point at the shuttlecock to aim.
Straighten out your racket arm then swing it towards the shuttle in a downward motion while slightly
rotating your waist towards the front. Swing the racket until it’s pointing slightly downwards.

Overhead Backhand- the overhead backhand is slightly more difficult for beginners as you’ll have to face
your body backward to use this effectively. This is a slightly advanced shot that is hard to master at first
but doing so will set good foundations to how you play badminton. To start, turn your body to the back
in the direction of your non-racket arm, with your racket arm raised in front of you and pointing towards
the back. Keep your racket-arm close to your body, bent such that your elbow is pointing down. As the
shuttle approaches above your head level, slightly tilt your arm downward to gain momentum then
swing up and flick your wrist upward until the racket is pointing up and your arm is straightened out.
Remember to immediately go back to your ready stance once you’ve hit the shot.
Underarm Forehand– the underarm forehand allows you to hit low shots with a lot of strength, but it is
quite challenging to aim at first. To do this, from your ready stance, lunge forward with your racket-leg
and keep your racket arm slightly bent with the top of the racket’s head slightly below shoulder level.
Straighten your arm out to make the racket tilt backwards then flick your wrist, followed by your arm, to
swing forward when hitting the shuttle. Bend your body forward slightly to keep your balance.

Underarm Backhand– the underarm backhand is actually easier to do than the overhead counterpart
since you won’t need to turn backwards. Lunging towards your backhand area, Bend your racket arm
downward with the racket handle parallel to the floor and the racket head parallel to your body. Flick
your wrist upward, followed by your arm until your arm is extended straight and aligned with your
shoulder.

5. Underarm Backhand Serve

Underarm Backhand Serve

Underarm Backhand Serve

The underarm backhand serve is the most basic badminton serve that you can practice as a beginner
because it gives you easier control in terms of how strong you’ll hit the shuttle and where you will make
the shuttle go in terms of height or placement on the court. By learning how to utilize this serve, you can
already start to strategize where you place your serve depending on your opponent. To start, have a
ready stance with your backhand leg slightly forward with both feet pointing forward. Lift your racket up
to so it is parallel to the floor, with the head parallel to the net and aligned with your shoulder. Using
your non-racket hand, hold the shuttle cock by the feather about 5-6 inches in front of the center of the
racket’s face. Bend the wrist of your racket hand downward to generate momentum and flick upwards
with varying strength depending on how far or how high you want the shuttle cock to travel. Try to play
around with how strong you hit the shuttle and how high you follow through. Try to aim for different
spots in the court with this serve and you’ll immediately have the upper hand against your opponents.

Glossary of Badminton Terms

Alley - Extension of the court by l 1/2 feet on both sides for doubles play.

Back Alley - Area between the back boundary line and the long service line for doubles.
Backcourt - Back third of the court, in the area of the back boundary lines.

Balk - Any deceptive movement that disconcerts an opponent before or during the service; often called a
"feint."

Baseline - Back boundary line at each end of the court, parallel to the net.

Carry - An illegal tactic, also called a sling or throw, in which the shuttle is caught and held on the racquet
and then slung during the execution of a stroke.

Center or Base Position - Location in the center of the court to which a singles player tries to return after
each shot.

Center Line - Line perpendicular to the net that separates the left and right service courts.

Clear - A shot hit deep to the opponent’s back boundar>Nine. The high clear is a defensive shot, while
the flatter attacking clear is used offensively.

Court - Area of play, as defined by the outer boundary lines.

Drive - A fast and low shot that makes a horizontal flight over the net.

Drop - A shot hit sohly and with finesse to fall rapidly and close to the net on the opponent’s side.

Fault - A violation of the playing rules, either in serving, receiving, or during play (see common faults
listed below).
Flick - A quick wrist and forearm rotation that surprises an opponent by changing an apparently soft shot
into a faster passing one; used primarily on the serve and at the net.

Forecourt - Front third of the court, between the net and the short service line.

Hairpin Net Shot - Shot made from below and very close to the net with the shuttle rising, just clearing
the net, and then dropping sharply down the other side. The shuttle’s flight approximates the shape of a
hairpin.

Halfcourt Shot - A shot hit low and to midcourt, used effectively in doubles against the up-and-back
formation.

Kill - Fast, downward shot that cannot be returned; a "putaway." Let - A legitimate cessation of play to
allow a rally to be replayed. Long Service Line - In singles, the back boundary line.1n doubles a line 2 l/2
feet inside the back boundary line. The serve may not go past this line.

Match - A series of games (at U.S. Olympic Festival-’93 it is three out of five), to determine a winner.
Midcourt - The middle third of the court, halfway between the net and the back boundary line.

Net Shot - Shot hit from the forecourt that just clears the net and drops sharply.

Push Shot - Gentle shot played by pushing the shuttle with little wrist motion, usually from net or
midcourt to the opponent’s midcourt.

Racquet - Instrument used by playerto hit shuttlecock Weight:About3 ounces. Length: 27 inches. Made
of: Ceramic, graphite, or boron frame; beef-gut string. Cost: $60-$175 (unstrung).

Rally - Exchange of shots while the shuttle is in play.

Serve or Service - Stroke used to put shuttlecock into play at the start of each rally.

Service Court - Area into which the serve must be delivered. Different for singles and doubles play.

Short Service Line - The line 6 l/2 feet from the net which a serve must reach to be legal.

Shuttlecock - Official name for the object that players hit. Also known as "birdie." Weight: .17-.l9 ounces.
Made of: 16 goose feathers attached to a corktip covered with goat skin. Cost: $1.50-$2.00. Usually lasts
for no more than two games. The heavier the shuttlecock, the faster it flies. Flies faster in higher
temperatures and at higher altitudes.

Smash - Hard-hit overhead shot that forces the shuttle sharply downward. Badminton’s primary
attacking stroke.

Wood Shot - Shot that results when the base of the shuttle is hit by the frame of the racquet. Once
illegal, this shot was ruled acceptable by the International Badminton Federation in 1963.

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