Physical Education and Health: Sports

Basic Skills in Playing Badminton

1
Course Module
Basic Skills in Playing Badminton
At the end of the module, the student will be able to:
1.
Identify and apply the b
asic skills in playing badminton
a.
The Grip
b.
Stroke
c.
The Service
d.
Clearing
Difficulties
2.
Determine each skill
’s
use in playing badminton
3.
Understand how badminton is played
Basic Skills in Playing Badminton
How important is racket handling? The feel and
weight of the racket prepares
you to handle it comfortably during the play. Han
d
-
eye coordination is
essential in making contact with the bird. Timing also
plays an important role
in your stroke production. Constant practice in hitting,
blocking, bouncing or
even picking up the shuttle with the racket will
enhance your racket handlin
g
skills.
Correct gripping is the most vital factor in
badminton and winning matches,
as holding the racket is vital in executing a good serve
or hitting a
shuttlecock.
To develop good stroke production, the following
steps should be followed:
-
Shake hand
s with racket
-
Reach for shuttle with arms extended
-
Snap racket through forearm rotation
The Grip
The grip is made near the end of the handle, the side
panel of which should
bisect the angle of the thumb and forefinger. The grip
is neither tight
nor
loose but firm and pliant, strengthening as the swing
progresses. It is also the
basis of free effective wrist action
.
The player’s control of his/her hit depends
on his grip of the racket so this is a crucial part of
playing the sport.
Two kinds of g
rip
1.
Forehand grip
–
known as the “SHAKE HANDS” grip. The handle of
the
racket is held as if you are shaking hands with the
racket. This universal
grip is similar to the eastern forehand grip in tennis,
with the “V” formed
by the thumb or index finger on th
e top level of the racket grip.
2.
Backhand grip
–
or the Frying Pan Grip. It is similar to the forehand
grip
except that hand is rotated slightly to the left and the
thumb is placed flat
against the side level for additional power. Most of the
time, this is
the
weakest way of holding the racket especially for the
backhand that is why
it is very seldom used.
Stroke
The term “stroke” is referred to as the forehand and
backhand manner of
hitting the shuttle while the term “shot” refers to a
different flight pat
tern
produced by the stroke such as drive, smash,
lob or clear and drop.

Forehand stroke
This refers to any shot struck on the racket side of the
body. This is used
when returning the bird from the right side of the
body.

Backhand stroke
These are shots
struck on the side away from the racket (left side for
the
right
-
handed and right side for the left
-
handed). This is used when
returning the bird from the left side of the body.

Overhand stroke
This is used when returning a high shot and in which
the arm
and the
shoulder are fully extended.

Drop shot
This is any shot that drops immediately after crossing
the net. The
overhand is the easiest stroke to use.

Drive
A flat shot that is kept as low as possible to have the
opponent run from
side to side.

Smash
This is the basic offensive shot in badminton. It is a
very powerful stroke
that is used primarily for getting the shuttle to land on
your opponent’s
side of the court as quickly as possible. An attacking
shot made with all
the power and speed one can put
into it.

Clear the lob
Clears are used as a defensive stroke to allow you
time to return to the
ready position and regroup and to move your
opponent as far away from
the net as possible. This is a defensive shot used to
keep the opponent
away from the ne
t when caught off balance or out of position or when in
doubt as to what the shot should be played. Use
either the forehand or
backhand grip.

Overhead clear
–
it is usually taken from a backcourt position.

Forehand Underhand (Net) Clear
–
it is usually ta
ken from forecourt
position.

The Service
The service is the stroke used to initiate play. It is
used to begin each