How to improve your badminton skills

Video: 12 Basic Badminton Techniques that you MUST Know - Introduction

Content

Steps
Method 1 of 3: Learn the Basics
Method 2 of 3: Capitalize on your opponent's weaknesses
Method 3 of 3: Master More Advanced Techniques
Tips
What do you need

Badminton is a great sport and a great way to exercise. To become an excellent badminton player, you must be fast as the wind and have a clever strategy to play.If you already know how to play badminton, but want to do it even better, you should find a way to maximize your strengths and also capitalize on your opponent's weaknesses.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Learn the Basics

1 Always hit the center of the shuttlecock. You should hit the rubber center of the shuttlecock every time. You can practice this technique by looking at the center of the shuttlecock every time you hit from behind your head.
2 Hit the shuttlecock when it is at the highest point of its trajectory. To take advantage of the speed and height of the flying shuttle, hit it when it is at its very peak. This will allow you to take a more powerful shot and keep the shuttle's trajectory under control. Do not wait for the shuttlecock to fly closer, it will lose speed and height.
3 Always return to the middle of the court. Don't get out of position after you hit the shuttlecock. Return to the middle of the court. This will make it more difficult for your opponent to get you to run, and he will not be able to direct the shuttle to a place that would be difficult for you to reach. By standing in the middle of the court, moving your feet and preparing for the next shot, you can always be in a ready position.
4 When hitting, direct the shuttle to the back line. To get the shuttlecock towards the back line, you need a fair amount of strength and precision. However, this will cause your opponent to move backward and hit the shuttle with great force in order to successfully deflect your blow. If next time you are not sure where to direct the shuttle, and the back line is open, point it there. At first, aim the shuttle a little closer, and not to the farthest line, so you will not make a mistake and the shuttle will not cross the boundaries of the back line.
5 Practice running properly. Badminton is like tennis: all success is in the correct running. If you run with full feet on the court, you will have a hard time deflecting your opponent's blows. Instead, use only your toes when running, crouch to parry the punch, and move your feet slightly forward and backward, right and left, preparing to parry the punch and taking a standby position.
6 Practice short pitch. Whether you're playing heads-up or doubles, the short serve will catch your opponent off guard. He clearly does not expect this and, perhaps, will not be able to reach the shuttlecock in time to reflect the blow. To deflect your opponent's short serve, you can't just lightly hit the shuttlecock or it will end up on your side of the net. Instead, hit the shuttle at a higher point in its trajectory. The shuttle should also go close along your racket, not perpendicularly.
7 Practice long serve when playing heads-up. In heads-up play, a long serve towards the baseline will take your opponent by surprise. He may be too close and unable to reach the shuttlecock, or he may not have enough strength to deflect the blow. To deflect a hit with a long serve of the enemy, take a position so that the shuttle is directly in front of you, swing the racket so that before reaching the shuttle, it picks up a certain speed, and only then hit.
8 Never give up. Always try to hit the shuttlecock, no matter how difficult the serve is received.

Method 2 of 3: Capitalize on your opponent's weaknesses

1 Understand your opponent's play. Whether you are playing with a new opponent during a competition or with your family, you should always evaluate the opponent's play, even if you are just warming up before the game. You should observe the following highlights in your opponent's play.

Whether your opponent is more of an aggressive or defensive type, whether he hits with an open or closed racket. Also, watch for weaknesses in your opponent that you can take advantage of, such as slow running or poor deflection of shorter punches.

Make your opponent run around the court. Do not aim all your shots at the same point on the court, or it will be too easy for your opponent to predict your play. Instead, use the full range of punches, forcing your opponent to run from the back line to the court net, right to left and vice versa. It is especially good to move your shots from the back of the court to the net. This will definitely be an obstacle for your opponent, unless he has super fast legs.

Aim the shuttlecock at your opponent's closed racket. Many players are weaker at hitting with a closed racket than with an open one. Try this type of hit and see if your opponent is doing well as well.

Take the usual short strikes. When you are very close to the net, just lightly hit the shuttlecock. This will take your opponent by surprise and have to run to the net to deflect the blow. This is a great technique if your opponent is on the back lane at the time.

Change the direction of movement of the shuttlecock. If your opponent hits the shuttle directly at you, do not follow his example, and direct the shuttle in any other direction, where the opponent does not expect it. This works especially well if the shuttle is moving at high speed. If you run fast, you can direct the shuttlecock in a different direction, without giving your opponent time to parry the blow.

Take a short kick and then kick to the back of the court. If you have mastered the short punch, use it, forcing your opponent to run headlong towards the net. This will not only force your opponent to move quickly, but will also take him by surprise. It's also a great way to wear down your opponent.

Make your opponent play by your rules. If you like staying close to the net, take short serves and take short shots, and do your best to prevent your opponent from getting the shuttle to the far line. If you prefer to stay on the far line, then do long serves and take long high-speed shots so that your opponent has no chance of pushing you closer to the net. Make your opponent lose control of the game and maximize your strengths.

Method 3 of 3: Master More Advanced Techniques

1 Take kicks off the net. The shuttlecock will spin and fall in an unpredictable direction. To cut the stroke as usual, start moving the racket forward and then slide the racket inward as if you were pointing the racket perpendicular to the center of the shuttlecock. Your opponent will be waiting for the shuttle to fall directly towards him, while the shuttle will actually cut off its normal trajectory.
2 Cut short beats. To do this, move the racket perpendicular to the shuttle and hit the center of it while it is in the air. This will cause the shuttlecock to lose speed, and it will plummet to the opponent's side next to the net.
3 Hit the shuttle from top to bottom. You should hit the shuttle when it is at the top of its trajectory. Raise your free hand up in the direction of the shuttle trajectory for accuracy, and then swing the racket over your head with the other hand and hit the center of the shuttle, directing it down to the opponent's side. This is similar to the tennis pitch.
- When you hit the shuttle from top to bottom, the target is just as important as the force you apply. Do not blindly hit the shuttle with all your might. You should try to aim the blow as far away from the enemy as possible, or at the enemy himself, in order to catch him by surprise.
4 Jump before hitting the shuttle from top to bottom. Once you have mastered the normal top-down punch, you can practice the same punch, but with a jump. This will add speed to the shuttle, and it will fall even more rapidly on the side of the opponent. Just jump a little, directing your torso and whole body where you would like the shuttlecock to fall, and hit the shuttlecock from top to bottom at the center point of its path.
5 Don't hit from top to bottom all the time. You should use this shot when the shuttle is high in the air and you have enough time to get close to it. Such a blow should end with a point in your favor. If you do this blow all the time, your hands can get very tired, and, in the end, you will fall into the net.
6 Always plan your next move. The beginner rejoices every time the shuttle flies over the net. The advanced player understands that playing good badminton is like playing chess: you must always be smart about taking your next hit, where you want your opponent to be. Always plan your next move and think one step further than your opponent.

Tips

In doubles play, confuse opponents by throwing the ball into the space between them so that they never know who is to parry.
Examine your opponent's weaknesses. Does he hit worse with a closed racket? Is it difficult for him to hit top-down punches, deflect short punches and move back from the net, etc.? In doubles play, is one player better than the other? Is one player better at the net than the other?
Don't hit the shuttle just to knock it off. Try short shots, especially if your opponent is far from the net.
Try to play unpredictably. Use the full range of beats.
When playing in pairs, teamwork is always needed. Try to attack opponents in an empty space. Concentrate on the game.
Always try to get your opponents to move around the court a lot. So they will quickly be exhausted.
Always call out the score after each point, as otherwise your opponent might want to confuse you just to win.
Get some rest before playing.
Practice a lot and you will play better.
When playing in pairs, when serving, you should get close to the net, forcing opponents to take long shots. In this case, your partner on the back row will be able to easily parry the blow.
Communication is the most important thing in doubles play. Speak out loud when you decide to kick the shuttle, and have your playmate do the same. Use visual communication by letting the player who cannot see their partner make tactical decisions. For example, when you are ahead of your partner, you decide which hits to parry and which direction to go. Do this quickly so that your partner doesn't have to guess.
Run efficiently. You should be able to reach the shuttle just one or two steps from the center position. Don't run around the court like a hysterical chicken. Take a decisive step towards the shuttlecock.
Mask your punches. For example, if you are about to hit from top to bottom, take an unexpectedly short hit. This will confuse the opponent and win a point.
Practice against a wall. Try different strikes and ways to deflect strikes.
When your opponent takes a clean shot, quickly move backward to be behind the shuttlecock. Now that the shuttlecock is in front of you, you have many possible ways to deflect an open racket strike. You can also hit from top to bottom.
Try to hit a short shot and a shot at the net at the same time in the same direction, and as far as possible. This will tire the opponent and lead him to panic, as now he must reflect an unexpected long-range strike.
If your opponent throws the shuttlecock over the net and runs back, toss it over the net as well. It will be difficult for him to change the direction of his movement. If it doesn’t run back, move the shuttle as far as possible.
Don't start playing right away with experienced players. Start with beginners and then progress to more advanced players. You may be desperate, but don't give up. Badminton is not as easy a game as it sounds.
Don't rely on your forearms. Use your wrist instead, so you can stay more resilient.Playing with the wrists also requires skill in playing short strokes.
Try not to bounce to fend off the blow. Most of the time, you will either stumble or point the shuttle in the wrong place (unless you practice jumping a lot). Try to run backwards, or, if you are playing in pairs, entrust the reflection of the blow to your partner who is behind you. Jump only if you know well that you can deflect a blow, or if your partner cannot deflect it.
Aim for 4 corners on the opposite side of the court.
Always move quickly towards the shuttle, but never run.
Remember that badminton is fair game and you should count out loud your partner's points that fall on your side.
Hit the shuttle hard so that your partner misses, so you can win.
Collect more points to win.
Drink plenty of water, it helps.