LESSON 3

BASIC SKILLS IN BADMINTON

Introduction

Playing badminton is fun, but takes a lot of time in learning the skills on playing it. This list is just
the basics and doesn’t cover any advanced skills and tactics. There is a lot to master even with these basic
skills. Some of these skills are harder to master than others and some have different levels of mastery. If
you want to master these skills then read on.

Learning Objectives

At the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

A. enumerate the different skills of Badminton;
B. demonstrate the skills in playing Badminton; and
C. give importance to the different skills of playing badminton.

Discussion

Basic Skills in playing Badminton

1. Gripping the racquet
 Forehand Grip
o One of the most common styles of grip that your badminton friends or your parents teach
you.
o The bottom 3 fingers hold the racket handle. The thumb and index fingers have to be
relaxed. To control the directions of your shots and to switch grip.
 Shots used in forehand grip* (Smash, Drop, Clear, Forehand lift, Forehand net shot)
 Backhand Grip
o Thumb laid flat on the side of the handle.
o Before switching to backhand grip. Index finger and thumb has to be relax, to rotate the
racket
o At the point of contact, put some pressure on the thumb to generate power.
 Shots used in backhand grip* (Backhand clear, backhand drive, backhand lift)
2. Type of Strokes
The basic strokes are:
  Overhead Forehand Stroke
 Overhead Backhand Stroke
 Underarm Forehand Stroke
 Underarm Backhand Stroke

3. Serves

The serve is the way the shuttle is put into play. Typically, the serves in badminton are
different for singles and doubles play. In singles, you want to serve with a high long shot that will
land near the back of your opponent’s court. In doubles, you want to use a low and short serve
that will land near the front of your opponent’s court.

o Low serve
This low serve is almost a gentle tap over the net with the shuttle, with the aim of
flying just over the net, yet falling just over the front line of his service court. It must not
be too high or predictable, otherwise it would be easy for your opponent to do an outright
smash or net kill.
o High serve
The high serve is a powerful strike upwards with the shuttle that aims to travel a great
distance upwards and fall deep at the rear end of the court.
o Flick serve
This flick serve is also
played upwards but at a much
lesser altitude. It is most
common for players to use their
backhand to execute the flick
serve and the trajectory is
lower as this grip has less
power.
This serve is executed with
your forehand through
underarm action and following
through. The shuttle should be
dropped a bit sideways rather than in front of your body and hit flatter.
o Drive Serve
Use this badminton serve to add some variation to your serving game. This is
considered as attacking serve and can be used in singles and doubles. The shuttle will
travel at a flatter angle pass the net with pace.
4. Clears

A clear is hitting the birdie high and deep into the opponent’s court. It can be used as a
 defensive hit to make sure your opponent cannot smash the shuttle at you or use it to keep your
opponent on the move. There is an underhand clear, which is hit using the same motion as the
serve. On the overhand clear, you want the birdie behind your body.

5. Smash

A smash is an offensive hit which is very similar to a spike in volleyball. You will find that
the smash will be your main offensive shot in winning points. When doing a smash, you want the
shuttle in front of the body.

6. Drop Shot

It is a soft badminton shot performed from the rear court.

It travels down steeply and land at your opponent’s forecourt and usually done for placing
purposes.

7. Footwork

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.

Learning Activities
Activity #1.

Instruction: Read the clues below and fill in the correct answer!

1. It is a racket sport played in rectangular court and valley the shuttle across the net.
2. Putting the shuttlecock into play.
3. Hitting the shuttle with power and speed.
4. It is a kind of grip that same as shaking hand.
5. The travel of the shuttle is parallel to net
6. Hitting the shuttle with lesser altitude.
7. Shuttle aims to travel a great distance upwards.
8. Hitting the shuttle high and deep into the opponent’s court and keeping your opponents to
move.
9. The travel of the shuttlecock is just barely touching the net.
10. It requires you to use your thumb.
Activity #2. Watch videos of actual badminton competitions and try to identify what are the skills being
used. After which, choose 2 basic skills in playing badminton and make your own video
tutorial/presentation on how to execute the skills that you have chosen.
Rubrics:
Content of the Video – 40 %
Proper Execution -------- 40 %
Discipline --------------------20 %
Total : 100 %

Activity #3. (50 pts)

o In your particular places. Interview at least 1 or 2 badminton players and ask his/her
favourite skills in playing. Why?
o Tell him to demonstrate the skills.
o How these skills are essential in playing badminton?
o Take a video or picture documentation.

1st Interviewee
Name: Carl John Marinas (High school Varsity Player)
Favorite Skill: Smash
Interviewee’s POV: Why smash as your favorite skill.
Answer: When you are playing in a competition, it is one of your primary strength if you know how to
execute the smash in the game. Using smash in the game gives you an advantage over the opponent where
you have the most powerful shot force if you use this skill.
2nd Interviewee
Name: Romel A. Juan (USL College Varsity Player)
Favorite skill:
Why is your favorite skill?