Question

Write any three fundamental skills of badminton.

Answer 1

The fundamental skills of badminton player are:

1. Grip -
   • Forehand Grip: Hold the racket by the shaft in the left hand with the face of the racket perpendicular to the floor and shake hands with the grip.
   • Backhand Grip: For backhand grip, turn the top edge of the racket frame over slightly to the right and put the thumb along and parallel to the wide side of the handle. This grip allows a longer reach, more power and better accuracy.
2. Footwork - The pattern of movement for covering the corners inside the court.
3. Serves -
   • High (Long) serve: This basic single serve directs the shuttle high and deep. The shuttle should turn over and fall as close to the back boundary line as possible.
   • Low (Short) serve: In this serve, we use little or no wrist action, contact the bird at thigh level, push or guide the shuttle low, close to the net and finish with the racket following the line of the bird's flight and the hips and shoulders rolling around.
   • Flick serve: The flick serve is also played upwards, but much more shallowly than the high serve. The idea is to deprive the opponent of time, forcing him to hit the shuttlecock when it is behind his body. Flick serves are used extensively in doubles, and occasionally in singles.
   • Drive serve: The drive serve is played flat and fast towards the back of the receiver's service court, passing low over the net. The idea is to provoke an immediate reaction, hoping that the receiver will miss hit the shuttlecock. Drive serves are a gamble: if your opponent is too slow, you will win the point immediately, but if he reacts quickly enough, the player will likely lose.
4. Stroke - A stroke is the swing motion of the racket arm. The four basic strokes are:
   • Overhead forehand stroke: The overhead badminton forehand stroke is very common and is used most often in badminton. In badminton, this stroke generates the most power. The power of a badminton forehand stroke comes from correct technique, not how much strength you exert into a swing.
   • Overhead backhand stroke: The badminton backhand stroke is many people's main weakness. They tend to get the technique for this stroke wrong. It's important to remember that the backhand stroke for badminton is NOT like a tennis or squash backhand. The correct technique to perform a badminton backhand stroke is more complicated than a tennis backhand.
   • Underarm forehand stroke: The badminton underarm forehand stroke is performed when the player takes a shuttle in front. It is fairly easy to inject power into underarm strokes (compared to overhead strokes). Therefore, the player need not worry about failing to generate sufficient strength in the underarm strokes.
   • Underarm backhand stroke: The badminton underarm backhand stroke is fairly easy compared to other badminton strokes. This stroke is usually performed when the opponent hits a badminton drop shot to the backhand area at the front of the court.
5. Shots - All shots in badminton can be classified broadly into: (1) Offensive (2) Defensive shots.
   • Clearing: In this stroke, shuttlecock is contacted around the middle of the racket head. The clearing aims to cause the shuttle to go up high in the air and land at the opponent's back court.
     This is used when the player needs to buy more time for himself to return to base before the next return. It is also strategic to use when the opponent is near to the fore-court, forcing him to retract to the back to retrieve the shuttle.
   • Lobbing: It is a stroke executed at the player's baseline, hitting the ball far to the back of the opponent's court. Any good lob should be over the opponent's reach at mid-court, pushing them to the back of the baseline.
   • Drop-shot: A very soft shot can help win points if played well. This stroke can be executed from forehand and backhand sides in the frontcourt of the opponent. Drop-shots are of two types: fast and slow drop- shots.
   • Smash: It is the most powerful stroke used in badminton. If executed well, there is no defence against a reply of a smash. It can be played from both forehand and backhand sides. It can be flat and steep in nature, depending on the shuttle landing area on the court.