The key to master the game of badminton is to strengthen the very basics of the game.
How well you can improve your badminton skills depends on how familiar you are with the basic skills. Have you ever wondered why badminton is so popular in Asia and Europe, but not in US and Australia? Or why do the top class players come from Asia and Europe?
Let me share my thoughts with you.
In Asia, badminton is a game where families (especially fathers) bring their kids to badminton courts on weekends. Dad will teach their kids the very basic skills in badminton. Since young, kids would have picked up the basic techniques. When they grow up, they’ll find their group of friends to play badminton. With a solid badminton background, these kids explore further skills in badminton and start to develop new advanced techniques. Badminton is not only a national sport to some Asian countries; it is also an inherited culture where families and friends maintain relationships.
My point here is, you will only need to learn basic badminton skills at the beginning. Once you have mastered these basics, you won’t need to learn advanced techniques. You will naturally develop them! Executing strong smashes, performing quality deceptions, or diving to defend a smash… You’ll find badminton exciting when you are able to perform these techniques! Learn the correct basics in badminton and practise them. When you possess strong basic skills, you will eventually develop advanced techniques by yourself.
The most important basic badminton skills you should learn are:
Gripping technique: The correct way of gripping a badminton racquet enables you to transfer more power into your badminton strokes.
Basic badminton stroke (full arm swing): When you have mastered the basic badminton swing motion, you will be able to use it to perform a badminton clear, drop shot, and smash.
Footwork: Badminton is a game of speed. Effective and organised footwork plays an important role in enabling you to move faster around the badminton court. It’s simple! Just learn, practise, and master these 3 basics and you will find yourself exploring new advanced techniques by yourself.
A few examples of advanced badminton techniques are:
1. Fast attacks (maximum wrist action)
2. Attacking clear
3. Net kill
4. Deception
However, I recommend you master the basics first before trying these new skills. Badminton basics are the most important techniques in the game and the key to master the game is to master the basics first. Pick these skills up and you’ll be well on your way to better game performance!