Badminton Serve 2

Flick Serve

Use this badminton serve when you are under pressure from a rushing opponent. It is a rather useful tool during doubles. However, you might be left exposed if your opponent anticipated it. So, use it sparingly and keep your opponent guessing.

You can use either your forehand or backhand to perform this serve. Give the impression that you are going to push the shuttle as in the low serve, but instead use your wrist to flick the shuttle over. Wrist action is the key to executing this serve well.

Drive Serve

Use this badminton serve to add some variation to your serving game. This is considered an attacking serve and can be used in singles and doubles. The shuttle will travel at a flatter angle pass the net with pace.

It may win you points outright or force a poor service return if your opponent is unprepared. However, make sure you contact the shuttle below your waist and not make a service fault.

* Played with forehand underarm action.
* Stand in a comfortable and balanced position, a bit further from the service line.
* Lead with your non-racket leg and place your racket leg behind.
* Place your racket a bit below the waist level and bring it back parallel to it.
* Swing the racket forward following through. Hold the shuttle by the feathers and let it drop slightly sideways to your body.
* Hit the shuttle and let it pass the net at a flatter angle.

All these Badminton Serve have its own purpose in different situations against different type of opponents. Try to master it and use it accordingly. Remember that Practice Makes Perfect

Ref:http://www.badminton-information.com/badminton_serve.html

Badminton Serve

Mastering various types of Badminton Serve is essential if you want to improve your game. Serving is the starting of a point. Use it not merely as "just a serve" but a weapon during games.

Always remind yourself not to cheaply lose points because of bad service, especially now with the new scoring system. Be familiar with the Badminton Service Rules as well.

Basically there are four types of serve.

High Serve

Use this badminton serve during singles play to move your opponent as far back in court as possible, thus opening up his court. Be more cautious if you use this serve during doubles. Opponents with strong attacking abilities will work this serve to your disadvantage.

* Played with a forehand underarm action.
* Stand two to three feet behind the short service line.
* Relax your body and bent your knees slightly.
* Lead with your non-racket leg and place your racket leg behind.
* Bring your racket back to almost your shoulder level then swing it forward following the rhythm of the stroke.
* Hold the shuttle by the feathers and let it drop slightly in front of you.
* Hit it with the flat face of your racket and follow through until your racket reaches the non-racket side of your head.

Low Serve

Use this badminton serve when you want your opponent to lift the shuttle. It is commonly used during doubles, but you can use it during singles too if your opponent’s attack is too strong. You can use either forehand or backhand to play this serve.

Forehand

* Stand two to three feet behind the short service line.
* Relax your body and bent your knees slightly.
* Lead with your non-racket leg and place your racket leg behind.
* Bring your racket back to your waist level then start your forward swing.
* Hold the shuttle by the feathers and bring it closer to meet the racket instead of dropping it in front.
* Contact the shuttle at a higher point but still below your waist line.
* Push the shuttle with the racket face and try to make the shuttle skim the tape of the net.

If you normally use high serve during singles, mix the low serve in occasionally. You might be able to catch your opponent off-guard if you can execute it well.

Backhand

* Stand in a comfortable and balanced position with your racket hand in front.
* Lead with your racket leg and place your non-racket leg behind with your feet pointing towards your opponent.
* Carry out a short back swing then bring the racket forward.
* Hold the shuttle on the tip of the feathers in front of your waist level.
* Push the shuttle with the racket face and try to make the shuttle skim the tape of the net.
* You can try to shorten the grip for a better control of the racket.
* Beware of breaking the Service Rules.

Ref:http://www.badminton-information.com/badminton_serve.html

Badminton Footwork

Badminton Footwork is the most fundamental skill that you need to possess in order to become a successful Badminton player.

Your opponent will most certainly try to play every shot away from you and the only way to reach the shuttle is to have a good footwork.

So how to define what good footwork is?

Good 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.

So long as you reach the shuttle fast, depriving your opponents of time, you can use all the above movement that suits best to you depending on the situation.

Although there are no fix movements on performing the badminton footwork, there are some basic things to remember.

Bent your knees slightly with your feet shoulder width apart. Stay on the balls of your feet and hold your racket up in front of your body. This is the ready position you shall assume in the centre of the mid-court area.

This centre area which can be referred as your base is not fixed. It is an area where you are in your ready position and can possibly reach all shots hit towards your court. Position your base accordingly after considering yours and your opponent’s strength and weaknesses.

Let say that you are strong and good at hitting shots from the back court. You may consider positioning your base slightly nearer to the service fault line to gain an advantage. If you are not certain where your strength lies yet, just make your base on the centre of the mid court area. You won’t go too wrong from there.

For all shots that are played in the frontcourt, take a small step first followed by a bigger step, extending your racket leg to reach the shuttle. The bigger step performed is known as a lunge. The timing of the shot will be improved if the landing of your racket leg is simultaneous with the shot.

For all shots that are played in the midcourt, extend your racket leg to reach shuttle that are hit towards your racket side of your body. Extend your racket leg or non-racket leg to reach shuttle that are hit towards your non-racket side of your body.

For all shots that are played in the backcourt, rotate your hips and shoulder and move back far enough so that your body is behind the falling shuttle. This will increase the power and variety of your stroke. If you can’t get back fast enough, you will most likely be forced to hit a weak clear.

Below is a diagram showing you the direction and area that you have to cover during play.

Unless you are confident where your opponent will play the next shot, try to return to your base every time after you make a shot. Always be ready to react quickly and be alert.

Remember…Badminton Footwork is the most fundamental skill in Badminton. You must master it to progress further…

Ref:http://www.badminton-information.com/badminton_footwork.html

Badminton Grip

Starting wtih a correct Badminton Grip is the foundation of Playing Badminton.

Holding the racket wrongly will decrease your stroke’s power and accuracy.Your shots will be limited and therefore you will not enjoy the game as much let alone improve.

You will need to learn how to change grip quickly during games. Below are the two basic types of Badminton Grips.

Forehand Grip

* This grip is used to hit shots that are on the forehand side of your body and around the head shots.
* Hold the racket head with your non-playing hand so that the handle points towards you.
* Your racket face shall be perpendicular to the floor.
* Place your playing hand on the handle as if you are shaking hands with it.
* There shall be a V shape in between your thumb and your index finger.
* The racket handle shall rest loosely in your fingers for greater flexibility.
* Can try shortening your grip and place it nearer to the shaft to increase control and accuracy when serving and hitting from the forecourt and midcourt.

Backhand Grip

* This grip is used to hit shots that are on the backhand side of your body.
* Hold the racket as you would on a forehand grip.
* Turn the racket anti-clockwise so that the V shape moves leftwards.
* Place your thumb against the back bevel of the handle for greater leverage and power.
* The racket handle shall also rest loosely in your fingers.
* Can try shortening your grip and place it nearer to the shaft to increase control and accuracy when serving and hitting from the forecourt and midcourt.

Possessing a correct Badminton Grip is like having a good head start in a race. Don’t lose out and make every effort to improve your game.

Ref:http://www.badminton-information.com/badminton_grip.html

Techniques introduction

Badminton is one of the most well known games in the world. However, it is not well known that, at a competitive level, badminton demands many qualities from the shuttler: speed, strength, agility, stamina, skills, accuracy, smartness, mental power and team work.

The badminton shuttle has been clocked at excess of 180mph. To strike the shuttle at that speed requires enormous skill and power (power = strength * speed), gathering the strength of many muscles in the human body to choreograph a thundering smash. At the other end, returning the smash requires quick response and agility. A slight misjudgement will result in losing the point.

A badminton game can last up to 2 hours where most of the time the players are sprinting from corner to corner in the court while hitting the shuttle with amazing speed and accuracy. Such is the result of many years of rigorous and torturous training.

Great techniques and physical fitness alone is not enough to win a badminton game, a successful player must play smart. Using quick thinking to adapt his/her play to the opponents tactics and weaknesses. Using varying speed and position and deceptive plays to earn a edge over the opponent. In the court, the players are left to their own, help is not available from anyone. The player must maintain high concentration and will power, the game hasn't ended if the scoreboard doesn't say 15.

While single games demand great stamina from the player, double games demand team work and cooperation between the two players. In a doubles game, in addition to thundering attacks and swift defense, one often see quick drives attempting to penetrate and dissolve the coordinating opponent. Any miscommunication between the players may result in gap in the defense.

Ref:http://www.badmintoncentral.com

Scoring system and service

The basics
Each game is played up to 21 points, with players scoring a point whenever they win a rally (this differs from the old system, where players could only win a point on their serve). A match is the best of three games.
At the start of the rally, the server and receiver stand in diagonally opposite service courts (see court dimensions). The server hits the shuttlecock so that it would land in the receiver's service court. This is similar to tennis, except that a badminton serve must be hit from below the waist in underhand form(upwards), the shuttlecock is not allowed to bounce, and in tennis the players stand outside their service courts.
In singles, the server stands in his right service court when his score is even, and in his left service court when his score is odd.
In doubles, if the serving side wins a rally, the same player continues to serve, but he changes service courts so that he serves to each opponent in turn. When the serving side loses a rally, the serve passes to their opponents (unlike the old system, there is no "second serve"). If their new score is even, the player in the right service court serves; if odd, the player in the left service court serves. The players' service courts are determined by their positions at the start of the previous rally, not by where they were standing at the end of the rally.
A consequence of this system is that, each time a side regain the service, the server will be the player who did not serve last time.
Details
If the score reaches 20-all, then the game continues until one side gains a two point lead (such as 24-22), up to a maximum of 30 points (30-29 is a winning score).
At the start of a match a coin is tossed. The winners of the coin toss may choose whether to serve or receive first, or they may choose which end of the court they wish to occupy. Their opponents make the remaining choice. In less formal settings, the coin toss is often replaced by hitting a shuttlecock into the air: whichever side it points to serves first.
In subsequent games, the winners of the previous game serve first. For the first rally of any doubles game, the serving pair may decide who serves and the receiving pair may decide who receives. The players change ends at the start of the second game; if the match reaches a third game, they change ends both at the start of the game and when the leading pair's score reaches 11 points.
The server and receiver must remain within their service courts, without touching the boundary lines, until the server strikes the shuttlecock. The other two players may stand wherever they wish, so long as they do not unsight the opposing server or receiver.
Faults
Players win a rally by striking the shuttlecock onto the floor within the boundaries of their opponents' court. Players also win a rally if their opponents commit a fault. The most common fault in badminton is when the players fail to return the shuttlecock so that it passes over the net and lands inside their opponents' court, but there are also other ways that players may be faulted. The following information lists some of the more common faults.
Several faults pertain specifically to service. A serving player shall be faulted if he strikes the shuttlecock from above his waist (defined as his lowest rib), or if his racket is not pointing downwards at the moment of impact. This particular law changed in 2006: previously, the server's racket had to be pointing downwards to the extent that the racket head was below the hand holding the racket; now, any angle below the horizontal is acceptable.
Neither the server nor the receiver may lift a foot until the shuttlecock has been struck by the server. The server must also initially hit the base (cork) of the shuttlecock, although he may afterwards also hit the feathers as part of the same stroke. This law was introduced to ban an extremely effective service style known as the S-serve or Sidek serve, which allowed the server to make the shuttlecock spin chaotically in flight.[7]
Each side may only strike the shuttlecock once before it passes back over the net; but during a single stroke movement, a player may contact a shuttlecock twice (this happens in some sliced shots). A player may not, however, hit the shuttlecock once and then hit it with a new movement, nor may he carry and sling the shuttlecock on his racket.
It is a fault if the shuttlecock hits the ceiling.
Lets
If a let is called, the rally is stopped and replayed with no change to the score. Lets may occur due to some unexpected disturbance such as a shuttlecock landing on court (having been hit there by players on an adjacent court).
If the receiver is not ready when the service is delivered, a let shall be called; yet if the receiver makes any attempt to return the shuttlecock, he shall be judged to have been ready.
There is no let if the shuttlecock hits the tape (even on service).

Ref:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badminton

Badminton Shoes

A good pair of Badminton Shoes must provide good grip, cushioning and some flexibility at the forefoot.

Never wear jogging shoes to play badminton. These shoes have thicker soles and lack the stability needed for badminton. You might end up twisting your ankles.

If you want to get a good grip from your badminton shoes, only wear it on badminton courts. Do not wear it for jogging or any other activities. Once the grip is gone, the shoes will not be effective on court anymore.

Reserve it solely for Badminton purposes.

When selecting the size, leave a space about a thumb’s width from the tip of your big toe to the tip of the shoes. This will allow some room for your feet to move inside your shoes after wearing sports socks.

If your heels and knees start to hurt every time you land heavily on the floor after jumping, it means that the cushioning of your shoes has worn off.

Although your shoes may still look new, it may be time to change them. If you want them to last longer, you may have to change the insole.

To protect your heels, it would be wise to invest in a good pair of heel cups. While they may be expensive, they are certainly worth it as they can save you from a lot of pain.

Heel cups can also help to prolong the life span of your Badminton Shoes. If you decide to invest in them, get a good pair that comes with a life-time guarantee.

Ref:http://www.badminton-information.com