How to Win at Badminton

Co-authored by Peter Fryer

Last Updated: November 27, 2022 References Approved

Badminton is a fun sport and a great form of exercise. Being a knockout badminton player requires serious practice and a strong mind. You need to improve your physical ability as well as your ability to think strategically in order to win.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Improving Your Physical Aptitude

1
Improve your speed. Getting around the court quickly is extremely important in badminton. If you really want to improve your game, you’ll need to train between games. Try jogging and walking weekly; it will keep you quick. You could also try hitting shuttles against a wall. This will increase your ability to hit backhand from backcourt.

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- You can play shadow badminton with a partner to improve your speed and footwork. Have a partner call out various points on the court (eg. “Left backcourt”). Move to that point as if in a real match. Work at this exercise for a few minutes then switch; you’ll see your speed improve.^{[2]
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2
Keep a bounce in your step. If you're flat-footed on the court, you won't be able to return your opponent’s shots. Instead, stay on your toes, bouncing back and forth. This will make it easier to spring across the course. This bounce also gives you the ability to jump if you need to cross particularly large distances.^{[3]
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3
Take up yoga to improve your flexibility. You need good range of motion to get those hard to reach shots. Practice yoga at least once a week to improve this facet of your game. Besides flexibility, yoga can help you learn to better control your breathing, improving your overall cardiovascular performance.^{[4]
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4
Work on your backhand. The first step to a proper backhand involves the right grip. The placement of the thumb is the main difference between the backhand and forehand grips. For the backhand grip, the thumb is placed upwards along the grip, pointed towards the head of the racquet.^{[5]
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- Start with your back towards the front of the court, keeping your eyes on the shuttlecock. This allows for a longer, more powerful backhand swing.
- Keep your arm close to your body until it’s time to swing.
- Swing your arm around, racquet aimed towards the shuttlecock.
- Use a flick of your wrist to transfer the power of your swing to the shuttlecock.
5
Master the different types of serve. Each serves a different function, some driving your opponent back while others force them to play close to the net. Some are more aggressive while others are played defensively.
- The low serve needs to be struck as gently as possible, barely passing over the net and aimed at the front of the opponent’s court.
- The high serve is sent powerfully upward, so that it come at your opponent almost vertically. This serve is used to drive your opponent back.
- The flick serve follows a similar upward trajectory as the high serve, but is not nearly as powerful. It’s meant to land behind your opponent’s starting position, forcing them to return the serve while backpedaling.
- The drive serve is more of a gamble than the other types. It is struck quickly, low over the net. You aim to give your opponent the least amount of time to respond, in order to force them into a mistake. However, it’s possible they’ll return the serve accurately, and just as fast, forcing the same type of reaction out of you.^{[6]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Playing More Strategically

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Understand your opponent. When you're playing with a new opponent, whether it's at a competition or during a friendly game at a family outing, you should actively try to discover your opponent's weaknesses.Always try to hit the shuttle on the opposite side of the player, like for example if the player is righty then hit the shuttle on the left. Find out whether they play more aggressively or defensively. Look for weaknesses like slow footwork, weak drop shot returns or etc.Always try to hide your backhand . Try to take above the head or 360 degree.
2
Force your opponent to run around the court. Don't hit all of your shots to the same location of the court; this makes you predictable. Place your shots differently. Aim to confuse and tire your opponent.
- If your opponent hits the shuttle straight at you or to the net, hit the shuttle in a different direction instead of hitting it right back at your opponent, where they will expect it to go.
- You can use long shots to force your opponent to run around the court. Make sure you return to center after hitting your shots, this makes you better prepared to return shots while your opponent’s position is much less stable.
3
Always plan your next move. A beginner is just happy when he hits the shuttle over the net. An advanced player understands that you should always position your shot wisely so that you move your opponent to the exact place where you want them to be so you can hit the following shot or smash them.
- Always return to base after sending or returning a shot. This means returning to the center of the area you’re covering (your half of the court in singles).Whenever you see high shots try to hit a smash or do a fake. ^{[7]
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4
Make your opponent play your style of game. If you like staying near the net, serve short and hit drop shots, do whatever you can to make sure that your opponent can't hit the shuttle to the back line. If you're more comfortable at the back line, serve long and hit speedy shots so your opponent doesn't have a chance to move you towards the net.
5
Don't allow yourself to become discouraged or complacent. If you lack confidence, you may hold yourself back and lose the match. Be especially careful not to let this happen against opponents close to your skill level. However, make sure you don’t get too confident.You might underestimate your opponent's ability and play below the level you should.

Community Q&A

Question

How do I hit a deceptive drop shot?

Community Answer

Show aggression by shouting as you approach the shot so that your opponent thinks that you are going to hit a smash, but at the last second you hit the drop shot.
Question

How to do jump smash?

Community Answer

You should wait until the shuttlecock comes double your height and jump move, arm forward with your racket.
Question

How can I improve my serve to get it across the net?

Community Answer

Make sure you're not positioning your racket so it faces straight at the net; instead, tilt it slightly upward so the shuttle can go over the net. With enough practice, you will eventually be able to land your serve across the net.