Badminton Shot Types

Basic And More Advanced Badminton Shots

Depending on the source, there are only 5 or 6 basic badminton shots. Different techniques can be applied however in delivering these shots, to make a badminton player’s tool kit or arsenal a bit more imposing.

The essential badminton shots are:

• the clear hot
• the smash
• the drive
• the lift shot
• the drop shot

Each of these involves the position of the racket when making contact, the grip on the racket, body position, and body stance.

Shots in a badminton game

Badminton is a fast paced game. A player doesn’t have time to worry much or think much about racket position, grip and the like. Technique has to be practiced so that it becomes second nature during a match.

A good badminton player can change his or her grip on the racket quickly, barely thinking about it as the change occurs. The objectives behind the technique are, to get the shuttle or birdie over the net into the opponent’s territory, and to send the birdie to where the opponent can’t reach it, or if reaching it, will not be in a position to make a good return.

A good player can place badminton shots “where they ain’t”, like hitting a baseball between the shortstop and second baseman. A good player can also deliver the birdie with such velocity that the opponent cannot react in time, or the birdie can be hit in a manner giving it a spin, making its trajectory difficult for the opponent to predict.

The spin on the birdie makes it travel in a curvilinear trajectory that is difficult for an opponent to rapidly adjust to. The spin is caused by slicing at the birdie with the racket. In addition, when slicing, the angle of the racket gives the opponent a misleading impression of the direction the birdie is going to be headed.

In a fast paced game, when the eye and brain are fooled, it can be difficult to recover in time to make an adjustment.

The Clear Shot

The most common of the badminton shots is the clear shot, where the birdie is being hit from the back court The birdie is hit high into the air, making it easier for the opponent to get to, but at the same time, giving the shot maker more time to move around and get into position for the next return.

A slicing clear shot is not often used as it serves little purpose. In a clear shot, the birdie is hit in an upwards direction.

The Smash Shot

A smash shot is used when in the forecourt. In the smash shot, the birdie is hit almost downwards, and with great force, the objective being to get it past the opponent before the opponent can reach it.

A sliced smash shot can be very effective, as the opponent not only has to contend with the speed of the birdie, but can be confused by a seeming change in direction of the path of the birdie. A straight smash shot doesn’t allow a player much of an option as to the direction the birdie will travel, it will travel straight ahead.

With a slice (which can also be a reverse slice) the birdie can be caused to veer to the right or to the left, making it even more difficult to reach and return, especially if the opponent guesses wrong.

The Drive Shot, Drop Shot, And Net Shot

Two other shots are the drive shot and the drop shot. A drive shot is simply hitting the birdie so it follows a line, like a line drive in baseball, and is used to force an opponent into the back court, which is where you want him or her to be.

A drop shot is essentially a trick shot, where the opponent is expecting the birdie to go deep. Instead, it is hit such that it drops just beyond the net, making it difficult for the opponent if in the back court to reach.

A variation of the drop shot is the net shot, where the objective is to hit the birdie just over the net when positioned at the net. The net shot is one of the more difficult badminton shots to perform.

Lift Shot And Sliced Drop Shot

The opposite of the drop shot and net shot is the lift shot. Here, the objective is to lift the birdie over an opponent’s head and into the back court when the opponent is in the forecourt or at the net.

A slice is often used in conjunction with a drop shot, as it appears to the opponent as a smash shot, but instead of traveling towards the back court with some speed, drops just over the net instead.

As you can see, there’s a lot more to badminton than just hitting the birdie back and forth.