Mechanics of Badminton Backhand

The mechanics of badminton can include many different areas of the sport. Mostly this will be important with the positioning of your body and your racket as these are the two things you can control the most when playing badminton.

You can also control where you want the shuttlecock to go, however this is going to be an extension of controlling your swing. There is a lot of information to gather when thinking about the mechanics of badminton and so this article will focus on the over the head backhand mechanics of badminton alone.

The over the head backhand swing in badminton is not going to be your most used or your most powerful shot. However there are instances that call for a good backhand or over the head backhand and knowing how to execute one will be helpful. Whenever possible you should strive to use a forehand or "round-the-head" stroke as these will be more successful in most situations.

The first thing you will want to learn in the mechanics of your badminton backhand is how to grip your racket. The best grip on your racket for an over the head backhand will be to have the flesh of your thumb on a bevel that allows the racket to face squarely at the shuttle. This is going to be different for different players, you may want to experiment with it to get the correct placement for you.

It is important that the racket faces the shuttle squarely so the shuttle goes where you are intending and since you often cannot see the target as you hit the shuttle this will have to be somewhat of an instinct for you. The position of your thumb will also have to move depending on where the shuttle is in relation to you and the net. As you practice your over head backhand stroke you will begin to find the naturally comfortable bevel that will allow you free movement and the racket to be squared with the position of the shuttle.

Once you have played with the grip of your racket you will want to then start to focus on positioning the racket and your body correctly to maximize your swing. First your body should be faced away from the net with your back squared evenly with the net. This will allow you to complete a true backhand swing. When your back is to the net you will be able to see the shuttle coming by looking over the shoulder of your racket hand.

As for your racket position, the primary goal is to hit the shuttle before it passes your body completely. To do this correctly you will want your racket elbow to point to the floor in front of your body. The racket in your hand should be pointing in the upward position and the hand you hold the racket in should be close to the opposite shoulder. At this point your upper body will be rotated away from the oncoming shuttle.

As far as your feet go you will want to have your racket foot planted firmly to increase the power with which you can swing. This is a vast amount of positioning to take in. For this area the mechanics of badminton backhand try going through one step at a time, as you remember each movement put them altogether in the end and the flow will make sense.

Now you have the grip and the position down you want to focus on the mechanics of the badminton overhead backhand stroke. The actual stroke in this swing will consist of your hip, shoulder and elbow working together to connect the racket with the shuttle. The faster the shot the more deception it will involve even if the deception is that your opponent does not believe you will be able to hit the shuttle.

As you start the shot your thumb will be pointed down ward, as you raise your arm you will rotate clockwise (right handed) or counterclockwise (left handers). The stroke ends with a powerful twist of the forearm to the point of the racket squarely meeting the shuttle in mid air with your racket arm fully extended. You can follow the shot through with the rest of your arm and body however for full power it is not necessary just follow through comfortably and naturally ready to return the shot if needed.