How to Hit a Backhand Serve in Badminton

Series Summary

Badminton is a recreational racquet sport played by two opposing individuals or two opposing pairs who volley a shuttlecock over a net. An Olympic sport since 1992, badminton has been known around the world for centuries by different names, such as Hanetsuki in Japan, Poona in India and Battledore and Shuttlecock in the west. As a great fitness sport, it is often played casually in a garden or beach setting. In this free video series on racquet sports, the president of a university badminton club demonstrates a few key techniques to the game. Learn some basic defensive and attack hits, such as the overhead clear shot, overhead drop shot, drive shot and underhand drop shot. Practice a few foundational serving techniques, such as the backhand serve, flick serve and drive serve. Start playing badminton, in games of doubles or singles, using these helpful shots and serves.

Video Transcript

"There are numerous ways to serve the shuttle in the game of double in badminton. I'm going to demonstrate to you the backhand serve. As with all services in the game of double badminton, you want to hit the shuttle just about that level, and you want the shuttle to fall very close or on your opponent's service line. You want to hold the racquet with the back end grip with the thumb on one of the large flat side of the badminton hang handle. The the hand, the racquet is hand with the with the backhand grip, your racquet foot is in front, and you want to be in a position close as possible to the service line, avoiding to, of course, step on the service line. You will lean forward on your forward, on your foot, keeping a steady position with your opposite leg. You want to bring the racquet in front of you. Like all serve shots in badminton impact has to be done below waist level, and the head of the racquet has to be clearly below the handle of the racquet. For the backhand serve movement of the arm is accomplished with a flexion of the forearm in the forward direction with a slight movement of the wrist to bring the shuttle up. This is a demonstration of the shot at real speed. You can see the swing movement has to be done in one continuous stroke. You cannot do a half movement. It has to be one continuous stroke from the back position all the way up to your front. You can see as with the shot I'm follow the shot a little bit just to give it extension."