Folder Cover 1.

2 15/8/02 4:45 PM Page 1

C M Y CM MY CY CMY K

Secondary Schools
Coaching Guide FUN ACTIVITIES AND ROUTINES

A R E S O U R C E F O R T E AC H E R S

Composite
 Introduction
The purpose of this resource is to assist teachers/coaches to provide quality training for the
players in their school rep teams. It assumes a limited knowledge of the tactics and
techniques employed in badminton, both on the part of the teachers/coaches and the
players. This resource is not intended to be a substitute for a coaching manual where the
information relating to the teaching of technique will be much more detailed. The resource
is structured in the form of a series of coaching sessions which cover increasingly complex
concepts both technically and tactically. They are not lesson plans, although the structure
of each session will in part resemble a lesson plan. Coaches may like to start at Session 1
and work through the sessions in order if they have a beginning group, but the sessions can
be used in any way which best suits the needs of the players.

Approach
Badminton requires a high degree of coordination, so it is understandable that beginning
players concentrate initially on just hitting the shuttle over the net. However, it is essential
that players at this level become familiar with basic singles and doubles tactics, so that they
realise the need to play with accuracy and power, and the need to be physically fit. There is
a direct correlation between the skill level of the players and the physical demands of the
game, because a match between players who can hit accurately down the sides of the court
and into the corners at pace will demand considerably more explosive power and aerobic
fitness of the players than a match where the shuttle is hit gently down the middle of the
court.

The traditional approach to coaching has often introduced the techniques of the game
before the tactics, or understanding of the game. Therefore, this resource will have a
prominent tactical emphasis, to promote the understanding of the game and to provide the
framework for the development of technique. Each session is defined by a tactical concept,
pertinent technical skills, and the training routines designed to implement the tactical
concept. While the components of each session are interrelated, they can be taken out of
this context and used effectively in other training sessions.

Badminton New Zealand

Produced by Badminton New Zealand 2003 updated 2010

NZ Secondary Schools Coaching Manual © 1
Contents Page

 Multi shuttle feeding techniques 3

 Glossary of terms 4
 How to score 5
 Court Areas 6

Session Tactics Techniques

1 Introducing badminton Grip, high serve, stance 7

2 Using good length Forehand clear, net lift 11

3 Making the opponent run Drop shots, net shots 14

4 Using the full court Revision of strokes 17

5 Playing the game at pace Smash, block, drive 19

6 Exploiting the backhand Backhand clear 22

7 Being an attacker/Being a defender Net kill, low serve 24

8 Doubles – Partners in attack Formation 26

9 Doubles – Partners in defence Defence, flick serve, first 3 shots 29

Produced by Badminton New Zealand 2003 updated 2010

NZ Secondary Schools Coaching Manual © 2
 MULTI SHUTTLE FEEDING TECHNIQUES

Good feeding is vital to quality training.

Players learn to recognise good feeding and respect coaches who can feed well.
Players must also learn to feed well to ensure a co-operative, collaborative training
environment, where players help each other.
Multi shuttle feeding allows players to train individual shots and movements in isolation and
thereby facilitates better focus and faster skill acquisition.
It is most important that sufficient shuttles be available to enable this type of training to
take place.

Key points are:

Timing the shuttle must arrive at the right time for the player
Accuracy the shuttle must go to the right spot
Consistency so that the players can concentrate on their task
Speed of the shuttle
of the racket head
of the rate of feeding the shuttles

Hand feeding
Stack shuttles up the non racket arm
Take a shuttle from the bottom of the stack
Throw underarm, with the cork facing the way the shuttle is intended to go

Racket Feeding
Stack shuttles up the non racket arm
Take the shuttle with the thumb, forefinger and middle finger of the racket hand
Drop, rather than throw, the shuttle
Use a short grip and a short swing
Contact point high and slightly in front of the body
Relax and tighten the grip
Watch where the shuttle goes as you are taking the next shuttle!

Produced by Badminton New Zealand 2003 updated 2010

NZ Secondary Schools Coaching Manual © 3
 GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Base The centre of the court a player starts from and returns to between
playing shots

Butt The end of the racket handle

Chasse The movement forwards, sideways or backwards where the back foot
comes up to or slightly behind the lead foot

Clear An overhead shot to the back of the opponent’s court

Drive A powerful, flat shot which just skims the net

Drop shot A slow overhead shot from the back court which goes just over the net

Feeder A coach or player who continuously throws or hits shuttles to the player
who is practising the skill

Hand feed Throw shuttles to a specific place or places so that the player can train a
specific shot or exercise

Multifeed Hit or throw shuttles continuously so that the player can train a specific
shot or exercise

Net kill A shuttle just above the net hit hard to the floor to end the rally

Net lift An underarm stroke from the net to the opponent’s back court

Racket hand The hand which holds the racket

Racket leg The leg on the same side of the body as the hand which holds the racket

Shadow Practise a movement or shot without hitting a shuttle

Tramlines The space between the singles and doubles sidelines, and between the
back line and the doubles service line

Worker The player who is practising the skill

Produced by Badminton New Zealand 2003 updated 2010

NZ Secondary Schools Coaching Manual © 4
 How to Score a Badminton Game
Here are the basics of playing a Singles Match using the Rally Point Scoring System:
 A match shall consist of the best of 3 games, unless otherwise arranged.
 The side winning a rally shall add 1 point to its score and they get to serve next.
 Players shall serve from their respective right service courts when their score is even,
and from their respective left service courts when their score is odd.
 The side that first scores 21 points in a game shall win that game, except:
o If the score becomes 20-all, the side that first gains a 2 point lead shall win the
game.
o If the score becomes 29-all, the side that scores the 30th point shall win the
game.
 The side that wins a game shall serve first in the next game.
 When one side reaches 11 points, both players are entitled to a 60 second break.
 Both players are entitled to a 2-minute break between the first and second games,
and another 2-minute break between the second and third games, if the match is
tied on 1-all.
 In the third game, or in a match of one game, players shall change ends when a side
first scores 11 points.

Here are the basics of playing a Doubles or Mixed Doubles Match using the Rally Point
Scoring System:
 A match shall consist of the best of 3 games, unless otherwise arranged.
 The side winning a rally shall add 1 point to its score and they get to serve next.
Note: This is a major change... there is no "second server" any more!
 Players shall serve from their respective right service courts when their score is even,
and from their respective left service courts when their score is odd. Note: This
means that whichever partner is on the appropriate side shall serve. If you get this
right, the serve should alternate between you and your partner!
 The side that first scores 21 points in a game shall win that game, except:
o If the score becomes 20-all, the side that first gains a 2 point lead shall win the
game.
o If the score becomes 29-all, the side that scores the 30th point shall win the
game.
 The side that wins a game shall serve first in the next game.
 When one side reaches 11 points, all players are entitled to a 60 second break.
 All players are entitled to a 2-minute break between the first and second games, and
another 2-minute break between the second and third games, if the match is tied on
1-all.
 In the third game, or in a match of one game, players shall change ends when a side
first scores 11 points.

Produced by Badminton New Zealand 2003 updated 2010

NZ Secondary Schools Coaching Manual © 5
 Badminton Court Areas
DOUBLES
Court Area for Doubles

Service Court for Doubles

SINGLES
Court Area for Singles

Service Court for Singles

Produced by Badminton New Zealand 2003 updated 2010

NZ Secondary Schools Coaching Manual © 6
 Se s s i o n 1
Introduction to the game of badminton

How to win rallies Type of player

Play a winning shot Attacker
Force your opponent to make an error Controller
Wait for your opponent to make an error Defender

All players will favour one of the 3 options more than the other 2, because it will suit the
way they want to play the game. Options 1 and 2 are attacking options and will suit the
type of player who likes to hit hard, play shots and finish the rally quickly. These players
won’t mind so much about making mistakes, because that’s part of the fun, the risk, of
playing the way they do. Option 3 requires patience and aerobic fitness, so it suits the
players who like to wait for things to happen rather than create the action. All players
should think about the qualities they have as a person and the skills that they possess as a
player, and the impact that these will have on the style of game that they can play.

Warm up
 Jog
 Stretch
 Game

Snatch and run

Players in teams of 3-5, 20-30 metres apart.
Players number off.
Place a table in the middle with a shuttle on it.
When their number is called, player from both teams compete to either:
 Take the shuttle and try to make it home to their team without being
tagged.
 Wait for the opponent to take the shuttle and tag them before they get
home.
 (This is a very tactical game and often identifies the attackers from the
defenders. Relate this to badminton tactics).

 Hit on court

Produced by Badminton New Zealand 2003 updated 2010

NZ Secondary Schools Coaching Manual © 7
Grip

This is the basic forehand grip. Key points to note are:

 The grip should be relaxed
 There should be sufficient gap between the handle and the palm of the hand to
accommodate a packet of chewing gum!
 The forefinger will be slightly separated from the other fingers. It is higher on the
racket handle than the thumb.
 The fingers will tighten on the handle just before impact with the shuttle - the greater
the power needed, the tighter the grip

This is the basic backhand grip. Key points are:

 The thumb is high on the back of the handle
 The thumb is about as far up the handle as the forefinger
 The butt should poke out

Training routines
1. Each player has a racket and a shuttle. Using an underarm stroke, hit the shuttle
about 1 metre in the air with forehand and backhand strokes. The grip should change
each time. To do this without having to move the feet is quite challenging, but the
focus of the exercise should remain on the correct grip and the change of grip.
2. In pairs, stand 5 metres apart, facing each other. Hit underarm strokes continuously,
changing the grip for forehand and backhand strokes.

Produced by Badminton New Zealand 2003 updated 2010

NZ Secondary Schools Coaching Manual © 8
High Serve
 Non racket leg forward
 Forehand grip
 Hold the shuttle at waist height in front of the body
 Big swing
 Transfer weight from racket leg to non racket leg
 Follow through in the intended direction of the shuttle

Training Routines
In pairs, serve to partner. Aim to land the shuttle in the back tramlines.

Stance
An effective stance will enable players to move quickly from base (the central position of the court the
player starts from and returns to between shots) in any direction. Players should look ready to move
quickly. Important points to recognise, starting from the ground and moving up:
 Feet should be at least a shoulders’ width apart
 Racket foot slightly further forward
 Heels off the ground
 Knees bent
 Trunk leaning slightly forward
 Racket in front and parallel to the ground
Note: this is not the ready position when receiving serve, for which a normal stance will suffice

Training routines

1. Shadow footwork. Feeder (F) points to

corners at random. Worker (W) moves to
each corner, ensuring that the correct stance
W
is adopted upon the return to base (centre
F of the court). Serve, return, use stance to
move to hit 3rd shot (on half court).

2. In pairs play rallies, concentrating after each

shot on returning to base and adopting the
correct stance.

Produced by Badminton New Zealand 2003 updated 2010

NZ Secondary Schools Coaching Manual © 9
 Introductory Game
Define an area, depending on the number of players it may be a
whole court or half a court or similar. Play a game using either
badminton scoring or a modified scoring system such as tennis or
table tennis. This will allow the opportunity to assess the relative
skills of the players. Players should bear in mind the 3 ways of
winning a rally and evaluate if they are better suited to any one of
these in particular. The length of game may be determined by
time or score. Distribute handout on how to score, if appropriate
at this time.

Warm down
 Jog
 Stretch

Produced by Badminton New Zealand 2003 updated 2010

NZ Secondary Schools Coaching Manual © 10
 Se s s i o n 2
Good length to the back of the court
An important tactic for both beginning and more advanced players is to hit deep into the
opponent’s back court, aiming to land the shuttle in the back tramlines. There are good
reasons for this:
 Many players are weak from the back court and play shots that give away the
advantage
 Playing to the back court will move the opponent well away from the centre of the
court and may open up gaps in the court
 Playing to the back court is safe because it is difficult for an opponent to attack from
the very back of the court
 A player who plays to the back court will have more time to get ready for the reply

The shots needed to put this tactic into practice are the high serve, the clear and the net lift.

Warm up
 Jog
 Stretch
 Game

Pairs Tag
Players are restricted to an appropriately sized area
Begin with a pair of players joining hands
They try to tag other players who join hands with the pair.
When tagging group reaches 4, split into 2 pairs and start the process again.

 Hit on court
 Badminton movement training ( more exercises are in sessions 3, 7 and 8)
The aim of this type of training is to help players move like badminton players. The
exercises isolate some of the movement patterns in badminton. They should be done
over a distance of approximately 20 metres, (about the width of 3 badminton courts)
which allows sufficient distance for the player to train the movement without unduly
taxing the body. After a few seconds rest, the exercise should be repeated. The
tempo can vary from slower and longer movements to shorter and faster movements
as a training peak approaches.

1. Chasse forwards diagonally, changing the leading foot every 2 chasses by hopping on
the lead foot. The effect is that of a zigzag. Knees should be bent.
2. Sideways movement, right foot in front of the left foot, right foot behind the left foot.
Swivel the hips and let the arms flow naturally.
3. Jog 4 small steps, then sprint on the spot for 2 seconds and repeat.

Produced by Badminton New Zealand 2003 updated 2010

NZ Secondary Schools Coaching Manual © 11
Revision
 Grip
 High serve
 Stance

Forehand Clear
The clear is one of 4 overhead strokes played with the forehand grip - the others are the
smash, drop and the snap. The aim is to produce all these shots in the same way so that the
opponent can not pick which shot is going to be played until the last split- second. The
action can be broken down into 4 easy steps, and is almost exactly the same as the action
used to throw a cricket ball from the boundary. Most athletic players will use this action
naturally.

1. Stand side on to the net, with elbows and upper arm parallel to the ground, racket head
above the head
2. Bring the elbow through high and close to the head, at the same time thrusting the hip
forward. Tighten the abdominals.
3. Reach up high with the racket to make contact with the shuttle
4. Follow through with the racket and step forward
5. Footwork - chasse from base into position and jump off the racket leg as the shuttle is
hit. Land on the non-racket leg.

Training routine
Feeder high serves, worker clears to the back court. Repeat 10 x then change roles. Note
that it is essential for the feeder to serve the shuttle high if possible to allow the worker to
get under the shuttle. The technique can not be used if the shuttle is served flat.

Extension
 Players who can hit clears consistently can hit continuously down the sideline, aiming
for the back corners. This is quite hard work, but it is excellent training for accuracy.
Aim to build up to 5 minutes non-stop.
 Play a game where the shuttle can only be hit into the tramlines at the back of the
court. If the players can not hit this far, the ‘in-zone’ can be brought closer to the net by
using cones to mark the new boundaries.

Produced by Badminton New Zealand 2003 updated 2010

NZ Secondary Schools Coaching Manual © 12
Net lift
The net lift is played with either the forehand or the backhand and aims to land the shuttle
in the tramlines at the back of the court.
 The racket foot is forward and the weight transfers from the non-racket foot to the
racket foot as the shot is played.
 Don’t get too close to the shuttle or the shot will be cramped and lacking in power
 Use a biggish swing and follow through in the direction the shuttle is intended to travel.

Training routine
Feeder hand feeds with an underarm throw a set of 10 shuttles over the net to the short
service line. The worker steps forward and lifts them to the back court. Change roles. Do
forehand and backhand.

Game
Team rotation
One team each end of the court in the back tramlines. Start with a high serve,
thereafter play clears only. Each player has one shot then moves to the back of the
line. Opposing team scores a point when a player misses or makes a mistake.
Variations:
1. Change the team order
2. Remove one racket from each team so that after players have had their turn
they must pass the racket to the last in line.
Emphasise badminton movements such as the chasse, bent knees, quick change of
direction and the lunge (when tagging).

XXX
X

XXX

Warm down
 Jog
 Stretch

Produced by Badminton New Zealand 2003 updated 2010

NZ Secondary Schools Coaching Manual © 13
 Se s s i o n 3
Making the opponent move
It makes sense to keep the opponent on the move for a number of reasons:
 The opponent is more likely to make mistakes
 Badminton is a physically demanding game if constant movement is involved and the
opponent may get tired
 The opponent may not be very fast, so it may be easy to win rallies by making them
move
 If the opponent has to move for the shuttle, the player will have more time to get
ready for the reply

To use this tactic, the player needs to be able to play not only shots to the back of the court,
but also shots to the net such as the drop shot and net shots.

Warm up
 Jog
 Stretch
 Hit on court
 Game

Bump
Choose a tagger and a runner
Other players link arms in pairs
The tagger tries to tag the runner, who can escape by linking arms on the end
of a pair
When a runner joins a pair, the player at the other end is ‘bumped off’ and
becomes the runner
A runner who is tagged becomes the new tagger

 Badminton movement training (see explanation Session 2)

1. Chasse backwards diagonally, changing the leading foot every 2 chasses by
hopping on the lead foot. The effect is that of a zigzag. Knees should be bent.
2. Bound (jump from one foot to the other) either side of the back tramline. The
lateral movement is more important than the forwards movement, spend as little
time as possible on the ground and make the jumps quick.
3. High knee raises. Ensure that the forward movement is not too fast. Landing of
each leg should be quiet and the tempo fast.

Revision
 Clear
 Net lift

Produced by Badminton New Zealand 2003 updated 2010

NZ Secondary Schools Coaching Manual © 14
Drop shots
The aim of the drop is to bring the opponent in close to the net. Use the same preparation
as for the clear, but:
 At the last split-second, take the power out of the shot by slowing the arm action and
by keeping the grip relaxed.
 The contact point with the shuttle is slightly further forward than the clear.

Training routines
In pairs, the feeder high serves and the worker plays the drop shot. Repeat 10 times, then
change roles. Players should aim to land the drop shot approximately on the short service
line ie close to the net, so that in a match, the opponent would have to move a long way
into the net.

Net shots
The aim of net shots is to play the shuttle as close as possible to the net so that it is difficult
to return. It is not so important to keep the shuttle flat in its trajectory over the net - it is
more important for it to be tight. Top players can regularly land the shuttle on top of the
net so that it rolls down the net (called a net roll). Key points are:

 Posture is slightly forward, racket leg is forward

 Elbow bent
 Relaxed grip
 Use fingers and wrist to initiate the striking movement
 Racket face is slightly forward
 Slice under the shuttle

Training routine
In pairs, feeder lobs the shuttle gently over the net and worker plays the net shot. Feeder
can catch the shuttle and feed it again, or use a set of 10 shuttles. Change roles after 2 sets
or 20 shuttles.

Produced by Badminton New Zealand 2003 updated 2010

NZ Secondary Schools Coaching Manual © 15
Training routine
The aim of this routine is to use the shots learnt in the first 2 sessions in a continuous
sequence. It is done on half a court.

High serve, drop shot, net shot, net lift, drop shot, net shot, net lift….etc.

Players should aim to play shots to the back of the court and close to the net to make each
other move, to reinforce the tactic of this session. This routine can be made competitive by
challenging the players to see which pair can keep the routine going the longest (pairs
should sit down on the court when they make a mistake).

Team Rotation
Same game as in Session 2, but this time include drop shots and net
shots.

Warm down
 Jog
 Stretch

Produced by Badminton New Zealand 2003 updated 2010

NZ Secondary Schools Coaching Manual © 16
 Se s s i o n 4
Use the full court
This tactic is an extension of the tactic in Session 3 - making the opponent move. However,
the focus is not so much on the opponent as it is on the court itself, and the need to hit the
shuttle down the sideline and into the corners. The training routines in this session show
how to improve the accuracy of some basic badminton shots and are useful not only for
beginning players but for representative players also.

Warm up
 Jog
 Stretch
 Game

Rob the Nest

 Use half a badminton court, one player in each corner
 Place 7 shuttles in the middle
 Players aim to bring 3 shuttles (one at a time) back to their nest to win the
game
 Players must try to get 2 shuttles from the middle (1 player will only get 1
shuttle) before stealing shuttles (1 at a time) from other players’ nests

 Hit on court
 Power and coordination exercises (slow/fast). More exercises in Session 5.
 Each exercise is initially done with bigger, slower movements to develop power, and is
then done with very small fast movements to develop coordination. The slow
movements can be done for about 10 -15 seconds, the fast movements for 5 -10
seconds. Do each exercise 3 times.
1. Jump forwards and backwards off 2 legs
2. Start with the feet together, jump and land with the feet wide apart (knees bent),
then continue...feet together, feet apart.
3. Jog on the spot, sprint on the spot

Revision
The revision of stroke technique can be done during the training routines.

Produced by Badminton New Zealand 2003 updated 2010

NZ Secondary Schools Coaching Manual © 17
Training Routines
The way in which these training routines are done may depend on the skill level of the
players involved. Better players can hit one shuttle continuously, lesser players may need to
feed the shuttle because they may not be able to hit the shuttle consistently and accurately.
 Clear continuously down the sidelines (aim to hit the shuttle within one metre of the
sideline), or serve and clear 10 times then change roles.
 Drop shot / net lift continuously down the sidelines (within one metre of the sideline)
or serve and drop shot 10 times then change roles. Play straight. Play cross court.
 Net shots continuously, in front of the short service line.

Half court singles

Award bonus points for winning shots which land within prescribed areas eg
in front of the short service line, in the back tramlines, within ½ metre of the
sideline. Extra competitiveness can be introduced by having a top court and a
bottom court - winners change courts in the direction of the top court and
losers move down a court towards the bottom.

Warm down
 Jog
 Stretch

Produced by Badminton New Zealand 2003 updated 2010

NZ Secondary Schools Coaching Manual © 18
 Se s s i o n 5
Play the game at pace
Badminton is an exhilarating sport when it is played fast - indeed it is the fastest of all the
racket sports. Shuttles can be hit at up to 300kph by top players! If the game is played fast,
it is easier to play winning shots, because the opponent is under more pressure to get to the
shuttle and to play good shots. The pace of the game can be increased by:
 Hitting the shuttle hard
 Hitting the shuttle flat
 Jumping in the air to hit the shuttle sooner
 Reaching forward to take the shuttle sooner

Warm up
 Jog
 Stretch
 Game

Turn and run

 2 players stand facing each other approximately 2 metres apart (distance
may vary according to the ability of the players)
 Player calls the other to ‘run’
 Other player tries to reach designated ‘safety’ line before being tagged
 Players alternate roles

 Hit on court
 Power and coordination exercises (see Session 4)
 Jump from side to side off both legs
 Twist. Feet wide apart, knees bent, and twist slowly (balance is a little difficult at first)
ensuring that the feet point sideways. Then for the fast movement, bring the feet
together and twist.
 Lunge jump. Start in a lunge position, jump up and land in the lunge position again,
this time with the opposite leg forward.

Produced by Badminton New Zealand 2003 updated 2010

NZ Secondary Schools Coaching Manual © 19
Smash
The preparation for the smash is the same as for the other overhead forehand strokes - the
clear and the drop shot.
 Power will be generated by the thrust of the racket hip, the rotation of the forearm
and the tightening of the grip just before the racket impacts with the shuttle.
 The impact point is slightly forward of the shoulder and should be as high as possible,
otherwise the smash will not be steep.

Training Routine
Work in pairs, one player feeding with a high serve, the other smashing. Do 10 then change
roles.

Block
The easiest and often the most effective way of returning the smash is to play a block just
over the net. A block that lands inside the short service line will make it very difficult for the
opponent to continue attacking.

 It requires just a gentle forward movement of the racket

 Very relaxed grip

Training routine

S In pairs as for the training of the

S = Smasher smash, except return the smash
with the block, then feed the
N = Net player next serve.
N
For more advanced players, the
training can be continuous, with
a third player standing at the
net in front of the smasher.
The routine will thus be: serve,
D smash, block, net , lift, smash,
D = Defender block, net, lift etc. This can be
done on a full court or a half
court.

Produced by Badminton New Zealand 2003 updated 2010

NZ Secondary Schools Coaching Manual © 20
Drive
The aim of this shot is to hit the shuttle flat and hard so
that it skims the net.
 Contact point is about the same height as the net In
 Weight transfers to the racket foot at the point of Zone
contact
 Explosive hitting action

Training Routine
In pairs, one players feeds a set of 15 shuttles, the partner
drives them back.

Better players can hit continuous drives. In

Zone
Game
Half court singles, however the ‘in zone’ is restricted to the
area between the short service line and the doubles
service line. This will have the effect of speeding up the game because there is less
movement involved. Players should look to attack using smashes and drives.

Rotation game
Teams line up on the centre line. Players play one flat shot and then retire to the back of
the line. Scoring and conditions as for the earlier rotation games.

Warm down
 Jog
 Stretch

Produced by Badminton New Zealand 2003 updated 2010

NZ Secondary Schools Coaching Manual © 21
 Se s s i o n 6
Exploiting the backhand
The deep backhand corner is a weakness for most players, and even those who play at quite
a good level still have difficulty playing consistently accurate and powerful backhand shots
from the back of the court. For this reason, it is important that players learn to play
forehands as often as possible - in other words play round the head - so that they can
protect their backhand. To exploit the backhand, players need to:
 Hit accurately into the opponent’s backhand corner
 Move the opponent away from the backhand side of the court to create a gap in the
backhand side of the court
 Be able to hit as many as 3 or 4 shots in a row to the deep backhand

Warm up
 Jog
 Stretch
 Game

Hand slap boxing

 Players stand arms’ length apart facing each other
 Players slap palms of their hands against opponent’s hands, trying to knock
them off balance.
 First player to lose balance and move their feet loses.
This game can be related to the stance position and the need to be well
balanced. Players can use feints, and can pull their hands back, so that the
contest becomes tactical.

 Hit on court
 Footwork training - shuttle run relay
X
First runner takes the shuttles one at a time and X O
places them in the opposite tramlines. Next X O
runner takes them back….etc. Number of shuttles X O
O
can be varied. Runners must always face the net
when turning ie they can’t turn their back on the
net. Use the racket foot when lunging to pick up
the shuttle and to place the shuttle.

Revision
 Smash O
 Block X O
X O
 Drive O
X
X

Produced by Badminton New Zealand 2003 updated 2010

NZ Secondary Schools Coaching Manual © 22
Backhand clear
When coaching the backhand, first stress the need to play as few backhands as possible by
playing round the head on the forehand. As with the forehand, the technique for the
backhand is virtually the same for the clear and the drop shot. The different stages of the
shot are shown here:

 Use the backhand grip (see Session 1)

 The racket foot will point to the contact point between the shuttle and the racket
 Keep the elbow low until the shot actually begins
 The racket foot lands at the same time as the shuttle is hit
 There is no follow through after impact

Training routine
In pairs, feeder high serves to about mid court (the serve should not go too deep, otherwise
there is too much pressure on the shot), worker plays the backhand clear. Repeat 10 times
then change roles.

Game
Full court singles
The object of the game is to force the opponent to play overhead backhands,
while avoiding having to play backhands yourself. Scoring options could be:
 As for an ordinary game
 Ordinary scoring, but there is a bonus point for each overhead backhand hit
by the opponent
 The rally is won when the opponent hits an overhead backhand
Players should focus on how to open up the court in order to force the
opponent to play a backhand, by using drops to the forehand net and clears to
the deep forehand... then the clear or lift to the backhand.

Warm down
 Jog
 Stretch

Produced by Badminton New Zealand 2003 updated 2010

NZ Secondary Schools Coaching Manual © 23
 Se s s i o n 7
Being an attacker / Being a defender
Players need to have some knowledge of the style of game which suits them best. (See
Session 1.) The attacking game is played at a faster pace, needs a good net game and the
ability to hit down from the back, whereas the defensive game requires patience,
consistency and the ability to retrieve. The game at the end of the session is designed to
expose players to the extreme forms of these styles of play.

Warm up
 Jog
 Stretch
 Game

Ladder relay
 Players lie down arms length apart like rungs on a ladder
 First player steps over team members and lies down at the end of the
‘ladder’
Next team member starts etc.

 Hit on court
 Badminton movement training (See explanation Session 2)
1. Chasse sideways, knees bent
2. Legs together, jump either side of the back tramlines. Make the jumps quickly and
land lightly. Do this forwards and backwards
3. Jog 4 small steps then jump high off both legs. Bend the knees only slightly when
executing the jump and land lightly.

Net kill
Train this shot on the forehand (with forehand grip) and backhand (with backhand grip).
The aim of this shot is to kill the shuttle when it pops up above the net. It needs to be hit
with a snap action so that the recovery is quicker than if a big swing was used.
 Relaxed grip, about half way up the handle
 Racket leg forward
 Short swing
 Tighten the fingers just before impact to give snap action.

Training routine
In pairs, both feeder and worker standing on the short service line. Feeder lobs a set of 10
shuttles above the net for the worker to kill. Note that for safety reasons the feeder is
standing to one side. Train both forehand and backhand.

Produced by Badminton New Zealand 2003 updated 2010

NZ Secondary Schools Coaching Manual © 24
Low serve
The aim is to skim the net so that the opponent can not hit the shuttle down.
 Stance as for the high serve (see Session 1)
 Forehand grip, half way up the racket handle
 Lock the wrist, use a small swing
 Guide the shuttle low over the net with a smooth action

Training routine
In pairs, serve the shuttle to each other

Game

Singles
can be half court or full court
One player takes the role of the attacker, the other is the defender. The
attacker must hit down or flat, but can not lift. The defender cannot
smash, but can do anything else.
Use tennis scoring so that the roles change frequently.

Warm down
 Jog
 Stretch

Produced by Badminton New Zealand 2003 updated 2010

NZ Secondary Schools Coaching Manual © 25
 Se s s i o n 8
Doubles - Partners in attack
In any sport, a doubles pair will be more successful if they work together as a partnership. It
is particularly true in badminton, because it is such a fast game, therefore players need to
have a good understanding of what their partner is likely to do in any given situation. This
understanding will grow not only if the partners play together in practice matches, but also
if they do their skill training together, so that they better understand the skills that their
partner possesses.

The most important strategy in doubles is to attack. This is done by:

 hitting down
 hitting flat
 moving forward to the net to take the shuttle as soon as possible

In order to carry out this strategy, the following shots need to be played well:
1. The low serve (so that the return of the serve can not be hit down)
2. The return of serve (so that it goes down or flat and can not be attacked)
3. Drives (so that flat attacking returns of serve can be driven back flat)
4. Smashes and drop shots (to set up intercepts for the partner)
5.Intercepts and net kills at the front of the court (to finish the rallies).

Warm up
 Jog
 Stretch
 Hit on court
 Badminton movement training (see explanation Session 2)
1. Chasse sideways, and every 3rd chasse jump in the air off both legs. The sideways
movement should be continuous ie. don’t stop upon landing from the jump.
2. Lunge walk. A series of giant strides alternating the left and right foot forward.
The tempo is slow.
3. Alternate hop and knee raise. Hop on the left foot, raise the right knee.....step
onto the right leg and hop while raising the left knee......and continue.

Produced by Badminton New Zealand 2003 updated 2010

NZ Secondary Schools Coaching Manual © 26
Formation
The formation for attack and the formation for defence
are different. These formations allow the attackers to
A
attack from both the front and the back court, and the
defenders to defend the width of the court.

A
A = Attacker

D = Defender

D D

Training routines
1. Players in pairs on court - Coach calls out either attack or defend - players respond by
moving into the appropriate formation. Note that the player on the forehand side
should go forward rather than the player on the back hand side. Where there is a left
and right hander together, this tactic will not apply.

2. Attack and defend as a pair - Start with a singles high serve, so that one pair is
attacking and the other pair is defending. Focus on the
correct formation, and how quickly this needs to
change if the attack is lost or gained.
A
3. Attack as a pair - Feeder hits high serve, attacking pair
attack the defender until rally is finished, feeder serves
next shuttle. Defender stays on same half court. A
Rotate roles after 10 - 15 shuttles have been used

A = Attacker F

D = Defender D

F = Feeder

Produced by Badminton New Zealand 2003 updated 2010

NZ Secondary Schools Coaching Manual © 27
 4. Low serve - Tie a string line from one net pole to the other, approximately 20
centimetres above the net (for better players this could be lower- for weaker players it
may need to be higher). Players attempt to serve over the net but under the string.
Set a target score out of 10 as the standard for the group.

Game - doubles
Players try to attack as much as possible. Formation is the main focus.

Warm down
 Jog
 Stretch

Produced by Badminton New Zealand 2003 updated 2010

NZ Secondary Schools Coaching Manual © 28
 Se s s i o n 9
Doubles - Partners in defence
Although the main strategy in doubles is attack, it is essential to have a strong defence.
Pairs who can at least keep the rally going because of their defence, have a chance of
beating stronger pairs who might become frustrated at not being able to win rallies easily.

Warm up
 Jog
 Stretch
 Hit on court
 Skipping
Skipping is excellent training for power in the lower leg, wrist and forearm. Tempo
should be fast, with minimal arm movement and light feet. 5 minutes.

Defence
 Stand square on to the net
 Back hand grip
 Use a similar swing as for the back hand net lift
 Racket is well forward of the body

Training routines
1. Feeder throws shuttles over arm from the net at the worker’s body. Worker lifts
shuttles to the back court. Use sets of 15 shuttles.
2. 2 pairs on court, one pair attacks, the other pair defends. Attackers can only hit down,
defenders can only hit up. Also focus on formation.

Flick serve
This is a very useful serve because it keeps the receiver guessing. The flick serve looks like a
low serve until the last split second. The key is to follow through with a flick of the wrist.
The shuttle should land deep and wide in the tramlines.

Training routine
Practise in pairs, serves only. Then partner hits the return of serve. Change roles.

Produced by Badminton New Zealand 2003 updated 2010

NZ Secondary Schools Coaching Manual © 29
First 3 shots
The outcome of a rally is often determined by one of the first 3 shots ie the serve, the
return of serve or the next shot (the 3rd shot). Most of the mistakes or the winners are
played in the first 3 shots, and so the rallies are very short.

Training routine
In threes: one player serves, one receives and the other plays the third shot. The rally is
not continued past this point.

Game

Full doubles.
For extra pressure, each pair draws a card from a pack of cards containing only
aces 2’s , 3’s , 4’s and 5’s. These numbers represent the score needed for that pair
to win the match. Do not show the opponents. Winning pair is the first pair to
reach the number of their card, (ace = 1). Show opponents the card when winning
score achieved.

Warm down
 Jog
 Stretch

Produced by Badminton New Zealand 2003 updated 2010

NZ Secondary Schools Coaching Manual © 30
Notes
 Produced by Badminton New Zealand

For more information on the coaching and playing of badminton, please contact:

Badminton New Zealand

PO Box 11 319
Manners Street
Wellington 6142

Tel (04) 916 2450

Fax (04) 916 2451
Email: office@badminton.org.nz