Badminton skills
19 skills, beginner to advanced. 17 of them you can film on a phone and get measured. No fake scores.
Skills by level
You can film17 of 19 skills
Guided courses
Each course builds from the basics up to one Badminton move you've seen on TV. Film the steps the camera can read and check your form before you move on.
Beginner 5
- Grip & Ready PositionBadminton power comes from the WRIST and forearm, and that starts with the right grip held the right way. Forehand grip: 'shake hands' with the handle so your thumb and index finger form a soft 'V' along the top edge (hold lower on the handle for a longer, more powerful lever).
- Footwork & Split-StepFootwork is the defining athletic skill in badminton — as important as the strokes — because you must cover the whole court and recover for the next shot. The foundation is the SPLIT-STEP: a small hop to 'load' your legs as your opponent hits, so you can push off in any direction.
- The Overhead ClearThe overhead clear is the foundational overhead stroke — and mastering it builds the exact technique used in the drop and smash (they share one motion). You hit the shuttle HIGH and DEEP to the opponent's backcourt, buying time to recover.
- Low ServeThe serve is the only fully self-controlled stroke, and the low serve is the doubles standard — you push the shuttle low and short so it just SKIMS the net tape and lands near the front service line, giving your opponent nothing to attack. The backhand low serve is most common: a relaxed grip with the thumb on the…
- Net ShotsNet shots are soft touches played at the front of the court — you drop the shuttle gently just over the net so it falls tight to the tape, forcing your opponent to lift it (and giving you an attacking chance). You play them with a LUNGE into the forecourt (racket-leg forward, knee over ankle), reaching with the…
Intermediate 5
- The SmashThe smash is badminton's primary attacking weapon — the steepest, fastest downward shot (badminton smashes are the fastest in any racket sport). It uses the SAME overhead motion as the clear, just with full racket speed, a contact point slightly further IN FRONT, and a steep downward aim.
- The Drop ShotThe drop shot is a deceptive touch shot from the backcourt — it uses the SAME overhead look as a smash or clear, but you decelerate or slice the racket so the shuttle falls gently just over the net (in front of the opponent's service line). The whole point is DECEPTION: identical preparation to the smash/clear, so…
- The DriveThe drive is a fast, FLAT shot played at mid-court around net-tape height — a quick counter-attacking shot (common in doubles) that travels in a straight, level trajectory and forces your opponent to lift. You play it with a COMPACT swing (like a sidearm throw), a relaxed grip, contacting the shuttle out in front…
- The Lunge & RecoveryThe lunge is how you reach frontcourt and corner shots — an explosive big step onto a braced front leg — and it's BOTH the key reaching skill AND the highest-injury movement in badminton (it loads the knee, patellar tendon, and Achilles on the front leg). Doing it well is performance and safety: split-step, drive…
- High & Flick ServeBeyond the low serve, two more serves add variety and deception. The HIGH serve (a singles staple) sends the shuttle high and DEEP to the opponent's backcourt with a forehand underarm action, forcing them back.
Advanced 5
- Deception: One Motion, Three ShotsDeception decides more points at most levels than power — and badminton's biggest deception comes from the fact that the clear, smash, and drop SHARE ONE overhead motion. If your preparation is identical for all three, your opponent can't read which is coming until the shuttle's gone.
- The Jump SmashThe jump smash is badminton's most lethal attacking shot — you jump so you contact the shuttle HIGHER, creating a steeper, faster downward angle the opponent can barely defend. It's the smash mechanics plus a jump: time your jump so you strike at the shuttle's highest point, use your non-racket arm for balance in…
- Round-the-Head ShotThe round-the-head shot is an overhead played on your BACKHAND side but struck with the FOREHAND face — you reach up and over your head, angling the racket toward the backhand side ('around the head'). It's valuable because for shuttles only slightly to your backhand, it's quicker and more powerful than turning to…
- Net Kill & Tight Net PlayNet play wins points at the front: a NET KILL is a quick, sharp downward TAP on a shuttle that's popped up near the net (ending the rally), while TIGHT net play (net shots and net spins) keeps the shuttle dropping right on the tape to force a lift. Both demand a fast lunge into the forecourt, a racket already UP…
- Defensive Footwork & CoverageDefense is staying in control when your opponent attacks — returning smashes and fast shots with calm. It's footwork-and-readiness first: a low, balanced ready stance with the racket UP in front, a split-step as they hit, then quick movement to cover the court and recover to base.
Insane 4
- Attacking Patterns & Shot SelectionElite badminton is won by CONSTRUCTING the rally — moving your opponent, creating an opening, and choosing the right shot for the situation — and this is largely a game-vision/decision skill a solo video can't grade, so it's coached here. The principles: shot selection depends on court position (backcourt →…
- Elite Smash PowerElite smash power (top players exceed ~118 m/s shuttle speed) comes from maximizing the KINETIC CHAIN from the ground up — NOT from a wristy arm flail. The biomechanics are clear: the largest contributions to smash velocity come from SHOULDER (medial) ROTATION and forearm PRONATION (classic research attributes ~53%…
- Lunge & Landing SafetyThis is the signature SAFETY lesson in badminton, because the sport's biggest injuries are LOWER-LIMB and LUNGE/landing-driven. The lunge concentrates impact, knee load, and tibial shear on the front (dominant) leg → patellar tendinopathy and ACL/meniscus risk; the most common ACUTE injury is a LATERAL ANKLE…
- Shoulder & Overuse CarePlaying a lot of badminton at a high level means managing the OVERUSE injuries the sport is known for — and badminton injuries are overuse-dominated (about 3x more overuse than acute in adults). The repetitive overhead smash/clear loads the SHOULDER (rotator-cuff overuse, rising with smash intensity and fatigue)…