The starting point for playing any stroke in badminton is holding the racquet correctly. But there is no one single grip in badminton. You need a variety of grips that you can use depending on the shuttle position and situation during the game. As a general rule, have a relaxed hold on the racquet. This gives you flexibility to switch between different grips for executing different strokes. The grip should only be tightened at the point of impact of the shuttle.

Grips can also have a long or short variation. Long grips are useful for hitting rear court strokes, whereas short grips are mainly used in the forecourt area. Short grips give you greater control and precision in the stroke. There are four main types of grips in badminton which you can read about below. It’s important to know when to use which.

The basic or V-grip is used when the shuttle is in level with the player on both forehand and backhand sides. Your thumb and index finger should create a V shape on the racquet handle. Next is the thumb grip. This is used for backhand strokes in front of the body like net shot, backhand lifts, backhand serves, backhand drives, and backhand net kills.

There’s also a variant of the backhand grip known as the corner grip. This is useful when the shuttle is to the side of the player or a little behind the player. It is ideal for backhand drives, blocks, backhand clears, backhand drops and backhand smashes.

The final grip that you need to know is the panhandle grip. This is used when the shuttle is behind the player on the backhand side, or for forehand net kills. To switch to it, rotate the racquet from the neutral grip. There should be a ‘V’ between thumb and index finger, and a gap between the index and middle finger. Your palm should be flat on the front of the racquet.

You’ve now learnt four different grips in badminton and the strokes for which they’re used. If you’re a little confused, don’t worry, it will become much clearer as we proceed through the remaining lessons and study the serves and strokes in detail. The next post kicks off the serving techniques, starting with the forehand high serve. Read on and get started with your badminton play.