By reading till here, you would have a fair understanding of the different techniques in badminton, starting with serves, forehand strokes, backhand strokes, offensive strokes, defensive strokes, and so on. The choice of stroke to play depends on many factors, for instance, the position of the shuttle or the reaction time you can afford.

When you’re looking for a way to restrict the opponent from going into attack mode, flat parallel shots can be very effective. These can give you a significant advantage, especially in doubles matches. They reduce the angles of strokes that the opponent can play. And best of all, it gives less time for the opponent to think and react.

When it comes to executing a flat parallel shot, there are a few things to keep in mind, starting with your grip. The thumb grip is preferred as 70% of the strokes that come on or around the body can be played with a backhand grip. Next is posture. Body stance should be slightly lowered with knees bent and legs slightly apart.

Hit the shuttle preferably at eye or shoulder level in order to keep the return flat. Tighten the grip before impact and hit the shuttle with minimal backswing of the racquet. A whiplike action is what works best here. The interesting thing about this stroke is that, contrary to other strokes you’ve learnt in badminton, you should avoid follow-through of the racquet here.

To learn the nuances of the flat parallel shots and improve your technique, there are four practice exercises you can use. The first involves 1 on 1 parallel strokes played either on half court or full court. Once you’re comfortable with that, take it up a notch in the second exercise. This would be 2 on 1 play with parallel strokes on full court.

The third exercise is very effective in helping you master flat parallel and offensive strokes. Players engage in box games, with either half court box or full court box used for play. For the final exercise, players use the half racquet cover and practise. This will improve your strength and make the shots a lot more powerful.

That brings you to the end of this blog on learning badminton with Abhijeet Naimpally. If you’ve read through all 25 posts and practised the techniques covered there, you’re sure to have a fairly good understanding of this sport. Badminton is a late specialization sport and you need to have some patience as you go through the journey of becoming a better player. Remember the one thing required to improve your skills and transform you into a professional-level player – practice, practice and more practice!