Your reading till here would have introduced quite a few varieties of strokes in badminton – be it net shots, drives, net lifts or net kills. This is one sport where knowing more number of shots gives you greater flexibility on the court and thus higher chances of winning.

The previous blog post covered the technique behind a backhand net kill, which is basically a smash into the opponent’s mid court. This is a continuation of that front court stroke, moving on to the forehand net kill. While it bears similarity to the backhand version, there are differences that you need to pay attention to, for instance the grip and direction of arm rotation.

Start by switching to a pan-handle grip to hold the racquet. Your elbow should be bent. Now anticipate the shuttle and rotate the arm outwards. Hit the shuttle hard, in a downward direction, by straightening the arm. Follow through with the arm rotating inwards to complete the stroke.

You should immediately return to a ready offensive position to finish off the rally, in case the opponent manages a weak return. Remember one thing; net kills can only be played if the shuttle is hit above the net cord or tape. So, time your stroke correctly before the shuttle starts to dip.

To improve your forehand net kill, find a sparring partner or coach who can help with a multi-shuttle hand feed from the opposite side. Focus on your grip, posture, position and technique as you play each shot. Both the backhand and forehand net kills are useful in any match as they help you score points relatively easily.

They can be used to either finish a rally or to ensure a weak return from the opponent, as he would barely get time to react. In the next post, we’ll be moving on to a rear court stroke – the forehand clear. Read on to know all about this badminton stroke, when to play it and most importantly, how to execute it.