The top badminton rackets help you display your professional skills during a match. However, you must know how to hold a badminton racket properly.
A good grip of the racquet supports wrist flexibility and control of the shots. There are various ways of gripping a badminton racket correctly.
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Badminton Racket Grip Techniques
A closer look at the handle of a racket reveals its beveled design. The flat surfaces make it easy to grip the racket. Usually, the position of the index finger gives the badminton racket grip its name.
Therefore you can hold a badminton racket in three ways:
- Forehand grip
- Backhand grip
- Smash Grip
Forehand Grip
The forehand grip technique is ideal when making the forehand stroke. The easiest way to master the forehand grip technique is to assume you are shaking hands with the racket handle.
That way, you can hold the racquet so that the index and the thumb finger make the letter V. Also, the thumb finger sits lower than the index but touching the middle finger. In the forehand striking process, the index finger helps push the racquet forward.
At the same time the other fingers (the little, ring, middle, and thumb) hold and prevent the equipment from slipping off.
For you to reap the best out of the forehand grip, reflect on the following:
- Do not over-tighten your grip on the racket. Instead, let your fingers relaxed. That way, you can generate quality shots
- Aim at holding the racket using the combination of fingers and upper palm area. That way you’ll leave a space between the racquet and lower palm region. That makes it easy to shift your grip.
For easy remembrance, some beginners find it helpful to trace a V on the handle. You can thus know the position of the index and the thumb finger.
Backhand Grip Technique
The backhand grip finds use in making backhand strokes. In other words, the shots you make when your backhand is facing your birdie.
In the backhand grip, all the fingers except the thumb hold the handle against the palm area. At the same time, the thumb finger protrudes and presses on the flat surface of the handle.
Such an arrangement places the thumb slightly away from the other fingers. Note that the main difference between the forehand and backhand grip techniques is the position of the index finger.
Whereas the index finger brings control on the shots in the forehand grip, in the backhand, the thumb plays the same role.
Smash Grip Technique
The best way to make the smashing shot is to employ the smash grip technique. It’s a slight variation of the forehand grip method. First, hold the racquet handle in the usual forehand grip style.
Then rotate the racquet about 10 degrees to the right. But if your dominant hand is left, then rotate the racket 10 degrees to the left. After which, maintain that position.
The smash grip style combined with the right badminton racket string tension delivers powerful shots.
Important Points When Holding a Badminton Racquet
Use Fingers, Not Palm to Support the Racquets
When holding a racket, it’s wise to support using your fingers and not the palm area. When you do that, switching from one type of grip to the next is easy.
The Flexibility of the Wrist Matters
In all the type of badminton racquet grips, you need the flexibility of the wrist. So, over-tightening your hold limits the movement of the wrist.
Palm Must Not Cross the Handle
It’s advisable to hold the badminton racquet by the lowest point. However, ensure that the end of the pal rest at the base of the racquet.
Know the Role of Each Finger
All the fingers play an active role when making a shot on the shuttle. The ring and little finger help support the racket from slipping out of your hand. However, the thumb, index, and middle fingers participate in making strokes.
Proper Finger Placement
In each type of grip, the proper placement of the finger is necessary. Therefore, take note of the following:
- Never let the thumb wrap around other fingers in any type of grip
- The index finger should not rest parallel to the shaft
- The thumb finger should press on the shaft at an angle, and not lie flat towards the head
Learn to Shift Grips Quickly
During a badminton match, you’ll need to use different grip styles. Therefore there is a need to learn how to shift from backhand to forehand or smash grip multiple times. Initially, it can be challenging. So you have to practice that skill often.
Conclusion
The grip and balance of a badminton racket influence the quality of the shots. By learning how to hold the badminton racquet right, switching from one grip style to the next is quick. That way you can attack the shuttlecock through the se of the best grip technique.