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How to hold a badminton racket

How to Hold a Badminton Racket Properly

Knowledge of how to hold a badminton racket is the first and foremost learning of every beginner.

If you don’t have a proper grip from the beginning, then it is very difficult to execute shots properly. An improper holding technique restricts you to limited shots, you can’t taste the wide variety of shots. To hold the badminton racket properly may be inconvenient to you in the early stage, but it will help you in the longer run.

How Do You Hold a Badminton Racket?

There are eight octagonal surfaces on the handle of the racket. These wider surfaces are called bevels. Bevels help to hold the badminton racket. A badminton grip looks like you are shaking hands with the racket. Depending upon the finger position, badminton grips are of three types.

  • Forehand grip
  • Backhand grip
  • Hammer Grip

Forehand Grip

Forehand grip in badminton

This grip is used to hit the shuttlecock on the forehand side. Imagine the badminton racket as a hand and you are shaking hands with the grip. Hold the racket in such a way that the thumb takes a “V” shape with the index finger. Place the thumb anywhere near the bevel. 

The index finger is the key anchor in the forehand grip. Use your index finger to push the racket forward during your forehand stroke-making. 

Change the finger position for different angles of the racket. Your ring finger and pinky finger give support from falling out of the racket from your hand.

Backhand Grip

Backhand grip in badminton

This grip is used to hit the shuttlecock on the backhand side. The difference between the forehand and backhand grip is the position of the fingers. In the backhand grip, hold the racket by pressing your thumb on one of the bevels. Take the index finger close to the middle finger.

In the backhand grip, the power of the strokes comes from the thumb. Use your thumb and push it in the backhand stroke to get the required strength in your strokes.

Hammer Grip

The player is smashing a shuttlecock using hammer grip

The hammer grip is the way to hold a badminton racket while smashing. When you jump to smash a shuttlecock in front of your body, that time hammer grip comes into action.

This is a slight variation of the forehand grip. In this grip, you have to hold the racket as if you are holding a hammer. Switch over to this grip quickly, jump and tighten your grip at the time of hitting to get the desired power. 

Key Points to Hold a Badminton Racket Properly

  • Don’t use your palm as a support to hold the racket. Only use the fingers.
  • The wrist movement plays a vital role in your strokes. Don’t hold the racket tightly, that will restrict your wrist movement.
  • Only tighten your grip when you are close to hitting a shuttlecock.
  • Your thumb, index, and middle finger take part in the stroke making. The other two fingers give the support so that the racket does not slip out from your hand
  • Hold the racket in a way, so that the base of the racket is at the end of your palm.
  • The flexibility of the wrist is the key to getting the precision and power in your strokes and the flexibility comes from your proper holding technique.

By quickly switching over to another grip from one grip, you will get more time to react. That will give you more time to get ready for your strokes for the best outcomes.

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