Types of Shots

The fundamentals of badminton include certain types of shots. There are five essential shots: drive, clear, drop, smash and net. Each of these shots contain a different body form and technique. The offensive shots-- drop and smash-- require more power than defensive shots-- clear and net. Drive shots, however, can be considered both offensive and defensive.

Offensive shots
1. Drop:

• Hitting the shuttlecock downwards towards the opponent's forecourt, barely over the net and before the service line.
• If opponent is in the back court, the drop shot will make the opponent run forward.
• The closer the drop is to the net, the harder it will be to return.

2. Smash:

• The most powerful shot.
• At the highest point of contact and a snap of the wrist, the shuttlecock with go speeding downwards in a steep slope.
• Usually used to end a rally.

Defensive shots
3. Clear:

• The shuttlecock will hit directly in the middle of the racket-head.
• The shuttlecock will land in the opponent’s back court.
• Usually used in need for more time.
• If opponents are close to the net, the clear shot is useful to make the opponent run towards the back court.

4. Net:

• A light shot that uses little force to push over the net.
• Normally tumbles over the net and does not pass the service line.

5. Drive:

• Hit directly over the net.
• This shot is quick.
• The racket should be help in front with the racket-head facing flat forward. Because the quickness, the racket should always be held up.

Here are the five basic shots of badminton. It is difficult to explain without a diagram or video. Hopefully my readers at least get the gist of the shots.

Badminton + Media Attention = Needed

Badminton has always been considered the “underdog” of sports. With basketball, hockey, football and all other in-season sports gaining much media attention, badminton still never receives the acknowledgement it deserves.

In recent news, the National Basketball Association (NBA) players refuse to play this season until they receive a high salary. Making money in order to support family and whatnot is important, but are their salaries not high enough? NBA players should be lucky to receive the attention they are getting, while badminton players in the United States practically receive none.

Badminton is just as much of a sport as basketball or any other sport for that matter. Athletes should focus on playing the sport they love rather than increasing their salary.

Most sports are viewed internationally while badminton is not even played on regular television stations in the United States.

Honestly, I am not very up-to-date with any sport besides badminton. But it is just hard keeping up with badminton tournaments through Youtube or an online blog. It deserves as much media attention as major sports like basketball, football, soccer, golf and more.

Analysis

Thus far, my blog has been going fairly well. But here is my analysis: 


My weakest post:
My weakest post will have to be my very first post published on Saturday, Sept. 24.

My strongest post:
My strongest post is definitely my second post on Monday Oct. 3.

What is working?
I think what is working is when I provide a lot of descriptions of badminton. For example, my strongest post is titled “Just Have Fun” where it received the most feedback concerning how much they have learned. In this post, I went into full detail of my experience during my league championships. I think writing about the intensity of the sport captures the readers’ attention.

What is not working?
Simply stating the basic aspects of badminton bores the readers. For example, my first post and my third post stated simple facts about badminton. The reason I put these is because I needed an introduction and I also needed my readers to get the general idea of the game. Some people do not know how to play, so I thought it would be good to list some basics. But all that really does is give off a boring post.

What do you want to improve in the next 6 weeks?
I want to improve how I explain the game. As much as I love badminton, I cannot seem to fully express how it is to be played. I want to give readers something different rather than something they can just search online.

What steps will you take to make that happen?
I can do this through more experience playing badminton. If I play the game, I can think about how I feel during that moment and try to jot down some adjectives. Then, I can provide a great outcome like I did on my second post.

A Day In the Life of a Badminton Player

Badminton is a sport that is highly underestimated by society, however this sport requires discipline, stamina, and a basic knowledge of physics.

Like any other athletes, badminton players need to stay in shape and maintain healthy lifestyles. The variety of food that badminton players consume range from granola bars to yogurt to fruits, like apples and bananas for stamina. The average badminton player consumes approximately 1000 calories more than the average person in order to have a surplus of energy to burn during their workout.

Before games, players condition their bodies by running, practicing footwork, and going through the various shots. For the my school team, players run close to two miles a day, to help with their endurance during games and to stretch out their leg muscles. Competitive badminton usually works out the muscles in one’s calves, quadriceps, biceps, and forearms.

Various badminton shots require different angles along with alternate amounts of force to reach , certain trajectories in order to achieve desired effects. Different shots include smash, drop, net, block, lift, clear, drive, and kill.

Many people look down on badminton, claiming it is not a serious sport or it does not require skills. However, many people at my school believe badminton requires techniques in order to play which, fortunately, is very true.

Badminton is the better alternative for those children who do not want to participate in a full-contact sports. Badminton helps with sportsmanship, hand-eye coordination and overall health.

But because people often dismiss the physical demands of badminton, it has been neglected as a sport. Therefore, badminton team seldom gets funding. When the district cuts funds, badminton is usually the first to feel the effects.

People should realize the validity of badminton as a sport, and how it should have more support from the community/district.

The basics: How do you play badminton?

Badminton is a sport that requires agility, balance, and strength.  The game can be played as singles (one versus one) or doubles (two versus two). It is played on a 20 (17 ft. in singles) by 44 feet court with a racket and shuttlecock, also known as a birdie.

Here are the basics:

• Each game is played up to 21 points.
• However, if the score reaches 20-20, one must win by a two point advantage.
• A match is the best of three games.
• There are six essential shots: smash, drop, clear, drive, lift and net.
• The winner of a rally serves the next point regardless of who previously served.
• Even numbers serve on the right box, odd on the left box.
• The objective is pretty simple: hit the shuttlecock over the net so that your opponent cannot reach it or so that your opponent makes a mistake. 
• Most importantly, have fun!

Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7d/Badminton_court_legal_bounds.svg/300px-Badminton_court_legal_bounds.svg.png

    The picture above shows where to serve and where a player can hit after the serve. It is pretty difficult to explain through text. There are plenty of badminton videos online to learn how to play. I would post of video, but I’m not exactly the best teacher.
    Although badminton may seem like an easy sport to others, it is essentially hard. Personally, I find that balance and stamina are the most important aspects in playing. Because badminton is such a fast paced sport, it is hard to keep up with the shuttlecock just by running around the court. Balance helps me keep steady in the small court, while my stamina helps me keep up with the birdie.
 

    Random video: Want to have a laugh? Watch Badminton Jedi!

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJ01jw-utvo

Just have fun.

Hello again.

In correspondence to my introduction, I would like to explain in detail how much badminton really does mean to me. Honestly, this was my personal statement for college at first, but then I realized how much I dedicate to the game rather than my emotions. I cut out some pieces that will be posted in my new personal statement, so I apologize if you feel it is a bit jumpy. This particular moment is my favorite: my final match for the title of 2010-2011 ACCAL Girls Singles First Place Champion. This is how I remember it:  

“No mercy” was my first thought as I entered my finals game, but that immediately changed. I quickly searched for my belongings: Yonex SHB-42EX badminton shoes, black ankle brace and Yonex Muscle Power 22 racket. I laced up my shoes and stretched, losing the tiny pinch of confidence I had during my team’s pep talk.

My name was called. My heart was racing. I dully rised from the stands and walked to the middle court-- court number three. I stepped onto the court and warmed up as much as I could. Naturally, panic rushed through me: the gym was different from my usual facility, the air was humid and I could not make contact with the shuttlecock. But those were just excuses.

I introduced myself to my opponent and apologized for my sweaty palms and shaky voice. I grabbed the shuttlecock and hit it in the air. I watched as it stayed in free fall; it seemed like hours. It plopped down on the floor and the head pointed to my opponent; it was her serve. I stood in ready position with my racket ready to attack. She served the shuttlecock and I hit it skyward in the back towards her backhand. She returned it to the net. One point for me. The serve was mine. I underhand served a high, deep shot, but she was fast enough to reach the shuttlecock. Unexpectedly, she returned my serve and sent the shuttlecock tight over the net. I lunged forward, but missed the shot.  She led with a score of five to three.

The gym grew silent and the only sounds heard were those of rackets and frustration. All my courage was completely washed away. I took a second to glance at my teammates. They were holding up signs with my name plastered in big bold letters.

A new form of confidence spurred within me. Never in my life have I felt so accomplished. I was in the finals, dead tired and breathing raggedly, but I continued to push forward.

I tried not to focus on losing or making mistakes. All I wanted to do was play the game I love and have fun, but at the same time, do the best I could.

“Just have fun” was the advice my coaches continued to give me. I grinned as flashbacks passed-- the games, the cheers, the friends, the sweat; I love it all.

I won a sequence of points and eventually lead with a score of twenty-one to nine. It was time for game two of a best-of-three match. My coach approached me with advice.

“Don’t worry. You can do this,” he assured. “Just have fun.”

This made me more determined than ever.

The second game commenced and my opponent was weakening. I took this to an advantage and sped up my game by continuously smashing the shuttlecock with all my power. It was the final shot and she gave me the perfect opportunity to kill the shuttlecock. The final score was twenty-one to ten. I did it.

Last spring badminton season, my team was deemed 2010-2011 Alameda Contra Costra Athletics League Champions while I received the title of 2010-2011 ACCAL Girls Singles First Place Champion.

Introduction

Hello friends, fellow badminton players and visitors,

My name is Kimmy and the primary goal for this blog is, well, to discuss badminton.

I have played badminton for 4 years and I love it. I still have plenty of room to grow, but my experiences thus far have been life changing. I may not be an expert at everything, but I enjoy the sport. Generally, my blog will contain my experiences, opinions and reviews of badminton.

I am absolutely in love with this sport to an extent where I can train for eight hours. During my school badminton season, I train at least four times a week and no more than six times a week. Last spring badminton season, my team was deemed 2010-2011 Alameda Contra Costra Athletics League Champions while I received the title of 2010-2011 ACCAL Girls Singles First Place Champion. I have one more year in my school badminton team, so I hope I can once again reclaim the title of first place.

I have tried several brands of rackets such as Head, Wilson and Yang-Yang, but I prefer Yonex. The Yonex brand is one of the most well-known badminton brands and their extensive collection of rackets is by far the best quality.

As for shuttlecocks, I use both plastic and feathers depending on the situation.

Badminton shoes are better for more grip on the floor and cushion. I use the blue and white Yonex SHB-42EX Badminton Shoes as opposed to regular running shoes.

Some of my badminton role models include China’s Ma Jin (women’s doubles and mixed doubles), China’s Fu Haifeng (men’s doubles), Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei (men’s singles) and South Korea’s Lee Yong-dae (men’s doubles and mixed doubles).

It is difficult to keep up with badminton tournaments because they typically do not show in America. However, from time to time, do I try to keep up with tournaments and world rankings of players.

I think the most important aspect when playing badminton is the atmosphere. My favorite badminton facility is the Eastbay Badminton Association formerly known as Golden Gate Badminton Club 2. Everyone there is friendly and always welcome to help one another. Players ranging from different levels always accept a challenge regardless of skill.

Nevertheless, I think badminton is an underestimated sport, but once people play it, they realize how challenging it can be.

I hope I can share and exchange my knowledge of badminton with fellow players. Stay tuned! There’s plenty more to come.