The backhand serve, smooth, easy and thoughtless when viewed on the television.
Few know of the hours and sweat put behind the racket, to achieve that seamless serve. Most struggle to even get the shuttle consistently over the net! The service is as important as it is difficult – it can be a game-changing technique
The backhand serve is as important as it is difficult – most world-class players agree that the outcome of a rally can be determined by a single serve!
Fortunately! I am going to teach you how to serve your way to victory in 5 simple steps to master the badminton backhand serve!
Now, let’s break it down into a step by step guide so you can master the badminton backhand serve!
1. Use a Backhand Grip
Use a backhand grip as shown in the diagram above.
Some tips to note:
- Grip your racket comfortably but not too tightly
- You can grip slightly above the hilt for more control, should it be necessary
- Don’t fret too much over getting the grip perfectly right, you can adjust it as we go along.
2. Get a Good Shuttle Grip
Using your thumb and forefinger (middle finger if you must), hold the shuttle feather and tilt the shuttle head towards you, feathers facing the net.
The angle at which the shuttle is tilted will have a big influence over the trajectory of the serve, do adjust accordingly.
3. Get into Position!
The badminton backhand serve is commonly used both in doubles and singles, thus, we will discuss where to stand later.
To get ready to execute the badminton backhand serve, stand with your racket foot forward, and with the shuttle and racket bearing-arms forward in position as shown in the diagrams above.
4. Take Aim!
The badminton backhand serve has two variations and can be used in both doubles and singles.
- The Flick Serve
- The Low Serve
Your position on the court would be denoted by the red crosses, depending on your strategy and whether you are playing singles or doubles/mixed doubles. (To find out more about standing positions for service, click here Coming Soon).
The target for the low backhand serve, would be anywhere within the yellow box.
The target for the flick serve, would be anywhere within the blue box.
5. Fire Away!
Demonstration of a Badminton Low Backhand Serve
The badminton backhand serve starts with the weight on the back foot and shifting towards the front foot during the process of serving, this is to generate momentum and a more consistent flow for a better quality backhand serve.
The wrist should be pulled back and flicked gently to push the shuttle forwards as shown by the gif above.
The shuttle should be placed at a comfortable distance away from the body and arm so that enough momentum (especially important in a flick serve) can be generated for an effective badminton serve. Feel free to try different distances until you find the one that is comfortable for you!
As for the low serve, it should sail just above the net, landing right behind the service line.
As for the flick serve, the shuttle would be raised and tilted slightly upwards. More force should be put into the technique so that the shuttle reaches the designated target.
The high serve is not really applicable for the backhand serve, but this diagram is a good diagram as to how the trajectories should look like.
The flick serve, while ultimately also landing at the back of the court, should sail quickly towards the back without much height.
As for the low serve, it should sail just above the net, landing right behind the service line.
Conclusion
The backhand badminton serve technique is a very intricate technique, and there are many tips to optimize it and use it effectively in a badminton match to your advantage is a different story. Feel free to check out our guide on how do the backhand serve consistently here! (Coming Soon).
Of course, lots of practice is required to master the badminton serve, but nonetheless, it’s easy! What might confuse most, is the service boundary differences in Singles and Doubles, as such, we have also compiled a simple list of rules to get you started here! (Coming Soon)
Ciao!
Back to Online Training