Badminton is a game of skill and skill is acquired through practice. No self-respecting badminton player goes a day without practice. Here are some useful badminton drills for beginners:
Shadow Badminton – You don’t even need a shuttle for this one. Get a friend to help direct you to the different areas of the court. Have him or her stand on the side opposite you. Make sure you cover all areas of the court with your forehand and backhand to improve your court movement and fitness.
Wall Rally Drill – Take out your shuttle; you’re going to need it for this one. In wall rally drill, play one-man badminton against a wall, preferably at least 20 feet high. Make sure to practice the different forehand and backhand strokes to significantly improve your reflexes and allow you to react appropriately against different types of shots.
Overhead Strokes – You’ll need several shuttles for this one. Ask a friend to throw shuttles into different areas of the court. Take note the shuttles should fly high enough to reach the back service line. The point is to improve your overhead strokes.
Net Play – This is similar to the previous exercise; have the friend to toss shuttles near the net instead. Decide when to apply various techniques like drives, lifts and net shots. This is for you to improve your net game and to allow you to respond skillfully during net rallies.
Professional
It’s important that the basics are covered, even after the player has turned professional. Even if the players have mastered the advanced techniques, the basics should always be practiced. The basics—the fundamentals, as instructors like to call them—are always crucial in the overall development and build up of a well-rounded badminton player.