A WORD ABOUT GRIPS

(pictures borrowed from samyjk2009.wordpress.com)


Before even attempting to hit the birdie it is important that you learn how to handle your racquet. This proper handling is called a grip. For me this is a misnomer because you don't really grip the racquet, for to grip means to hold on to something tight. You should hold your racquet in a relaxed but firm manner; a tight grip (sounds redundant huh?) prevents you from allowing the racquet to play in your hands that gives it extra movement to help you in delivering a powerful shot or flexibility in experimenting with different and deceptive shots. A relaxed grip allows your racquet greater range that makes for a great stroke or shot.


But don't get me wrong, for while it is essential to have a relaxed grip you must tighten it at the point of impact with the birdie to impart more power to your shot and to prevent your racquet face from turning in the wrong direction. Renowned former Philippine badminton team coach Butch Oreta analogizes the importance of suddenly tightening your grip in a vise-like manner at the very moment of impact to a moving car that suddenly stops; the sudden braking imparts a strong forward force.


Okay let's go to the grips now. There are basically two types of grips that every badminton player should learn: (1) forehand grip (2) backhand grip. The forehand grip, shown on the second picture above, is to be used for all forehand strokes - meaning those that you make at or about the right side of your body while facing the net. The backhand grip, shown on the first picture above, is to be used for all backhand strokes - meaning those that you make at or about the left side of your body while facing the net and at the right side of your body with your back facing the net.


As seen on the picture, in the forehand grip your hand is like shaking the hand of someone forming a "V" between your thumb and forefinger. Try to spread your forefinger away from the other fingers and curl it around the racquet handle to provide extra support as seen on angle 2 in the forehand grip picture. Do not, as a lot of beginners do, extend your forefinger as if pointing.


In the backhand grip the extended thumb is resting on the flat side of the racquet's handle. As you might have noticed already after holding a racquet, its handle has two wide flat sides (opposite each other) and two narrow flat sides (also opposite each other) with bevels (slanted sides) connecting all four sides. When in a forehand grip one wide flat side rests against your palm while your fingers are wrapped on one of the narrow flat sides and on the other wide flat side. When in a backhand grip, your extended thumb rests on one of the wide flat sides (angles 2 and 3 of the backhand grip picture) while the inside of your fingers are wrapped around the other wide flat side and one of the narrow flat sides (angle 1 of the backhand grip picture).


It is important to learn how to switch from the forehand to the backhand grip. You'll need this in the course of the game as when the birdie suddenly moves to the left side of your body while in a forehand grip or vice versa. To do the switch from forehand to backhand, while in a forehand grip twist the racquet handle clockwise (for right handers) or counter-clockwise (for lefties) with your gripping hand so that it turns and your thumb rests on one of the wide flat sides of the handle. You will appreciate here the importance of not having a tight grip, because it will be hard or will require extra time to do the turning of the racquet handle. Remember even a millisecond delay may prove vital in the middle of a game. Do the opposite twist to go back to the forehand grip.


Practice doing this switching so that it becomes second nature to you. You could do it while watching TV or better yet, try hitting the birdie against a wall (walling) alternately from the right side and from the left side of your body, remembering to switch grip as you move from hitting with a forehand grip from the right side to hitting from the left side or vice versa.


As a final tip, you might want to find a neutral grip, meaning the grip that you are most comfortable with while waiting for the birdie to cross your court or while on a ready stance. It should be the grip from which you can easily switch to the necessary grip to deliver an effective shot or defend against an oncoming attacking shot. It may be a forehand, backhand or a variation of either, but the most important thing is it should prepare you to deliver the best shot.