Physical Education Department

Standard Grade - Badminton

Name:

INFORMATION SHEETS

Information sheet 1: Know the rules

Badminton can be an individual activity if you play singles or a team game if you
play doubles. Here are some basic rules of both badminton singles and doubles:
The game is played up to 21 points. If the score reaches 20-20, the winner is the
player or team with a two point advantage
If the score goes up to 29-29, the winner is first to reach 30 points.
The service must be made diagonally across court
The server must serve the shuttlecock with the head of the racket below waist
height.
A shuttle landing on the line is in.
If a shuttle hits the net either on service or during a rally, play continues.
A player may not make contact with the net with either the racket or their body
The shuttle must be contacted on the players own side of the net. A player may
follow through across the net once contact has been made.
One touch of the shuttle on your own side. Point awarded to other player for more
than one touch
Singles:
You must serve from the right service court when they have no points or an even
number of points.
You must serve from the left service court when they have an odd number of
points.
Points are awarded to the winner of each rally.

 You lose service if you fail to return the shuttlecock, hit it out of court or into the
net.
If the shuttle hits the ground within the boundary the point is awarded to the player
who hits the shuttle.
Doubles:
In doubles, the player on the right always starts the serve and, when a point is won,
the players switch sides and then serves from the left, continuing to alternate until
a serve is lost
After service you can hit the shuttle anywhere in the entire court.

BADMINTON COURT

SINGLES ONLY

D
O
U
B
L
E
S

SERVE

O
N
L
Y

D
O
U
B
L
E
S

O
N
L
Y

Information sheet 2: Skills and Techniques

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A skill is a whole movement. It is a movement with a purpose e.g.

Serve.
Striking the shuttlecock.
A skilled performance shows three characteristics:
1)
2)
3)

movements are controlled and fluent often with minimum effort

correct options are selected
reflect the performers ability and experience

The different ways of striking the shuttlecock with the racket are called techniques.
Here are some examples of badminton techniques:
Overhead clear
Smash
Drop shot
Net shots
High serve
Low serve
On the next page are diagrams giving examples of the shape of the shot.

Over Head Clear

Drop Shot

Tight Net

Information sheet 3: Simple and Complex Skills

Simple skills are:

Easy to do
Made up of few movements
Simple order of movements
Performed in an easy situation
Have few decisions to be made

An example of an easy skill to perform is a

low serve.

Complex skills are:

Performed in a confined space
Made up of many movements
Several movements at the same time
Are difficult to time
Have many decisions to be made
An example of a complex skill to
perform is a jumping smash.

Information sheet 4: Analysing Performance

In any activity it is important to see what your strengths and weaknesses are of your
performance so that you can set a programme to improve your skills, especially
your weaknesses. This can be achieved by using a stroke analysis sheet.

The ticks that are circled are shots that were played that were winners. From this
information you can see what this players strengths and weaknesses are.
What shot is the players main weakness?
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Information sheet 5: Analysing a skill

A skill can be broken down into three phases:
Preparation
Action
Recovery
Below is an example of the overhead clear observation sheet:

When a player can play skills successfully and with correct technique, we call them a
model performer. Their performance is called a model performance.

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Information sheet 6: Learning Skills

Gradual Build Up is
when you learn a skill
bit by bit

Conditioned
Games

Shadowing

Learning Skills

Passive/Active Practices

Whole Part Whole is when

you try the whole skill, then,
break it down and
concentrate on part, before
putting it all together again

Solo/Partner/Group
Repetition Drills

Progression can be added by

copying the movement of an
partner completing the same
court movement

Helps to establish the many changes of

direction and body position

SHADOW
PRACTICE

As skill ability level improves so must the

demands of the practice

Focus on the movements of the

other player at the same time as
focusing on your own court
movement

Helps to establish the pattern and

routine of the practice

Shadowing is a type of whole-part-whole learning. The skill can be broken into parts (subroutines), and the
performer can concentrate on specific movements

During practice it can be

productive to set up
training drills that repeat
particular parts of a
technique or the whole
technique

You may practice very small

parts of the technique
repeatedly

REPETITION
DRILLS

Groove technique so that

all components of it work
well together

Badminton Example
1. Short Serve
2. Underarm Clear
3. Overhead Clear
4. Drop Shot

Drills can work well when

both repetition and different
degrees of pressure are
involved.

The type of attention to

detail works best with
complex, closed skills.

This type of practice is useful for the development of

court movement skills and for playing different shots
under pressure.

Information sheet 7: Practising skills

Like many sports people, badminton players will practise the skills of the game.
They will practise each skill over and over again until it is 'automatic'.
Why do we want to play a skill automatically?
When a skill is performed automatically, the player can do it successfully without
thinking.
The skill will be performed successfully most of the time.
The player can concentrate on other aspects of play. For example, once a player
has mastered their smash they can link it to other skills or techniques, such as net
shot or net kill.
Picture of Life Skills
Walking

Riding a bike

Driving a car

AUTOMATIC

AUTOMATIC

NOT AUTOMATIC
BUT IN THE
FUTURE?

Information sheet 7(ii): Effective practice

For practices to effective clear objectives should be set. This means you must focus
on a particular technique. To achieve this you need to consider your strengths and
weaknesses (use your observation sheet) and what aspects of your game you want to
improve.
Practices should be designed taking into consideration:
your previous experience in the activity
your practical ability
how difficult the skill is to complete
the physical demands involved in the practice
When you are practising a skill over and over again, you must be careful. If you
practise for too long:
You may become tired. If you are tired you may perform the skill incorrectly.
You will become bored. If you are bored you will be less motivated to do well.
You will lose concentration, and not be fully focused on performing the skill
successfully.
How can we make practising a skill interesting and avoid boredom and tiredness?
We can:
Make sure that the practice is not too long.
Do a variety of practices. Link the skill to other skills to make it more challenging.
Take rest periods to allow for recovery.
Practise often, but for short periods of time.
Practise at your own level of ability.
Set goals or short term targets.
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 As you improve make practices more demanding (be realistic).

Information Sheet 8: Motivation

Motivation is your level of desire to succeed. You need to be motivated in order to
improve your level of performance. Therefore motivation is an important factor in
learning practical skills or to improve specific aspects of fitness.
There are two types of motivation
Internal
External
Internal motivation is based on your own desire to succeed. If you are interested
and enjoy what you are doing you are more likely to succeed. There are activities you
are better that than others, why? Do you like some activities more than others? Why
do you work harder in some activities? Internal motivation is a big factor in you
performance level.

External motivation is when you play for money or trophies. This will not really be
a factor during the course.
Motivation is a personal quality

Information sheet 9: Badminton strategies. How do I

beat my opponent?
Depending on your strengths and weaknesses and your opponents will affect how you
try and beat them. You must consider your physical and personal qualities to analyse
your strengths.
The physical qualities that are useful in badminton are:
Speed
This will help cover the court from one extreme to the other and return to base in the
ready position in time to play the next shot.
Stamina This will help play the whole game without fatigue setting in.
Agility This will help you change direction quickly
Flexibility
This is the range of movement we have across our joints and is necessary for playing
effective shots in badminton.
The personal qualities that are useful in badminton are:
Co-operation Is working with a partner in badminton doubles to cover the court.
Concentration
Is what allows you to avoid distraction and focus on making the most appropriate
response to the play of your opponent(s).
Determination This is trying hard, and not giving up easily. A determined player is
strong-willed and will keep trying to be successful even when they find things
difficult.
Confidence This is belief in your own ability to perform well.

Information sheet 10: Roles and Responsibilities

Throughout your Standard Grade course you will take on different roles other than a
player/performer. With these new roles will come new responsibilities.
Umpire:

Officiates (makes the final decision on points etc) the game.

Player:

You playing the game.

Opponent: The person you are playing against.

Feeder:

Feeding the shuttles for you partner to practice specific shots

Observer: Observing a player and highlighting their strengths and weakness using
an observation sheet.

BADMINTON CHECKLIST
Know the rules
SINGLES
DOUBLES
Skills and Techniques
What is a skill/technique in badminton
Simple and Complex Skills
What is a simple skill
What is a complex skill
Analysing Performance
What is a stroke analysis sheet
Why would we use it
Analysing a skill
What is PAR
Why is it important to know this information
Learning Skills
Shadowing
Passive/Active skills
Repetition drills

Practising skills
Effective practice
Motivation

Badminton strategies
Roles and Responsibilities