Amanda Knapp
The forehand drive is an attacking shot in badminton that is played from the middle of the court, and should pass close to the net with a flat trajectory. It is used when the shuttlecock is too low to smash. To play a good forehand drive, you need to be in a loose forehand grip, with your shoulders and hips facing forwards. Then, bring your elbow and wrist back, and accelerate your hand and elbow forwards. As you step into the shuttle, snap your wrist and squeeze your grip.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of shot | Attacking shot |
| When to use | When the shuttlecock is too low to smash |
| Court position | Mid-court |
| Body position | Shoulders and hips facing forwards |
| Grip | Loose forehand grip, panhandle grip |
| Foot position | Balls of your feet |
| Knee position | Slightly flexed |
| Racket arm | At a 90-degree angle, above head height |
| Racket face | Flat |
| Trajectory | Flat |
| Power | Consistent, accurate, and powerful |
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What You'll Learn
Forehand drive technique
The forehand drive is an attacking shot in badminton that is played from the mid-court, usually from the sides of the court. It is used when the shuttlecock is too low to smash. The shot should pass close to the net with a flat trajectory. To execute the perfect forehand drive, you need to develop a technique that is consistent, accurate, and powerful. Here is a step-by-step breakdown of the technique:
Preparation
Use a loose forehand grip, with your shoulders and hips facing forwards. Start with a split step right after your opponent hits the shuttle. Stand on the balls of your feet with your knees slightly flexed. Your body should be facing forward, pointing towards your opponent. Keep your eyes on the shuttlecock at all times.
Shot
As you step into the shot, bring your elbow and wrist back, and then accelerate your hand and elbow forwards. Snap your wrist and squeeze your grip as you make contact with the shuttlecock. Make contact with the shuttlecock in front of your racket foot at the highest point possible. Drive the shuttlecock with a flat trajectory towards your intended target. Avoid a full-arm swing, as this will cause you to hit the shuttlecock long or wide. Instead, focus on generating power with a shorter swing.
Recovery
After hitting the shot, return to the ready position. The racket will follow through, pointing towards the target. Practice getting back into position quickly, as drives are fast shots that do not allow much time to react.
Practice Drills
To improve your forehand drive, you can practice with a partner, driving the shuttlecock back and forth for sets of around 90 seconds. This will help you work on generating power with a shorter swing. If you don't have a partner, wall hitting is another great way to practice. Aim slightly higher up the wall to get into the drive position. You can also try hitting drives with two shuttlecocks in play simultaneously, which will help improve your accuracy under pressure.
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When to use a forehand drive
A forehand drive in badminton is an attacking shot played from the mid-court when the shuttlecock has fallen too low to be returned with a smash. It should pass close to the net with a flat trajectory. To play a good forehand drive, you need to be in a loose forehand grip, with your shoulders and hips facing forwards. Bring your elbow and wrist back, then accelerate your hand and elbow forwards. As you step into the shuttle, snap your wrist and squeeze your grip.
When playing a forehand drive, it is important to be consistent, accurate, and powerful. To achieve this, you can use the panhandle grip, which provides better control over your shot. It is also important to consider the placement of your shot. For example, hitting the shuttlecock to the middle of the court can surprise your opponent in singles or create indecision in doubles.
Additionally, you can hit a cross-court forehand drive, but this requires good timing as it can leave a big gap on your side of the court if mistimed. Hitting the shuttlecock cross-court also gives your opponent more time to react, so it should be played at the right time.
The forehand drive is often used in combination with other shots, such as a smash or a backhand drive. Practising these combinations can help you understand the necessary adjustments and improve your overall gameplay.
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Forehand drive grip
The forehand grip is mainly used for forehand overhead shots in badminton. It is one of the four essential badminton grips and is considered easy to learn. To get into a forehand grip, imagine you are holding an axe or shaking someone's hand, creating a ''V shape'' with your index finger and thumb. Your fingers should be loose around the grip, not tight.
The panhandle grip is a variation of the forehand grip that comes naturally to beginners. It is useful for net kills, late backhand clears, and certain cross-net shots. The panhandle grip can be used when stepping out to the side, improving control of your shot. To get into a panhandle grip, place your thumb on the side of the grip.
When performing a forehand drive, you will start in a loose forehand grip, with your shoulders and hips facing forwards. Then, bring your elbow and wrist back, and accelerate your hand and elbow forwards. As you step into the shuttle, snap your wrist and squeeze your grip.
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Forehand drive footwork
The forehand drive is an attacking shot in badminton, played from the mid-court, and should pass close to the net with a flat trajectory. It is used when the shuttlecock is too low to smash. To play a good forehand drive, you need to be in a loose forehand grip, with your shoulders and hips facing forwards.
Footwork
As the shuttlecock is returned, stand in position on the balls of your feet, with knees slightly flexed. Your body should be facing forward, pointing towards your opponent. The racket arm should be at a 90-degree angle, with the face of the racket above head height. Keep your eyes on the shuttlecock at all times.
Flex your wrist and elbow backward until the racket is parallel with the floor. Then, step forward towards the shuttle with your racket leg, transferring your body weight from the back to the front foot. As you step into the shuttle, snap your wrist and squeeze your grip.
It is important to have a consistent, accurate and powerful drive. A shorter swing is often more effective than a big swing, as it allows you to make contact with the shuttlecock earlier. However, there are times when a bigger swing is beneficial, such as when the shuttlecock is very high above the net, and you need to generate extra power.
You can also use a panhandle grip for the forehand drive, which is useful when you need to step out to the side instead of stepping forward.
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Forehand drive follow-through
The forehand drive in badminton is an attacking shot played from the mid-court, and the shuttlecock should pass close to the net with a flat trajectory. The forehand drive is usually played when the shuttlecock has fallen too low to be returned with a smash.
To execute the perfect forehand drive, you need to be in a loose forehand grip with your shoulders and hips facing forward. Bring your elbow and wrist back, then accelerate your hand and elbow forward. As you step into the shuttle, snap your wrist and squeeze your grip. It is important to have a drive that is consistent, accurate, and powerful.
The follow-through is a critical part of the forehand drive. A big swing often leads to a big follow-through, so by shortening your swing, you can reduce your follow-through and be in a better position for the next shot. This is known as a building shot. If you can develop a powerful drive with a short swing, you can then easily increase the power by lengthening your swing.
When the shuttlecock is very high above the net, you may need to use a bigger swing to generate extra power. However, if the shuttlecock is around net height, you might choose to play a more controlled drive to set yourself up for the next shot. In general, you should avoid playing a drive if the shuttlecock is more than 20 cm below the net, as a softer shot or a lift may be more effective in this situation.
The panhandle grip can be useful when you need to step out to the side instead of stepping forward. Additionally, placing your thumb on the side of the grip can improve your shot control from certain positions.
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Frequently asked questions
A forehand drive is an attacking shot played from the mid-court, usually from the sides, when the shuttlecock has fallen too low to be returned with a smash.
To hit a forehand drive, you need to be in a loose forehand grip, with your shoulders and hips facing forward. Bring your elbow and wrist back, then accelerate your hand and elbow forward. As you step into the shuttle, snap your wrist and squeeze your grip.
A smash is a powerful downward shot, considered one of the most powerful offensive shots in badminton. A forehand drive, on the other hand, is played with a flat trajectory, usually when the shuttlecock is too low for a smash.
A forehand drive is useful when you want to play an attacking shot but the shuttlecock is too low for a smash. It is also often used in combination with other shots, such as a smash or backhand drive.
A loose forehand grip is recommended for a forehand drive. Having your thumb on the side of the grip can also improve control.
