Badminton · Guide
Badminton shots explained
Six shots do most of the work: the clear, drop and smash from the back; the net shot and lift from the front; and the drive through the middle.
From the back of the court
- Clear
- A high shot that lands deep at the back. The defensive clear goes very high to buy time; the attacking clear is flatter, to get it behind the opponent.
- Drop
- A soft shot from the back that falls just over the net. Played with the same action as a clear or smash, so it is hard to read.
- Smash
- A steep, powerful shot hit downwards. The main way to win points outright, and the fastest shot in any racket sport at elite level.
From the front
- Net shot
- A soft touch from near the net that tumbles just over. Taking it early, close to the top of the net, is the key.
- Lift
- Hitting a low shuttle from near the net high to the back of the opponent's court. Defensive, but it gives you time to recover.
- Push and kill
- A push is a flat, soft shot into the mid-court; a kill is a sharp downward hit at the net when the shuttle comes up high.
Through the middle
- Drive
- A flat, fast shot just over the net, common in doubles.
Putting it together
The classic pattern is to push your opponent to the back with clears, then use a drop or smash when they cannot recover. In doubles the aim is to hit down: the pair hitting down is attacking, the pair lifting is defending. See doubles explained.
Quick answers
- What are the main shots in badminton?
- The clear, the drop, the smash, the net shot, the drive and the lift. Most rallies are built from those six.
- What is a clear in badminton?
- A high, deep shot to the back of the opponent's court, used to buy time or push them back.
- What is the difference between a drop shot and a net shot?
- A drop is played from the back of your court to land just over the net. A net shot is played from near the net, tumbling just over it.
- What is the fastest shot in badminton?
- The smash. At the top level it is the fastest shot in any racket sport.