how to play with a beginner

bite your tounge, expect not to win and practice your strokes.

 

First thing I try to do is tell him/her we need to communicate well, by calling shots "mine" or "yours" and paying attention to those calls (helps prevent racquet clashes). Partners should also yell "out" if they can see their partners going for a shuttle that is clearly out.

After playing a few shots, if I can tell the person is a true beginnner, I ask them if it is ok if I give them a few pointers. I tell them them one of the most important strategies of basic badminton is never hit medium height, medium length shots. I explain that there are a wide variety of shots available, but the medium-medium shot allows the other side the chance to smash, drop or otherwise control the shuttle and will almost always result in the opponent winning the point if they don't make an unforced error. I tell them that shots that have a low, flat or descending trajectory, or are higher and deep, are preferable.

One common problem I see with beginners is a lack of power resulting from holding the racquet with a stiff wrist. I explain that a lot of power is generated in badminton by snapping the wrist, much the same as the wrist snap in throwing a frisbee.

I also tell beginners to try to be conscious of where the opposing players are on the court at all times. If they can see an open portion of the court, aim the shuttle there, rather than back at the opposing player. Similarly, hitting to different portions of the court to run down opponents and make them leave portions of the court uncovered is a good strategy.

A good bit of advice to give the more experienced beginner who is starting to smash, is not to smash lower shots. I have learned from experience that too often when trying to smash a short serve that got a bit too high, or another lower shot, by the time a player starts moving the racquet forward, the shuttle has dropped and the player no longer has a sufficient height to smash the shuttle at a downward angle and clear the net; a well placed drive or a dropshot is the better alternative.

I try to get the beginner to position themselves so they themselves are not leaving large portions of the court open.

On the flip side of the coin, it can be difficult to play with beginners, especially from the start of a session when you are trying to get into a good rthym, because it is hardly fair to play at a competitive level without leaving the beginner feeling that you are using him or her for target practice. I try to focus on precision shots, rather than power shots when playing against players who are substantially less competitive than I am. Hard smashes scare beginners, so I don't smash against them. If you have a beginner for a partner and know your opponents, it may help to ask them (if you're not sure how they will play) to take it a bit easy on the beginner. Sometimes you just have to resign yourself to watching the other side pick on the newbie.

Finally, I try to praise the beginner's good shots to make the game more enjoyable for him or her.

 

Fortunately, I am currently paired with a person who isn't a beginner, so I am not in this situation (i was close though..) I would probably just recommend telling the beginner basics, such as what UKPlayer said. However, if the player is not open to comments ie: he/she gets pissed at you, just make sure that your game is solid and hope for the best. Playing with beginners helps make your game more solid because to win with a newbie, you have to make little to no mistakes...

 

and hope for opponents that don't send every shot to your partner...

on a side note: yesterday i was babysitting with a couple of buddies who are backyard badminton players. they were playing 2 on 1 against me, but it was just very casual hitting - i was clearing everything back to them. gym wasn't busy so we weren't taking up any extra court space.

another fellow jumps on the court with us. he's a novice level player but he proceeds to hammer at my friends who can barely return a clear, let alone a smash. i told him to give it a break, so he says for us to split up since my friends were so weak. he gets onto the other side with one of my buddies, and proceeds to do the same thing on the other side, smashing at my partner's head - not at me. during a rally, i forced a shot at his face, and he floated it back at the net, where i was already standing. i haven't been this pissed in a long time and i smashed the bird right into his throat. he left the court immediately after and my friends and i resumed our casual rallies... nobody else bothered us the rest of the afternoon.

 

lol... you shoulda offered to play singles with him and keep smashing at his face.. lol.

 

he didn't want that - i think he just wanted to beat on my friends... kinda like to establish his position his mind.