Hold a badminton racket mainly in your fingers with a relaxed hand. Beginners should first learn the basic forehand grip and backhand thumb grip, then add the bevel and panhandle grips for specific situations. No single grip works for every shot.
Imagine shaking hands with the racket. The V formed by your thumb and index finger should sit along a diagonal bevel of the handle rather than directly on its wide face. Leave a small gap between your palm and the handle.
Keep the hand relaxed during preparation, then tighten the fingers briefly at impact. Constant squeezing slows grip changes, reduces touch, and tires the forearm.
| Grip | Common uses | Main cue |
|---|---|---|
| Basic forehand | Clears, drops, smashes, forehand drives | Shake hands with the racket |
| Thumb grip | Backhand serves, net shots, defensive pushes | Thumb pad supports a wide bevel |
| Bevel grip | Backhand overheads and drives | Thumb rests on a diagonal bevel |
| Panhandle | Net kills and shuttles directly in front | Hold it like a frying pan |
This grip supports forehand clears, drops, smashes, drives, lifts, and some defensive shots. The angled position allows forearm rotation and finger action to create racket speed.
Rotate slightly from the basic grip and place the pad of the thumb against a wide bevel. Do not stretch the thumb rigidly up the handle.
Use it for backhand short serves, net shots, defensive pushes, and some lifts. The thumb helps create a controlled push, but the fingers, forearm, and body position still contribute.
The bevel grip sits between the forehand and full thumb positions. It is useful when the shuttle is beside or slightly behind the body and a full thumb grip would restrict the racket angle.
Common uses include backhand overhead clears, drops, drives, and defensive shots. Treat it as an adaptable position rather than one rigid placement.
The panhandle grip points the racket face forward. It is useful for net kills, emergency interceptions, and shuttles directly in front of the body.
It is usually a poor choice for full overhead forehand strokes because it limits forearm rotation and can reduce reach and power.
Use a light grip during preparation and a brief squeeze at impact:
Racket speed does not come from flicking only the wrist. Depending on the shot, it may involve body rotation, elbow extension, forearm rotation, and finger tightening.
Stand in a ready position and rotate slowly from the basic grip to the thumb grip, back to basic, then to bevel. Repeat for 30 seconds without looking at your hand. Add gentle shadow swings when the changes feel natural.
Start with the basic forehand and thumb grips. Practice switching between them before adding bevel and panhandle positions. Then use them during serving, driving, lifting, clearing, and net practice.
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