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Level 3: Definitive article

Late backhand grip adjustment

HomeArticlesGrips guideGrip adjustmentsLate backhand grip adjustment

The bevel grip grip works well for overhead backhands that are level with your body.

When the shuttlecock has travelled behind you, however, you need to shift towards a panhandle grip.

Clearing from behind the body
The player reaches out behind him to play a backhand clear. To keep the racket facing forwards, he must adjust the grip.

This change in angle is necessary in order to hit the shuttlecock straight. If you don’t adjust your badminton grip, then the shuttlecock will go out at the side.

Placing the thumb on the side of the badminton racket handle, bevel 1, can help you gain some leverage for backhand power.

Think of this as adjusting the angle of the bevel grip.

Detailed photographs
Late backhand grip adjustment, viewed from the left Late backhand grip adjustment, viewed from the left (close up)
Late backhand grip adjustment, viewed from the right Late backhand grip adjustment, viewed from the right (close up)
Late backhand grip adjustment, viewed from in front Late backhand grip adjustment, viewed from in front (close up)
Late backhand grip adjustment, viewed from behind Late backhand grip adjustment, viewed from behind (close up)

Comparing the normal bevel grip with the adjusted version

This is only an example of adjusting your badminton grip. How much you actually change the angle will depend on where the shuttlecock is.

Normal bevel grip
The normal bevel grip
Adjusted bevel grip
The grip angle is adjusted for hitting from behind the body

Sources

The Badminton England level 2 coaching manual barely mentions this topic: it shows two (unclear) photographs to illustrate the idea, but no text.

In a coaching clinic for the Chinese TV channel CCTV, former world champion Zhao Jianhua demonstrates this grip adjustment.

This page was last updated on 8 February 2008 (article update log).

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Left-handed?

All the instructions in the Badminton Bible are written for right-handed players.

If you are left-handed, you’ll have to reverse the instructions in your head. Every time I write right, you should think left, and vice-versa.

Sorry about that!