The first thing you need to know if you are keen on becoming a good badminton player is how to hold a badminton racket.

It is crucial to know how to hold this racket so that you not only hit the shuttle well but also have fun when playing your favorite sport.

Usually, if you hold the racket wrongly, there are high chances that you will be unable to make different shots especially those that require the hands to rotate at certain angles in order to make the perfect shot.

Here are the few things you need to know about holding a racquet:

Used for making overhead shots, the forehand grip is one of the most popular badminton grips among beginners and experienced players.

In this grip, the thumb does not require to press against the base (at the handle) of the racquet.

This is because the index finger is the one that controls the racket when making this grip.

You use your index finger for pushing the racket forward to make a perfect stroke.

The thumb should rest relaxingly at the handle to allow you to shift to the backhand grip quickly when playing.

Wrap your fingers firmly around the racket’s handle while at the same time ensuring that the forefinger and the third finger spread on the handle for your hands to feel comfortable.

This grip is used for making shots that are on the non-racquet side of the body.

When making this grip, ensure that the racket face is perpendicular to the court.

In this grip, the thumb should be placed directly on the handle for purposes of giving support to the fingers when making backhand shots.

Relax the index finger while at the same time moving it closer to the middle finger.

The other fingers should be wrapped around the handle to provide support for the palm when swinging to make hits.

When gripping a badminton racquet, you should ensure that you relax your fingers.

This is because relaxed grips make it easy for the muscles in the arms to attain great flexibility and mobility.

This adds more power to your shots and allows maximum transfer of energy from the hands to the shuttle.

When striking the shuttle especially for power strokes like smashes, the grip tightens to allow for maximum power when hitting the shuttle.

When holding a racquet, it is advisable to hold it towards the far end base of the handle.

This helps in creating a long level which in turn adds more leverage to your hitting power.

It is easier to make powerful hits when holding the racquet towards the end of the racket rather than when

holding it at the innermost part of the handle.

However, you should not go too far as this will weaken your grip on the racket thereby making it hard to make powerful shots.

When holding a racquet, you should rely on the ring and little fingers to secure the racket in the hands when making powerful shots.

For purposes of added stability, these two fingers need to hold the racquet in a tighter manner than the other fingers.

The other fingers should be used for subtle manipulations.