Getting to the shuttle early is one of those things that any coach should tell you is one of the most important aspects of badminton. Often we just accept that’s how you play the game well. But if you look into why being early to the shuttle is important, it really can help to open your eyes to the benefits of this simple action and should motivate you to be more diligent in reaching the shuttle early.
Getting to the shuttle as soon as possible all begins with footwork. Yes I know, it’s come up a million times, but footwork really is the foundation of your whole game. This is why any coach worth their salt should prioritize this for beginners. It’s not simply enough to get to the shot. Being early or late to the shuttle can make a dramatic difference in your advantage and ability to win the rally. The rewards for good footwork are invaluable to any badminton player but specifically, it will help you to reach that shuttle as early as possible.
Let’s explore some reasons why being early to the shuttle is important.
Shot Choice
Having more choices is usually an advantage in life and there’s no difference in badminton. As a player, having several options of shot in badminton is always beneficial. The earlier you are, the more shot choice you have and the more you can keep your opponent guessing. This is why variation is such an important part of strategy in the sport.
Being very late to the shuttle limits these options and restricts you to maybe one or two replies at best. The later you are to the shuttle, the more predictable your next shot becomes and the earlier your opponent can get to the shuttle. They then have the advantage of controlling the rally or even finishing the point.
When you’re late to the shuttle, there’s two key points that are happening which limit your shot choice:
- The Shuttle Is Lower: You should always take the shuttle at the highest point. This gives you the option to attack and importantly puts more pressure on your opponents. The later you are to the shuttle, the lower the shuttle is to the floor, the less pressure you’re going to be able to apply and the more likely it is you will be forced to give away the initiative.
- Body Position: Depending on how late you are to the shuttle, the body will be unable to move in such a way to play certain shots. Therefore, this limits you to a couple of options. You might notice this especially when you’re really late to the rear court and the shuttle has already fallen from an overhead position. In such instances, it might not even be possible to get the shuttle high and to the rear court to help you recover.
Occasionally I will concede you can play an ambitious shot to get you out of trouble. However, these are few and far between. In doubles, you could even argue it’s more important to be early to the shuttle. There are twice as many people on the court. In a game of speed, you have to be early to the shuttle, otherwise, you will find yourself chasing it instead!
Being in Balance
When you’re early to the shuttle you are also able to maintain your balance much easier. This brings us back to footwork as we mentioned earlier. When you have good footwork, you move in balance. When you get to the position to play your shot, you have set your body in preparation so that you’re momentum/movement is moving into either the shuttle or you’re playing the shot from a stable base.
In badminton keeping your balance is important for all stages of movement. From the base position to the point you’ve played the shot and recovering. Being early to the shot in badminton means that you can set yourself faster and therefore have a much more stable position to play your stroke. This is important for all shots, but particularly for delicate shots at the net where there is a smaller margin for error.
Being In Balance – Net Shot Example
Let’s say, for example, you move to the frontcourt. You are there early with time to play a net shot. You have lunged forward, your racket arm is extended towards the shuttle and your non-racket arm is extended backward. In this position, you are in balance. From here you have a stable base to play a quality shot when your foot lands.
However, when you’re late to the shuttle, you do not have as much time to set your body position. The momentum of your forward movement pulls you off balance when you get to the shuttle. The later you are, the more this momentum interferes with your shot and ultimately restricts your shot choice as above. As a result, not only is your shot choice jeopardized but so is the quality of that shot.
Being In Balance – Smash Example
Lets take the example of a smash now. If you play a smash from a balanced position, because you reached the shuttle early, you would be able to follow your momentum forward and follow up the shot. However, when you’re off balance when playing the shot, you simply can’t follow forward as fast.
This is especially evident in doubles, where a key defensive ability is to move opponents from side to side in the rear court. This creates an imbalance, reduces potency in the opponents’ attack, and even if they reach the shuttle as early as they can, often their momentum is carrying them sideways, forcing them to take an extra bit of time to recover for the next shot.
Deception
Getting early to the shuttle means that there are options not just in shot choice but how you play those shots. That includes deception. If you read my previous article on this topic, you might remember that I distinguished between the two types of deception, natural and creative deception.
Just to recap:
Natural Deception: When you have a good foundation in footwork and shot strokes, the preparation for shots will look mostly the same. This makes it difficult to tell which shot is going to be played until the shot is played. I call this natural deception because it’s something that you wouldn’t consciously do to deceive the opponent. We have seen this been effective. Particularly at the net area when players are drawn in by the prospect of a net shot, and the shuttle is lifted over them. The more experienced your opponent, the less natural deception affects them.
Creative Deception: When you use body language, racket actions and other deliberate motions with the goal of delaying or completely fooling the opponent.
So how does this tie into being to the shuttle early? Well, when you have lots of shot options, you have many more options to deceive the opponent! Along with the natural deception that occurs, being early to the shuttle also gives you time to be more creative with your shot. When you’re late to the shuttle, you simply don’t have this time and your shot will become more predictable.
Recovery/Follow Up is Faster
Getting to the shuttle early isn’t just about hitting the shuttle faster. It also means that you will be able to return to the base position quicker. Therefore you are ready sooner for the next shot from your opponent. It also means that you can follow up shots faster as well because you would have been in balance when you played the shot.
You can also return to the base position faster, making you ready earlier for the next shot. The earlier you play the shot, the earlier you can return to the base position. Or if you can anticipate accurately the next shot, move into position earlier to play that shot.
Helps Attacking Play
When attacking in badminton, the best option is to take the shuttle at the highest point possible. The earlier you reach the shuttle, the higher you can take the shuttle. In practice, this will help create steeper angles and combined with the above benefits will really keep your opponent on their toes.
Remember, steeper angles are better than a powerful, flatter shot. High-level players will be able to defend flat smashes relatively easily and, what’s more, they are easier to counter-attack using fast attacking drives. Therefore, you should aim to hit smashes as steep as possible as these fall below net height much quicker. This also involves getting to the shuttle as early as possible.
Not only that, it’s really important in doubles to reach the shuttle early. Not just to play attacking shots, but to dictate attacking rotation. The earlier you play the shot the quicker your partner knows where to move. The longer you delay or hesitate on the shot, the less certainty your partner has. The more diligent you are in reaching the shuttle early, the more efficient your partnership will be.
Conclusion
When we consider reaching the shuttle early, we need to consider all the steps that follow that point. The advantages of being early to the shuttle are so great, it’s the reason it’s ingrained in us by coaches! Shot choice, how we play that shot, being in balance, chemistry with our doubles partner and of course power are all underpinned by being to the shot as early as possible.
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