Badminton Tutorial Program · Basic
Footwork Basics
Ask any badminton coach the difference between levels and you'll hear one word: footwork. The shuttle never bounces, so there is no waiting — you either arrive early and hit with choices, or arrive late and hit a desperate lift. Badminton footwork is a small vocabulary — split-step, chasse, lunge, recovery — repeated to every corner of the court.
One thing to master: the split-step — a small hop as your opponent hits, landing balanced and ready to push toward any of the six corners.
What you'll learn
- The split-step and its timing
- The chasse (side-skip) and when to run instead
- The lunge: reaching the shuttle with balance protected
- Base position and recovering to it after every shot
The technique
The split-step
The instant your opponent's racket starts forward, hop an inch off the floor and land on both feet, slightly wider than shoulders, knees bent. You land as they hit — loaded like a spring, able to push off toward any corner. Every shot they play, you split-step. No exceptions, anywhere on court.
The chasse
For most movement, side-skip: the trailing foot chases the leading foot without crossing. Two chasses cover midcourt to most corners. Cross over into a run only for the deepest corners — crossing steps are faster but leave you side-on and slower to recover.
The lunge
Arrive at the shuttle in a long final lunge: racket-side leg forward, knee tracking over the toes (never collapsing inward), chest up, non-racket arm out behind for balance. The lunge protects your knees AND puts your body weight into net shots and defensive picks.
Base and recovery
After every shot, push back toward your base — roughly centre court, adjusted toward where your shot invites the reply. Hitting and admiring is how club players get passed; hit, recover, split-step, repeat is the loop of the whole sport.
Drills to practice
- Shadow badminton: 2 minutes moving to all six corners in sequence — split, travel, lunge, recover — no shuttle
- Clap drill: partner claps randomly; you split-step on each clap while shuffling around your base
- Multi-shuttle front corners: partner drops shuttles alternately to the two net corners; lunge, 'hit', recover to base, repeat ×20
Common mistakes
- No split-step — flat feet at your opponent's contact means you're a half-step late everywhere
- Running with crossing steps to every corner and being caught face-sideways by the reply
- Lunging with the knee collapsing inward (the injury pattern) instead of over the toes
References
- BWF Shuttle Time — official BWF teaching programme (technique modules) — shuttletime.bwfbadminton.com/
Rule statements in this lesson were validated against the BWF Laws of Badminton (Statutes Section 4.1, current edition) and BWF announcements. Technique and drill guidance follows the BWF Shuttle Time framework and widely taught club coaching practice.