The Towel Drill

Badminton: The Towel Drill for the Backhand Overhead Stroke

Dick Moss, Editor, PE Update.com

By allowing players to hit the shuttle with their back to the net, the backhand overhead stroke enables them to cover the rear of the court to their backhand side.

When teaching the stroke, you can describe the hitting action as similar to snapping a towel backwards over the racquet shoulder.

If this verbal description isn't enough to produce mastery of the stroke, place an actual towel in your students' hands and have them perform the towel drill.

The Towel Drill
Give each student a towel and line them up with their back against a wall.

Leading with the edge of their hand as in a karate chop, they snap the towel up and backward against the wall. Their back should maintain contact with the wall, their arm should extend completely and their forearm and wrist should rotate with great force.

This will give them a good simulation of the backhand overhead action. Have your students attempt several repetitions with the towel, then let them try it, away from the wall, with a racquet.

References:
1. Tony Grice, Badminton: Steps to Success, Human Kinetics Publishers, 1996.
2. Ed Tennyson, Badminton Tips: Bite-Size Techniques To Boost Your Game, CreateSpace, 2011.

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