Badminton doubles rotational positioning is essential to effectively covering a court, and this article will discuss ways of rotating in both attacking and defensive shots.
When defending, defenders should adopt a side-by-side position to cover the full width of the rearcourt and prevent opponents from playing high lifts or quick drops.
Attacking
One of the key skills for any badminton doubles team to master is rotation. Moving together across all corners of the court and seamlessly shifting positions during rallies will give your side an enormous edge over opponents who don’t. Badminton coach Chen Weihua offers beginner/intermediate level training videos covering basic badminton doubles formations with their associated rotation strategies.
“Front and Back” is the most prevalent attacking strategy in doubles; both players will attack at once but with different approaches; usually one player covers replies from the rearcourt while one attacks directly with kills and shots that force their opponent off their serve, creating an aggressive dynamic in doubles matches.
To successfully implement this strategy, both players should attempt to hit the shuttle high and deep. This will give them more time to recover before their opponents have the chance to make an accurate return, while it also wears down their opponents more gradually. Furthermore, hitting to opponents’ weak sides (typically backhand) allows players to score additional points by forcing more errors from opponents than usual and wears them down faster.
On defense, it is best for defenders to stand close together in order to maximize their defensive positioning. This will allow them to react swiftly to any smash while decreasing the odds of hitting each other’s rackets accidentally. Their positioning may differ slightly depending on individual defensive skills and handedness but as a general guideline a good smash should travel the shortest distance from its point of impact.
Defenders should aim to stay low to the ground with their racket raised, to reduce their chances of being taken down easily by attackers. Furthermore, they must be ready for any type of shot and make adjustments if their initial strategy doesn’t seem to be working – which is why doubles partners need to practice together regularly and gain an in-depth knowledge of one another’s strengths and weaknesses to come up with an effective game plan to bring victory home.
Defensive
Doubles badminton’s most successful strategy involves dominating at the net by dominating its surrounding area and controlling its flow, and this requires strategic positioning, precise plays, and communication among partners. Implementing these tactics will help develop into better team players while simultaneously improving your doubles game.
Badminton doubles players should always be ready to make quick adjustments in their game, which is especially crucial when facing teams of similar skill levels. Furthermore, understanding your opponents’ strengths and weaknesses allows you to tailor your game plan appropriately; if something isn’t working try something different to keep the opposition guessing!
If you are defending a high lift, keep your partner in an aggressive stance by rotating their position so as to maintain an attacking stance. This simple yet effective measure can stop an opponent from moving to the front of the court and initiating an offensive attack.
When playing from behind, it is essential for your partner to hit shots that are steep and fast – forcing their opponent to lift the shuttle over their head and create difficult shots to return – giving your partner time to react and put themselves into an advantageous attacking position.
Covering open spaces on your court with your partner is another effective defensive strategy, and can be accomplished by switching positions when one partner moves forward, or repositioning to cover gaps in defense. This strategy requires practice and good communication among partners; additionally it is effective against flat drives by forcing attackers into shifting to new offensive stances that change footwork and speed, leaving them more exposed than before – by employing this tactic you may disrupt opponents’ attacks and ultimately win games!
Side-by-Side
Badminton doubles, both mixed and male/female, can be an extremely fast paced game that demands you understand its tactical situation quickly. As partners you will either be attacking or defending, so practicing both sides is useful in becoming familiar with when your position changes between attacking and defending – an excellent way to learn this would be watching top level doubles matches which switch back and forth frequently during rallies.
When playing in an attacking front/back formation (with one player at the back and one up near the net), it’s ideal to utilize fast, steep shots that force your opponent to lift, then capitalize by hitting high smashes down the middle. This will give you a good understanding of how the shuttle bounces off your body.
On the defensive side of things, varying your shot type from time to time is advisable as this will stop opponents from becoming too used to what you are doing and increasing their likelihood of making mistakes when responding quickly with weak replies to fast attacks.
If forced to play defensive shots such as clearing, such as clearing the shuttlecock, positioning yourself and your partner should be side by side will enable you to cover a wider area and make it harder for opponents to hit high clears.
If you and your partner find yourselves in a forward/back or front/side position when clearing the shuttle, it would be beneficial to quickly switch into side-by-side positioning in order to cover both sides of the court equally and minimise body space between yourselves – something which will help greatly when defending.
For optimal badminton doubles rotational positioning, practicing with an experienced doubles coach or other players is recommended. This will increase your understanding of the game as well as maximize your abilities, strengths and weaknesses. Furthermore, good communication between partners is necessary in order to avoid running into each other and breaking rackets!
Back-to-Back
When playing doubles, it’s essential that both you and your partner are in sync in terms of positioning. Any misstep from either player could leave holes in your defence that must be covered promptly by all.
One way of approaching this task is by taking turns covering both back and front courts; this way you’re both covered for every shot from your opponent – be it smash or drop. Or use T formation where one player covers front court while the other covers back court; making sure they rotate smoothly during rallies so as to maintain this arrangement.
Communication between partners is of utmost importance when attacking badminton doubles. This should happen both prior to starting and during games; through communication you’ll gain a better understanding of your opponent’s strengths and weaknesses and can make more accurate decisions as to when and where to attack and defend.
In doubles matches, it is crucial to learn the art of changing up a rally’s tempo in order to throw off your opponents and secure more points for yourself. You can do this either by altering the direction of your shots or speeding up movements.
When playing backhand clear, it’s key to maintain fast footwork. This will prevent slowing down the rally and allow you a greater opportunity to intercept shots from your opponent. In addition, hit your shuttle as high as possible in order to prevent your opponents from returning it easily.
Use half smashes to enhance your offensive play and surprise opponents when returning it, forcing them to make errors when trying to return it. This method allows for fast attacks with little chance of error by opponents trying to return it, leading them to make costly errors when returning it themselves.
Especially in doubles, it is essential that players learn both defense and offense when playing doubles. Based on your body type, technique, opponent and desired strategy you should select an approach which best fits you based on these considerations. By learning the best defensive plays techniques you can enhance your badminton doubles skills and win more matches!