How to play flat hitting

Forehand flat drive

1. When preparing for a forehand flat drive, keep your elbow raised in front of your body, bending it at approximately 80–90 degrees. Refer to the image below:

2. Hold the racket in your forehand grip, keeping a relaxed hold. As shown in the diagram:

3. Begin the swing by externally rotating and pulling your arm backward, keeping your wrist firm. As shown in the diagram:

4. Then immediately extend your elbow, using your wrist and fingers to quickly push the paddle forward. As shown in the diagram:

Backhand flat stroke

1. When preparing to hit the ball, keep your elbow raised.

The key is to keep your elbows in front of you, ensuring you have enough room to move freely.

2. Bend your elbow at roughly 80–90 degrees. As shown in the diagram:

3. Hold the racket with a backhand grip, keeping your grip relaxed. As shown in the image:

4. When starting the swing, initiate with your shoulders and perform a quick, short shoulder stretch. As shown in the diagram:

5. your elbow and firmly push out with your thumb—this will make your hitting motion short and powerful. As shown in the diagram:

Whether you're hitting a forehand or a backhand shot, remember two key points after making contact with the ball:

There's also something called defensive flat hitting.

Defensive flat shots are primarily a passive defensive technique, involving a shot that travels upward from the bottom.

1. Change your grip quickly

Key takeaway:From forehand to backhand, the grip needs to be switched. When hitting the ball on either side of your body, shift your weight accordingly.

2. Use your fingers, wrist, and forearm to generate force—keep your upper arm still.

(Defensive Flat Shuttle)

Key takeaway:The center of gravity and grip position should shift quickly, while keeping the upper arm still.

(Offensive Flat Smash)

Key takeaway:At the moment of impact, your fingers grip the racket tightly and generate power.

(Backhand attack, defensive flat stroke stance)

3. Routes should follow the grid as closely as possible.

Key takeaway:Keep the ball trajectory within 10 cm of the net's top edge— even if you're forced into a defensive position or the ball is already brushing the net. Remind yourself to avoid lifting the ball too high or letting it skim just above the net.

4. Be nimble on your feet

Key takeaway:Being agile and flexible on your feet, finding the rhythm of your swing in time—that’s mastering the "point"—while pinpointing the ideal hitting position in space allows you to generate even more power.

1. Before each match, warm up; after the game, during deep drills, you can use two-and-a-half-court flat exchanges to reinforce your fundamental flat-stroke skills.

2. Wall-hitting practice significantly improves your ability to execute flat, controlled shots. When practicing wall hits, pay attention to factors like the amount of force applied, your distance from the wall, and smoothly switching between forehand and backhand techniques.

1. Route:Since this is practice for flat net play, try to keep the ball within 10 cm of the net's top edge. Even if you’re forced into a defensive position or the ball is already close to the net, resist the urge to lift it high or chop it under the net. Instead, focus on light, controlled touches—but make sure the ball clears the net quickly and lands precisely at the service line. Remember, this is a practice drill, and the fast pace means that lifting or chopping won’t allow for many rallies.

2. Patience:The hallmark of the flat drive-and-block technique lies in its ability to control angles over multiple shots, shifting your opponent’s positioning while actively seeking the initiative before rushing forward for a net kill—rather than relying on sheer power (which defines a smash). Here, the block plays a crucial role, allowing you to vary the—sometimes light, sometimes firm—to disrupt your opponent’s rhythm and keep them off-balance.

3. Exert Effort:The smaller the motion, the better—try to rely primarily on the strength of your wrist and fingers. This approach minimizes the time needed to generate power, making it easier to control the ball's trajectory and quickly return your racket to its proper position. Since the ball travels fast over a short distance, overly large movements increase the risk of errors and leave you too little time to recover, potentially exposing gaps in your defense.

4. Racket Face:Pay attention to the racket face angle—beyond the classic forehand stroke, there’s also the angled slice and topspin shot. The purpose of these techniques is to alter the ball’s trajectory, throwing off your opponent’s ability to accurately judge where it will land. Especially in defensive situations, they prevent your opponent from capitalizing on your shots, slowing down the incoming ball so you gain valuable time to regroup and adjust.

5. Actions:In addition to forehand and backhand approaches at the net, players should also flexibly employ techniques such as a semi-squatting overhead shot from the forehand-backhand side, a push stroke from the backhand side at waist level, a sideways hook shot with the forehand at waist height, and a rearward hook shot with the backhand positioned around the waist. The goal is to handle the incoming ball with the shortest possible swing distance—directly influenced by the previous shot—thereby buying crucial time.

6. Pace:Maintain balanced, fluid movements—don’t freeze in place, but also avoid wobbling at the moment of impact. Pay close attention to assessing both the quality of your own shot and the trajectory, as well as the speed of your opponent’s incoming ball. If you’re on the defensive or tied, play steadily and transition smoothly. But if you’re in control, take a half-step forward to seize the ideal position, aiming to turn your advantage into a decisive victory.

7. Psychology:First, don’t be afraid of the net—the purpose of flat drop shot practice is to hit the ball as close to the net as possible, ideally even sending it over. Keep your body relaxed, stay fully focused, and handle the shuttlecock with calm confidence; avoid hesitating or second-guessing yourself.

8. Method:Half-court straight-line drills, half-court cross-court drills, and full-court mobility drills. Badminton seems to be growing in popularity these days, and there’s increasing interest among amateur players about mastering the essential techniques of the flat drive-and-block shot. They’re now setting higher expectations for both their understanding of this technique and the advanced training methods they’re adopting to refine their skills.

Do you have any thoughts on the flat drive? Feel free to share your ideas in the comment section—we’re all here to learn and grow together!