“The best form of defense is an offense.” True, but only if your offense is so overwhelming that you won’t have much to be defensive about. Far too many players and some courtside coaches do not pay enough heed to the art of defense.
Young ones are usually mesmerized by speed and power and are prone to neglecting other aspects of the game to display their ability at net rushing and jump smashing.
Realistically, you need to have a balanced, complete, and all-court game to do well at any level, anywhere. And the ability to defend effectively is a requisite.
Defending is always the last resort… something to fall back on in a situation where you cannot safely make any offensive shot. But if you cannot or will not, it immediately narrows the range of your game.
You will be under your own constant pressure to set up or attack. It is impossible to always be on the offensive unless you only play against weaker opponents or have a relentlessly superb attacking game.
You’ve got to be sometimes defending – it’s all part of the sport. If your opponents are faster or stronger, you will have to defend even more. It pays to have defensive skills you can use.
Having a solid defense takes a lot of the pressure off right from the bat. If you’re not feeling as lively, or if you’re not particularly sharp on any given day… when your smashes are not “skedaddling” off the sidelines, or your drops are not rolling over the tape, you can always rely on your ability to defend with confidence.
Being able to defend consistently puts the onus on your opponent to be accurate. He will have to hit winners to score. Let him sweat over it.
So, how do you become effective at defense?
Initially, you have to realize that unlike offensive shots, which are usually hit from a vantage position (for example, shuttle several feet overhead, slightly in front – your racquet foot’s behind, shoulders turned, arm and racquet poised to deliver a smash, quick drop or attacking clear), defensive strokes, more often than not, are hit when you’re out of, or scrambling to get into position.
It’s always harder to make a good shot when you’re not assuming the proper stance. Then, you must be prepared to make returns instinctively – easier said than done. How do you return a shuttle that’s traveling so fast that by the time you see it, it’s already gnawing at your shoelaces?
To add a steady defense to your game:
1. You need to have good hand-eye coordination and quick reflexes. By the time you see the bird (from a powerful smasher), there’s no time even to say “sh…!” In that millisecond, you will have to make a good return – a quick block just over the net, a flat drive along the tramlines, or a whip back to the baseline. Mostly, with little or no time to decide, you’re just instinctively reacting to the smash.
2. Early racquet preparation often makes a difference. Just as you’d prepare to make an offensive stroke, the proper basic defensive stance is bent-knees square to the attacker, racquet head out in front, about chest or shoulder height, elbow bent and close to the body.
This position of readiness allows for quick defensive work on both forehand and backhand sides and responding to shots aimed at the body.
3. A decent pair of legs will help you move quickly into position. The bent-knee stance makes it easier for you to spring forward and lunge for that deceptive drop and to bounce back on recovery. And in mixed-doubles especially, all those squats and treadmill work you did at the gym will pay off when you’re being jerked around the court laterally and diagonally.
4. Shots aimed at your body will limit your racquet’s range of motion. You will need to be able to use all the joints in your arm, from fingertips to shoulder, to angle the racquet head to block, push, or flick the shuttle back.
Digging out and deeply clearing drops at ankle level requires a strong wrist and steady racquet control. Effectively hitting birds that have gone behind you requires upper body strength and advanced racquet skills from both forehand and backhand sides.
5. Even harder to cultivate – the attribute, patience. Basically, you’re waiting for an opportunity to turn the tables. When the moment presents itself, you will execute an offensive stroke. And if the other team is also defensively capable, there will be many such exchanges, making a match good.
By all means, attack when the occasion calls for it, but be prepared to fend off the body smashes, dig out the steep drops, and whip back the fast attacking clears that have accelerated past you. Let’s face it, if you cannot make those returns, guess who your opponents are going to attack?
Can You Play Defensively In The 21 Point System for Badminton
Since badminton switched to 21 points, I would think it’s fair to say that the game has become more aggressive and that players with a more aggressive style have prospered as a result.
However, I wonder, can one still prosper using a more defensive style? I think it is, but you would need to have some pretty ridiculous defense because your opponents don’t have the same fitness concerns as the 15 point system presented them with, so they can go full out for a full match pretty much.
Would players like Ardy Wiranata and Han Jian have succeeded at the same level under the 21 point system? They would probably have to bring out some more aggressive tactics from time to time, but I still think you can play that way and succeed.
Here’s my logic on it. You see, now that players are focusing on finishing games much more quickly, their aerobic fitness levels are not going to be as well developed. If you have spectacular retrieval abilities and even better fitness, you could drag your opponent into a really long match.
If they are playing very aggressively, they will get tired really fast, and a defensive style is much less tiring, believe it or not, than an offensive style.
So, all you need is an amazing defense (probably the best actually) and amazing fitness (again, the best), then you can win with a defensive style.
Offensive and Defensive Style Changes
With the new scoring system, the idea of “offensive” and “defensive” styles changes. No matter what style of play you have, you need to use your opportunities and finish the rallies when possible.
The difference would be that the offensive player tries very hard to create those opportunities (and therefore might take a few risks). At the same time, the defensive player will most likely wait for the opportunity to come (and not take any risk before that opportunity arrives).
Of course, this also means that the defensive player won’t just play clears and lifts but will most likely play to all 4 corners and only attack when he is in a very balanced position. Fitness and defense are still crucial as they are the key to a good defensive style.
For example, I watched Rajiv Ouseph play at the Atwater Internationals this year, considering him a defensive player.
He has great defense and fitness, but it’s mostly his tactical choices that make me believe that he is a defensive player. He would attack almost only when he had the chance to kill the shuttle and would rarely take risks. The rest of the time, he would play to all 4 corners until the opportunity to play a winner would arrive.
As a result, he was often trailing by a few points at the mid-game interval but would catch up at the end of the set, as his opponent was tired since he had to work very hard for every point he earned.
Most of the time, at the end of the set, Rajiv would start increasing his pace of movement and shots to apply more pressure and deliver the “crushing blow.” His opponent would not have the stamina to keep up with this increase of pace, and Rajiv would usually make a good comeback by the end of the set.
Read also: Playing Badminton With The Right Rhythm
