Badminton Backhand Smash: Is It Worth Learning?

Last checked: August 2026 · Written by the player-led team at Badminton House.

For most club players, a badminton backhand smash is not the next backhand to learn. Build a dependable clear and drop, and improve your rear-corner movement first. Add the smash only when you reach the shuttle early enough to hit downward while staying balanced for the next shot.

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Is the backhand smash worth learning?

It is worth learning as a specialist option after your defensive backhand overheads work. It is usually a poor first investment because the shot demands an early turn, a completed grip change and balanced contact that can still be directed downward.

The BWF Level 1 coaching manual treats the backhand clear as a neutral or defensive stroke that buys time to regain balance. It teaches the backhand clear and pulled drop as full strokes, while mentioning the smash as a variation of the clear action. That supports learning the clear and drop first.

There is also a real pace trade-off. In a 2021 study of 24 high-skill male university players, mean shuttle speed in the test was 112 ± 5.7 km/h for the backhand smash and 158 ± 3.5 km/h for the forehand smash. That result belongs to one group and protocol, not every player, but it is good evidence against assuming the two strokes offer equal pace.

Taufik Hidayat, the 2004 Olympic men's singles champion, remains an extraordinary reference point. An elite highlight shows what is possible; it does not tell you which shot will improve your own results fastest.

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Pass this readiness test first

Use five practical checks. They are Badminton House coaching benchmarks, not official BWF standards. Four honest yes answers make a short trial block reasonable. Two or fewer mean another backhand skill will repay your time sooner.

If the movement check fails, start with our backhand rear-corner footwork guide. Earlier movement may preserve a round-the-head forehand and reduce how often an emergency backhand is needed.

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What must be true for the shot to work?

The shuttle must be attackable before you swing. That means an early read, a completed turn and enough space to accelerate the racket without wrenching the arm. “Try harder” cannot repair a contact that is already low, late and behind your balance.

• The grip is ready. BWF identifies the corner grip as an option for backhand clears, drops and smashes when the shuttle is level with or slightly behind the player.
• The contact can go down. If you must lift the racket face to clear the net, the smash option has already disappeared.
• Your feet can recover. A downward shot that leaves you stranded is not automatically more attacking than a clear that restores your base.
• The opponent has offered a short enough lift. A deep, high-quality lift usually calls for a clear, drop or round-the-head solution instead.

Do not confuse a playable backhand with an attackable one. You may be able to reach the shuttle and still lack the contact height, balance or angle required for a useful smash.

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Three skills that usually pay back sooner

A reliable clear, a controlled drop and an earlier first step solve more versions of the rear-corner problem. They also create the base from which a future smash can be disguised.

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A three-stage path if you still want to learn it

Keep the first sessions controlled. The aim is to discover whether you can create a repeatable downward contact, not to produce one spectacular hit among a dozen mishits.

Stage 1: own the grip and soft contact

Start half a court from the net. Set a corner or bevel grip and have a partner hand-feed above your backhand shoulder. Alternate a straight drop and a gentle clear using the same preparation. Move on when eight of ten contacts are clean and the racket face does not need a last-second rescue.

Stage 2: shadow the turn and arm rotation

Without a shuttle, rehearse the turn, bent-elbow preparation and relaxed forward action. The BWF sequence describes inward upper- and lower-arm rotation in preparation, followed by relaxed reach and outward rotation. Keep the action smooth. A forced wrist flick is not a substitute for the whole sequence.

Stage 3: attack only the feed that deserves it

Have the feeder send six gentle lifts toward the half-court backhand side. Smash only the feeds you can meet high and balanced; play a drop or clear from the others. Aim at a broad straight channel and use about half pace. Add speed only after at least four of six attacks land downward in the target without spoiling recovery.

Those repetition and passing numbers are a Badminton House practice design. If the player must strain to make the shuttle descend, reduce the feed depth or pace and check the movement and grip before adding effort.

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What wastes practice time?

The biggest mistake is counting any hard backhand as progress. A useful smash must be downward, repeatable and recoverable.

• Smashing every feed: choose the shot after judging the contact, not before the feeder hits.
• Starting from the deepest corner: begin half-court so the contact, not survival footwork, is the constraint.
• Changing grip during the hit: make the change during the turn and arrive with the racket face organized.
• Chasing maximum pace: direction and recovery must survive before speed rises.
• Ignoring discomfort: stop a painful repetition instead of forcing another one.