Types of Badminton Clear

In a singles game, players use the clear more than any other types of shots.

A high defensive clear prevents your opponent from smashing from a good angle.

If your clear sends the shuttle right to your opponent’s baseline, it’s considered a “good” defensive clear.

On this page, I’ll walk you through the different types of clears and provide tutorials for each of them.

But first, let me illustrate the difference between a good clear and a poor quality clear.

Good vs Poor Badminton Clear

Good Defensive Clear

The shuttlecock drops steeply to the baseline. Your opponent is forced to take the shuttle at point X, which is near the baseline. He won’t have a good angle for a smash from so far back of the court.

Poor Defensive Clear

The shuttlecock travels flatter towards the baseline. Your opponent can intercept at point X, which is nearer to the mid court. A smash taken at point X can be dangerous and difficult to defend.

Objective of the Defensive Clear

The objective of the Defensive Clear is to ‘create’ time for yourself. When you’re not able to keep up with the pace of the rally, hitting High Clears deep into your opponent’s baseline would be a smart choice.

This is an easy badminton technique. Beginners should master the Defensive Clear using all 4 badminton strokes to play longer rallies against your opponents.

How to Hit the Defensive High Clear

The high Defensive Clear is usually performed with the FOUR common badminton strokes. The following leads to my tutorial pages on the Clear.

• Overhead Forehand Clear
  Every beginner should clear with this stroke first. It’s the most basic stroke.
• Overhead Backhand Clear
  The backhand is most players’ weakness. It’s definitely the most challenging stroke. However, learn this stroke when your opponent hits a shot to your backhand area.
• Underarm Clear using Forehand and Backhand
  Very useful shot especially when you’re retrieving shots from the forecourt. If your opponent is playing at a faster pace, use the clear if you can’t keep up with your opponent’s speed. The high clear keeps the shuttle in the air for some time. Therefore, you’ll have more time to recover and reorganize your footwork.

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