Badminton clear: check your form with your phone
The clear sends the shuttle high and deep to the back of your opponent's court, buying you time and pushing them back. It is struck with the same overhead action as a smash, but aimed up, and it is the shot that most often decides who controls the rally.
No equipment needed. Practise at home. Just do the swing properly in front of your phone. No court, ball or shuttle is needed, and a racket is optional: the coach judges your movement, so a shadow swing at home in a hallway or garden is enough.
What good looks like
- Get behind the shuttle and turn side-on, racket up and back, elbow high.
- Hit it at full reach, a touch further back than a smash, and drive the racket face up and forward.
- Use a long, smooth swing that accelerates through contact, with your weight moving forward.
- Follow through across your body and recover to the middle straight away.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
Being under the shuttle, not behind it
You end up pushing it with a bent arm. Move back early so you can hit it up and forward.
Pushing instead of whipping
Throwing the racket at the shuttle loses depth. Lead with the elbow and let the forearm rotate.
Stopping the swing at contact
Without the follow-through the shot dies short. Finish the swing.
What Formanti checks on your clear
At the top of the reach, not at the follow-through where the arm is already coming down.
- Reach: hand clearly above your shoulder. an overhead shot is hit up high
- Arm height at the top: 130–180°. Throwing-motion: shoulder peaks above ear
- Elbow: 135–180°. Fully extended at contact for maximum height
- Elbow lead: elbow up before you swing. lead with the elbow, then throw
- Knee bend: 130–170°. Stable base, weight transfer front-to-back
- Speed: against your own other swings. power comes from a quick whip, not a push
Your ready stance
Hold still between swings and the coach talks you into position.
- Knees: 120–165°. Soft, bent knees let you push off in any direction
- Back lean: -5–25° forward. A little forward: not upright, not hunched
- Feet apart: 1–2× shoulder width. Feet wider than your shoulders, for balance
What your report looks like
When you finish, you get a report like this one.
- How many swings were in range, out of how many.
- The one thing to work on next, then the next, each with a drill.
- Every swing as a picture with your skeleton on it: ticked, or flagged with what was off.
What you hear and see when you are off
Hand not high enough
The coach says: “Reach up, hit it at the very top.”
On screen: Reach up: hit it above your head.
Drill: Shadow 10 swings and freeze at the top: your hand should be clearly above your head before you whip down.
Arm too low
The coach says: “Get that arm up a bit higher.”
On screen: Lift your hitting arm a lot higher at the top of the swing.
Drill: Shadow 10 swings in slow motion and freeze at contact: check where your elbow is before you speed up.
Arm too high
The coach says: “Keep that arm a bit lower.”
On screen: Keep your hitting arm a lot lower at the top of the swing.
Drill: Shadow 10 swings in slow motion and freeze at contact: check where your elbow is before you speed up.
Arm too bent
The coach says: “Straighten the arm more. Meet it long.”
On screen: Straighten your arm a lot more through contact.
Drill: Slow shadow swings, pausing at contact: your arm should be almost straight with a soft bend.
Arm locked straight
The coach says: “Keep a little bend in the elbow.”
On screen: Keep more bend in your elbow at contact.
Drill: Slow shadow swings, pausing at contact: keep a soft bend and finish with a wrist snap.
Elbow not leading
The coach says: “Get your elbow up before you swing.”
On screen: Get your elbow up before you swing.
Drill: Without a racket, point your hitting elbow at the sky, hold it a second, then throw your hand up to the top.
A slow swing
The coach says: “Swing through faster. Snap it.”
On screen: Swing through faster.
Drill: Shadow swings with a loose grip and a loud 'whoosh' at the top.
Standing too low
The coach says: “Stand a little taller as you hit.”
On screen: Stand a lot taller on your hitting-side leg at contact.
Drill: Split-step, lunge, then drive up through your front leg as you swing.
Legs too straight
The coach says: “Bend that front knee more.”
On screen: Bend your hitting-side knee a lot more at contact.
Drill: Hold a low ready position for 20 seconds between rallies, then shadow a lunge and freeze on the front knee.
Legs too straight in your stance
The coach says: “Bend your knees”
On screen: Bend your knees.
Drill: Hold a low ready stance for 20 seconds between reps.
Hunched over in your stance
The coach says: “Chest up, don't hunch”
On screen: Chest up, don't hunch.
Drill: Hold the ready stance with your chest proud for 20 seconds.
Drills you can do alone
- Shadow clear into a line: pick a mark on the ceiling or a window and swing so the racket path finishes up and forward toward it.
- Footwork then swing: start at the centre, slide back three steps, shadow the clear and recover, 10 times without rushing the turn.
How to set up your phone
Prop your phone up 2 to 3 metres away with your whole body in view, at about hip height. For the clear, stand side-on to the camera on your hitting side: how far in front you make contact and how big your backswing is can only be judged from the side. It all runs on your phone and nothing is uploaded.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a clear and a smash?
Same overhead preparation, different intent. A clear is hit up to go deep and high. A smash is hit down and fast.
How do I get more depth on my clear?
Get behind the shuttle, hit at full reach and use the forearm rotation. Most short clears come from being underneath the shuttle.