The lift takes the shuttle from the front court high and deep into the back. Learn how to buy time under pressure and avoid flat shuttles.
The honest answer: The lift is an underhand stroke from the net in which you play the shuttle high and deep into your opponent's back court. It is your most important rescue stroke when the shuttle is close to the net and you cannot attack. It buys you time to get back to the centre.
Honestly, the lift is rarely a spectacular stroke. But it often decides whether your opponent gets an easy point: a flat lift is an invitation to smash, a high and deep lift forces the opponent to play from the back. The lift is not a defensive stroke out of weakness but a deliberately chosen one that gives you back control.
There are hardly any studies on the lift itself. What is documented is that the lunge at the net, from which you usually play it, is one of the most frequent movements in singles (about 15 % of all movements) [1] and loads the knee heavily [2]. Everything without [n] is coaching practice.
From the split step, go to the net with the racket-side leg. The hitting arm is stretched long in front, the racket goes under the shuttle. This is the same path as for the net shot, only the racket path changes. With the lift you go from below, not from the side.
Milestone: You reach the shuttle without it falling under the racket.
The racket face points upwards. The more open it is, the steeper the shuttle flies. Keep the grip loose so the wrist can work.
Swing the racket in an arc upwards and backwards. The power comes from forearm and wrist, not from the shoulder. With the push back of the lunge you add speed. A lab study with nine players showed that a calm step in ("step-in") demands less muscle power when pushing off than a "kick lunge" [1]. Choose the calm step at the start.
The shuttle should rise high and fall almost vertically in the back court, at the level of the baseline. Place a towel there and count ten attempts. If you are unsure, play too high rather than too flat.
Milestone: Seven of ten shuttles land in the back quarter.
The lift gives you time, but only if you use it. Push back immediately and make the next split step. A study with 13 experts found that high physical load worsens visual search and prediction accuracy [4]. If you are tired, you therefore have to recover especially early and concentrate.
The lift can be prepared like the net shot: same lunge, same arm position, and you decide between net shot and lift only at the last moment. This is an inference from studies in which experts read serves from arm and racket [5]; it is not proven for net strokes, but it costs nothing to practise.
An underhand stroke with which you play the shuttle from the net high and deep into your opponent's back court. It buys you time to recover and forces the opponent backwards. A flat lift, on the other hand, invites a smash.
When the shuttle is close to the net and you cannot attack, for example because you hit too low. It is the safe alternative to the net shot when you are under pressure. This is coaching practice.
High enough that the shuttle falls almost vertically in the back court. When in doubt, too high rather than too flat. A lift that is too flat becomes a smash offer. A tip: place a towel at the end and count how many of ten land.
Land softly, keep the knee over the toes and increase speed and reach slowly. In a Danish registry, a lunge at the net preceded 13 % of cruciate ligament ruptures [3]. Warm up and strengthen legs and hips.
Both send the shuttle high and deep into the back court. The clear is an overhead stroke from the back court, the lift an underhand stroke from the net in the front court. With the lift you are usually under pressure and gain time; with the clear you often play from a better position.
Badminton Short Serve: Learning the Backhand Serve for Doubles