Badminton is a surreal experience.
TThe ball is not a sphere. Players must be able to move quickly and efficiently in any direction, including up and down, within a split second, using a very light object to hit another extremely light object.
Each rally requires constant decision-making:
- the direction of movement
- how to create the required power for the selected shot
- the speed of the movement
All of these actions must be synchronised with the flight of the shuttle to produce one good shot. Immediately after, there is very little time to recover before receiving the next shot.
This is difficult to teach in primary schools. However, based on what I have observed in high school students, there are clear foundations that can and should be taught as early as possible to prepare children for badminton.
The following four key areas are essential:
- Teaching the throwing movement
- Moving backwards on the toes, not on the heels
- Balancing and skipping on one leg
- Visual training using large shuttles, rackets, and other flying objects
If these elements are embedded consistently throughout the curriculum, students will also benefit in other sports:
- Athletics and most ball sports, through improved throwing mechanics
- Most ball sports, through better backward movement
- Gymnastics, through balance and skipping control
- Badminton, where visual training significantly improves timing and shot quality
If you are considering introducing badminton basics in your school, get in touch by clicking here.