Side-steps and split step
Ready when: Balloon taps and relay (b1) done.
What you are learning
Two ways badminton players move. A side-step moves you sideways without crossing your feet, so you never trip. A split step is a small hop onto both feet just as the other player hits; you land balanced and can push off in any direction. Good players do a split step before every shot.
Words on this card Side-step, Split step, Back to the middle
- Side-step
- Moving sideways: step out with one foot and bring the other next to it. The feet never cross.
- Split step
- A small hop onto both feet just as the other player hits, so you land ready to move in any direction.
- Back to the middle
- The spot in the centre of your side. After every shot you go back there, so you can reach the next one.
Set up
Two lines 4 m apart and a cone in the middle. No racket needed. No cones? Use two shoes as the lines and a third shoe as the middle.
Weather: any weather indoors
Show it first for the one teaching
- Side-step: stand sideways to the line, step out with one foot and bring the other next to it, never past it.
- Split step: stand on the middle cone, feet a shoulder-width apart, knees a little bent.
- Ask your child to pretend to hit. As their arm comes through, make a tiny hop and land on both feet, on the front of the feet, not the heels.
- Push off to one side.
Your part while they practise
Stand 3 m in front of the child. Swing your arm as if hitting, then point left or right.
Step by step
- Side-step along the line to the end and back, feet never crossing. 3 times each way.
- Stand on the middle cone, knees a little bent, weight on the front of the feet.
- You swing your arm. Just as it comes through, the child hops a few centimetres and lands on both feet.
- You point left or right. The child pushes off and side-steps 2 steps that way.
- The child side-steps back to the middle cone. 10 tries.
How much: 3 times each way along the line and 10 split steps 6 min a session 3 days a week On your own: side-steps along the line
Say one thing Pick one line from "What you will see" for today and say only that.
The game: Catch the fake
You swing and throw a rolled-up sock to one side; the child split-steps, side-steps and catches it, but some swings are fakes.
Who plays: the child against you. Swap if your child wants to throw.
How to play, turn by turn
- Turns
- The child stands on the middle cone; you stand 3 m in front with 5 rolled-up socks or bean bags
- Swing your arm as if hitting and throw a sock gently to the child's left or right, at chest height, about one big step away
- The child split-steps as your arm comes through, side-steps and catches
- The child throws the sock back and returns to the middle cone
- Sometimes fake: start a swing and stop halfway without throwing
- 10 throws make a round
- Fair play
- Throw slower and closer for a young child, and fake no more than 2 times in 10.
- Points
- The child scores 1 point for each catch made after a split step and side-steps. You score 1 point for each foul.
- Fouls
- A point to you
- The child hops or moves off on a fake
- The feet cross on the way to the sock
- The child catches without a split step first
- Winning
- After 10 throws, the player with more points wins. A throw out of reach is thrown again and scores for nobody.
- 4 points for 1 star
- 7 points for 2 stars
- 9 points for 3 stars
Easier or harder
Go slower, a shorter distance.
More fakes, and add a diagonal step.
What you will see, and what to say
- feet cross over
Side step, feet apart
Step out, then bring the other foot next to it, never past it. - heels flat and a slow start
Light on the toes
Weight on the front of the feet before the hop.
Self-check
6 side-steps one way and 6 back, feet never crossing; then 5 of 5 split steps landed as you swing.
Stop and get a coach when
Pain in the knee or ankle while stepping.
Fitness for this
Warm up first: how to warm up, at workonfitness.com. For strength and stretching, its exercise library shows each exercise step by step, with an easier version.
This card trains footwork, balance, quick starts.
awiseathlete.com/sports/badminton/badminton-b3