Flat drives at the wall
Ready when: Wall self-feed (b6) and Lift to the back (i1) done.
What you are learning
The drive: a fast, flat shot that travels straight at about the height of the net, not up. It uses a short, quick swing with the racket in front of you. The wall gives you a fast rally on your own.
Words on this card Shuttle, Rally, Forehand, Backhand, Ready position, Drive
- Shuttle
- The "ball" in badminton: a cork with feathers or a plastic skirt. It flies fast, slows down quickly and falls almost straight down. A foam shuttle is softer and good for learning.
- Rally
- The shuttle going back and forth over the net until someone misses. One rally wins one point.
- Forehand
- A shot on the side of the body that holds the racket, with the palm of the hand facing where the shuttle goes.
- Backhand
- A shot on the other side of the body, with the back of the hand facing where the shuttle goes.
- Ready position
- The waiting stance: feet apart, knees a little bent, weight on the front of the feet, racket up in front.
- Drive
- A fast, flat shot that travels straight, at about the height of the net.
Set up
A wall with 5 m of free space in front; a tape line on the wall at net height; a line on the floor 3 m from the wall. A racket and 10 shuttles.
Weather: no wind
Show it first for the one teaching
- Ready position: knees a little bent, racket in front with its head above your hand.
- Hit the shuttle flat and fast at the wall just above the tape, with a short punch of a swing, not a big one.
- Hit the rebound again, and keep going.
Your part while they practise
Count the drives that hit just above the tape.
Step by step
- Stand at the 3 m line in the ready position, racket head up.
- Drop a shuttle and drive it flat at the wall, just above the tape.
- Hit the rebound again, and keep going as long as you can.
- 10 on the forehand side, then 10 on the backhand side.
How much: 10 forehand and 10 backhand, 4 rounds 10 min a session 2 days a week
Say one thing Pick one line from "What you will see" for today and say only that.
The game: Wall count
Drives above the tape in 30 seconds without a miss.
Who plays: one player, with a grown-up timing and counting; two players take turns.
How to play, turn by turn
- Turns
- Stand at the 3 m line. The grown-up says "Go" and starts 30 seconds
- Drive at the wall, keep the rally going and count each drive above the tape
- After a miss, start a new run from 0 as fast as you can
- Fair play
- A younger player stands at 2 m with a foam shuttle.
- Points
- 1 point for each drive above the tape in your longest run. Your score is your best run in the 30 seconds.
- Fouls
- The run ends
- The shuttle hits the wall below the tape or falls to the floor
- It climbs higher than your head off the wall
- You step over the 3 m line
- Winning
- Beat your best run. Two players: the best run in 3 turns each wins.
- 6 drives for 1 star
- 10 drives for 2 stars
- 15 drives for 3 stars
Easier or harder
A foam shuttle, closer to the wall.
Alternate forehand and backhand.
What you will see, and what to say
- a big backswing
Short swing, racket in front
A short punch; the racket stays in front of the body. - the racket head drops below the hand
Racket head up
Keep the racket head above the wrist between hits. - the shuttle climbs high
Flat and fast
Hit straight at the tape, not up.
Self-check
15 drives above the tape in 30 seconds.
Stop and get a coach when
Pain in the forearm or elbow.
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 drive, racket speed.
awiseathlete.com/sports/badminton/badminton-i5