Badminton Warm-Up: Balloons, Shuttles and Split Step

A sport-specific warm-up for a badminton unit that starts with balloons, which are slower and easier to control, and ends with shuttlecocks. Students practice the split step, ready position and movement to the four corners before playing.

How to play

1. Wrist, shoulder and ankle mobility with the racket: circles, forearm rotations and heel raises (2 min).
2. Each student taps a balloon up alternating forehand and backhand while moving around the court without letting it drop (2 min).
3. In pairs with a balloon: easy rally and, after each hit, a split step (small hop landing on both feet) and back to the center cone (2 min).
4. Four-corner movement: the partner points to a corner and the player moves there, shadows a stroke and returns to the center; ten reps each (2 min).
5. Rally with a shuttle in pairs from mid-court, aiming for high, deep shots (2 min).

Rules

• Leave at least 6 ft between pairs so nobody gets hit with a racket.
• Nobody steps into another pair's area to get a balloon or shuttle while they are hitting.
• Pick up popped balloons right away so nobody slips.

Variations

Adaptations

• Wheelchair users: play with a short-handled racket and replace corner movement with turning the chair toward the corner shown.
• Visual impairment: use a brightly colored balloon with a bell inside and shorten the distance between partners.
• Knee injury: hits in place with no split step and acts as the corner caller.

Learning goals

• Prepare the wrist, shoulder and ankle for badminton actions.
• Make the split step and return to center automatic.
• Progress gradually from a slow object to a fast one.

Equipment for a class of 25

• badminton rackets: 30
• balloons: 15
• shuttlecocks: 15
• cones: 15

Teacher tip

The balloon gives students time to think about technique, so it is ideal for the first lessons of the unit. If there are not enough rackets, do the balloon phase by hand.

More activities like this

More warm-ups for High School