Badminton drills · Side-by-side defence · Intermediate · ~7 min

Side-by-side defence vs attack

Defend as a pair: who covers the middle, the cross-court smash and the drop.

▶ MASTERING the Doubles Defense (Olympian Edition) — Aylex Badminton Academy (YouTube)

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Setup

Defending pair side-by-side; attacker (or two) on the other side with plenty of shuttles.

Step by step

1. Attacker smashes, drops and drives at the pair.
2. Defenders block, lift or drive back; the player diagonally opposite the smasher covers the cross smash.
3. Call middle shuttles early.

Success criteria

20 consecutive defensive returns as a pair.

Common mistakes

• Both leaving the middle
• Standing upright

Easier version

Feeder throws; pair defends with catch-and-throw first.

Advanced version

Full-speed smashes from two attackers.

Progression

Add counter-attack opportunities.

Safety

• Stop if you feel sharp pain, dizziness, chest pain or unusual breathlessness.

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