Physical Activity
How to Do It
What you'll need
A racquet. Badminton racquets are different from tennis racquets — they're generally smaller and much lighter.
Shuttlecock. Sometimes called a "birdie", this light object is hit back and forth over the net. Because the flight of the birdie is affected by wind, this activity is played indoors competitively. However, badminton is a great backyard activity that you can play with your entire family.
Play it safe
Don't let the ease of this backyard game fool you — it can be a great workout! Make sure you warm up your arms and shoulders and stretch before and after playing to avoid injury.
To avoid injuring others, never throw your racquet or birdies.
How to play
Badminton has been played since ancient times. Though it is an Olympic sport, badminton is often played recreationally and is a great activity for people of all abilities and fitness levels.
Badminton is played by either two opposing players (singles) or two opposing pairs (doubles), who take positions on opposite halves of a court (or yard) divided by a net. Players score points by striking the shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their opponents' half of the court. A rally ends once the shuttlecock has struck the ground, and each side may only the shuttlecock strike once before it passes over the net.
For more information on how to play badminton click here 
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Content last updated September 2009
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