shuttlecock or shuttle for short-guess that was a wise decision. anyway i was going to continue with my best exercise list this week but, finally, after convincing a friend to play badminton with me i thought this sport deserved some attention.
and it is a sport, an olympic sport no less since 1992 even though i don't ever remember it being televised. maybe that has something to do with the chinese team being one of the best? the sport began during the 1800's in india where it was played by the british military. it is closely related to a japanese game called "hanetski" which is very similar although played without a net. returning back to england, soldiers brought the sport back with them. there is a "badminton house" in england but no one is sure as to the origin of the name.
for olympic level badminton-which is played indoors-players need speed, agility, aerobic conditioning and excellent motor coordination. and that's what makes it a great summer sport for the rest of us since we need to run, jump, reach and bend all the while keeping our eyes on the shuttle. the shuttle is cone shaped with feathers so it reacts very differently than a ball while in the air.
you do need a set up-net, rackets, shuttle and some open lawn but that's about it. you don't even have to follow the rules. so its not as fashionable as tennis-just have fun and you will be surprised and no doubt pleased at how fast your game improves after all those early misses.
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