It’s GetActive! Playtime, and you want to try your hand at the Street Games. Front and center are the words “AIR BADMINTON”. “What’s that?” you ask, as you fill-up the registration form. No fret, we’re here to show you how to play Air Badminton so that you can take to the court like a pro!

What is Air Badminton?

Air Badminton is basically Badminton, but outdoors and all-terrain. However, there are several differences between the two games that affect players' strategies, gameplay and technique

Aim of the Game

The aim of the game is to score points by:

• Landing the AirShuttle in your opponent’s court
• Forcing your opponent to hit the AirShuttle out of the playing area
• Forcing your opponent to hit the AirShuttle into the net
• Striking your opponent’s body with the AirShuttle
  
  

Air Shuttle? What’s that?

The development of the AirShuttle was a collaboration project between the Badminton World Federation and our own Institute for Sports Research at Nanyang Technological University. The main considerations were that it must be played with the same rackets and have good flight performance, spin response and durability.

The current Air Shuttle comes in at 8.2 grams, making it significantly heavier than an indoor shuttle, which usually weighs about 5 grams. The new design allows air to flow through, resulting in a truer flight path while airborne. Now made from nylon material, the Air Shuttle is much more rigid and durable. Finally, it is now neon red instead of purple, which allows for better visual tracking in the sunlight.

To better accommodate the heavier and sturdier Air Shuttle, it is recommended that players opt for racquets with thicker strings and lower string tension of about 8 to 9 kilograms. Following both of these will massively reduce the chance of the strings breaking during a game of Air Badminton.

How to Play?

Good news! In addition to the traditional Singles and Doubles format, Air Badminton now allows for Triples play! In this new format, players are not allowed to hit two consecutive returns. Everyone gets their time to shine!

Dead Zone

The increased weight of the AirShuttle makes it difficult to both execute and control net shots. Thus, the net area has been substituted by a 2m dead zone (1m from each side of the net). Players must not step into the dead zone to hit the AirShuttle; after the hit, the player can step or land inside the dead zone.

Setting Up the Court

To accommodate the dead zone, the recommended playing court is a rectangle measuring 16m x 6m metres for doubles and triples, and 16m x 5m for singles; surrounded by a free zone, which is a minimum of 1m on all sides.

The posts supporting the net shall be placed outside each sideline and shall be no further than 1.0 metres from each sideline.

• When playing on grass and hard surfaces courts, posts shall be 1.55m in height from the surface of the court.
• For sand surface, the posts shall be 1.5m in height and the top of the net from the surface should be 1.45m at the centre of the court.
  
  

Recommended Scoring System

For Air Badminton recreational activities, the BWF recommended scoring system is the best of five games to eleven points. However, other systems may be used to suit local considerations.

Trying it out

Interested in trying out Air Badminton? Register for a playing slot during GetActive! Playtime here! GetActive! Playtime offers a week-long dance and sporting extravaganza that aims to encourage Singaporeans both young and old to come together, get up and get moving! From dance battles to urban sports and even tailor-made virtual activities for seniors, there’s something for just about everyone to Play On and Play Together! Check out the full programme listing now!

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Whether you would like your child to experience badminton or embark on a pathway to excel in it, the SBA Badminton Academy @ ActiveSG is the right place for you! Helmed by professional coaches, they will be on hand to guide your child every step of the way to instil values and character development. From fundamental movement skills to core badminton skills, the programmes are designed to be fun, yet challenging.