Doubles: get ready side by side
Share a defensive position with your partner, then try easy feeds with one hitter at a time.
Make room for two players
When your pair is defending, getting ready side by side helps you share the court. If your lift sends an opponent towards a rear corner, both of you can adjust towards that side. Your positions depend on the situation; you do not have to stand on two fixed spots or at exactly the same depth.
Today you will explore that idea at walking pace, then try gentle feeds. This is a first step towards working as a pair, not a practice against smashes. Begin once you can return an easy feed and stop in balance.
Agree on the space and the roles
Work with three people on a court with a net. Two form the receiving pair on one side; the third feeds from the other side. Keep all equipment aside for the walking round. Later, each receiver uses a racket and the feeder uses one shuttle at a time, thrown by hand.
Warm up gently, clear loose shuttles and agree on a stop signal. Leave enough space for each receiver to make a comfortable swing without reaching the partner. If the court feels crowded, return to walking without rackets.
For the feeding rounds, agree who covers the left side and who covers the right, as seen by the pair facing the net. Feed clearly to one side, away from the space between the receivers. No middle feeds today. If both players start for a shuttle or either is unsure, let it fall.
Try three short rounds
- Four walking situations, without equipment. The feeder points to one rear corner on their own side, showing where an imaginary lift has landed. The pair walks into side-by-side positions, adjusting together towards that side. Stop, check the space between you and say which area each player is preparing to cover. Reset before the next situation; use both rear corners across the four attempts.
- Four announced feeds to each receiver: eight in total. Choose comfortable side-by-side starting positions. Before each gentle underarm hand feed over the net, the feeder points to the intended receiver and waits until both players are ready. That player makes one gentle return; the partner stays clear of the swing. The feeder does not hit back. Stop before collecting, then reset. A missed return counts as an attempt.
- An optional eight feeds, with the side unannounced. Keep the same easy feeds and agreed areas. The feeder chooses a clear left or right target, without pointing first, giving each receiver four attempts. The receiver calls “mine” early and makes one gentle return. The partner stays clear. Stop and reset after every feed; the call is a coordination cue, not permission to chase a shuttle into the partner's space.
After the three rounds, swap the feeder with one receiver. Repeat until everyone has tried both roles; the last round stays optional. Leave a difficult feed, shorten the distance or return to announced feeds if needed. Stop if movement hurts. There is no score or required number of successful returns.
Discuss one shared decision
Choose one walking situation: did you both adjust, or did one player move behind the other? Then choose one feed: was there clearly one hitter with room to swing?
Name one adjustment to try next time. The walking round explores positioning; the hand feeds explore sharing space. Neither proves that your pair is ready for fast attacks. Changing between attacking and defending formations is a later lesson.
General practice advice: play within your limits and stop if something hurts.