What Is A Badminton Wall Rally Drill?

Looking for a convenient way to practice your reflex speed, focus, control, and endurance? Then you may want to try a wall rally drill.

This drill involves hitting the shuttle against the wall, so it bounces back at you with every shot. The goal here is to keep the shuttle from hitting the ground for as long as possible. 

Keep reading to learn how to set up a wall rally drill, as well as different shots to try out for the ultimate single-player badminton practice.

The Setup

First, decide which wall you want to practice on — it doesn’t matter if it’s inside or outside. The taller your wall, the better for practicing a variety of shots. 

Your shuttle can get beaten up, so you’ll want to use an old one for this drill. And remember to choose your location wisely because you could scuff up the wall while you practice.

Next, use tape or chalk to mark the wall about five feet above the ground. This marker will serve as the net height. 

After that, stand 3 to 5 feet away from the wall with your racket in a neutral grip, and get in the ready position. Now you’re ready to get started!

Different Drills for Wall Rally Practice

As a beginner guideline, you should practice your preferred shots for two rounds of about two minutes each. As you get more comfortable, you can move on to include all four shot types.

Once you see some improvements in your game, you can extend the rally time and number of rounds to accommodate your endurance level and skills.

To challenge your accuracy, continuously aim for the same spot just above the net marker during every round.

Forehand and Backhand Shots

For your forehand shots, keep the palm of your hand facing the wall as you strike the shuttle. And for the less frequently used backhand shots, turn the back of your hand towards the wall while you practice.

You can also hit alternating forehand and backhand shots by using a relaxed grip and switching between shots each time the shuttle bounces off the wall. This particular wall drill helps with your wrist movement and reaction time.

Random Shots

When you get better at the other drills, you can hit more erratic, diagonally traveling shots with the shuttle, causing it to bounce back at different angles. This technique challenges your reflexes, speed, and footwork as you rush to return it.

Practicing random shots will boost your reaction time and help you in actual games. So, when you face an opponent hitting shots in surprising directions, you’ll be able to reach the shuttle swiftly.

If you’re really looking for a challenge, you can use a block or brick wall to make the shots bounce back in crazy, unexpected directions.

Ready to Try a Wall Rally Drill?

Practicing this classic badminton drill is something you’ll probably find fun and challenging. And the best part about it is that you can tailor it to your specific skill level and cardio endurance.

Now that you know about the wall rally drill, you can get some worthwhile practice in, even if you don’t have a partner. 

So, when you have some free time, try this technique to get a brushed-up set of badminton skills — all by yourself!

If you’d like to see more badminton training videos and drills, be sure to join us on our YouTube channel! Thanks for reading!