Catch That Badminton Fever!

Got a sneak preview of Paolo Bediones’ “Smash! Badminton for Everyone” video. Pretty much interesting! If you've just caught the badminton fever that has phenomenally swept the nation, then this special video should get you all ecstatic by the time you lay your hands on a racket. With Paolo are the country's top badminton coaches Kennevic and Kennie Asuncion who will take you through the fundamentals as well as intermediate-level techniques. Make those drops. Smash those serves. Slash through the nets. Put that zing into your game. It's the quintessential badminton clinic that will send you slicing and dicing your opponents on court. Whoaaw! Isn’t that exciting?

Most people have heard or seen badminton in one form or another and consequently think they know badminton. I myself thought it’s just an easy game though. I used to call myself a “street fighter” then ‘coz I played badminton in the lawn or in nearby streets along the neighborhood, haha! I took it as an outdoor sport, when it’s supposed to be an indoor one. I’ve just started playing it in the real court last year with the influence of Judith and her friend Normy who is a badminton expert herself. I got hooked to it, until I found myself joining our company’s badminton tournament (and ended up as a happy loser in the finals, yeeyy yo!). Invading the court had a significant bearing on my part, being able to go through the fundamental techniques of the sport I haven’t learned when I was still a “street fighter” hehe! But everything was still incomplete though. As a beginner, I still need a lot of polishing -- footwork exercises, multi-shuttle defense, single tactics, etc. So timely then, it’s summer… I’m off from school (my part-time professor job, that is) and our company’s shuttlecock smashers had set up a summer badminton clinic just last week. Having previewed Paolo Bediones’ badminton clinic on CD, I’ve never been that eager undergoing a badminton clinic myself. With coach Permo as our instructor, whose trained players had gone a long way to the national badminton tournaments, we’re so positive we could emerge as better players in a few months time.

The badminton clinic is still on going. We have training sessions for the advanced group (Anton, Bong, Earl, Joel & Marlon) scheduled every Monday and Wednesday, and the beginners group (Aileen, Hazel, Judith, Karen, Peggy & yours truly) every Tuesday and Thursday. Friday is a joint schedule for both groups. This is pretty much exciting! Being indulged in the world’s fastest racket sport (a shuttle can leave the racket at a speed of almost 200 mph, and a badminton player can cover more than one mile in just one match!), nothing could be more satisfying than getting the fantastic health benefits of a great cardiovascular workout! Way to go, badminton aficionados!!