OUTSIDE-It's a tale as old as time: a spherical projectile thrust over a net and into the opposition's path is met and volleyed off at an angle. It's ping pong on a table, it's tennis (or pickleball, I guess) on a court, it's volleyball in the sand, it's Pong on a video game, but it is arguably best as badminton.

Badminton takes a familiar concept and changes the pace of play with suspended animation achievable thanks to the aerodynamic quality of its shuttlecock, or birdie. Gameplay can be tailored to many fitness levels by adjusting the force applied to each swat.

Follow-through on a swing produces greater loft, more time for players wishing to take it easy to make a leisurely move and less distance for them to cover on foot. For those looking to combine fun and extracurricular cardiovascular exercise, sticking with short, punt-like strokes keeps opponents on the run.

A socially distanced summer is upon us. It's easy to stay six or more feet apart while playing badminton. In order to lessen exposure to potentially hazardous points of contact, sanitize and color code shuttlecocks. Each player only ever touches their own color with their hands, otherwise, the long-armed racket does all the work.

Portable badminton sets come in handy even if the competition takes place at home. Extra rackets, shuttlecocks, and hand sanitizer or a sanitizing spray can be stored inside the main compartment and the net pops up in minutes. When the game is won, the whole thing folds up and all the components stay together.

How serious the rules are taken is up to you. Get creative with challenge rounds, or award extra points for trick shots. Penalty if your shuttlecock lands in the prickly bush. Sometimes we play with a racket in each hand or attempt behind-the-back birdie swats. Other times we have two shuttlecocks going at once. It's a mad dash! Or not. All's fair in love and backyard badminton.