China dominates in badminton. There are a few expats in Shanghai trying their hand at the country's favorite sport. Brad Spencer caught up with City Weekend to tell us all about how he got involved.

Did you play badminton before you got here?
I didn’t play “real” badminton before I moved to Shanghai three years ago. I only ever played outdoor badminton, like with the all-in-one yard set. But I played tennis in high school and squash after that. I also gave racquetball a try in the ’80s, so I have basic racket skills.

Did that help you with badminton?
They all helped. It just takes a few minutes for your brain to adjust to the racket weight and the speed of the bird.

So why did you finally make the switch?
I was playing squash at our gym and I noticed that most of the locals played badminton so, I thought, since I am in China I should try playing a sport with the locals.

Whom do you play with now?
I play with a mix of expats and local guys. The only really skilled or experienced player I’ve played with is the gym’s manager, a local guy. He could move me around the court and score whenever he wanted to. Good players make it look so easy. There are some guys in my office that like to play, and I sometimes play with my wife Leigh, but the most reliable way is just to show up–people who are already at the gym will play you. Even some of the squash players are keen to switch out and play a game of badminton.

Do you play in any tournaments?
The club has an annual internal tournament. I have not played in it. However, my friend Scott, a teacher at Concordia, played in one tournament and he got beat by a highly ranked 12-year-old girl.

So now you’re scared.
Yep. No good can come from that.

Feel like giving it a go? Head to Megafit Jinqiao Sports Club to get all the goodness.