Badminton as a Fitness Program

One way badminton players attain and retain fitness is simply by playing badminton. It is estimated that in a typical two-game singles match, players run an average of one mile, covering practically every square inch of the court. Badminton is not just good exercise -- it's an aerobic sport, and much more. By lunging, running, and jumping, players develop strong muscles and quick reflexes as they race around the court.

Badminton is probably the least understood sport in the United States in terms of the physical demands required of its participants.

Apart from actually playing badminton to get in shape, some training exercises are suggested as well. Running or jogging before a badminton match is a good way to warm up. Running increases blood flow to the entire body, including the arms, thus reducing the risk of unnecessary muscle pulls. Also, a jogging or running program is a great way to build the stamina an athlete needs for a competitive badminton match.

Some badminton players have enjoyed the benefits of a weight training program, adding strength to the areas of the body that are susceptible to injury. Exercises that strengthen knees, shoulders, and elbows can also strengthen a game and keep a player away from the emergency room. Weight training can also help to build strong wrists, which are necessary for completing a fast-paced rally of net shots. Although athletes in some sports need large, bulky muscles in order to compete, this is not the case with badminton. A badminton player uses long, lean muscles that supply power and stamina, muscles that don't get in the way during a frenzied rally. Instead of short bursts of exercise with heavy barbells that build thick, bulky muscles, more repetitions with lighter weights are recommended.

Swimming as an exercise is not only fun, but also builds muscle and stamina. Long, steady laps using an overhand crawl stroke will build a strong endurance level. This can be followed, for example, by shorter bursts of activity using a butterfly or breaststroke that will build shoulder, leg, and chest muscles. If you were to examine the physiques of Olympic swimmers, you would find them to be lean, strong, and supple. This is the same type of athletic build that one finds among competitive badminton players. Swimming enhances their health as well as their game.

Badminton is a sport that requires quick reflexes and solid hand-to-eye coordination. One way to improve such coordination is by juggling. That's right, juggling. It takes concentration, skill, and well-developed hand-to-eye coordination for two hands to keep three balls in motion. Some years ago, the popular screen actor, W.C. Fields, who once had been a vaudeville juggler, often amazed crowds with his skill at table tennis and his ability to read the label of a 78 r.p.m. record while in motion on the turntable. He was able to accomplish these feats because of the unusually keen hand-to-eye coordination he had developed by practicing his juggling routines.

Physical fitness and skill at badminton -- or any other sport -- require hard work and dedication. It takes many hours on the practice court to develop into a ranked badminton player and many more to stay at that level. Even if your goal is just to play badminton for the sheer enjoyment of the game, exercise and proper nutrition are essential to get the most out of it, as well as to put players on the path to better fitness and good health.

The U.S. Olympic Committee
A Basic Guide to Badminton
Paperback $7.95
© 1998, Griffin Publishing; ISBN: 1882180763
128 pages

For information on purchasing the book from bookstores or here online, please go to the Web page for A Basic Guide to Badminton (Griffin Publishing).