Badminton Fitness Training

Badminton Description

Badminton is a sport which involves hitting a shuttlecock made from cork and feathers back and forth across a net with a badminton racquet. The object is to hit the shuttlecock over the net into the opponent's court so that he cannot return it before it hits the ground. Once considered a slow, low-intensity activity, badminton is now recognized as a quick-moving, explosive interval sport­much like competitive volleyball or squash.

Badminton Warnings

• People experiencing chronic ankle, pelvic, knee, hip, lower back, shoulder, elbow or wrist pain or injury should seek medical permission before participating in this activity.

Badminton Risks

• Shoulder strains
• Ankle, knee sprains (from falling, twisting)

Badminton Sport-specific applications

• National and international competitive levels (badminton is an Olympic sport)

Badminton Equipment required

• Racquet
• Shuttlecock ("birdie")
• Net
• Clothing: should be loose and comfortable
• Footwear: should provide balance and support

Badminton Applicable substitutions

• Tennis
• Volleyball
• Table tennis
• Racquetball
• Squash

Badminton Reference sources, organizations and publications

• U.S. Badminton Association (USBA): 1750 East Boulder St., Colorado Springs, CO 80909, (719) 578­4808
• U.S. Olympic Committee: 1750 Boulder St., Colorado Springs, CO 80909­5760, (719) 578-4576
• President's Council On Physical Fitness And Sports: Washington D.C., (202) 272-3421

Mode

Cardiorespiratory: Anaerobic/Interval

Fitness Benefits

• Cardiorespiratory 2
• Flexibility 1
• Muscular Strength 1
• Muscular Endurance 2
• Body Fat Recution 1

Fitness Requirements

• Cardiorespiratory 1
• Flexibility 1
• Muscular Strength 1
• Muscular Endurance 1
• Coordination/Skill 2

Muscle groups used

Primary muscles: quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteals, hips (adductors, abductors, flexors), calves, obliques, abdominals, shoulders, trapezius, latissimus dorsi and forearms (wrist extensors, wrist flexors) Assistance muscles: biceps, triceps, rhomboids, teres major and chest

Energy expenditure

Approximately 0.045 Calories per minute per pound of body weight