Badminton has numerous advantages. Some are universal to all sports, while others are exclusive to badminton. In this article, we will discuss all of the various benefits of badminton, including not only physical but also mental and social benefits which makes it unique. Curious? Then continue reading!
1. Inclusive – Great for All Ages and Friendly to Disabilities
Badminton is one of the few sports that can be enjoyed by people of all ages because it is a non-contact sport with minimal equipment. This makes it simple to pick up a racket and a birdie and begin playing right away! (However, don’t mistake badminton’s ease of entry for its ease of mastery, which it most certainly isn’t.) You won’t have to worry about players tackling or pushing each other because badminton is a non-contact sport. This makes badminton an excellent choice for a family activity or a social gathering among friends, even if you have no prior knowledge of the sport. Just remember to warm up and stay away from the most common badminton injuries! Oh, and please don’t collide on the court or, even worse, walk on other people’s courts; this is a big no-no.
What’s more impressive is that badminton is accessible to people with disabilities. In fact, the BWF (Badminton World Federation) has a dedicated league for athletes with disabilities called para-badminton. There are several categories based on the player’s abilities, such as whether or not they require a wheelchair. If you or someone you know is disabled and looking for a fun sport to participate in, badminton is a great option!
2. Intense and fast-paced
Badminton is the world’s fastest racket sport. Ping pong, tennis, and squash are all faster than squash. It’s even faster than golf (in terms of ball speed, not just gameplay!). This makes badminton not only thrilling to play, but also thrilling to watch. Because everyone on the court must be aware of and ready for the next shot, it keeps players engaged in the game.
Badminton’s fast pace is matched by its high intensity, which we define as the percentage of time spent playing in a rally (rather than when you’re resting in between points). In other words, the percentage of time spent playing. Dr. Docherty’s study A Comparison of Heart Rate Responses in Racquet Games found that tennis players were in rallies for 5 minutes of every 30 minutes of gameplay, while badminton players were in rallies for 10 minutes of every 30 minutes of gameplay – twice as long!
Badminton’s fast pace and high intensity are enough to keep players wanting more. There’s nothing like blocking blazing-fast smashes or attacking with a flurry of rapid drives to give you a rush of adrenaline. If you give it a try, you might become addicted (in a good way!). To get you pumped, check out this collection of the fastest badminton smashes!
3. It’s a Fantastic Way to Meet New People
Badminton brings people together because it is a highly interactive sport with a dedicated fan base. Players tend to attend badminton sessions on a regular basis as part of their weekly routines, and you’ll quickly make friends with many of them. We at BadmintonBites certainly have – in fact, badminton is probably where we met the majority of our best friends!
Players you meet will almost certainly share a common interest in badminton with you, and you can often use the time in between games to get to know them better or ask for advice on how to improve your own game. Furthermore, after an intense session of badminton, players love to eat together (but be careful not to overeat if you’re trying to lose weight!) which provides another great opportunity to connect with people. Who knows, maybe you’ll meet someone special, make lifelong friends, find a significant other, or all of the above – we’ve seen it all.
4. Adaptive
Badminton is a sport with a lot of depth and variety that will keep you coming back for more. While an experienced player will be familiar with most situations on the court, there are minor differences that can make or break a point. Even professional badminton players who have spent their entire lives training rarely play identical rallies. As a result, rather than following a script, players are forced to think on their feet at critical moments, resulting in a fun and unique experience each time.
Furthermore, badminton play styles vary widely, providing plenty of variety when competing against different opponents. Perhaps this is because badminton frequently provides players with a variety of viable options to choose from in most situations. Consider the following scenario when someone offers you a lift.
Should you slam into the line or the middle? Alternatively, how about a drop? Should you try to push your opponent to the back of the court and then come back to the front?
The possibilities are endless, which encourages players to develop their own personal style. We put together a sample of the different types of shots that can be found in badminton, but this is only the tip of the iceberg. Every basic shot can be given a unique spin (literally! ), allowing you to personalize it. That is the allure of badminton: you can develop your own style, strategies, and, ultimately, player.
5. A Wide Range of Skill Levels
Badminton is a sport with a plethora of skill levels. And by that, I mean that there’s almost always something you can do to improve your game, whether it’s physically or technically. Unless you’re one of the Greatest Badminton Players of All Time, there will always be better players for you to challenge and learn from.
Take a moment to recall all of the players with whom you’ve collaborated. Depending on overall skill level, physical ability, and game sense, you can assign each player to different tiers – or rankings. If you will, consider it a tier list. You’d basically have an A tier, B tier, C tier, and so on until you’ve got enough to successfully categorise each person, with each tier containing players of similar skill levels.
You probably already have a good number of tiers at this point. Extend that to all of the players on the planet. There are a lot of tiers there! Absolute beginners, casual players, in-training players, state level players, national level players, international level players, top international players, and, of course, badminton legends These aren’t even finely tuned tiers; if you wanted to, you could break them down even further! Even among professionals, huge differences in score lines can be seen if they are on different levels. Consider how simple it is for a top 10 player in the world to demolish a top 100 player.
This discussion of badminton levels isn’t meant to scare you away from playing badminton; rather, it’s meant to pique your interest in the sport. There’s always room for improvement, and seeing yourself improve over the course of your badminton career is both rewarding and enjoyable. It’s something to be excited about, as well as something to be proud of. The thrill of learning a new skill, sharpening your game sense, or simply hitting harder will energise you and make you want to improve even more.
6. Distinctive Playing Styles
Every badminton player has their own style of play. While play styles may be similar and broadly classified as “control,” “attack,” or “defence,” players ultimately create their own distinct overall play style. This wide range of options ensures that every time you play badminton, you’ll have a new and exciting experience. Furthermore, play styles do not remain constant over time, but rather evolve, providing even more variety in the game.
Despite the fact that everyone learns the same basic fundamental shots, no one ends up playing like anyone else – why is that? The answer isn’t as simple as “player A hits harder than player B, so they’re different,” but rather lies in one of badminton’s many facets. You can dissect badminton into many layers to gain a better understanding of it. Physical abilities, footwork, shot execution, shot toolkit (what shots you know how to do), and game sense are some of the basic layers. There can be as many layers as you want, but you can use this as a starting point to help you think about badminton in a different way.
In badminton, the development of each layer contributes to the development of your own distinct playing style. What you work on in each layer and what you prioritise determines who you will become as a player. You could train your lower body to jump higher and learn how to smash steeply, or you could run a lot to build up your endurance. It’s the ultimate “create-your-own-player” experience, with limitless possibilities.
To add to our layers model, the layers you can work on aren’t completely separate from one another. Aspects of badminton cross between the layers, further distinguishing our own play styles from those of others. For example, if you strengthen your legs (i.e. physical ability) with exercises like squats, you may find that you have more capability for better footwork or potential shot execution because you can move into position more easily. The interaction between the layers expands the possibilities of our play styles and makes badminton even more interesting.
7. Physical agility is developed through badminton
Badminton is a fast-paced sport that can be played in singles or doubles. The shuttle is traveling at breakneck speed, and you must react in milliseconds.
Agility is such an important factor in badminton that a study was conducted in 2014 to develop a standardised system for measuring badminton agility. “Badminton: Specific movement agility testing system” is the title of the study.
As a result, playing badminton will improve your physical agility because you will need to move as quickly as possible to catch the shuttle. We even show some interesting exercises taught by world-famous badminton player Peter Gade that are aimed at improving your agility in our badminton drills post. That’s also why badminton players are typically so frail. The more weight you have, the more difficult it is to move around. Consider how agile professional bodybuilders are if you’re not convinced.
8. Greater reach improves balance and flexibility
Aside from the agility boost that badminton provides, another advantage is the improved balance and flexibility that comes with regular practise.
Because shooting is such a fast sport, you may be forced to shoot in uncomfortable situations while remaining upright.
In our badminton footwork guide, we explain everything you need to know about badminton footwork, including why it’s important to keep your centre of gravity as low as possible to improve your balance.
9. Bone density and skeleton
Badminton has many advantages, including increased agility, flexibility, and balance. Badminton also aids in the development and maintenance of a healthy skeleton.
Physical activity increases bone mass during growth, according to a review published in 2008. According to the studies, badminton is one of the most effective sports for increasing skeletal strength. A follow-up study to see if the benefits of bone mass-induced growth were maintained in adulthood was less conclusive, but it did show a positive correlation between adult exercise and bone density maintenance.
10. Badminton can help you improve your lung function, especially if you are or have been a smoker
Another advantage of participating in sports, though not as dramatic as the others, is that it improves lung function. Sports can help people with lung disease improve their lung health, according to research. However, until 2017, there was little information available about the effects of sport on healthy people’s lungs.
This gap in the literature was addressed in a study titled “Association of physical activity with lung function in lung-healthy German adults: results from the KORA FF4 study,” which found that participating in sports improves lung function slightly. If you are or were a smoker, this improvement will be more noticeable.
11. Badminton can help to lower the risk of type 2 diabetes
Badminton, like any sport, has been shown to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. The researchers proved that exercising helped to reduce the number of people with diabetes, helped to lower glucose levels, and helped to lower mortality in a 2005 study titled “Epidemiological evidence for the role of physical activity in reducing risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease,” which included badminton.
12. Badminton lowers the risk of depression
While mental agility is critical, nothing is more important than feeling satisfied with yourself. As a result, depression is one of the most serious illnesses that must be avoided. Adults who engage in daily physical activity have a 20-30 percent lower risk of depression and dementia, according to a report published by the UK government titled “Start Active, Stay Active.” While this is impressive in and of itself, it ignores the social benefits of team or club sports, which we will discuss in the social benefits section.
Last but not least
And with that, we’ve come to the end of the article. Do you know of any other studies that support the benefits of badminton? Any of the above-mentioned advantages surprised you? Then tell us in the comments section below!
