Did you know badminton is considered one of the world’s most popular sports? According to the Badminton World Federation (BWF) website, there are currently over 200 MILLION registered players worldwide. Badminton is also the world’s fastest racquet sport, with the shuttlecock reaching speeds of up to 300km when smashed across the net by elite players.

Why Badminton?

In the words of the Badminton World Federation; “Badminton is a sport for all – a sport enjoyed by millions of children, youth, adults and seniors and elderly participants globally. It is a sport that combines eye hand coordination, power, strength, speed and decision making skills. It’s a low impact and non-contact sport which played by boys and girls, men and women – singles, doubles and mixed doubles.”

It is also a social sport which promotes fitness as well as general well-being and self-confidence as highlighted in a recent Badminton England article.

Fitness

Badminton is an aerobic sport which gives you a complete body workout – you can burn as much as 100-200 calories in a 30 minute session.

The more you move, the more flexible you become. Badminton involves a lot of lunging movements, which engages the quads and hamstring muscles of the thigh as well as the glutes. The adductors and abductors, located on the inside and outside of your thighs, respectively, are also heavily involved, especially when you lunge in multiple directions. Badminton also involves lots of twisting and reaching movements, which place a significant demand on your core muscles—your abs, waist and lower back. Hitting the shuttlecock uses the muscles of the chest, back and shoulder. [Live Strong – Strength Training for Badminton]

In terms of athleticism, the fast-paced nature of the game increases your speed and improves your reflexes. Intelligence is also a factor since players must know how to deceive their opponents in every shot. [Health Fitness Revolution – Top 10 Health Benefits of Badminton]

General Well-Being & Self-Confidence

Because badminton promotes physical fitness, it helps to reduce stress and anxiety. Exercise increases endorphins, which are the brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters, and has also been found to improve mood and sleep.

You’ll need at least one opponent, but you can also play with a teammate and two other opponents. Joining your local badminton club is a great way to meet new people and give you a regular social outlet. For most clubs that isn’t limited to club nights and includes regular social outings and meet-ups!

In the case of the Badminton England article above, the subject’s confidence grew so much since attending the weekly sessions, that he has since secured himself part-time employment and even offers his spare time as a volunteer.

If you go on to play in competitions, you will gain a whole new network of friends (& competitors!) who you meet and play on a regular basis.

Inclusivity

It is an all-inclusive sport, meaning that people of all levels of physical ability can play badminton. Para-Badminton provides players of different disabilities and backgrounds an opportunity to interact under a common purpose. It is a growing sport with more and more participants taking up the game either socially or competitively. The Badminton World Federation (BWF) recently announced that Para-Badminton will make it’s Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020.

In terms of badminton ability, most clubs have a range of player levels and interests from beginner “social” players to competitive level. If you want to play at a competitive level, these competitions are also “graded” so you are playing against others who are more or less at the same level of ability.

It is also one of the few sports where men and women can play together. This is ideal for those who are looking to play a sport together with their partner or looking for a sport that your kids can play together.

Interested in joining a club near you?

In the 2017/18 season, there were 12,300 players registered with the NGO Badminton Ireland. Find a club near you today!