Badminton started in the mid-19th century and it was named for Duke of Beaufort’s country estate in Gloucestershire, England. This is where it was first played, although its roots can be traced to Asia and most especially to British India. You can read about its history here.
Badminton is the fastest racket sport and it is played on either a lawn or court with a shuttlecock and lightweight rackets. The shuttlecock has historically been referred to as a “bird” or “birdie”. It is a small cock that weighs 5 grams and has 16 feathers attached to it.
It is mostly played by single players (one player per side) or double players (two players on either side), but can also be played by a larger number of players. In badminton, players score points by striking the shuttlecock over the net using the racket and letting it land in the opponent’s side of the court.
Each side can strike the shuttlecock only once before it crosses the net. The play ends when the shuttlecock touches the floor or when a fault is called by an umpire, judge or the opposing player(s) and the points go to the player or team that struck the birdie. This is granted so long as the shuttlecock does touch ground in their half. The first to get to 21 points takes the game, and the winner of a match is the player or team that wins the best 2 out of 3 games.
Badminton requires the players to be fit. Players also require agility, speed, strength, stamina, and precision. The game requires sophisticated movement of the racket as well as good coordination of the feet, hands, shoulders, and eyes.
How to Get Into Badminton
To begin playing badminton, you can start by joining a club or play at your leisure outdoors. By joining a club, you get better training and several benefits while if you intend to play casually, a leisure center or gym can work for that. Be aware that clubs usually charge an annual membership fee. Looking for where to start? You can check this link: https://www.playbestbadminton.com/.
To start playing, you need to have your gear. This can be rented or hired especially if you only intend to be a casual player. For more serious players, you will need at least a racket, several shuttlecocks, t-shirts, and shorts and of course comfortable shoes. Owning these kit will enable a player to feel comfortable using them and can also maintain them better.
While casual and fun badminton can be played outdoors, competitive games and matches are played indoors.
Benefits of Playing Badminton
Playing badminton comes with a lot of benefits. They include:- Development of the muscles.
- Cardiovascular fitness.
- Improved coordination, balance, stamina, agility, strength, and speed.
- Improved self-esteem and improved communication skills.
- Social health and psychological benefits.
Tips on How to Play Badminton Perfectly
When you begin playing the sport, how do you become perfect? The following are a few tips that can help you.Gripping
Badminton is first of all about your grip. With the correct grip, you can start on your way to becoming a perfect player. It is what enables you to strike the shuttlecock effectively. A poor grip will not allow you to generate the precision and power needed for your shots. When starting, you need to focus only on the two most common types of grips; the forehand and the backhand grip. You can later develop how to add other forms of grips.The grip is also important when you are choosing a racket. Small hands require small grips, while large hands large grips.
The forehand is the most common, most used and most important grip. Forehands are utilized on the side of the body where your racket is. A right-handed person uses their forehand when the shuttlecock is on their right while it is vice versa for a left-handed individual. To have a good forehand grip, a player must stretch their hand as if they are shaking someone’s hands. To do this, your hand must be on the lower end of the racket handle and the head must be perpendicular to the floor.
For most players, the backhand grip is a weak point. To get better at this, you need to have the four fingers slightly separated while holding the thumb on the other side of the handle. Your grip must be relaxed and your wrist flexible.
Footwork
This is another very important aspect of a player’s game. To be a good player, you have to practice and perfect basic footwork movement that will enable you to move around easily. Don’t go running up and down as you will expend so much energy.Good footwork will enable you to reach the shuttle quicker. It may look awkward when you start but in the long run, you will see the positive effects. Part of the footwork movement is understanding the number of steps you need to reach the corners of the court. Depending on your height, you may need fewer or more steps. Practice till it is natural to you.
Serving
Although it will not win you games directly, a great serve will prevent you from losing them. A serve might not win you any points, but it can make you lose matches if it is poor. This is true as a poor serve makes you start a game with a disadvantage. Your opponent will be able to strike back from an advantageous stance if your serve is closer to the middle than to the back of the court.For doubles, your serve should not be too high so you do not give an advantage to the opponent. To improve your serve, you need to get the basics right and then keep practicing.
Consistency
Beginners lose more games as a result of their own mistakes rather than the opponent’s winning shots. As you get better, you must be consistent in your game and practice a lot. Also, you will figure out how to avoid mistakes that will give points to your opponents. At these early levels, your focus should be to perfect your games, so you must know your weaknesses and work on them. Avoid using fancy tricks and unnecessary skills until you are perfect enough.The above are a few important badminton tips for beginners that will help you get started in the right direction.
Conclusion
Learning badminton is quite easy and new players to the sport can easily learn and begin to play well in no time. This will be easier if they put their minds to it and practice often, especially if they are hoping to play professionally. You will also begin to enjoy and experience the benefits associated with playing the sport as you play it consistently.
Moonlighting as a blogger to pursue my interest and enjoyment of sports. Former high school and Division I athlete (now a "retired" family man) that loves watching and discussing all sports. Follow me on Twitter (@HoldoutSports) and like Holdout Sports on Facebook.
