Badminton is a very tough sport. When you swing your racket and sprint around the badminton court, you activate every muscle. Like all other increasingly challenging, the body becomes intensely strenuous.During badminton, almost every aspect of the body is still completely engaged.You need to move around your core and lower back, including your head,shoulders, and neck to target and swing the racket.
Whether you are a beginner or a pro, badminton requiresa lot of muscle endurance. Agility, coordination, quickness, are just some ofthe many skills needed to be a good badminton player. Essentially, you musthave lower body strength along with great balance. Like any other sport,badminton can also lead to some injuries. The best way to prevent these injuries are:
- · Always involve a warm-up exercise routine before playing a match.
- · Allow an adequate cool-down after every match.
- · Play on courts that arewell-maintained with good surfaces. This will reduce the risk of extremeinjuries.
- · Use good quality badminton equipment and footwear.
- · Exercise daily. Strong musclesprevent many injuries caused by the constant change in direction and quick movements.
- · Better stamina can help delay exhaustion that leads to a high percentage of sports injuries.
- · Training in body mechanics can help prevent chronic injuries that occur due to problems of misalignment.
- · Effective strength exercise can reduce rigid and inflexible muscle injuries.
After a good badminton match, it is necessary to stretch as a practice to cool down. Once you have finished playing and exhausted yourself, you should start with the cool-down exercises that are as important as a warm-up exercise before a game for your body and overall physical fitness.These exercises aim to get your body in a more relaxed and calmer state than how you were before the start of the game.
Given the energy output, you can either have a slow walk, little jog, or engage in lighter stretching. The goal here is to relax and decrease your heart rate to its original state. Moreover, a short session after your sports performance can also have a positive and preventive effect on injury occurrence.
We will share with you some of the most effective badminton stretch exercises. Note that incase you have a joint or a muscle injury already, be extra careful as you perform these stretches and consult with your physician as well. These exercises can help you improve your athletic performance.
· Rotating Wrist and Forearm Stretch
Badminton requires a lot of wrist movement. It is necessary to allow your wrists to stretch properly. Put one arm straight in front of you and parallel the ground.Rotate your arm upwards and downwards, and use your other palm to twist your palm upwards. This exercise works as both a warm-up and a stretch for your wrists.
Another way to do this is by sticking your arms out in front of you and balling up your fists. Slowly make circles with your fists by rotating your wrists in the outward direction. Rotate your 10 times, then switch up the exercise by rotating your wrists the other way.
· Elbow-out Shoulder and Rotator Stretch
Stand with your hand behind the center of your back and your elbow pointing out.Reach over with your other hand and gently pull your elbow forward.
· Forward Lunges
A lunge works on your hip muscles and your core. You not only relax your muscles here, but you also reduce the risk of an injury further. You place one leg in front of the other and lean forward till most of your weight is on the leg.
Simply position one leg in front of the other, somewhat further apart than the width of the arm. Bend your front leg now and move over until the rest of your weight is on it. Hold the rear and neck upright and put the chin out as far as you can. A good stretch can be experienced around the core and abdomen.
· Standing Toe-up Calf and Achilles Stretch
Standup, and place the ball of your foot onto a step or raised object. Bend your knee and lean forward.
· Alphabetical Ankle
The alphabetical ankle combines both warm-ups and stretches into one movement. It is necessary to stretch your ankles before and after every game. Here you lift one leg up till your knee is aligned with your hip. Now slowly trace the alphabet yep, A-Z, by rotating your ankle in various directions. This will enable your ankle to stretch in a variety of ways and improve mobility.
· Toe Touches
This technique is perfect for working out the hamstrings, which during a badminton game, are prone to a whole lot of stress. What you have to do is lean your back straight into the surface, and aim to reach your feet. If your knees are slightly bent, it doesn't matter; just ensure that your back is straight.
When you touch your feet, try straightening out as much of your left leg as possible without bending your legs. You should not think about letting go of your feet because you can always experience an extreme stretch over your hamstrings.
These stretches will help you cool down and provide a relaxed feeling after playing badminton. One other thing you can add to the stretches is mindful breathing and meditation. It allows your body and mind to relax, allowing you to feel relaxed and calm. Simple breathing exercises can go a long way!