Badminton- not just a sport, a feeling

Who invented badminton?

The origin of how and when badminton came into being is still unknown but Badminton was invented and played in India by the name – Poona as early as the 18th century. It was a rather simple game. To play it  2 planks and a perfect round stone were required between 2 people. Then the British army took interest in it and learned to play it and from there the game traveled to Britain. It was introduced in England by the duke of Beaufort in his estate called “Badminton” in around 1873 and from there the game got its current name. Later its control shifted to the Bath Badminton Club, formed by the Badminton Association of England. The club established the rules to govern the game which are still used in international play.

Rule of Playing badminton?

General Rules

In a match best of three games of 21 points is considered.

For the 20-all game, the side which first gains a 2-point lead wins that game.

At 29-all, the side scoring the 30th point wins that game.

The player or team winning a game serves first in the next game.

A  match must be played indoors with the official court dimensions.

If the shuttlecock lands inside the opponent’s court a point is scored

If a shuttlecock hits the net or goes outside the court the player will lose the point.

At the start of the match, the server and receiver stand on diagonally opposite service courts.

For a serve to be legal it must be hit diagonally over the net and across the court.

A serve is legal only if it is hit underarm and below the server’s waist height and the racquet pointing downwards.

After gaining a point, the players will move to the opposite serving sides for the next point.

No second serves are allowed.

A player must not touch the net with any part of their body or racquet.

Deliberately distracting opponents is not allowed.

Shuttlecock should maintain contact with the racquet only once.

A ‘let’ may be called by the referee if an unforeseen or accidental issue arises.

Two rest periods are included in the game.  90-second rest after the first game and a 5-minute rest after the second game.

Who is the best player in badminton?

Viktor Alexen currently holds the top place in badminton rankings for males and females, and Tai Tzu Ying is at the top. In men’s doubles, the pair at the top is Marcus Fernaldi Gideon / Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo and for women’s doubles, Chen Qing Chen / Jia Yi Fan holds the top spot.

Which badminton racket is good for players?

The weight of the racket is denoted by “U”; the smaller the number, the heavier will be the weight of the racket. For beginners, lightweight badminton rackets are recommended to weigh approx 4U (80g-85g) as they are easier to control. Another reason to recommend a lightweight racquet is that it allows for quick stroking speeds and recovery also you will be able to switch to different positions. They are also easier on the wrist and shoulders, thus reducing the chances of injuries. Singles players use a slightly heavy racquet of about 3U(85g-90g) as it allows more stability and power while doubles players use a racquet of 4U weight to increase speed and to react quickly to their opponent’s moves.

Also to dig deep there are three types of racquets

1- Head Heavy Balance

These types of racquets have more mass towards the head. These rackets increase power while delivering strokes or smash and are good for players who like to play a powerful game.

2-Head Light Balance

These types of racquet are less in weight towards the head. That is why it is easier to control and swing the racket. These types of racquets are popular among doubles player who needs to react quickly against opponents’ smashes.

3-Even Balance

An even balance racket provides a middle ground between the above two types. It is neither heavy nor light and is just perfect for people who are not sure of their playing style.

Is badminton an indoor or outdoor game?

Badminton can be played outdoors and indoors. Professional badminton is always played in indoor courts with standard dimensions and official rules as shuttlecock is affected by weather conditions. But it is also played outdoors casually just for recreation or fun.

How much time does it take to learn badminton?

There is no specified time as to how much time one would take to be good at badminton. It all comes down to interest, the time and work one is putting towards learning. To learn basic skills, such as lobbing, drop shots, smashing, footwork, and simple net shots perfectly 2-3 hours of regular practice for 3-5 months is enough. Also, you should play with your friends and family to perfect your skills. This time is just to get familiar with the game and learn the basics. Now a minimum of 1 year of good practice under supervision is required before you can start going to competitions.

How I can start my career in badminton?

Most people play badminton as a hobby, but some aspire to be professional badminton players. If you are one of the people who want to make a career in this game then below is a roadmap on how you can make a career :

Getting in Shape

Badminton requires flexibility, stamina, and also strength. So exercises with cardio are a must.

Learn Basics

To become a good player learning basics is very much necessary to move on the court more efficiently and avoid injuries.

Start Practicing

There is no shortcut to hard work. To become a pro countless hours of practice are required so that when you face an opponent in a competition you can read your opponent’s moves and the game better.

Play with those who are better than you

You need to play against good players that give you a challenge because this is the best way to improve your game and prepare yourself for future good opponents.

Join an academy

There is a limit to what you can learn yourself. A good coach can take you five to six steps ahead in the same time frame i.e self-learning.

 Start Playing Tournaments

Now if you have fulfilled the above steps then you are ready for competition now. To play at an international level first you need to clear district level then state national all of them with good ranks then you may get a chance to represent your country on the international stage.

What is the height of badminton?

For racquet

The standard badminton racket length is 26.18”-26.77 while the weight differs with the type of racket.

For Net

The standard dimensions for badminton net are –

The top of the net from the surface of the court is 1.524m at the center of the court with 1.55m over the sidelines for doubles. There must be no gaps between the ends of the net and the posts.

What is the cost of constructing an indoor badminton court?

It depends on what type of materials you are using for construction but it will cost you around 10-15 lakhs to construct an indoor court with standard dimensions and a spectator area.

Ways to improve the playing badminton?

1- Be Consistent i.e practice regularly

2- Always strive to perfect your skills

3- Play with players better than you.

4- Get a good coach preferably a former professional player

5- Practice Footwork

6- Practice delivering shots with different stances.

7- Improve stamina and speed

8- Practice different king of trick shots and smash.

What is the most difficult aspect of playing badminton?

The backhand clear, a basic stroke is çonsidered most difficult by many players and coaches because the precise technique is required to collect enough power so that the shuttlecock travels the full length of the court and this is the reason, backhand smashes tend to be weak.

Best badminton coach?

Behind every player’s success, there is a coach who is working immensely hard. The player and the coach share the same goal.

Below we have mentioned some of the best badminton coaches-

LI YONG BO – He was the head of the China Badminton Association for 24 years and is one of the main reasons for China’s domination in this sport.

REXY MAINAKY- He is considered one of the best men’s doubles coaches. He is currently the head coach for the Thailand national team. He has also coached the English national team, the Malaysian national team, and the Philippines national team.

PARK JOO BONG- He is also one of the most well-known faces in the current badminton world. He is the head coach of Japan’s national badminton team and has previously led to Japan’s maiden Thomas cup win in 2014.

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