The sport of badminton requires specific physical and physiology
attributes - such as great court speed and agility, with a good
background of endurance. Apart from skill (which is a highly important
ability), the relative
importance of the physiological parameters such as strength,
speed, agility
and endurance differ in their contributions to making a champion
badminton player. The psychological parameters of mental
toughness and dedication is also needed in high doses.
The table below lists some suggested tests for the different
categories of fitness that are important for badminton. This list is not
exhaustive, there are many other fitness tests that may be suitable, depending on your situation.
Fitness Component
example tests
comments
Anthropometry
- Body Size tests such as height and weight, and arm span.
- Body fat can be measured using the skinfold
method. If this is not available, monitoring body
weight changes would give an indication of body fat changes,
assuming no change in muscle mass.
Tall players with a good arm length can reach more areas
of the court with ease. Excess body fat would affect the player's
ability
to move freely around the court, and the extra weight will
increase fatigue.
Flexibility
- The sit
and reach test can be done for lower back and hamstring
flexibility. Other flexibility
tests should also be performed.
The flexibility tests should be specific to the actions
of badminton.
Strength and Power
- The vertical jump test can be performed to measure leg power and jumping ability. Maximal
strength tests for specific exercises could also be conducted.
A hand grip strength test is
also suitable.
Strength (and power tests) should also be done to determine
strength levels and to monitor strength changes in conjunction
with training programs.
Speed
- Sprint time over 20m, with
split times for the 5m and 10m distance should be done if
possible.
Running speed is very important in badminton in order to reach all areas of the court quickly.
Agility
- The 505 agility test measures
the ability to change direction 180 degrees, such as
when
the player turns and runs back for a high smash. A 90
degree
turn test would also be suitable for badminton. Specific
badminton. tests can be developed that mimic the demands of the sport
on court.
The ability to quickly change direction is important for
badminton. The ability to
turn to both the left and right direction may be different
in some players and should also be assessed.
Aerobic Fitness
- If testing large groups of players, the shuttle
run (beep) test would usually be the most appropriate
test.
- There is a range of aerobic fitness tests.
Endurance is an important component of fitness for
badminton. Not only is aerobic fitness important for court play, but you
need to be fit for long technical training sessions and extended
tournament play.
Article was quoted from topendsports.com
