7 Beginner-Friendly Badminton Exercises To Improve Your Net Play

Ever wondered how those professional badminton players seem to glide across the court effortlessly?

Curious about the secret behind those lightning-fast reflexes that have opponents shaking in their sneakers?

Want to know how you can dominate the game like never before?

If so, it’s time to start paying attention to some of the best badminton exercises and workouts.

Already excited?

Let’s get on:

Related: Tips for badminton players

Best Exercises For Badminton Players

Listed below are the best workouts for badminton players to up their court performance:

1.      Agility Ladder Drills

Agility ladder drills are exercises performed using an agility ladder laid out flat on the ground.

Athletes step or jump between the rungs of the ladder in various patterns and sequences, improving footwork, coordination, and quickness.

Examples include the “in-out” drill (stepping in and out of each ladder square), the “side shuffle” (moving sideways through the ladder), and the “scissors” (alternating feet in and out of ladder squares).

2.      Shuttle Run Sprints

Shuttle run sprints involve sprinting back and forth between two points, often marked by cones or lines on the ground.

This exercise for badminton players helps improve speed, acceleration, and change of direction.

Athletes typically sprint from one point to another, touch the ground or a marker, then quickly change direction and sprint back to the starting point, repeating the process for a set duration or number of repetitions.

3.      Core Strengthening Exercises

Core strengthening exercises target the muscles of the abdomen, lower back, and pelvis, helping to improve stability, balance, and overall strength.

Examples include planks (holding a push-up position with the body straight and supported on forearms and toes), Russian twists (seated on the ground, twisting the torso from side to side while holding a weight or medicine ball), and leg raises (lying on the back and lifting the legs upward while keeping them straight).

4.      Resistance Band Training

Resistance band training is among the best at-home badminton exercises and workouts that involve using elastic bands to provide resistance during exercises, targeting various muscle groups.

Resistance bands come in different strengths and can be used for exercises such as lateral band walks (side-stepping while stretching a band around the legs), shoulder rotations (holding a band in front of the body and rotating the shoulders), and bicep curls (stepping on a band and curling the arms upward).

Related: Resistance band shoulder exercises

5.      Plyometric Exercises

Plyometric exercises are high-intensity movements that involve rapid stretching and contracting of muscles, improving explosive power and athleticism.

Examples include jump squats (squatting down and explosively jumping upward), box jumps (jumping onto and off of a sturdy box or platform), and depth jumps (stepping off a box and immediately jumping upward upon landing).

6.      Jumping Exercise

 Jumping exercises focus on improving vertical jump height, leg strength, and power.

These exercises include vertical jumps (jumping upward as high as possible from a standing position), broad jumps (jumping forward for distance), and tuck jumps (jumping upward and bringing the knees toward the chest in mid-air).

7.      Speed and Reaction Drills

Speed and reaction drills are designed to improve quickness, agility, and the ability to react to stimuli.

These drills often involve rapid changes of direction, acceleration, and deceleration.

Examples include reaction ball drills (bouncing a small, unpredictable ball and reacting to its movements), ladder drills incorporating speed and direction changes, and cone drills where athletes sprint around cones in different patterns.

Over To You

Let’s do a quick recap; we’ve listed the best badminton exercises and workouts that even beginners can perform with ease.

Now, here’s the million-dollar question: Are you ready to take your badminton game to soaring new heights?

Now it’s your turn to hit the court, give these exercises your all, and watch as your skills skyrocket.