Warm Up Exercise: Step by Step Guide

This step by step guide is not just about warm-up exercise for playing badminton game, but also practical and useful to other sports, such as Sprinting, Marathon, Tennis, you name it.

Badminton is a difficult sport to play. Non-dependent whether you play on a recreational basis or you are an elite level player, a good warm-up is critical to maximizing your performances. You need to increase the temperature of your joints and prepare for high-intense activity.

Even if you play with your friend, the rally can last for few minutes, especially when both of you are skillful players. Some players are not attackers by nature, so they simply stick to returning the shuttlecock until their opponent makes a mistake.

Video 1 : Warm Up Exercise in General

Video 2 : Warm Up video before playing badminton

Benefits of warm-up:

• Injury prevention;
• Better preparation of your joints and muscles for high-intense activity;
• An increase in heart rate;
• Increase in flexibility;
• Improvement in performances and better overall preparation.

Most Important Areas During Badminton Game

The most critical areas of injury are shoulder, wrist, elbow, knees, hamstrings, groins, calves, and feet. There are so many situations when you need to make extreme amplitude to return a hard smash or a drop shot. When you jump and land, knee might be heavily endangered. And not to mention slides and foot rotations. Badminton is a dangerous sport and you need excellent preparation!

The most often injuries you might face are torn ACL, foot injuries, shoulder injuries, back pain, hamstring injury, groin strain, wrist sprain, tennis elbow, Achilles tendon injury and many others. So don’t play a hero – good warm-up keeps you away from injuries and lengthens your career.

Proper Warm-Up Session

Here is our recommendation for the perfect badminton warm-up:

• Move your head sideways ten times to both sides, then move it backward and forward ten times.
• Perform light circles with your head to the sides and perform 10 repetitions. When you smash, neck muscles are very active and don’t be surprised if you feel pain after or during the match.
• Circle with your arms forward ten times, then perform ten repetitions backward. You have a similar movement during smashes.
• Simulate the smash without the badminton racket ten times with both hands. You mustn’t feel shoulder pain in the middle of the match.
• Cross your arms putting your right hand on your left shoulder and pull this hand towards you to stretch your right shoulder. Perform the same pattern for another hand.
• Perform ten arm circles to the inside, and ten arm circles to the outside. When you move your racket, this move is critical!
• Cross the fingers of your wrists and start executing circles to the left and right, forward and backward. Perform this exercise at least 30 seconds, it is very important, most of the shots in badminton come off the wrist!
• Stretch your wrists. It is also great exercise for defensive players (1:17 and 1:23).
• Stretch your triceps by touching left scapula with your right hand, and pushing your elbow down with your left hand. Hold the position for at least 20 seconds and repeat the same exercise for the opposite side.
• Lift your hands above your head fully extended crossing your fingers, palms facing the ceiling. Stretch for 20 seconds, then lean to the left, and then to the right (each side 20 seconds).
• Circle 20 times with your hips clockwise, then 20 times counterclockwise.
• Widespread your legs, lean your body forward, and touch your left foot with your right hand, and do the same for the opposite arm and leg. Perform 20 repetitions.
• Lift your knee up and grab it with your hands. Push the knee up and keep the position for at least 10 seconds.
• Sit on your right leg, pushing your left leg to the side and keeping it fully extended. Keep the position for 15 seconds, then change leg. It is a vital exercise for your slides!
• Put the leg on the elevated surface (table is ok) keeping it extended and lean on your leg as much as you can. Perform the same movement pattern for the opposite leg.
• Move your knees forward and backward ten times, keeping your hands on the knees. Then move your knees ten times to the left and right like you simulate skiing. Do not circle with your knees!
• Stand with your legs touching each other and lean forward keeping your knees extended, and try to touch your toes. Maintain this position for at least 20 seconds.
• Stretch your ankles. There are many good exercises – we recommend you pick at least 10 from this video and perform at least 20 repetitions, the importance of ankle warm-up is extremely important for a successful badminton match!
• Circle with your wrists and right ankle at the same time for 20 seconds. Repeat the same movement pattern for another leg.
• Stretch your calves against the wall. Hold the position for at least 10 seconds.
• Run few minutes, and change intensity from jogging to moderate run.
• Accelerate few times. The distance is short – 10-15 meters.
• Accelerate running backward on the same distance few times.

Your Turn

Congratulations, you are warmed up and ready for a match! Let the game begin!

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