All About Badminton Game

Nature of the Badminton game

Badminton is a racket sport played using racquets to hit a shuttlecock across a net on a court or a lawn. Shuttlecock is shot with a Nylon stringed metal/carbon fiber composite (graphite reinforced plastic) rimmed racket across the net, called a serve to player(s) on the other side of the court who try to send it back.

Each player tries to land the shuttlecock on the opposite teams or players while intercepting it on their side. The shuttlecock or “bird” has to fly over the net and reach the other side once a player hits it. The shuttlecock shots between the players to make a rally, and they hit it with their rackets till it lands on the court or till one of the players commits a fault.

The player scores a point if the opposite player misses the shuttle. These hits can either be smashes, slow and light, or flat and low.

Badminton is officially the fastest of all racket sports

Badminton Accessories

The commonly used Badminton Accessories are Grip, Badminton Clothes, Socks, Wrist Band, and Head Band.

Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia has recorded the fastest smash in the men’s singles competition during the Japan Open final against reigning World Champion Viktor Axelsen of Denmark. Lee hit a 417km/h powerful shot at in the third set.

Fastest Badminton Smash Recorded: 493 km/h

Would you ever have guessed that a badminton birdie (aka shuttlecock) is the fastest recorded object in sports?

It’s recorded while testing out new racket technology in 2013, Malaysia’s Tan Boon Hoeng set a new world record with a 493 km/h smash.

According to Guinness World Records Badminton Smash Recorded: 417 km/h

According to Guinness World Records, the fastest recorded smash hit during competition belongs to Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei, who managed to smash a 417 km/h shot during the Japan Open final in September 2017.

Apart from birdie speed, a Badminton player expects to run up to four miles (6.4km) around the court during a match to maintain those speedy rallies.

Stamina and agility are important, certainly at a competitive level, but when considering it as a recreational sport and to maintain your fitness and strength anyone can play badminton. Due to these reasons, the sport is a popular choice for people of all ages in India and around the globe.

You can read the complete Badminton history and understand it’s origin and how the sport evolved over the years.

Where does Badminton play?

Badminton is usually played on courts indoors as the shuttlecock drag is higher and it is difficult to play in windy weather outdoor conditions. As a recreational activity Badminton can be played in courts or on a lawn outdoors.

Badminton court dimensions

The Badminton court is made rectangular and is divided into two equal symmetric halves by a net suspended from two vertical posts fixed at either side of the court.

Courts are marked for singles and doubles, as they differ in their dimensions; the doubles court is larger in breadth than a singles court and has a shorter serve-length dimension.

The width of the doubles court is 20 feet (6.10 m) and that of the singles court is 17 feet (5.18 m), and 44 feet (13.41 m) length for both.

A short service line is marked on either side of the court at a distance of 6ft 6inches from the net.

A doubles long service line runs across the breadth of the court at 13 feet from the short service line, and the end of the court marks the singles’ long service line.

A center line parallel to the length of the court divides each side of the court into two equal halves.

Badminton Net Dimensions

A net is suspended from poles at the center on each side of the court on double sidelines with the top edge of the net set to a height of 5 ft (1.52 m) from the ground at the center and 5 ft 1 in (1.55 m) at the posts.

Types of equipment needed to play Badminton

Badminton Racket

Modern Badminton Rackets are light in weight and don’t weigh more than 100 grams. The frame of the Racket can be made of common metals like steel or aluminum. Sometimes rackets are made of alloys, tough carbon fiber, ceramic, or boron. Its length does not exceed 680mm and width does not exceed 230 mm.

Shuttlecock

The shuttlecock is a feathered or (in informal matches) plastic projectile which flies differently from the balls used in many other sports. In particular, the feathers create a much higher drag, causing the shuttlecock to decelerate more rapidly. Shuttlecocks also have a high top speed compared to the balls in other racquet sports. The flight of the shuttlecock gives the sport its distinctive nature.

Sixteen feathers fixed in a cork base enveloped in a thin leather sheet make a shuttlecock.

Interestingly, the best Badminton Shuttlecocks are made from feathers from the wing of a goose.

Usually the shuttle weighs between 4.74 to 5.50 grams.

Badminton Shoes

A good pair of Badminton shoes provide good grip, cushioning, and some flexibility at the forefoot.

Badminton Grip

A grip made of cloth or synthetic fiber absorbs sweat and provides you a drier feel.

Badminton Clothes

Comfortable T-shirts and shorts, and inner that doesn’t hinder your movement are ideal to play Badminton.

A cotton round-neck or collar t-shirts with a pair of light shorts are usually preferred.

All badminton clothing available for men and women in all sizes.

Badminton Socks

Wear a pair of thick cotton socks as they help to absorb sweat.
They also prevent your feet from slipping inside your shoes.
Avoid wearing Nylon socks that don’t absorb sweat.

Badminton Wristband

If you perspire a lot, you may consider getting a wrist band that prevents your sweat from flowing to your racket handle.

Badminton Headband

Wear a Head Band if you wear spectacles. It prevents your lenses from getting wet and also stops the sweat and hair from getting into your eyes while playing.

Ankle, Knee Support for Badminton

Wear knee, ankle, elbows, wrists, leg compression. If you wear all of these it prevents your muscles from getting injury while playing Badminton.

Badminton Net

There are various options for portable and normal Badminton net to play Badminton on court or on lawn.