Chapter 5 Performance in the Game

What you must learn to play singles

A study of the charts would seem to imply that there is much you must learn
to perform competently in singles. These things can be listed as follows: 1.
You must learn the various techniques of hitting the shuttle, i.e. the
strokes and the variations on the strokes. You should then be able to hit the
shuttle from anywhere in your court to anywhere in your opponent's court to
make the moves in the situation.
2. You must learn how to travel from one situation to another, position
yourself to hit the shuttle, and recover from that stroke-move to travel into a
new position in time to cover the possible replies. To do this requires skilful
footwork and good balance.
3. You must be able to meet the physical demands of the game. Any
fitness training must be designed to improve your ability to travel easily
be-tween situations and to perform moves in those situations. The
fitness training must link up with travelling and hitting techniques. This
is achieved by continuous work over a period of time.
4. You must learn to make the appropriate stroke-moves. Thus you must
learn all the stroke-moves possible in a situation. Then you can learn what is
appropriate by finding out what is actually possible for you and your
opponent. To do this you require more knowledge of your own game and
that of your opponent. If in a given situation there are ten moves possible
and your opponent can only make four of those moves then you can plan
accordingly and create situations to your advantage. The framework
provides you with a checklist of possible moves, their replies and how to
recover after making a move. You can assess what you or your opponent can
do against that check list. If you find that you have any weakness, then you
can devise practices to correct that weakness. For example, let us assume
that you never quite manage to recover to meet the `block' reply at the top of
the net after you have travelled backwards to smash from the rearcourt. More
often than not, by the time you reach the shuttle, it has fallen near the floor in
the forecourt. Consequently the situation is to your disadvantage and often
results in your losing the rally. You might not realise that, ideally, you ought
to
Chapter 5: Performance in the Game 67

take the shuttle at the top of the net after your smash from the
rearcourt. If you are not aware of this, the framework will indicate it,
for it pro-vides a list of possibilities in any situation. One reason for
using the smash as a tactical move is to obtain the block reply to the
forecourt so that you are able to travel forwards and attack the shuttle
at the top of the net. You can always learn what you ought to try to
achieve with your stroke-moves by referring to the framework. In this
case, you must work out why you are unable to travel forwards in time
to take the shuttle near the top of the net and not near the floor. There
could be several reasons. It could be the way you approach the
forecourt to make your stroke-move; your footwork or stroke technique
might be in-adequate; it could be that you step backwards after the
smash because you did not get into the smash position to begin with,
and thus are slow to recover to reach the replies to the forecourt. When
you have decided what the cause is, you can devise a practice which
will include travelling backwards to get into the smash position, the
stroke-move and the recovery to enable you to travel to meet the shuttle
near the top of the net.
From this brief discussion it is clear that much must be learnt if you want to
improve your performance and become a complete player. If this is the case,
then you should be clear just what aspects of your performance you want or
need to improve. So let us take a closer look at performance and see what it
implies for you in the game.

Performance and standards

A lot can be gained from exploring `performance' in some depth. In this
context, this word is used in two ways, both of which are important in your
development as a singles player.
First, we can talk about a successful or unsuccessful performance when we
refer simply to whether you won or lost the game. We simply state a fact
about the result of the game, e.g. `John gave a successful performance',
meaning that John won the game. (This doesn't tell us very much and isn't
really interesting.) Second, we can say that John gave a good or a poor
performance, regardless of whether or not John won or lost the game. (It is
quite usual for a player to come off court and be told that he has played
well, even though he has lost.) In fact there would be no contradiction in
saying that John lost but gave a good performance, or John won but played
badly.
You must understand in what sense your performance is good or bad, quite
apart from the result of the match, or you learn nothing and make no
progress. Progress in singles is very much dependent on learning and you
should learn something about your performance as a player each time you
play a game. But this is only true if you are able to evaluate how you played
Part Two: Performance in the Game 68

in the game. Comments of the `good' and `bad' type are judgements about the
value of your performance with respect to standards of excellence in some
aspect of the game: the suggestion is that your performance either comes up
to standard or falls below that standard in some way.
Nevertheless, even though it is important that you attain good standards in
performance, it is even more important that you are successful in the game.
Winning is what the game is all about. Hence successful performance is the
main target. The ideal state, obviously, is to give a performance which is
both good and successful. You should try to win and also attain the desired
standards of excellence within the game. In fact, the chances of success are
increased if you can also ensure a good standard of performance.
At this point the framework becomes useful in identifying these inter-related
features of performance and demonstrating the standards of excellence you
should try to attain. It contains the sum total of all those aspects of the game
you must learn in order to become a singles player: the framework is the
game.
The framework serves as a measure by which you can assess your
knowledge and understanding, simply by comparing what you can do with
what you ought to do to reach the highest standard of performance possible,
i.e. perfection. This is personified in the notion of the `complete player': one
who reaches the highest standard in all aspects of the game and so wins
unless equalled by any opponent. Of course, in a sense, perfection is an
unattainable ideal, even though it is the distant destination you seek if you
want to become a better player; for to seek perfection is to seek the standards
of excellence (what counts as `good'), in the various parts that make up
performance.
We also have a further set of related standards. These are the practical
standards of performance set by different opponents at different levels of
play within the game. These we can quite easily recognise, for they range
between those of the beginner and of the current world champion. Between
these two levels are a number of steps which must be climbed, each one
more difficult and demanding. It is possible to compare progress in the
different levels of play with climbing a pyramid (see fig. 7). There are many
routes up the pyramid and the choice of route and method of travel will
depend on the way the game is organised in different countries throughout
the world. Obviously at some stage one needs access to international tourna-
ment play to become a valid contender for the title of world champion. It is
most unlikely that a player could become successful at that level of play
unless he had also attained high standards of excellence in all the various
parts of the game.
These levels of play are very important, for they give you the chance to test
your progress on your journey to becoming a better player. However good
your practical knowledge of what stroke-moves to perform and theoretical
knowledge of when they are appropriate in a situation, there
Chapter 5.: Performance in the Game 69

Fig. 8
Fig. 7
PERFECTION
world
champion
contenders

international players Standardsof

The different
levels of play excellence in
players in counties, states, regions indicate practical performance
standards of in the game
performance relative
players in clubs, schools, leagues to the players at
each level on
beginners the pyramid

comes the time when you must try out your knowledge on the court. The
test is to compete against other players. If you can progress from club
player to the club team and win the club singles championship you have
become a better player. From there you can continue to progress, becoming
the best at each level and gradually a better player. Note that `better' here is
not only relative to other players, and levels of play set by those players.
Each opponent at each level of play is a test of your progress, not only
towards the top of the players' pyramid but also towards the ideal of
perfection. This ideal, with its objective standards of excellence within the
different parts of the game, runs parallel to the pyramid though separate
from it (see fig. 8). The objective standards of excellence are quite different
from the practical standards set by players.* Even the world champion, who
is on top of the
* For example, the intention of the clear as a stroke-move is to get the shuttle over the
opponent's head and make him travel to the rearcourt. There are several sets of standards
involved here; with respect to the way you hit the shuttle, a good standard of skilled
performance would be described in terms of smooth, fluent, economical, rhythmic, neat
and efficient stroke production. The shuttle would be hit with control to travel accurately
to the desired place in the rearcourt. As a stroke-move it would be of a good standard only
if it caught the opponent out, i.e. made him late getting to the rearcourt, made him travel all
the way to the rearcourt, reduced his chances of making a scoring hit, and created a
situation to your advantage.
These are objective standards of good performance determined by the nature of the game
and what good players at the highest level are capable ofachieving consistently in the
game. Practical standards of performance are relative to the various levels of player in the
game. Two beginners may use the clear as a move but perform it technically with excessive
movement and inefficient production of the stroke. Consequently it does not send the
opponent to the rearcourt. Nevertheless it could still be effective as a move at that level of
play because the opponent, as a beginner, may find that even such a crude clear is to his
disadvantage. Although we recognise that beginners are well below the objective standard
of what counts as `good', when compared with the standards set within the framework and
the ultimate ideal of `perfection', they are capable of playing below this standard and still
attaining the practical standards relative to their level of play. At their level this would be
sufficient to win the game.
Part Two: Performance in the Game
70

pyramid, can still work towards the ideal of perfection as set out in the
framework, and become a better player in the sense of becoming a more
complete player. Indeed he must do so, for if he rests on his laurels he risks
losing the title of best player. In defeating an opponent, he unavoidably
`teaches' that opponent about his (the champion's) game and also about the
opponent's own game. Hence an intelligent and ambitious contender will
begin to do whatever is necessary to eliminate weaknesses and devise ways
to improve his standards of performance in the various aspects of the game.
So the next time he meets the champion he will be better equipped to
challenge the champion for his title. No champion can afford to stand still.
Like all players, he must aim at the twin targets necessary in any progress
towards becoming a better player. These are, again, the ideal of perfection
inherent in the framework which is personified in the complete player; and
the inter-vening targets of the different levels of player (though in the world
champion's case his only threat is from the contenders in the pyramid).
To sum up briefly: you test yourself against other players to measure your
progress on the road to perfection (the unattainable ideal); and to help you
there is the framework, which makes it possible to test and measure yourself
accurately and also provides the means of improving your performance,
giving a frame of reference to assess any aspect of your performance in the
game. The task now is to take a closer look at the different aspects of
performance and try to work out the desired standards of excellence
inherent in each part.

The components of performance

Performance comprises three main components. These are skill, fitness and
attitude. I shall discuss only skill and fitness here, and attitude, the most
complex component, separately in Chapter Six.

1. Skill Skill consists of the technical and tactical aspects of

performance
a. Technical skill
The technical aspects are the strokes and footwork, i.e. the various techniques
of hitting the shuttle and travelling from one situation to another to hit the
shuttle. The emphasis here is on the art of moving in the game. This is most
apparent if you reflect upon the descriptions used about various skilful
players. We talk about the strokes in terms of a `powerful' smash, a `gentle'
dropshot; he `caresses' the shuttle over the net, and possesses a `flashing'
backhand. In these instances we refer to the way a player hits the shuttle and
use various aesthetic words to paint a picture of the impression we receive.
The same can be said of the general movement around the court
Chapter 5: Performance in the Game 71

when we refer to the player as graceful, flowing, gliding, skimming the

ground and landing featherlight.
In using such descriptions, not only do we paint a picture of the player
in action but also evaluate the way he performs and suggest therefore that
he comes up to some standard of excellence that we admire and enjoy.
Usually we are even more specific than this and refer to stroke production
as neat, tidy, economical in time and energy (all necessary to hit the shuttle
with control and accuracy). The footwork and general movement we refer
to as balanced, quick, light and controlled. Here we are more concerned
with the mechanical efficiency of the technical performance than with the
beauty of the performance. The descriptions we generally use are a
combination of physical and aesthetic descriptions which sometimes
overlap, as when we use the word `powerful' which tells us something
about the force used to hit the shuttle and the quality of the movement of
the player in his execution of the stroke. Both types of description imply
that there are standards of per-formance which we believe are the mark of a
good player. A player must become very proficient in using his racket, and
in his footwork' and general movement about the court. It is worth taking a
closer look at the techniques of hitting and moving in the game.

Hitting and moving techniques

Badminton is a hitting game which involves the delivery of `blows' to an
opponent. There is, of course, no physical contact with the opponent, for you
hit the shuttle not the opponent. Nevertheless, the game involves the
aggressive element of attack. The racket is the weapon that delivers the
`blow'. The game is played at speed, making quick recovery after the blow
essential. The rule to follow is `hit and move'. Balance and control are
important factors in recovery. A player who travels to a situation to make a
stroke-move and loses balance will be slow to recover. Poor hitting and
travelling techniques can upset balance and slow the recovery. Correct
hitting and moving techniques appropriate to the stroke-move in the situation
are necessary.

Hitting techniques
The badminton racket is very light and can be used very easily to apply much
force with a minimum of strength and movement. There are a number of
different grips which allow you to hold the racket in different ways to hit the
shuttle in various situations. The grip serves two functions. First, it enables
you to control the racket face and so direct the shuttle to any place in the
opponent's court. Second, it enables you to control the racket head to apply
more or less force to the shuttle in the chosen direction. You can read about
the grips and strokes in my earlier books Badminton for Schools and Better
Badminton for All (both published by Pelham Books Ltd).
The racket should be held in position ready to hit the shuttle from
 72
Part Two: Performance in the Game

anywhere in the space around the body. For rearcourt moves, the racket is
simply lifted back and held ready to hit the shuttle from a high position (see
plate 22). The force of the blow will be determined by the weight and speed
of the racket head. With a light racket head you will need to generate more
speed. One possible way is by holding the racket near the bottom of the
handle, thus effectively increasing the length of the racket (see plate 23), and
by keeping your trunk still during the hitting phase of the action. This will
also assist balance and recovery.
In the forecourt and midcourt less movement of the arm is required since
the blow will usually require less force. Nevertheless, the trunk must be in a
Plate 22.
Overhead preparation
 Chapter 5: Performance in the Game 73

Plate23.
Long grip

Plate 24. Short grip

state of balance to allow you to deliver quick `blows' in the forecourt and
midcourt. It helps here to shorten the length of the racket by holding it
near the top of the handle (see plate 24), and then the `blow' and recovery
are more rapid.
The trunk acts as the main axis around which the blows are delivered.
It remains firm and fixed whilst blows are delivered with various degrees
of force to the shuttle located in different areas of space around it. It is
quite easy to experience this. Take your racket, stand with your feet firmly
planted and tense the muscles in your thighs and bottom. Then allowing
only your shoulders to rotate when necessary, hit the space around the
body
Part Two: Performance in the Game 74

with a series of rapid strong blows. There is little time - nor is more
necessary - for a large `preparation' or `follow-through' after each blow.
Now repeat the exercise whilst delivering soft `blows'. Excess movement
is eliminated and greater efficiency is obtained. The movements are
perfectly natural and sufficient for the job. The general rule is not to use
more move-ment and energy than is necessary to make a particular stroke-
move.
You can gain further insight into hitting techniques with a study of
karate, boxing, aikido and kendo. Most sports centres offer such activities
and there is an excellent opportunity to watch the athletes in training and
practice, which is the best time to watch, for then they tend to repeat the
same actions continuously. In these activities balance and speed of recovery
are crucial. Thus these sports develop certain techniques and special
exercises designed to increase the speed of hitting and recovery with the
minimum of movement. The preparation for the `blow' does not just involve
physical readiness but also mental readiness. The force originates in the
centre of the body and generates rapidly (sometimes explosively) outwards
into the `blow'. To achieve this effect the attention is focused on the moment
of the `blow'. This requires concentration of thought with move-ment. It
does not matter whether the blow is soft or strong, the same attention must
be focused on that moment in time when the racket strikes the shuttle. To do
this takes much hard work and repetition in the early stages of learning. You
have to develop a quality of movement in your hitting technique. For speed
of hitting and recovery with control partly depends on your ability to tense
and relax muscles rapidly. When you hit quickly, the muscles must be able
to contract rapidly. (This is the `tension'.) Rapid contraction can, however,
only come from relaxed muscles. (This is the `relaxation'.) If the tension
involves strain, this simply implies the inability to relax muscles properly in
the first place. `Tension' and ,relaxation' are the basis of speed and control.
The quality of such move-ment requires a large degree of mental control,
and a conscious awareness and control over the bodily state. A simple
experiment will confirm this. Try the following exercises.

Body awareness

Stand upright with feet shoulder width apart. Allow your shoulders to slump
and your arms to hang heavily; collapse rather than relax. Now imagine that
you are connected to the electricity supply. It is switched on and a very low
voltage is passed through your body - just sufficient to alert your. muscles.
There is a very light tension throughout your body. Begin to straighten up.
Allow your arms to remain by your sides. Focus your attention on the
tension in the fingers until they feel light and alert, without strain. Hold the
increased tension and experience the power and energy available. Now the
voltage is gradually reduced and the tension reduces until you feel it very
lightly in the fingertips. Concentrate and maintain the
Chapter 5: Performance in the Game 75

light tension throughout your whole body. Hold it for a moment and then
let the shoulders collapse. The current has been turned off. Begin again.
The current is turned on. You go into a state of light tension. Feel it in the
fingertips. Bend your arms so that your hands are held lightly in front of
you. Imagine the voltage is increased very rapidly for a fraction of a
second. In that time you make a rapid blow with an increase in tension
and then as the voltage decreases, reduce the tension and remain with
your arms bent and hands in front ready to make another blow. Now
perform a series of quick blows and then each time reduce the voltage so
that you return to a state of light tension throughout the body, felt
particularly in the fingers and hands.
At no time does the current get turned off. The body is always held in a
state of light tension (relaxation phase), ready to travel and hit the
shuttle. Then the tension increases and reduces when the work has been
completed. There is no sign of collapse throughout the body in a single
muscle during the actual play. Unfortunately, many players lack this
quality of movement in their actions. They collapse in the back muscles
after a smash so the trunk falls forwards after the stroke-move. The arm
collapses after a gentle net reply (a soft `blow'). The upper body collapses
and goes heavy after a backward jump smash or after a lunge in the
forecourt. Hence control and balance are poor; recovery is slow and
unnecessarily energy-consuming, and the player is unable to cover the
replies to his stroke-move with maximum effect.
All the strength, speed and agility that comes from fitness training will not
improve the quality of movement unless you are aware of the sensation of
tension and relaxation in your muscles and can control that state
through-out your performance. The same quality of movement is required
in your technique of travelling over the court to make the stroke-moves.
Here you must be able to travel easily and quickly from one situation to
another. And in this respect good posture and carriage in conjunction with
good footwork is most important. If the trunk rests lightly and balances
easily on the hips without strain then it becomes easier to travel around
the court. The legs will have less work to do, for the trunk `rides' on them
without being a burden to them. You will understand what I mean if you
have ever given anyone a `piggy back' ride and they have let their weight
go and become heavy - a `dead weight' - on your back. It is quite a burden
to carry around. It is less so if the `rider' holds himself up and carries
some of his own weight. He appears to make himself lighter and
consequently you can move around more easily. Similarly in play, if you
carry your trunk lightly on your legs, you will be able to travel around the
court easily and without strain. The tactical benefits of good technique
with quality of movement are seen in less time taken to travel to the
shuttle and to recover from your stroke-move to cover the reply, and even
greater control and accuracy in the execution of the stroke-move. Thus
you can maintain an effective attack.
 Part Two: Performance in the Game 76

Travelling techniques

The means of travel between situations can vary. Between the midcourt and
the rearcourt it usually takes the form of sprints, sidesteps and jumps (see
plate 25). This is performed lightly and with a softness of foot which
improves the speed of travel and indicates a concern for quality of movement
in the body. The action of accelerating from a particular stance, e.g.
defensive, is achieved by bending the knees and lowering the upright body
and then using the strong thigh muscles and muscles of the lower leg and
foot to push rapidly into the floor to thrust you away from the spot (see plate
26). Similarly, the ability to stop quickly in balance requires the use of

Plate 25.

Backward jump

Plate26

.Acceleration
 Chapter S: Performance in the Game 77

the same muscle groups in the legs to act as brakes and allow you to make
the stroke-move before thrusting you away again as you push off to recover
and travel for a new situation. The speed of travel, and starting and
stopping, is dependent on the relationship between the trunk and the legs
and the overall quality of muscular tension in the body.
The means of travel between the midcourt and the forecourt is either by
taking steps to travel up to the shuttle to arrive in balance (see plate 27), or
by stretching to extend the reach. The most common action is the lunge,
similar to that used by the fencer, and an action that maintains the body in
balance and aids speedier recovery. With training and an awareness of
posture and balance you should learn to stretch into a deep lunge at speed

Plate 27.
Balanced forecourt stance
 Part Two: Performance in the Game 78

with maximum control and possess the strength and technique to recover
smoothly from the lunge with control.
Any training in travelling around the court should include:
a. Pushing off quickly from the spot with short sprints in backward,
forward and diagonal directions to stop quickly in balance and then push
off to recover.
b. Sidesteps towards the corners with a jump to smash and then a
controlled landing before pushing away to recover.
c. Exercises designed to increase flexibility in the legs, hip joint and lower
back to ensure the ability to perform full deep lunges in forward and side-
Plate 28. Forward lunge ways directions whilst the trunk remains centred and in balance (see plates
28 and 29). For those players interested in this aspect of performance, I

Plate 29. Side lunge

Chapter S: Performance in the Game 79

would recommend some study and observation of contemporary and

classical dance training methods and also Olympic gymnastic stretching
exercises. In addition, careful observation of fencers and top-class
badminton players will provide some insight into the technical aspects of
hitting and travelling in the game.

b. Tactical skill
By this, we mean the use of stroke-moves to defeat the opponent. The
emphasis is solely on how an opponent is played. When we describe and
evaluate the tactical aspect of performance we tend to apply words
concerned with mental powers. A good player in this respect reaches a high
standard if he uses common sense, plays intelligently, is shrewd or cunning,
imaginative and creative. These are the standards we want the good player
to achieve. Hence to become a better player you must make stroke-moves
which are appropriate in the situations that occur during a rally. Then, and
only then, can you be said to have reached the desired tactical standards and
to deserve such descriptions as `intelligent' and `imaginative'. To reach the
desired standards in the technical and tactical aspects of skilled performance
requires much work in practice and competition; how to work in these areas
is discussed in more detail in Chapter Eight.

The technical and tactical skill required are clearly shown in the charts.
Skill in playing requires a combination of both in the form of stroke-moves
played in situations in accordance with the principle of attack. To ensure a
good performance there are various standards expressed in physical, mental
and aesthetic judgements of performance that the execution of a stroke and
the choice of a stroke-move must attain. If you want to become a better
player with respect to skilled performance then you must look critically at
your performance in these terms.

2. Fitness Fitness is a difficult word to explain for it is used to describe both physical
and mental states. For instance, a person who `feels' fit can be proved not at
all fit by a few minutes' hard exercise, while a highly trained player who is
superbly fit can go on court and not feel fit.
As these examples show, we use the word to refer to both our mental state of
well-being and our physical state. The purpose of being fit is to improve our
capacity for hard physical work and to delay the onset of and quicken the
recovery from fatigue. Here we are concerned mainly with fitness
specifically for badminton, with respect to physical performance in the game
and, to some extent, with `feeling' fit to play the game.
If you cannot do the work required, i.e. the amount of work at the rate the
game is being played, then your technical and tactical performance will
suffer. You will fall below your standards in stroke production and become
Part Two: Performance in the Game 80

inefficient, make errors and lose accuracy and control. You might also
begin to make errors in judgement and `read' the game badly.
No matter how intelligent you are as a player, if your moves do not
create the situations you intend because the shuttle does not go where you
aim it, you will reduce your chances of winning. In addition, if you are too
tired to get into position to cover the replies in the situations you create,
then you will obviously lose any advantage you have played for and may
perhaps lose the rally. It is easy to see that your skill and fitness are
separate but inter-dependent aspects of your performance. So also are
attitude and fitness. It is most important that, if you have trained hard and
achieved a high standard of fitness, you should actually `feel' fit when you
step onto the court. It would be most disappointing to feel listless,
lethargic, tired and drained of all energy, and this can happen if you are
not in the right state of mind before and during the game. How you can
prevent this happening or overcome it when it does happen is a difficult
problem to solve. In fact there are few positive solutions though there are
many suggestions, some of which work and others of which do not. In
Chapter Six, when `attitude' is considered, I shall discuss this in more
depth to provide some understanding of how it is caused and how it relates
to your performance in the game. At this point it is sufficient to indicate
that `attitude' is related to fitness as a factor in your performance.

a. Fitness components
There are a number of fitness components that you must develop. These are:
agility, flexibility, local muscular and cardio-vascular endurance, strength,
power, speed and the correct maintenance of body weight.

Agility is the ability to change direction quickly with control whilst travelling
at speed. This is something you must be able to do in the game as you travel
from one situation to another during a rally.
Flexibility is the ability to extend your limbs through the full range of
movement required to meet all the twisting and turning and stretching that
the game demands.
Local muscular endurance is the ability to use the same group of muscles
continuously without fatigue, e.g. when you have to perform many overhead
strokes or travel backwards and forwards throughout the game. If your legs
begin to feel heavy or it becomes a strain to make that overhead clear then it
could be that the muscle groups involved are suffering from fatigue. You are
not fit enough to do that amount of work. This is a good example of how
lack of fitness can affect your skill.
Cardio-vascular endurance is the capacity to keep up demanding activity
over long periods of time, particularly when it involves large muscle groups.
The popular name for this component is `heart and lungs' endurance,
Chapter S: Performance in the Game 81

because it is involved with the transportation of energy to the working

muscles. As badminton demands much running and jumping you will need
a constant supply of energy to those heavily worked muscles. This will
only come about if the heart and lungs are capable of working efficiently
for long stretches of time.
Strength is to do with the amount of force you can exert with your muscles
and relates closely to power, which is the capacity to release the maximum
force in the shortest possible time. A powerful player is one who not only
is strong but can exert that force very quickly, almost explosively. The
Indonesian player Lien Swie King is an excellent example of this,
possessing tremendous power which is seen clearly when he springs
upwards to smash (see plate 30.)

Plate 30.
Liem Swie King
power jump
 82
Part Two: Performance in the Game

Speed is simply the ability to run fast and move quickly from one place to
another. It links up with power for, in the game, speed of acceleration is
usually dependent on power. This is seen when you have to explode from a
defensive stance to reach an attack clear early enough to reply with a
smash.
Maintenance of correct body weight is important to ensure that you do not
do more work than is necessary, but are capable of doing all that is
necessary. Thus, if you are overweight you carry an extra load and must do
more work to carry yourself around. This uses up vital energy. If you are
below your correct weight it is most likely that you will be either too weak
to do the work or not have sufficient energy stored in the body. Correct
body weight is maintained through a combination of exercise and diet.

On getting fit

There are three essential factors which contribute to badminton fitness.

These are:
1. Training. The fitness components are developed by training the body in
various ways to withstand the rigours of the game. The type of work done in
training should, as much as is possible, relate to the type of physical
movement you will actually perform in the game. The best training will
occur on court, performing strokes and stroke-moves in selected situations.
2. Rest. A certain amount of rest is important to allow the body to recover
from the work. This includes the rest taken during training and the rest
gained between training sessions doing other things or in natural sleep.
3. Diet. A correct diet ensures that the body is supplied with the essential
fuel to meet the demands of play, and that correct body weight is
maintained.

It is very important in any training programme that you get the balance
right between these factors. This is essential if there is to be any improve-
ment in fitness.

b. Fitness standards

The standards within fitness are to some extent built into the fitness com-
ponents. The fit player should be strong, fast, powerful, agile, flexible,
tireless (endurance), lean, athletic and muscular. In addition there are
links with aesthetic standards with respect to the quality of movement. We
might also expect the fit player to be dynamic and explosive.
The standards the fit player should attain are necessary to meet the
demands of the game. Some of these standards are measurable, e.g.
strength, power, speed, flexibility and the other fitness components. The
aesthetic standards are not measurable in the same way for they refer to
the quality of the player's fitness rather than the level of his fitness. But
such aesthetic standards of fitness are dependent on the physical
measurable
Chapter S: Performance in the Game 83

aspects of fitness. A higher level of fitness is often reflected in a better

quality of fitness shown in movement around the court. This is to be
expected, for if this fitness is specific to badminton and one becomes
badminton-fit by training on those movements, then necessarily one is
going to become a better (more skilful) mover in the game. Thus the
quality of the fitness is related to the quality of the skilled movement in the
game. Fitness and skill are inseparable in the performance of quality
movement which attains aesthetic standards.
The significance of these fitness standards is that they are aims for any
player who wants to become better in terms of becoming a more complete
player, as well as wanting to climb the pyramid into the higher levels of
play. They are necessary standards for they arise from the demands of the
game as reflected in the framework.

c. Training for fitness

Though it is not the intention in this book to discuss specific training

methods it is possible to provide additional guidelines to getting fit. There
are a number of principles you ought to consider in training for fitness.
These are:
1. Build up a general level of fitness, i.e. an efficient cardio-vascular
system.
2. Train specifically for badminton and so develop badminton fitness.
3. Overload the training. Do more work in training than the game
demands.
4. Make the training progressive. Getting fit is a gradual business and
you must build up slowly to larger amounts of work.
5. Measure your progress. Test yourself and then keep a record to see
how you are improving.
6. Make the work interesting. Some variety is important.

If you want to train seriously for badminton fitness then you will find Get
Fit for Badminton by J. Downey and D. Brodie (Pelham Books, 1980) most
helpful.
Finally, even though fitness training appears to be hard work (the
principle of overload and progression) it can still be enjoyable. For most
sportsmen and women it can become a regular part of their daily lives.
Eventually, the beneficial effect of regular training and a concern for the
quality of movement in play will improve your badminton fitness. The
reward comes both from the experience of the training and the end result, a
better performance in the game.