BADMINTON

Sumukh Goutam
INDEX:
HISTORY OF BADMINTON:
◦ Games employing shuttlecocks have been played for centuries across Eurasia, but the modern game of badminton developed in
the mid-19th century among the British as a variant of the earlier game of battledore and shuttlecock. ("Battledore" was an older
term for "racquet".) Its exact origin remains obscure. The name derives from the Duke of Beaufort's Badminton House in 
Gloucestershire, but why or when remains unclear. As early as 1860, a London toy dealer named Isaac Spratt published a booklet
entitled Badminton Battledore – A New Game, but no copy is known to have survived. An 1863 article in The Cornhill
Magazine describes badminton as "battledore and shuttlecock played with sides, across a string suspended some five feet from the
ground".
◦ The game may have originally developed among expatriate officers in British India,where it was very popular by the 1870s. 
Ball badminton, a form of the game played with a wool ball instead of a shuttlecock, was being played in Thanjavur as early as the
1850s and was at first played interchangeably with badminton by the British, the woollen ball being preferred in windy or wet
weather.
◦ Early on, the game was also known as Poona or Poonah after the garrison town of Poona,where it was particularly popular and
where the first rules for the game were drawn up in [Link] 1875, officers returning home had started a badminton club in 
Folkestone. Initially, the sport was played with sides ranging from 1 to 4 players, but it was quickly established that games between
two or four competitors worked the [Link] shuttlecocks were coated with India rubber and, in outdoor play, sometimes weighted
with lead. Although the depth of the net was of no consequence, it was preferred that it should reach the ground.
◦ The sport was played under the Pune rules until 1887, when J. H. E. Hart of the Bath Badminton Club drew up
revised regulations. In 1890, Hart and Bagnel Wild again revised the rules. The Badminton Association of England
(BAE) published these rules in 1893 and officially launched the sport at a house called "Dunbar" in Portsmouth on 13
September. The BAE started the first badminton competition, the All England Open Badminton Championships for
gentlemen's doubles, ladies' doubles, and mixed doubles, in 1899. Singles competitions were added in 1900 and an 
England–Ireland championship match appeared in 1904.
◦ England, Scotland, Wales, Canada, Denmark, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, and New Zealand were the founding
members of the International Badminton Federation in 1934, now known as the Badminton World Federation. India
 joined as an affiliate in 1936. The BWF now governs international badminton. Although initiated in England,
competitive men's badminton has traditionally been dominated in Europe by Denmark. Worldwide, Asian nations
have become dominant in international competition. China, Denmark, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, South Korea, 
Taiwan (playing as 'Chinese Taipei') and Japan are the nations which have consistently produced world-class players
in the past few decades, with China being the greatest force in men's and women's competition recently.
◦ The game has also become a popular backyard sport in the United States.
History of Badminton In India:
◦ The exact origins of badminton, till date, remain obscure but there have been references of games involving shuttlecocks and
rackets in historic records of ancient India, China and Greece. The mentions dated back almost 2000 years.
◦ In medieval Europe, a children’s game called battledore and shuttlecock, in which players used a paddle (battledore) to keep a
small-feathered shuttlecock in the air as long as possible, was also popular. Jeu de Volant was another similar game played by
European aristocrats in the 17th century.
◦ The transformation of the past-time racket sport to becoming a globally-recognised sporting discipline, however, started from
India.
◦ British army officers got introduced to the indigenous version of the game, played for centuries, while stationed in India
around the 1860s.
◦ They made their own adaptations to the sport, primarily adding the net and called it Poona or Poonah, after the town (Pune)
the garrison was based in. The first informal set of badminton rules for the game were formed in India by the British colonists
in 1867.
◦ Interestingly, ball badminton – another variation of the game involving woollen
balls instead of shuttlecocks - was popular in southern parts of India. The British
soldiers in India took inspiration from that as well and used balls rather than
shuttlecocks while playing the game in windy or wet conditions.
◦ Soldiers returning from India took the game back to England and soon enough,
it caught the attention of the erstwhile Duke of Beaufort. In 1873, the Duke
introduced the game to his guests at a lawn-party held at his estate in
Gloucestershire.
◦ The Duke called it ‘the Badminton game’ after the name of his estate – the
Badminton House. The name stuck, and thus sport became badminton.
◦ Badminton’s popularity surged rapidly and it progressed from being a recreational garden activity to
becoming a game popular at clubs.
◦ The Bath Badminton Club, the first dedicated badminton club, was formed in 1877 and ten years
later, the club rewrote the informal rules coined in India. The Bath Badminton Club rules
established the framework for modern-day badminton.
◦ The Badminton Association of India (BAI) was established in 1899, six years after the Badminton
Association of England (BAE). It is one of the oldest badminton governing bodies in the world.
◦ The International Badminton Federation (IBF) was established in 1934 as the world governing body
for the sport. It was later renamed to Badminton World Federation (BWF). India joined the group in
1936.
◦ Badminton became a part of the Summer Olympics at the Barcelona 1992 Games with men’s
singles, men’s doubles, women’s singles and women’s doubles events added to the roster. In 1996,
mixed doubles was added to the list.
◦ Deepankar Bhattacharya and U Vimal Kumar were the first male shuttlers to represent India at
the Olympic Games in Barcelona 1992. Madhumita Bisht was India’s sole women representative at
the event.
◦ Badminton in India also latched on to the trend of franchisee-based sporting leagues with
the Premier Badminton League (PBL), which started in 2016.
◦ Every sport in India has its own set of heroes and badminton is no different. These shuttlers were
key in putting their country on the global badminton map.
◦ Prakash Padukone
◦ Prakash Padukone was probably the first superstar in the history of badminton in India. Padukone
was the first Indian to win the prestigious All England Open Badminton Championships in 1980
and reach No.1 in the men’s badminton world rankings.
◦ He was also India’s first Commonwealth Games gold medallist in badminton, winning the men’s
singles event in 1978. The ace shuttler also holds several other accolades, including a bronze at the
1983 World Badminton Championships and a gold in the 1981 World Cup in Singapore.
◦ Pullela Gopichand
◦ Mentored by Prakash Padukone, Pullela Gopichand took over his teacher’s mantle in the 90s
and early 2000s. Gopichand won the All England in 2001 and etched his name in Indian history
of badminton.
◦ Like Prakash Padukone did for him, Pullela Gopichand, too, dedicated himself to moulding the 
next generation of Indian badminton’s torch bearers.
◦ Kidambi Srikanth
◦ Kidambi Srikanth has been the top men’s badminton player in India since Pullela Gopichand
retired. Srikanth has six BWF Superseries and three BWF Grand Prix victories under his belt
and was ranked the No. 1 men’s player in the world in 2018.
◦ He’s the only Indian men’s shuttler since Prakash Padukone to be ranked top.
LATEST RULES AND REGULATIONS:
◦ If the serving side wins, they score a point and the same server serves again from the
alternate service court. If the receiving side wins, the receiving side scores a point.
The receiving side becomes the new serving side. To win the game of badminton, you
must score points before your opponent. Out of 3 sets of play you must win two.
Every time there is a serve, there is a point scored. According to badminton rules and
regulations for doubles, the side of doubles that win a rally adds a point to its score.
When both sides reach 20 all, the side which gains a 2-point lead first, wins that game.
When both sides reach 29 all, the side scoring the 30th point, wins that game.
◦ In doubles, the scoring system can be a little confusing, since there are 2 players
in a team who can serve. A rule of thumb is that a badminton game always
starts from the right-hand side The order of server depends on the score odd or
even, the same badminton rules and regulations for doubles as it is for singles.
For example, if both pairs have decided that you and your partner start the game
with you delivering the first serve, the score is 0-0. Since 0 is an even number,
you will serve from the right side of the court. Otherwise, the players continue
to stay in their respective service court from where they played their previous
game. From this method, alternate servers are guaranteed.
GENERAL RULES OF BADMINTON :

Rules
•A player must wait until his opponent is ready before serving. If the
opponent attempts a return then he is ruled having been ready.
•The feet of both players must remain in a stationary position until the
serve is made. Your feet can not be touching the line at this time.
•It is not a fault if you miss the shuttle while serving.
•The shuttle cannot be caught and slung with the racket.
•A player cannot hold his racket near the net to ward off a downward
stroke by his opponent or to interfere with his racket.
◦ Faults
• The shuttle, at the instant of being hit is higher than the servers waist or the head of the racket is higher than
the servers racket hand.
• The shuttle does not land in the correct service court.
• The server's feet are not in the service court or if the feet of the receiver are not in the court diagonally
opposite the server.
• The server steps forward as he/she serves.
• Any player balking or feinting his opponent before serve or during serve.
• A serve or shot that lands outside the court boundaries, passes under or through the net, touches any other
obstructions or a players body or clothing. The boundary and service lines are considered in play.
• The shuttle in play is struck before it crosses the net to the striker's side of the net. You may follow through
over the net.
• A player touching the net or its supports with his body or racket while the shuttle is in play.
• Hitting the shuttle twice in succession by a player or team.
◦ Scoring System
oA match consists of the best of 3 games of 21 points.
oEvery time there is a serve – there is a point scored.
oThe side winning a rally adds a point to its score.
oAt 20 all, the side which gains a 2 point lead first, wins that game.
oAt 29 all, the side scoring the 30th point, wins that game.
oThe side winning a game serves first in the next game.
◦ Interval and Change of Ends
oA 1 minute interval between each game is allowed.
oIn the third game, players change ends when the leading score reaches 11 points.
◦ Singles
o At the beginning of the game (0-0) and when the server’s score is even, the server serves from the right service court. When the server’s score is
odd, the server serves from the left service court.
o If the server wins a rally, the server scores a point and then serves again from the alternate service court.
o If the receiver wins a rally, the receiver scores a point and becomes the new server. They serve from the appropriate service court – left if their
score is odd, and right if it is even.
◦ Doubles
o A side has only one ‘set’.
o The service passes consecutively to the players as shown in the diagram.
o At the beginning of the game and when the score is even, the server serves from the right service court. When it is odd, the server serves from
the left court.
o If the serving side wins a rally, the serving side scores a point and the same server serves again from the alternate service court.
o If the receiving side wins a rally, the receiving side scores a point. The receiving side becomes the new serving side.
o The players do not change their respective service courts until they win a point when their side is serving.
◦ If players commit an error in the service court, the error is corrected when the mistake is discovered.
In a doubles match between A & B against C & D.  A & B won the toss and decided to serve. A to serve to C. A shall be the initial server while C
shall be the initial receiver.
SPECIFICATIONS OF THE COURT
◦ As per the guidelines laid down by the Badminton World Federation (BWF), the length of a
standard badminton court remains the same - 13.40m (44 ft) - for both types of competitions.
But the width differs with the singles court running wide till 5.18m (17 ft), denoted by the side
lines, while for the doubles court, the width is extended to 6.1m (20 ft), marked as the doubles
sidelines.
◦ The court has two halves measuring 6.7m (22 ft) each and separated by a badminton net that
stands 1.55m (5ft 1in) high at the ends and dips to 1.52m (5 ft) in the middle.
◦ The two playing areas on either side of the net are further vertically divided down the middle
demarking the service areas. This means a badminton court has four service courts each of
which is 3.96m (13 ft) long and 2.59m (8.5 ft) wide.
◦ With laws of badminton dictating specific rules for service in badminton, the court has two service lines,
the short service line, which is 1.98m (6.5 ft) from the net, and long service line 0.76m (2.5ft) in from the
baseline, specifically marked for this purpose. 
◦ In singles, the service needs to be beyond the short service line and within the boundary lines while in the
doubles game, the service should be beyond the short service line but it’s the long service line that acts as
the marker on the backcourt. This means, in doubles the serve length is shorter than in singles .
FUNDAMENTAL SKILLS:
◦ Knowing how to warm up properly
• Warming up is a combination of skill and a bit of know-how. It’s so important to do a full warm-up before playing to
help avoid injuries. It’s also important because you’re ready to go right from the start of the match. High speed
skipping for five minutes (try to go fast without losing consistency and tripping over the rope)
• A simple set of jumping jacks, squats, burpees, lunges and knee tucks each for one minute
• Jog around the hall at a quick pace for five minutes
◦ The basic forehand and backhand grip
◦ Learning the forehand and backhand grip is a fundamental skill. It’s so important to get this right as it’s the building
blocks to learning every shot in Badminton. The forehand grip is much like shaking somebody’s hand. Both in the way
you hold the racquet and in how tight you hold it. You want to hold the racquet loosely, gripping the racquet too tight
can lead to injuries like tennis elbow. It also makes it very difficult to hit the shot smoothly as you’re tensing up your
muscles. The backhand grip is for some people easier to get right. You simply take the forehand grip and roll the
thumb over so it sits flat on the grip rather than along the edge. The use of the thumb makes it easier to stabilize the
grip compared to the forehand.
◦ The basic six corners footwork
◦ Footwork is crucial in Badminton. It’s impossible to play good shots if you cannot reach the shuttle. In
Badminton, once the shuttlecock touches the floor the rally is over so you need to be able to cover the court in
order to play well. The six pieces of footwork are:
• Travelling to the forehand side of the net
• Travelling to the backhand side of the net
• Covering the forehand mid-court
• Covering the backhand mid-court
• Moving to the forehand rear-court
• Moving to the backhand rear-court
◦ The split step/the ready stance
◦ The split step is a technique used to get ready for the next shot. It’s used not only in Badminton but in sports
like Tennis as well. It’s the basis of building good footwork and speed around the court.
◦ The basic shots
◦ There are so many varieties of shots in Badminton. Variants of shots include slicing the shuttle, tumbling the
shuttle or hitting it at different angles with different swings. But they all have one original basic shot. For
beginners here is a list of basic shots you should master first.
• The serve (forehand or backhand)
• The lift (sometimes called a lob)
• The net shot
• The block
• The drop shot
• The smash
• The clear
• Hand-eye coordination
• Rhythm and timing
• Tactical and strategic thinking
IMPORTANT TOURNAMENTS AND
VENUES:
◦ The major body governing badminton is the International Badminton Federation (IBF), now known as
the Badminton World Federation (BWF). With the exception of the pinnacle of all tournaments – the
Olympic Games, the BWF hosts and runs all the major badminton tournaments in the world.
◦ The Olympics
◦ Badminton is a relatively new entrant to the Olympics, being included in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics
◦ All England Open
◦ The oldest ever badminton tournament ever held, the All England Open began as a prestigious
tournament in the late 1890s. Comprising of both singles and doubles format of the game, the All
England Open reigned as the supreme competition for badminton players until the BWF world
championships were introduced. 
 ◦ Badminton World Championships
◦ The BWF’s crown Jewel, the world championships was the tournament where the first ever ‘world champions’ were crowned. The
badminton world championships was launched in 1977, overtaking the All England Badminton Championships as the most
prestigious event in the sport, held once in three years at the time of its inception. Between 1985 and 2006, the tournament was
held once every two years. From 2006 onwards, the world championships was made an annual event, held every year except in the
year of the Summer Olympic Games.
◦ This badminton tournament is the one offering the most ranking points for any player. Winners are not offered prize money, but
they walked away with the most coveted title of ‘world champion’. 

The Olympic-bound P V Sindhu is the reigning world

champion in women's singles. Sindhu also has two silver and
two bronze medals at the worlds.
◦ BWF World Junior Championships
◦ A platform for recognizing young talent, the BWF World Junior Championships crown the best players under
the age of 19. This tournament is an annual affair with two competitive events- individual championships and
team championships. The Suhandinata Cup, Named after Justian Suhandinata (a BWF member who steered the
launch of a junior world championships) is awarded to the best young team, while the Eye Level Cup is
awarded in the individual championships. 
◦ This tournament aims at identifying and propelling young talent in badminton, offering them a perfect platform
for representing their country on an international arena. It also is the perfect exposure for national level
badminton players to glimpse the level of talent and skill required to excel at a world championship level.
◦ BWF Senior World Championships
◦ The BWF senior world championships are held biennially with events in all formats such as singles and
doubles for both men and women. The age categories of players competing in these tournaments range from 35
years of age and above, until 75 years of age. The categories are divided as 35 and above, 40 and above, 45 and
above, 50 and above, 55 and above, 60 and above 65 and above, 70 and above, and 75+. While there is no prize
money in this tournament, winners are crowned ‘World Senior Champions’ and are awarded a gold medal.
Participating nations may enter up to four players or pairs of players in each event in each age category.
◦ Thomas Cup / Uber Cup
◦ Badminton as a game enjoyed huge popularity from the late 1800s. In the aftermath of the World War II, dwindling
resources experienced worldwide affected the sport too. The Thomas Cup was the comeback for the sport in its true spirit
as the first International Men’s competition held in 1948-49. The trophy was presented by Sir George Allan Thomas, after
whom the Cup is named. The Thomas Cup is a team championships tournament for men, while the women’s equivalent to
it is The Uber Cup, an international badminton team championship competition introduced in 1956-57. The Thomas and
Uber cups are held once every two years, and have undergone several format changes during the period.
◦ At the beginning, there were three qualifying zones- America, Europe and the Pacific. This format continued till the early
1980s. As the number of nations participating in the game grew, changes accompanied the same. Additional zones were
added and winners among these zones competed to churn out challengers for the leading champion nation.
◦ After revamping the formats, the Thomas and Uber Cups were held concurrently. The ties in various stages were reduced
to five from nine in the earlier formats. 
◦ Sudirman Cup
◦ Popular as the World Mixed team championships, the Sudirman Cup is special for having brought players of both genders
on a common court. There are five matches in every Sudirman Cup comprising singles in mens’ and womens’ categories,
doubles in mens’ and women’s categories and mixed doubles. Named after Dick Sudirman, a former Indonesian badminton
player and the founder of the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI), the Sudirman Cup is an opportunity for
badminton players to rake up BWF ranking points. There is no prize money in this tournament, with the platform itself
being a matter of prestige for players to represent their country in.
IMPORTANT TERMINOLOGIES OF THE
SPORT:
Glossary of Badminton Terms:-
Alley - Extension of the court by l 1/2 feet on both sides for doubles [Link] Alley - Area between the
back boundary line and the long service line for doubles.
Backcourt - Back third of the court, in the area of the back boundary lines.
Balk - Any deceptive movement that disconcerts an opponent before or during the service; often called a
"feint."
Baseline - Back boundary line at each end of the court, parallel to the net.
Carry - An illegal tactic, also called a sling or throw, in which the shuttle is caught and held on the racquet
and then slung during the execution of a stroke.
Center or Base Position - Location in the center of the court to which a singles player tries to return after
each shot.
Center Line - Line perpendicular to the net that separates the left and right service courts.
Clear - A shot hit deep to the opponent’s back boundar>Nine. The high clear is a defensive shot, while the
flatter attacking clear is used offensively
◦ Court - Area of play, as defined by the outer boundary lines.
◦ Drive - A fast and low shot that makes a horizontal flight over the net.
◦ Drop - A shot hit sohly and with finesse to fall rapidly and close to the net on the opponent’s side.
◦ Fault - A violation of the playing rules, either in serving, receiving, or during play (see common faults listed below).
◦ Flick - A quick wrist and forearm rotation that surprises an opponent by changing an apparently soft shot into a faster passing one;
used primarily on the serve and at the net.
◦ Forecourt - Front third of the court, between the net and the short service line.
◦ Hairpin Net Shot - Shot made from below and very close to the net with the shuttle rising, just clearing the net, and then dropping
sharply down the other side. The shuttle’s flight approximates the shape of a hairpin.
◦ Halfcourt Shot - A shot hit low and to midcourt, used effectively in doubles against the up-and-back formation.
◦ Kill - Fast, downward shot that cannot be returned; a "putaway." Let - A legitimate cessation of play to allow a rally to be replayed.
Long Service Line - In singles, the back boundary line.1n doubles a line 2 l/2 feet inside the back boundary line. The serve may
not go past this line.
◦ Match - A series of games (at U.S. Olympic Festival-’93 it is three out of five), to determine a winner. Midcourt - The middle
third of the court, halfway between the net and the back boundary line.
◦ Net Shot - Shot hit from the forecourt that just clears the net and drops sharply.
◦ Push Shot - Gentle shot played by pushing the shuttle with little wrist motion, usually from net or midcourt to the opponent’s
midcourt.
◦ Racquet - Instrument used by playerto hit shuttlecock Weight:About3 ounces. Length: 27 inches. Made of: Ceramic, graphite, or
boron frame; beef-gut string. Cost: $60-$175 (unstrung).
◦ Rally - Exchange of shots while the shuttle is in play.
◦ Serve or Service - Stroke used to put shuttlecock into play at the start of each rally.
◦ Service Court - Area into which the serve must be delivered. Different for singles and doubles play.
◦ Short Service Line - The line 6 l/2 feet from the net which a serve must reach to be legal.
◦ Shuttlecock - Official name for the object that players hit. Also known as "birdie." Weight: .17-.l9 ounces. Made of: 16 goose
feathers attached to a corktip covered with goat skin. Cost: $1.50-$2.00. Usually lasts for no more than two games. The heavier
the shuttlecock, the faster it flies. Flies faster in higher temperatures and at higher altitudes.
◦ Smash - Hard-hit overhead shot that forces the shuttle sharply downward. Badminton’s primary attacking stroke.
◦ Wood Shot - Shot that results when the base of the shuttle is hit by the frame of the racquet. Once illegal, this shot was ruled
acceptable by the International Badminton Federation in 1963.
IMPORTANT PERSONALITIES:
◦ 1. Nandu Natekar
◦ The “God of Badminton”, Nandu Natekar was one of the most prominent figures in the history of Badminton. His career in
Badminton lasted for about 15 years, in which he managed to win over 100 national and international titles. His control and
regulation over the game made him the first-ever Indian to win a title abroad in 1956. In 1961, which proved to be the
highlight year for Nandu Natekar as a badminton player, he received the first Arjuna award that was instituted in the same
year, alongside being voted as the most popular sportsperson of India.
◦ There lies no doubt that he had a certain dominance in the sport of Badminton which only becomes more evident through the
numerous awards he had won and the respect that came along with it from the people of the country.
◦ 2. Srikanth Kidambi
◦ Srikant Kidambi became the worlds No 1. Badminton player in 2018. He was also awarded Padma Shri in the same year for his
outstanding achievements and success in a very short period. In 2015 he became the first Indian male to win Swiss Open Grand Prix
Gold and won the Indian Open as well in the same year. In 2016, he was ranked No. 11 from where he made his way through to
world’s No. 1 in just two years. He set a record for entering three Super Series Finals consecutively.

◦ 3. P.V Sindhu
◦ Sindhu became international attention when she managed to break into BWF’s top 20 rankings at the age of 17. In the consecutive year 2013,
she became the first Indian Singles player to win a medal at Badminton World Championships. In 2015, she was awarded Padma Shri, and in
2016 she became India’s first shuttler to reach final of an Olympics Badminton event alongside being the youngest Indian as well to finish at a
podium in Olympics. In 2017, she became the first Indian to win the Korea Open. Along with Padma Shri, she ha also been awarded Rajiv
Gandhi Khel Ratna award and Arjuna Award. She won a gold medal in the mixed team event at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and a silver
in the women's singles event. She won her second consecutive silver medal at the 2018 world championships. At the 2019 World
Championships, Sindhu became the first Indian to win Gold.
◦ 4. Saina Nehwal
◦ She is undoubtedly one of the most celebrated Badminton players of India. She is the only women player who has managed to
become the world’s No. 1 with 23 titles to her name. Saina Nehwal has contributed immensely towards the sport in making it more
popular amongst the younger generations to follow. She became the first Indian shuttler to win a medal in Olympics, and only
Indian player to have won BWF World Junior Championship. She became the first Indian and the youngest Asian to win 4-star
tournament.
◦ In parallel to the many well-deserved accords she has under her name, she has also been awarded Arjuna Award, Padma Shri,
Padma Bhushan, and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award.
◦ LEE CHONG WEI
Lee is triple silver medalist at the Olympic Games, and the sixth Malaysian to win an Olympic medal. He won his first silver
medal in 2008, also the first time a Malaysian had reached the finals in the men's singles event.

◦ Carolina Marín
◦ She is an Olympic Champion, three-time World Champion, five-time European Champion, and the former World's
No. 1 in BWF rankings for the women's singles discipline, holding the World No. 1 title for 66 weeks.
◦ Nozomi Okuhara
◦ Japanese badminton player. A former World's No. 1 in BWF rankings for the women's singles, she is well known for
her speed, agility and endurance. She won a bronze at the 2016 Summer Olympics,[2] and gold medal at the 
2017 World Championships.

◦ Ratchanok Intanon
◦ The 9th spot is occupied by this Thai Player, Ratchanok Intanon.
Only 19 years of age, she became one of the youngest to win singles World Champion in 2013. Apart from that, she has
also won Junior Championship for three years 2009, 2010, and 2011 in a row. She is the first Thai player to become world
no.1 in Women’s Singles.
BADMINTON FITNESS TESTS:
◦ 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.
◦ It is not just physical attributes that are important, the psychological parameters of mental
toughness and dedication is also needed in high doses. See the discussion on the relative 
fitness requirements for badminton in more detail.
◦ Anthropometry
◦ It is important with all fitness testing to assess the body size and shape of the athlete. With this you
can monitor their growth and changes in body size with training. Height is important as 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. Body Size
tests to include are 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. See more about anthropometry for badminton
.
◦ Flexibility
◦ The flexibility tests should be specific to the actions of badminton. The sit and reach test can be done
for lower back and hamstring flexibility. Other flexibility tests should also be performed.
◦ Strength and Power
◦ Strength (and power tests) should also be done to determine strength levels and to monitor strength
changes in conjunction with training programs. 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.
◦ Speed
◦ Running speed is very important in badminton to reach all areas of the court quickly. 
Sprint time over 20m, with split times for the 5m and 10m distance should be done if possible.
◦ Agility
◦ 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. A test that assesses
the ability to change directions and run sideways and backwards is suitable, such as the 
SEMO agility test. Specific badminton tests can be developed that mimic the demands of the sport on
court.
◦ Aerobic Fitness
◦ 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. There is a range of aerobic fitness tests. You can find information on many other aerobic tests 
here. If testing large groups of players, the shuttle run (beep) test would usually be the most
appropriate test.
YOGA ASANAS AND THEIR
IMPORTANCE:
1. The Sanskrit noun योग yoga is derived from the Sanskrit root yuj (युज्) "to attach, join, harness,
yoke". The word yoga is cognate with English "yoke". According to Burley, the first use of the
root of the word "yoga" is in hymn 5.81.1 of the Rig Veda, a dedication to the rising Sun-god in
the morning (Savitri), where it has been interpreted as "yoke" or "yogically control".

2. The ultimate goal of Yoga is stilling the mind and gaining insight, resting in detached
awareness, released Moksha from samsara and dukkha. The formulation of this goal varies
with the philosophical or theological system with which it is conjugated. In the classical Astanga
yoga system, the ultimate goal of yoga practice is to achieve the state of Samadhi and abide in
that state as pure awareness.

3. Someone who practices yoga or follows the yoga philosophy with a high level of commitment is
called a yogi (may be applied to a man or a woman) or yogini (a woman).