Why you should start playing badminton every weekend
The fastest way to get better at anything is to practice. While professional players train every day, regulars or social players play on the weekends. A great way to destress, exercise, meet new people, catch up with friends and spend quality time together (even if you don’t have much to discuss!)
A great exercise
This one’s a no-brainer. Badminton will have you running all across the court to chase the shuttlecock and score your points. So make sure you do a good warm-up and stretching session before you start because you’re in for a full-blown cardio workout. And with great exercise comes fitness, better sleep and better moods. It makes working out something you look forward to rather than dread. You don’t have to drag yourself to the gym when you can spend an hour on the court and have fun.
Mental exercise
Playing a sport brings out different sides of ourselves. We discover ourselves and others in a different light through wins, losses, hits and misses. Badminton is a game of tactics as much as it is a game of strength and skills. So you can either flex in many different ways or grow in many different ways through your mistakes. It helps you learn to live in the moment and develop your focus as you try to anticipate your opponent’s next move and brace yourself for the next hit. Even if you lose a point, you have to be ready for the next strike. Even if you win a point, you have to be ready to dive! This means you have to be patient and persistent without losing hope. You have to keenly develop decision-making skills, especially if you play doubles — where you also learn the importance of teamwork and playing as one unit. You have to keep score, be alert and enjoy the delicious crack of the shuttle as you hit that smash. Because when you play, you are a part of the spirit of the game.
Destressing
As already stated, in badminton, you have to let go of everything else and focus on the present moment. No matter how much work is currently weighing you down, for the next hour, it’s court-time. You get to witness new wins and losses regardless of the things waiting for you once you leave out that door. So don’t hold back and get into the zone. This can help you get into a state of flow and sharpen your focus. There are also plenty of studies that indicate that exercise and socialising help regulate your stress levels. Badminton is a package with all of this and more!
A new friend group
Badminton is one of the most popular games today and badminton fanatics are everywhere. Whenever you’re looking forward to a game, your badminton buddies won’t let you down. There’s nothing that gets you charged up like a friendly neighbourhood match. It’s a great way to keep up with friends or make some new ones at your local badminton court. Everyone is looking to up their game, so new opponents are always welcome. Exploring new playing styles and levels always helps you improve your own. This is why it’s important to participate in tournaments and matches without the fear of losing and simply for the challenge and the growth opportunities it presents.
This is just a small list of the many amazing aspects of badminton. Are you a regular badminton player? What’s your personal favourite aspect of badminton? Comment below and share your thoughts.
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