History of Badminton - Badminton Rule - Badminton Court
Article Briefs
Entering the Badminton in Olympics, its rules, court size and the plan of action
in court.
A little-known fact about badminton is that it demands high fitness levels from
its players in addition to agility, speed and accuracy. Introduction of
badminton at the Olympics added to its appeal. Read on to find out about the
history of badminton. Learn more about the various badminton tournaments
organized the world over.
History of Badminton
The history of badminton shows that it had its roots in an old children’s game
in England known as battledore and shuttlecock. British Army officers in India
played a grown up version of this game. Known in its early days as ‘poona’, it
was played with many people who tried to keep the ‘bird’ in air. A net came to
be added later and badminton in its present form was born. This sport derived
its name from Badminton House in Gloucestershire where the game was played at a
lawn party. The International Badminton Federation (IBF) that was started in
1934 now has more than 130 member countries. The Asian countries now dominate
the badminton scene and they continue to rule the roost as far as tournaments
go. Badminton matches draw thousands of spectators in Malaysia, Indonesia and
China.
Badminton in the U.S. began as a weekend meeting place for New York’s society
leaders with the formation of the Badminton Club of New York in 1878. Clubs and
YMCAs and educational institutions began to offer training in badminton. Several
Hollywood personalities like James Cagney, Bette Davis and Joan Crawford were
avid badminton players. The United States Badminton Association (USBA) has its
national office in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This body focuses on promoting
badminton within the country and developing players.
Badminton – Little Known Facts
A badminton shuttle has known to clock in excess of 180 mph. Did you know that
the best badminton shuttle is one that is made from the feathers from the left
wing of a goose?. Badminton players need to possess quick response and agility.
With badminton matches lasting even up to a couple of hours, it is little wonder
that badminton players need to have rigorous training to build up stamina and
concentration. In addition, quick reflexes and rapid hand-eye coordination are a
prerequisite for any aspiring badminton player. Badminton, unlike most other
racquet sports does not use a ball but a shuttlecock that cannot touch the
ground during a rally.
Look at these amazing statistics comparing a badminton match with a tennis
match. Badminton provides a vigorous cardiovascular workout for the player. In
fact, the Department of Physical Education at Baylor University describes it as
‘one of the finest conditioning game activities available’. A statistical
comparison reveals the following:
Tennis
Badminton
Time duration:
3 hours 18 minutes
1 hour 16 minutes
Ball/Shuttle in play:
18 minutes
37 minutes
Match intensity:
9%
48%
Shots:
1004
1972
Shots per rally:
3.4
13.5
Distance covered:
2 miles
4 miles
Badminton Rule
The badminton rule regarding the shuttle is that it can be made from natural,
synthetic or a combination of both materials. The badminton shuttle is a
combination of a few bird feathers, a wooden cork, string and glue. It must have
16 feathers fixed in the base. Test a shuttle using a full underhand stroke. The
badminton racket also must conform to the badminton rulebook. A badminton racket
is usually made from hickory carbon alloys or steel. The badminton game rally is
aimed at hitting the shuttle over the net onto the opponent’s court. You lose
the rally by either hitting outside the opponents court or hitting the shuttle
into the net or even if the shuttle touches you or your clothing. The badminton
rule allows you to accumulate points until you have reached the winning target
before your opponent. The attacking and defensive factors are crucial to win a
badminton game. The attacking game attempts to increase your chance of
accumulating points. The defensive game aims at decreasing the opponent’s chance
of accumulating points.
A match shall consist of the best of 3 games unless otherwise arranged.
The first side to score 21 points wins a game.
The side winning a game serves first in the next game.
Badminton Court - Badminton Court Size
The American Badminton Association recommends a ground space of about 1620
square feet for a badminton court size. The Singles badminton court is 17’ X 44’
whereas a doubles court is 20’ X 44’. There should be a minimum 5’ unobstructed
area on all sides of the badminton court. The recommended surface for a
badminton court is concrete or bituminous material. The badminton court can be
optionally protected with a color coating if it is a permanent installation. The
badminton court must be leveled and smooth but not slippery. The badminton court
net can be made of fine cord of dark color and even thickness. The
specifications for the badminton court net are that it should have a mesh of not
less than 15 mm and not more than 20 mm. The net must be at least 6.1 meters
wide. The top of the net is to be at 5'1" high where attached to the poles and
5' at the middle of the court.
Badminton Lesson Plan
Any badminton lesson plan begins with serving. Aiming a good serve is vital –
you need to either aim for the opponent’s backhand side of the service area or
serve it short just over the net. Hold the badminton racket as if you were
shaking hands with it. The doubles service needs short and accurate serving.
Nimble footwork is also a key focal point of any badminton lesson plan. It is
vital to cover all corners of the court with minimal steps. A fast drop that is
well placed can put the opponent under pressure. Making the opponent run back
and forth on the court is another good badminton lesson plan.
Any badminton lesson plan needs to be adapted to suit your fitness levels.
Extending your rally is a good strategy if your fitness level is superior to
that of your opponent. This type of game hinges on your opponent making a
mistake. In contrast, if you are facing an opponent with better fitness levels,
you can resort to accuracy and consistency to control the pace of the game.
Timing is another crucial area that any badminton lesson plan needs to address.
It can make the difference between making and missing the match.
Badminton at the Olympics
Badminton made an entry on the Olympic scene in 1992. All eyes are now trained
on the coming Summer Olympics at Athens. The last Olympics saw China leading the
Badminton medals tally followed by Indonesia and Korea. In fact, the Chinese
badminton squad swept the men’s singles and women’s doubles and made Olympic
history by earning the gold, silver and bronze. They romped home with eight
medals at the 2000 Olympics.
Badminton China Open
The China Open Badminton Championships 2007 was held at Guangzhou in the P. R.
of China from November 20 – 25 2007. The Badminton China Open this year was
marked by the dominance of Chinese women who took most of the medals
Top seeded Men’s Singles Players
1 BAO Chunlai China
2 Chong Wei LEE Malaysia
3 Sung Hwan PARK Korea
Top seeded Women’s Singles Players
1 Mew Choo WONG Malaysia
2 Xingfang XIE China
3 Lan LU China
Badminton Tournaments
It was in the 1980s that badminton became a professional sport when the IBF
started the World Grand Prix Circuit. The USBA Classic Series is the premier
badminton tournament in the U.S. wherein players compete in five regional
tournaments.
Thomas Cup
The first Thomas Cup tournament was held in 1949 at Queen’s Hall in Preston.
Late Sir George Thomas was the founder president of the IBF. The Cup has stayed
with 3 Asian countries since its inaugural match – Indonesia, Malaysia and
China. This badminton tournament is held every two years. The Thomas Cup is
played over the best of five matches over one day.
Uber Cup
The Uber Cup was held in Lancashire in Britain as an alternative to the Thomas
Cup in the Women’s category. U.S.A, Japan, China and Indonesia have retained the
Uber Cup between themselves in all these years
Badminton Club
Badminton is played as a recreational and professional sport. A badminton club
is the ideal place to begin your initiation into the sport. Most educational
institutions and private clubs offer badminton coaching. A coach at the
badminton club can guide with the right techniques to get your game going.
Regular family memberships are also offered at many a badminton club. Badminton
is an excellent aerobic sport that can enhance your fitness levels and provide
you and your family a recreational activity.
