Spring is upon us and it’s not inconceivable that the restrictions placed upon playing badminton will be lifted in the next months. Which means this is the perfect time for us to get in shape and make sure we can hit the court running 🙂
Oh and by strengthening your muscles and getting your sweat on progressively, you’ll have a much better chance of not hurting yourself once you do get back in the game!
This is a list of general fitness workouts, with no particular focus on badminton. Look forward to another instalment with more specific badminton-related exercises in the next weeks. The first three videos require no equipment, except for your sports shoes. Below that, you’ll find another workout that requires a kettlebell or other weight.
The workouts all include warmups – which I find really helpful – and cool-downs afterward. Make sure you don’t skip these! And if you have other suggestions or questions, please leave a comment below or get in touch with me to publish a new blog post on our site (it’s really easy and quick!).
HIIT Cardio
About 30min; no equipment needed.
This will make you sweat and get your heart rate up. Great if you want to get the whole system pumping! Make sure you have access to a shower afterwards, though 😉
When I first looked around for workouts on youtube, this came on by pure coincidence. I found the instructor leading the workout (Lita Lewis) to be eminently relatable and motivating so this is where I started (side note: I cannot bring myself to watch/listen/follow someone leading a workout if I’m not feeling sympathetic toward the person – cue for sorting out 95% of workout videos).
HIIT Cardio & Abs
About 30min; no equipment needed.
This workout has you doing a lot, and I mean A LOT of scissor steps. Don’t even think about doing these without your sports shoes on, because you’re going to need the extra bounce provided by their soles. Believe me!
As one of the comments below this video said: you know the workout is hard when you look forward to the 60 second plank! Another good one with Lita and Rhys.
Lower-Body Strength Workout
About 30mins; no equipment needed.
Dynamic exercises targeted at your legs, butt and lower back.
Kettlebell Workout for Beginners
About 20mins; one Kettlebell or similar weight.
I found this a nice change of pace from merely shifting my own bulk. The pace slows down, muscles are more in focus and it’s less of a cardio-intensive training.
By February 2021, I basically hadn’t moved an inch for months on end, except when kicking the ball around with my 6 year old son. In a fit of „let’s do this“, however, I had bought some kettlebells (4 and 8kg). The heavier one is now weighing down a recalcitrant cable in my kitchen, but the smaller bell turned out to be a perfect fit for this beginner’s workout.
It’s probably a good idea to start light with the kettlebell weight and see how far this workout takes you before going heavier… just see what feels good!
I’ve taken these from a youtube channel curated by the site SELF. If you want to see what kinds of other workouts they have in store, you may find their workout finder tool helpful.
What did you think of the workouts? Any other recommendations for fellow players? Leave a comment below!
