As the BWF celebrates the 2nd Annual World Badminton Day, it’s a great time to remind all our followers of the health benefits of playing badminton.
1. Its flexible pace makes badminton a great activity for those with heart conditions.
2. Recreational badminton was found to lead to large aerobic adaptations such as increased VO2 max, time-to-exhaustion in an endurance exercise test and favourable reductions in heart rate and blood lactate.
Playing recreational badminton raises heart rates to 80-85 per cent of the players’ predicted maximum heart rate which was significantly higher than the values obtained for tennis.
3. Playing recreational badminton helps to avoid immobilisation and various associated illnesses.
For example: poor eyesight, excess weight, spinal problems and unbalanced posture, muscle weakness and slow reflexes.
4. Racket sports with a strong and enriched social connectedness such as badminton can extend longevity by as much as nine years.
5. Badminton can reduce or eliminate your risk for many health problems, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity.
It can also reduce your risk for coronary heart disease by reducing your triglyceride levels and increasing your “good” cholesterol.
6. Due to the running, lunging, diving and hitting elements, playing badminton burns fat at approximately 450 calories per hour.
7. Because badminton promotes physical fitness, it has psychological benefits such as reducing stress and anxiety.
8. Badminton can help with weight loss and weight control because of its fat-burning and metabolism boosting qualities. Combined with proper diet, optimal weight loss may be achieved.
9. Badminton can decrease diabetes and the production of sugar by the liver and therefore decrease fasting blood sugar.
10. Studies carried out at Baylor University’s Department of Physical Education (USA) showed that during 20 minutes of badminton, players made at least 350 changes in direction of 90 degrees or more.