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Badminton cardio: 7 easy-to-do cardio exercises

Badminton Speak
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Badminton cardio: 7 easy-to-do cardio exercises

If you are looking to improve your badminton cardio look no further. These 7 cardio exercises will help you improve your cardio in no time.

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What is cardio and why should you care?

Cardio is short for cardiovascular training. It is involved in any exercise that elevates your heart rate. Cardio is also considered aerobic exercise, meaning it demands elevated oxygen flow, which causes you to breathe harder. Cardio is essential if you want to strengthen your heart and lungs. Oh, and then there is the added bonus of burning calories.

Similar to biking, running, or rowing, playing badminton is a cardio exercise in itself.

Is playing badminton enough cardio in itself?

Yes, playing badminton regularly improves your cardio, which essentially translates to endurance improvement over time. But to compete at a higher level, you likely need to engage in regular cardio exercises.

Building good stamina and endurance is very important for badminton players. Once you’ve improved your endurance capability, the benefit is that you’ll enjoy your training and matches even more.

7 cardio exercises for badminton players

Is the lack of consistent umpiring a problem for badminton?

Michael Leander
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Is the lack of consistent umpiring a problem for badminton?

When it happened the first time, the softspoken umpire implored the player to “please do not do that again”. When it happened the 5th time, the umpire did nothing. At that point, the player knew she was given a carte-blanche to not follow the rules of the sport.

That’s pretty much the experience from most badminton tournaments. Badminton umpires seem to be reluctant to, if you will, discipline players. And that’s a problem for the sport of badminton.

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Inconsistent umpiring is unacceptable

Let’s start at the beginning. Badminton is ruled by The Laws of Badminton. These rules and regulations are the same wherever BWF (Badminton World Federation) tournaments are played.

Umpires must know the rules by heart. Especially umpires qualified to referee badminton matches at the highest level. That said, in any given tournament you’ll see very different interpretations of the rules. Some umpires are quick to jump in if, for example, a player is slow to get ready to serve or receive the services – others are not.

If you’ve watched a few badminton matches, you’ll know that certain players have made “stalling for time” an art form. They “steal” time in between rallies.

No matter how obvious their antics are and how often they repeat them, many umpires don’t rule according to the Rule of Continous Play. Referees might caution players to not stall for time, but very rarely do they present the players with one of the penalty cards (see our article on yellow, red, and black penalty cards here).

Badminton TV coverage and streaming must evolve soon.

Michael Leander
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Badminton TV coverage and streaming must evolve soon.

Badminton fans understandably want to watch their favorite players compete. But often they cannot because badminton matches aren’t broadcasted or streamed online

> See where to watch badminton on TV or via a streaming service <

In this day and age, it is fully possible to fully broadcast most, if not all, tournaments.  The average TV product for badminton, which typically involves coverage of just one or two courts, is not up to par.  Badminton is faring a bit better in terms of tournaments that are streamed directly to the online badminton audience. 

BWF (Badminton World Federation) and its regional federations still have a long way to go in terms of TV coverage of badminton. 

Compared to tennis, for instance, badminton is trailing far behind. TV coverage from many tournaments is inadequate. Often the broadcast coverage is limited to matches played on one or two courts. In my opinion, that’s not good enough. And I wonder why the commercial partner of BWF – Infront Sport – hasn’t convinced BWF to improve their setup. 

The question is if the powers that be will make streaming – and securing deals to get TV coverage – finally become a priority.

Here’s Michael Leander‘s take on the matter. (Get the BadmintonSpeak newsletter for more)

See where to watch badminton on TV and via online streaming

Badminton streaming in Europe

Badmintoneurope.tv posts highlight videos on YouTube. Full matches can only be viewed on the portal.

Badminton Europe has progressed recently through its Badmintoneurope TV website. This website streams matches from many European tournaments. Most recently they have experimented with streaming team event matches from the Badminton League (Badminton Ligaen) in Denmark as well.

Although the live streaming solution is “half-baked”, Badmintoneurope.tv is on to something. If they improved the ad-serving (which currently is horrendous), upgraded the tablet- and mobile app, and provided a more efficient way to access the schedule of matches, the solution would become even better.

Also in Europe, a few tournament organizers do a really good job of streaming all tournament badminton matches from all courts. Spain and France seem to be leading the way, but we’ve also seen recommendable initiatives from tournaments in Poland.

Interestingly, a number of tournaments in Benalmadena in Andalusia (Spain) were seemingly streamed in association with the local tourism authority. In between matches, different local advertising- and service messages were shown. That’s a neat method to possibly generate some revenue to cover the cost of streaming.

How not to do badminton streaming

In their infinite wisdom, Badminton Denmark created a streaming initiative, which, in my opinion, is wrong in so many ways. Badminton fans in Denmark obviously appreciate being able to watch badminton matches online. But the live-streaming approach of Badminton Denmark is so poor that most badminton fans have chosen to largely ignore it.

If you’d like to know what not to do, get in touch.

Differentiate between streaming quantity and quality

Ideally, I would like to experience all badminton matches in professional TV broadcast quality. A quality TV product typically offers the viewer:
– close-up of players,
– slow-motion repeats of specific shots,
– professional commentary,
– stats on smash speed, rally duration, etc.,
– excellent light and sound

The goal of any TV broadcast is to make the viewer feel as if they are there at the venue.

Naturally, TV broadcast quality requires an expensive setup: multiple cameras, a badminton-savvy producer, control of sound- and light, etc. In other words, it probably will be far too expensive for streaming purposes. At least based on the current audience size.

So, the badminton community (that would be BWF, the Federations, and tournament organizers) must develop a solid streaming strategy. A strategy that could involve a planned differentiation of streaming content.

This is a simple matter of deciding on a basic streaming setup for all preliminary rounds and TV broadcast quality for the semifinals and finals.

Orléans Master finals – great badminton streaming example

At the 2021 Orleans Masters in France, organizers offered basic streaming of all courts from preliminary rounds until the semifinals. On the day of the finals, they offered high “TV grade” production quality using several cameras and live commentary (in French, but a good start).

This highlight video from the men’s singles final will give you an impression of how this was done. It was produced by the French Badminton Association. The experience is so much better when the footage is using dynamic/action cameras as opposed to stationary cameras.

Will improved streaming of badminton matches attract a larger audience?

Badminton audiences have become accustomed to poor live streaming. But live streaming of badminton matches still gets a good number of views – although the majority of views happen after the fact.

If the quality and quantity of live streaming improve, I personally believe that the audience numbers will grow. But it won’t happen just because the streams are available. Organizers and local badminton associations must actively promote live streaming. To that end, it may help attract larger audiences if different audience engagement elements were incorporated.

How to finance live streaming at the tournament organizer level?

In order to finance investment in a good-to-great streaming setup, tournament organizers and badminton associations must become creative. Online advertising revenues won’t deliver much revenue unless tournaments are able to generate millions of views. But there are many other ways to monetize badminton footage.

Providing streaming from all matches throughout a tournament is the new black for badminton organizers. Some may feel forced to charge audiences to access the streams. And that’s fine. Others will find creative ways to involve sponsors, which in turn will enable these organizers to make badminton streaming available for free.

Are you looking for help with badminton streaming?

The team behind Badmintonspeak.com are experienced in the area of making live streaming work for badminton. We are happy to share our experience. Talk to us about live badminton streaming

Two continents dominated badminton. Asia was not one of them.

Badminton Speak
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Two continents dominated badminton. Asia was not one of them.

Article Summary:
Did you know that up until the 1950s/beginning of the 1960s, Asian players didn’t win many international tournaments? Players from two other continents dominated badminton. 

That’s right. For a period of around five decades, players from Europe and North America dominated the sport of badminton. Countries such as England, the USA, Ireland, Canada, Sweden, and Denmark produced the most successful players. 

North American badminton had its golden era primarily in the 1950s and 1960s. An era that has yet to be repeated. We hope it will. 

From around the 1960s, badminton players from Asia began their domination. On the men’s side, all Thomas Cup competitions except one have been won by Asian countries since its inception. The inception was in 1949.  That’s when Malaya (now Malaysia) famously squashed favorites Denmark by 8-1.

On the ladies’ side, Japan won the Uber Cup in 1966. Since then all Uber Cup winners have been from Asia. 

In Europe, of course, England was the early frontrunner.

The English invented the modern game of badminton, they wrote the rulebook and, thankfully, were very keen on introducing the game to the rest of Europe and North America. 

Therefore it is no surprise that players from England dominated all the major open tournaments. Especially the biggest and most established of them all, which was the All-England Open Championships.

From the first All-England tournament in 1899 up to the second world war, native English speakers won just about all titles. It wasn’t until 1938/1939 that players from Denmark broke the trend. At the first open All-England tournament in 1939, Denmark’s Tage Madsen won the men’s singles title and Dalsgaard/Olsen won the women’s doubles title. That year England only won one category. The rest were won by players from Ireland and Canada. 

The All-England Championships held in 1947 and 1948 were completely dominated by players born in Denmark. Danish players won the title in all 5 categories (although to be fair, Danish-born men’s singles winner Conny Jepsen represented Sweden in 1947). 

This definitively marked the end of British dominance in badminton. 

In 1949 Betty Uber and Queenie Allan did, however, win a title for England. The other four categories were won by “foreigners”. 
The USA won the men’s singles and mixed doubles titles. Denmark took care of the women’s singles title. The Malaysian men’s doubles pair with Hock/Khoon won the first All-England title for Asia ever. The Malaysian pair paved the way for many more Asian winners to come. Get the Badmintonspeak.com newsletter to learn more about badminton development in Asia. 

Oh, no! The Vikings from Denmark are causing a hullabaloo

Although England and other countries had a headstart of some 20-35 years, players from Denmark would go on to become a constant on podiums wherever badminton was played. It is the only European country to consistently have one or more players at the top of the world rankings since the early days of badminton.

The game of badminton is known to have been played at some estates in Denmark in 1917. But badminton at the club level wasn’t introduced until 1925. The first club to create a structure around badminton in Denmark was Skovshoved Badminton (SIF). It happened, as these things often do, by chance.

As a result of the tireless effort of a few hard-core badminton enthusiasts from Skovshoved Badminton Club, the good game quickly caught on in Denmark. New clubs were formed and modern badminton courts were built. Many purpose-built facilities were erected in the following years.

In 1936 Gentofte Badminton Klub (est. 1931) opened what was then considered to be the largest badminton center in Europe. In its prime, the club had over 1.500 members. At one point in time, an estimated 8-10% of the population was a member of either Skovshoved, Charlottenlund (est. 1936), or Gentofte badminton clubs. All three clubs are located in the affluent Gentofte Municipality on the outskirts of Copenhagen.

Anchored by the significant enthusiasm the sport enjoyed in Denmark, Danish players quickly established Denmark as one of the leading badminton nations in Europe, if not the world. What’s more, many of the badminton clubs established in the pioneer days of badminton in Denmark, still exist as thriving badminton clubs today.

The North Americans entered the badminton arena

Two things happened in 1949. Dave Freeman of the United States won the All-England final in 1949. And the American husband and wife team of Clinton and Patricia Stephans won the mixed doubles at All-England. These two titles marked the beginning of an impressive Open Tournament era for Americans. The era of great results from the Americans was to be short-lived, but impressive.

One American woman, Judy Devlin (married Hashman) won a total of 17 All-England titles between 1954 and 1966. She even played in the women’s doubles final with her English partner Gillian Gilks in 1971.

A genuine badminton superstar, Judy Devlin won a total of 81 national and international titles. She was also a part of the successful U.S. Uber Cup team. They won the first three Uber Cup Trophies in 1957, 1960, and 1963. Her sister Susan Devlin was also on the team.

Under her married name, Judy Hashman was the last American to win an All-England title. That happened in 1967.

All England finals in 1949. Dave Freeman of the USA won against Ooi Teik Hock of Malaya. Freeman was also qualified for the doubles final, which he and his partner lost to Ooi Teik Hock and his partner.

Celebrity impact in the USA – badminton was trendy

During the winter of 1878, The Badminton Club of The City of New York was founded. Although it was founded “to relieve the dullness of the Lenten season”, and therefore with a strong social component to its purpose, the club is still in existence and is considered the oldest badminton club in the world.

In the 1930s, badminton became fashionable on the West Coast. Many Hollywood megastars played badminton regularly.
Shirley Temple, Jane Russel, Robert Mitchum, Jane Harlow, and Rita Hayworth enjoyed playing badminton and flaunted it when the press was around.

Now, so many years later, California still produces its fair share of badminton talents. But the public endorsements of badminton from Hollywood movie stars are far and few between.

In terms of international competitions, Americans did not make their mark until the late 1940s/early 1950s. Following a decade of impressive results from American players, players from the USA have been struggling to achieve top results since.

Canadian badminton players, on the other hand, have been a steady fixture on the BWF World Tour in recent years.

So long to one era, ni hao to a new badminton era

It is likely that players from the Asian continent already were on par even before the second world war. But traveling to play in Europe or North America was a costly and very time-consuming affair.

When the Malaya (Malaysia) team won the Thomas Cup in 1949, they traveled for 3 weeks (!) to get to the tournament in England. Perhaps this is the reason why the next 10 Thomas Cup tournaments all took place in Asia. And all of them were won by Asian teams.

The Chinese entered the badminton arena in 1982. And if there ever was a game changer in international badminton, this was it. China won the Thomas Cup the first time they entered the competition in 1982. China would go on to win many more team events, whilst players from China would dominate individual tournaments.

Nowadays, badminton is dominated by Asian players. See this article to understand just how dominating Asian badminton players are.

Subscribe to Badmintonspeak.com to learn how China became a dominating factor in badminton.

Has BWF’s initiative to promote AirBadminton worked out?

Oliver Shepherd
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Has BWF’s initiative to promote AirBadminton worked out?

The Rise of AirBadminton: A Global Outdoor Revolution Since 2019

Since its launch in May 2019, AirBadminton has transformed the landscape of badminton, evolving from a novel concept into a globally recognized outdoor sport.

Initiated by the Badminton World Federation (BWF), this innovative variant has expanded the sport’s accessibility, allowing it to be played on diverse surfaces such as hard courts, grass, and sand.

By introducing the wind-resistant AirShuttle and tailored court dimensions, AirBadminton has opened new avenues for participation in parks, beaches, and public spaces worldwide.

This report explores the advancements of AirBadminton since its inception and identifies the countries that have integrated it as a regular fixture in their sporting cultures.

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Genesis and Objectives for AirBadminton

AirBadminton was formally launched on May 13, 2019, at a ceremony in Guangzhou, China, in collaboration with HSBC, the BWF’s Global Development Partner.

The initiative was the result of five years of research and development, conducted in partnership with the Institute for Sports Research (ISR) at Nanyang University, Singapore. The primary innovation was the AirShuttle, a shuttlecock designed to withstand wind, enabling consistent outdoor play.

The BWF’s goal was to make badminton more inclusive, aligning with its strategic objective of “putting a badminton racket in the hands of as many people as possible” (Why AirBadminton?).

The sport’s design caters to players of all ages and abilities, with courts adapted for hard, grass, and sand surfaces. Unlike traditional badminton, AirBadminton features a 2-meter dead zone near the net to account for the AirShuttle’s heavier flight characteristics, encouraging rallies and reducing net shots (AirBadminton Guidelines). This accessibility has been key to its appeal, particularly in regions where indoor facilities are scarce.

Early AirBadminton Milestones (2019)

The first year of AirBadminton was marked by rapid adoption and experimental events across several countries:

  • Finland: In August 2019, Finland hosted the first tournament at the Sunsets Kuopio festival, the country’s largest outdoor sports and entertainment event. Over 60 players participated in a three-day competition featuring 108 matches across singles, doubles, mixed doubles, and the new triples format. The event tested the sport’s operational aspects and showcased its potential in diverse climates (AirBadminton Tournament Debuts).
  • Malaysia: In October 2019, the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) organized an exhibition during National Sports Month, introducing the sport to local communities and highlighting its outdoor appeal (AirBadminton Begins).
  • United Arab Emirates (Dubai): Also in October 2019, the Dubai Sports Council hosted the first AirBadminton tournament in the Middle East as part of the Dubai International Challenge. This event validated equipment, regulations, and tournament formats, positioning Dubai as a regional hub (AirBadminton Begins).
  • Singapore: The Singapore Badminton Association planned an event in November 2019 alongside the Singapore Youth International Series, integrating the new variant into existing competitions (AirBadminton Begins).
  • China: Following the launch, the BWF and HSBC announced the HSBC Guangzhou AirBadminton Legacy Project in December 2019. This initiative aimed to construct permanent AirBadminton courts across China, ensuring public access and fostering long-term adoption (AirBadminton Begins).

These early events demonstrated AirBadminton’s versatility and appeal, setting the stage for broader global expansion.

Growth and International Recognition (2020–2023)

The BWF’s Strategic Plan 2020–2024 emphasized the systematic implementation of AirBadminton globally, focusing on developing national structures, competitions, and public courts (High Time for AirBadminton). Key developments during this period included:

Equipment and Commercial Support

The AirShuttle’s final design was approved in January 2020 after testing over 50 prototypes (About AirShuttle). VICTOR, a sponsor of Badminton Oceania, became the first brand to market the AirShuttle, followed by dedicated webshops like airshuttle.one, indicating commercial traction (AIRBADMINTON – Badminton Oceania).

In 2024, the BWF launched the AirBadminton National Tournaments – Equipment Support Programme, providing Member Associations with AirShuttles and competition kits to organize national championships (BWF Equipment Support).

International AirBadminton Tournaments

In August 2021, the Netherlands hosted the Nightwatch Nations Cup, the first international AirBadminton country tournament. Held in Utrecht, the event featured teams from Belgium, Germany, and France competing in a team relay format with women’s doubles, men’s doubles, mixed doubles, and triples.

This tournament highlighted AirBadminton’s growing international appeal (Nightwatch Nations Cup).

Multi-Sport Event Debut

AirBadminton achieved a significant milestone in 2023 when it debuted at the ANOC World Beach Games in Bali, Indonesia. As one of four new sports, it attracted global attention alongside beach sprint rowing, 3×3 basketball, and surfing (World Beach Games). Additionally, the sport was included in the African Beach Games 2023, signaling its expansion into new continents (AirBadminton Update).

Regional Promotion

Badminton Oceania has actively promoted AirBadminton, emphasizing its suitability for the region’s diverse landscapes. While specific national tournaments in Oceania are not detailed, the region’s engagement suggests potential for growth in countries like Australia and New Zealand (AIRBADMINTON – Badminton Oceania).

Countries with Regular AirBadminton Fixtures

Several countries have integrated AirBadminton into their sporting ecosystems, hosting regular events or establishing infrastructure:

Country Key Developments Evidence of Regular Fixtures
China HSBC Guangzhou AirBadminton Legacy Project launched in 2019 to build permanent courts. Permanent courts ensure public access, suggesting regular use in community spaces.
Malaysia Hosted an exhibition in 2019 during National Sports Month. Integration into national sports initiatives indicates ongoing events.
Singapore Planned AirBadminton event in 2019 alongside Youth International Series. Regular inclusion in badminton competitions suggests sustained adoption.
Finland Hosted the first AirBadminton tournament in 2019 at Sunsets Kuopio festival. Potential for recurring outdoor events, given the festival’s prominence.
Netherlands Organized the Nightwatch Nations Cup in 2021, the first international tournament. Leadership in international events points to regular national competitions.
UAE (Dubai) Hosted the first regional tournament in 2019 as part of Dubai International Challenge. Early adoption and regional hub status suggest ongoing tournaments.

Emerging Regions

  • Oceania: Badminton Oceania’s promotion highlights AirBadminton’s potential in countries like Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific Island nations, though specific national tournaments are not documented (AIRBADMINTON – Badminton Oceania).
  • Africa: The inclusion of AirBadminton in the African Beach Games 2023 indicates growing interest, with potential for national-level adoption in the future (AirBadminton Update).

Challenges and Limitations

Despite its progress, AirBadminton faces challenges in achieving widespread adoption.

The lack of detailed data on national tournaments in some regions, such as Oceania and Africa, limits the ability to confirm regular fixtures. Additionally, the sport’s reliance on specialized equipment like the AirShuttle and portable nets may pose barriers in resource-constrained areas (AirBadminton – DIE ALTERNATIVE). The BWF’s equipment support program aims to address this, but its impact remains to be fully realized.

Future Prospects for AirBadminton

The BWF’s ongoing commitment, evidenced by the 2024 equipment support program and updated competition regulations, positions AirBadminton for further growth (BWF Equipment Support). The sport’s inclusion in multi-sport events enhances its visibility, potentially attracting more countries to establish regular fixtures. As more Member Associations leverage BWF resources, AirBadminton is likely to become a staple in outdoor sports globally.

Conclusion

Since its launch in 2019, AirBadminton has evolved into a dynamic outdoor sport, breaking the barriers of traditional indoor badminton. Countries like China, Malaysia, Singapore, Finland, the Netherlands, and the UAE have embraced it, hosting tournaments and integrating it into their sporting cultures.

With the BWF’s continued support and the sport’s growing presence in international events, AirBadminton is poised to inspire more people to play badminton in more places, fulfilling its mission of accessibility and inclusivity.

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Will India become the next badminton superpower?

Oliver Shepherd
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Will India become the next badminton superpower?

In nearly all categories, Indian badminton players have shown great progress in recent years. Is this an indication of India possibly becoming the next badminton superpower? Oliver Shepherd explains.

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Who are the new top Japanese men’s singles players?

Badminton Speak
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Who are the new top Japanese men’s singles players?

Japan is one of the superpowers of badminton. For the longest time, Kento Momota was the one to beat in men’s singles. Following his near-fatal accident, Momota has not reached his former top level.

But for Japan, all is not lost. Get to know a few of the up-and-coming Japanese men’s singles players. Perhaps one of these talented players will become the next Japanese world number 1.

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