From nine founding members, the IBF now numbers 149 associate members, from Aruba to Zambia.
Having been a demonstration and exhibition sport in 1972 and 1988 respectively, the sport was finally granted Olympic status for the 1992 Barcelona Games.
Indonesia dominated that first Olympics, winning gold in each of the four disciplines, the country's first in Games history, and seven medals in total.
Badminton is the world’s fastest racket sport with shuttles hitting the 200mph mark.
OLYMPIC MEDAL TABLE (since 1992)
Rules of Badminton
Like tennis, badminton can be played by singles and doubles, mixed or same sex.
Matches are played to the best of three sets.
The sport's governing body, the International Badminton Federation (IBF), has introduced a series of rule changes to make the game faster and more entertaining.
Under the old system the first player (or team) to reach 15 points won the set, except in women's singles when the target was 11 points.
However both men and women now play up to 21 points. If the score reaches 20-20, the winner is the player or team with a two-point advantage.
And if the score goes up to 29-29, the winner is the first to reach 30 points.
In badminton the serve is of huge importance. Points used to be only won on serve.
But this has been scrapped under the new changes, so a player or team can win the point without holding serve.
A team now has only one serve in doubles, rather than two under the old rules.
Serving
In singles, players serve diagonally from one service box to another, alternating between the left and right side of the court as points are won.
The server always serves from the right-hand box at the start of a game and when they have an even number of points.
They serve from the left-hand court when they have an odd number of points.
In doubles, the player on the right always starts the serve and, when a point is won, the players switch sides and the server then serves from the left, continuing to alternate until a serve is lost.
At present a player can only score if they are serving but now points will be awarded to the winner of each rally. Second service in doubles has also been scrapped and best-of-three-set matches will be won by the first to 21 points, instead of 15 for men and 11 for women.
Service action
The shuttlecock must be hit below the server's waist and the racket head must stay below the server's wrist, which means the shot must be played underarm.
The court
Badminton is played indoors, on courts 6.1m wide by 13.4m long.
The net posts are 1.55m high.
Courts should have a clearance of 2m on all sides and a ceiling height of 12m.
Principles of Training
Training has certain principles which must be taken into consideration in order to successfully improve fitness:
Specificity- The type of training that you do should be specific to you and your sport. You should train the energy system which you use mainly. For example don't run 5,000 meters in training if you're a sprinter.
Progression- The process of increasing the intensity, duration, frequency, or amount of activity or exercise as the body adapts to a given activity.
Recovery- Rest is required in order for the body to recover from the training and to allow adaptation to take place. The longer and more intense the activity, the longer the rest needed.
Reversibility- Recovery sessions may not necessarily mean complete rest. Periods of lower intensity activity will allow the body to adapt without increasing the stress placed on it. These periods are excellent opportunities for work on technique and tactics.
Overload- Overload is when the body is worked more than usual to reach the extra workload must meet the maximum of your training.
My Personal Exercise Program
My aim by the end of my six week training programme is to improve the strength in my arms as well as my general fitness particularly my cardiovascular fitness. This is due to the fact that I play badminton and I feel it would benefit me if I was fitter and my arms were more muscular to enable me to get more power in my shots. I currently play badminton twice a week, football twice a week as well as doing P.E twice a week but I feel I can push myself to do more which would benefit me in the long run. In P.E we cover several sports including football and badminton. We also do fitness which involves circuit training, interval training and continuous training. Circuit training means going quickly from one exercise apparatus to another and doing a prescribed number of exercises or time on each apparatus, keeps pulse rate high. Interval training means to alternate between brief periods of lower and higher intensity levels during a workout it is a method used to maximize cardiovascular endurance. Continuous training is where a person trains using 70%-85% of their energy for a long period of time. This method is good for long distance runners and joggers as well as tennis players etc; because it means that their endurance levels will increase.
To achieve my aim I will be doing weight training as well as fitness training. I will be doing this in the gym for 1 hour 30 minutes a week on a Wednesday. I will do this by starting off with light weights and doing lots of sets and reps and then pushing on to do my maximum with fewer reps and sets. This will improve both my muscular strength and my muscular endurance. I will be doing this to work on my legs as well as my arms. I am going to improve my cardiovascular fitness by using the cardiovascular machines such as the treadmill and the exercise bike. I will progress by working for longer periods of time as well as increasing the intensity for example running faster on the treadmill and pedalling on a high level on the exercise bike.
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Machines I will be using
Treadmill- The treadmill is a cardiovascular workout and it burns fat as well toning up your quadriceps as well as the trapezius and latissimus dorsi.
1. Check the area around your treadmill. Make sure there are no pointy or hard objects behind you and the space is clear.
2. If you're using a heart rate monitor, be sure to put it on prior to standing on the belt.
3. Some treadmills have a stop chain, a magnetic device that will automatically stop the belt if it's disconnected. Connect it to yourself.
4. Select the desired workout program and enter your information. For example weight etc.
5. Start the machine at its slowest speed to allow you to get used to the feeling
6. Walk with both feet on the belt while holding onto the railings.
7. Then gradually increase the speed to your ideal speed.
8. You may then add variety to your workout by changing the speed and incline.
Leg Press - Muscles used- the quadriceps, hamstrings and the gluteus.
- Place feet on the platform, shoulders under the pads and rest your head on the head pad whilst gripping handles tightly.
- The push your body backwards straightening your legs in a controlled manner. Do not allow the weight to come down to quickly.
- Breathe out as you push off and breathe in as your bring it back.
Exercise Bike- Muscles used- provide a good aerobic fitness and strengthen the hip flexors, gluts and the calf muscles.
- Select the desired workout program and enter your information. For example weight etc.
- Get on the bike making sure each foot is in the correct pedal.
- Start the bike on its lowest level to get used to the way it works.
- As you become comfortable increase the level to the one that suits you
My six week training plan
I have chosen badminton as my main sport as I have played it for 6 years now and feel I have progressed and am now a very able player. I play badminton every Thursday and Sunday. I will be training in the fitness suite on the treadmill to improve my fitness; I will also be doing 2 sets of 25 reps for weights to get tone in my arms and gain more muscle to allow me to get more power in my shots. I wish to progress in the amount of weight I lift so as the weeks progress I will be lifting heavier weights.
Conclusion
At the start of my programme my aim was to improve my fitness as well as my muscular strength and endurance. I know this because I am now able to run on the treadmill on level 13 for 25 minutes. I can also Bench press 50 kilograms. I can also do two sets of 30 kg. I have noticed that my arms and legs are now more tones and I can run for longer when playing football and badminton. Rather than like before only being able to last 3/4 of the game. However I problem that I found as I was nearing the end of my six week programme was that it got a bit boring as it was getting far too repetitive. I possibly could have made it more enjoyable by doing a wider range of activities or asking others to join me in order to make it more fun. However I do feel the my six week programme has been a success.
