Badminton Fitness Testing

Fitness Component

example tests

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Anthropometry

• Body Size tests such as height and weight, and arm span.
• Body fat can be measured using the skinfold method. If this is not available, monitoring body weight changes would give an indication of body fat changes, assuming no change in muscle mass.

Tall players with a good arm length can reach more areas of the court with ease.

Excess body fat would affect the player's ability to move freely around the court, and the extra weight will increase fatigue. 

Flexibility

• The sit and reach test can be done for lower back and hamstring flexibility. Other flexibility tests should also be performed.

The flexibility tests should be specific to the actions of badminton. 

Strength and Power

• The vertical jump test can be performed to measure leg power and jumping ability. Maximal strength tests for specific exercises could also be conducted. A handgrip strength test is also suitable.

Strength (and power tests) should also be done to determine strength levels and to monitor strength changes in conjunction with training programs. 

Speed

• Sprint time over 20m, with split times for the 5m and 10m distance should be done if possible.

Running speed is very important in badminton in order to reach all areas of the court quickly.

Agility

• The 505 agility test measures the ability to change direction 180 degrees, such as when the player turns and runs back for a high smash. A 90 degree turn test would also be suitable for badminton. Specific badminton. tests can be developed that mimic the demands of the sport on court.

The ability to quickly change direction is important for badminton. The ability to turn to both the left and right direction may be different in some players and should also be assessed.

Aerobic Fitness

• If testing large groups of players, the shuttle run (beep) test would usually be the most appropriate test.
• There is a range of aerobic fitness tests. You can find information on many other aerobic tests here.

Endurance is an important component of fitness for badminton. Not only is aerobic fitness important for court play, but you need to be fit for long technical training sessions and extended tournament play.