How To Be A Badminton Participant: My Story Turning Professional

Have you ever ever puzzled how one can develop into knowledgeable badminton participant?

I’ve began enjoying badminton 18 years in the past, and signed my first skilled contract as a badminton participant 8 years in the past.

In that point:

• I’ve competed for the world championships in 2023
• Received 7x US Junior Nationwide Championships
• And traveled to over 30 international locations all around the globe, competing in tournaments

On this submit, you’ll uncover the 5-step course of I’ve adopted to develop into a badminton participant. As a fast overview:

Let’s dive proper in:

Step 1: Be taught From Different Skilled Badminton Gamers

Everytime you play badminton for an extended time, you’ll in the end attain a plateau. The identical factor occurred to me.

I’ve performed badminton since 10, and in my early twenties (simply after going professional), I felt like I now not knew methods to stage up my recreation.

• I’ve misplaced my nerves in worldwide tournaments, with a whole lot of individuals watching and cameras following my each transfer.
• My footwork was not as nice because it may have been.
• My bodily health was not ok to compete on the highest ranges.

That’s when a former Olympian and on-line coach, Raju Rai, contacted me.

At first, I used to be hesitant: “You’re a web-based badminton coach? Okaaay.”

However he was persistent.

I gave this a shot. Working with him, I made breakthroughs in my recreation and began performing the best way that I wished to.

Right here’s how my worldwide world rankings climbed once I’ve labored with Raju. I’ve reached my highest world rating ever:

And, to share it once more – as a result of it’s one of many proudest moments of my life: I’ve competed on the 2023 Badminton World Championships:

Step 2: Grasp the Fundamentals Of Enjoying Badminton

Professionals by no means don’t do the fundamentals.

I repeat once more: Professionals by no means don’t do the fundamentals.

If you wish to develop into knowledgeable badminton participant, it’s important to grasp the fundamentals higher than anybody else.

• You not often see skilled badminton gamers carry out trick photographs.
• You by no means see skilled badminton gamers with dangerous footwork.

If you wish to play badminton professionally, it’s important to grasp the boring stuff. Nicely, let me take that again. You’ll must love the boring stuff.

This implies the footwork, common photographs (smash, drop shot, carry, clear, web), and hand-eye coordination drills that make you look bizarre—these drills that you simply’d somewhat not do.

As a result of they’re neither cool, nor enjoyable. However… if you wish to be knowledgeable badminton participant, it’s important to deal with badminton like work.

It’s precisely these drills that you might want to apply when you actually wish to play badminton at national-level tournaments (and worldwide tournaments, for that matter).

Step 3: Don’t Neglect Your Bodily Health

The quickest recorded smash in badminton was 493km/h. The shuttlecock is the fastest-recorded object in sports activities.

It strikes, on common, 1.9x sooner than a tennis ball.

The sport of badminton is the quickest racket sport. This implies badminton gamers must be able to shifting quick and altering instructions continuously.

Not solely that, in addition they want:

• Good hand-eye coordination, and:
• Reflexes…

… to react to the photographs and strike the quick shuttlecock successfully.

You additionally should be versatile sufficient to bend to unusual positions – all of the whereas sustaining a secure higher physique to hit a managed shot. You additionally want endurance as rallies and matches final 3 units and might go on for hours.

And also you want muscular power, to smash laborious and defend laborious smashes.

In brief: You want all the things. Badminton is such a fancy bodily sport that there’s no approach round being at the perfect bodily health stage which you could be.

Step 4: Play Badminton Typically

If you wish to develop into a world-class badminton participant, it’s important to apply. And it’s important to apply a LOT.

One time per week isn’t going to chop it. 3 occasions per week for 1 hour is absolutely the minimal. To realize my stage, I’ve skilled 3 hours per day, 5-6 days per week.

We’ve seen within the earlier factors (particularly the primary), that coaching frequently isn’t all the things.

Sure, you’ll be able to prepare usually and nonetheless be a newbie. Nonetheless, it’s basic if you wish to develop into knowledgeable badminton participant.

Provided that you prepare usually do you construct good behavioral patterns that final even when all of your chips are on the desk, equivalent to in worldwide tournaments.

Step 5: Watch Badminton Matches

To be taught the technique on this advanced recreation of badminton, you should watch matches.

Ideally, your personal, however skilled matches are helpful as nicely. You may be taught a lot about what you may want to enhance from your personal matches – what your weak corners are, incorrect footwork or type…

… or while you hit the incorrect nook in your opponent’s aspect.

Equally, you’ll be able to be taught lots from watching professionals. These are individuals who have lived and breathed badminton their whole lives – they stunning a lot know the correct technique in each single state of affairs.

Attempt to analyze why they’re hitting some shot and replicate that technique in your personal video games. As a begin, right here’s a badminton match of yours really. Are you able to see the place my strengths and weaknesses are simply from watching it?

Let me know within the feedback!

Abstract: How Can You Grow to be A Professional Badminton Participant?

Changing into a professional badminton participant isn’t straightforward. If it had been straightforward, everybody could be doing it. So, being laborious is what makes it nice.

1. You’ll must be taught from individuals who’ve turned professional earlier than.
2. You’ll must work laborious on the fundamentals, for an extended time frame.
3. You’ll should be in peak bodily form (this consists of coaching AND vitamin).
4. You’ll want to coach usually, whether or not or not you’re feeling prefer it (and this consists of whereas coping with accidents).
5. You’ll want to observe your personal badminton recreation, and be on a relentless pursuit of enchancment.

And, you’ll in the end want some luck. Nonetheless, you’ll shortly work out that the tougher you’re employed – the luckier you’ll be.

Cheers,
Justin Ma

Regularly Answered Questions About Changing into A Badminton Participant

I’ve tried to go as in-depth as potential on this article, determining precisely which recommendation I’d give my youthful self.

Nonetheless, I do know that there are at all times unanswered questions, so right here they’re:

Can I nonetheless develop into knowledgeable badminton participant if I’m older?

Badminton is an especially in style sport, which implies that there are numerous individuals eager to develop into skilled gamers.

So ideally, due to the competitors, it’s best to begin enjoying badminton at a younger age if you wish to flip skilled. I’ve personally began enjoying badminton at 10. In a perfect world, I ought to have began on the age of 3-5.

So, even my beginning age was not preferrred!

I do know skilled badminton gamers that began enjoying badminton of their late teenagers, and early 20s – and nonetheless turned professional!

So when you begin later, you’ll completely must just remember to have the correct coaches and advisors, as you haven’t any time to waste.

Whereas a very good coach is necessary when you begin at an early age, it turns into completely essential when you begin later.

What makes a very good badminton participant?

Good badminton gamers are masters on the fundamentals. They’ve nice response velocity, nice footwork, and nice primary photographs (smash, clear, carry, drop shot, web, drive).

Not often do you ever see a very good badminton participant do trick photographs in a severe match. Professionals are professionals as a result of they perceive the worth of the fundamentals.

If you wish to dominate your opponents on the courtroom, play in national-level tournaments (and even get to the nationwide crew) – you might want to grasp the fundamentals.

Don’t fear concerning the extra superior strategies. It’s actually all concerning the fundamentals, even while you’re a professional.

How a lot do badminton gamers earn?

If you happen to’re trying to develop into a badminton participant for monetary causes, I’d advise in opposition to it.

Over my skilled profession, I’ve earned $150 complete for my participation in BWF tournaments. {Most professional} badminton gamers have a full or part-time job on the aspect.

Compared to different sports activities, badminton doesn’t pay nicely. As BadmintonInsight identified:

“Dropping within the first spherical (final 128) of the boys’s or girls’s singles in Wimbledon will get you $75,926.

If you happen to evaluate this to dropping within the first spherical of essentially the most prestigious event in badminton, the All England, you get $1300.

What’s worse is that that is $1300 for the final 32, not the final 128 which it’s in Wimbledon! Dropping within the final 32 in Wimbledon will get you $181,001 – 139x greater than the badminton equal!”

So whereas badminton gamers earn one thing, it’s nonetheless 139x lower than the tennis equal.

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