History of Badminton made from the feathers from the left wing into the net or even if the
e net or even if the shuttle touches
A little-known fact about badminton is
that it demands high fitness levels from
its players in addition to agility, speed
and accuracy. Introduction of badminton
at the Olympics added to its appeal.
Read on to find out about the history of
badminton. Learn more about the various
badminton tournaments organized the
world over.
History of Badminton
The history of badminton shows that it
had its roots in an old children’s game in
England known as battledore and
shuttlecock. British Army officers in India
played a grown up version of this game.
Known in its early days as ‘poona’, it was
played with many people who tried to
keep the ‘bird’ in air. A net came to be
added later and badminton in its present
form was born. This sport derived its
name from Badminton House in
Gloucestershire where the game was
played at a lawn party. The International
Badminton Federation (IBF) that was
started in 1934 now has more than 130
member countries. The Asian countries
now dominate the badminton scene and
they continue to rule the roost as far as
tournaments go. Badminton matches
draw thousands of spectators in
Malaysia, Indonesia and China.
Badminton in the U.S. began as a
weekend meeting place for New York’s
society leaders with the formation of the
Badminton Club of New York in 1878.
Clubs and YMCAs and educational
institutions began to offer training in
badminton. Several Hollywood
personalities like James Cagney, Bette
Davis and Joan Crawford were avid
badminton players. The United States
Badminton Association (USBA) has its
national office in Colorado Springs,
Colorado. This body focuses on
promoting badminton within the country
and developing players.
Badminton – Little Known Facts
A badminton shuttle has known to clock
in excess of 180 mph. Did you know that
the best badminton shuttle is one that is
of a goose?. Badminton players need to
possess quick response and agility. With
badminton matches lasting even up to a
couple of hours, it is little wonder that
badminton players need to have rigorous
training to build up stamina and
concentration. In addition, quick reflexes
and rapid hand-eye coordination are a
prerequisite for any aspiring badminton
player. Badminton, unlike most other
racquet sports does not use a ball but a
shuttlecock that cannot touch the ground
during a rally.
Look at these amazing statistics
comparing a badminton match with a
tennis match. Badminton provides a
vigorous cardiovascular workout for the
player. In fact, the Department of
Physical Education at Baylor University
describes it as ‘one of the finest
conditioning game activities available’. A
statistical comparison reveals the
following:
Tennis Badminton
Time 3 hours 1 hour 16
duration: 18 minutes
minutes
Ball/Shuttle 18 37 minutes
in play: minutes
Match 9% 48%
intensity:
Shots: 1004 1972
Shots per 3.4 13.5
rally:
Distance 2 miles 4 miles
covered:
Badminton Rule
The badminton rule regarding the shuttle
is that it can be made from natural,
synthetic or a combination of both
materials. The badminton shuttle is a
combination of a few bird feathers, a
wooden cork, string and glue. It must
have 16 feathers fixed in the base. Test a
shuttle using a full underhand stroke. The
badminton racket also must conform to
the badminton rulebook. A badminton
racket is usually made from hickory
carbon alloys or steel. The badminton
game rally is aimed at hitting the shuttle
over the net onto the opponent’s court.
You lose the rally by either hitting outside
the opponents court or hitting the shuttle
you or your clothing. The badminton rule
allows you to accumulate points until you
have reached the winning target before
your opponent. The attacking and
defensive factors are crucial to win a
badminton game. The attacking game
attempts to increase your chance of
accumulating points. The defensive
game aims at decreasing the opponent’s
chance of accumulating points. The
badminton rulebook prescribes the
following scoring system:
 A match shall consist of the best
of 3 games unless otherwise
arranged.
 In doubles and men’s singles,
the first side to score 15 points
wins a game.
 In ladies’ singles, the first side
to score 11 points wins the
game.
 The side winning a game serves
first in the next game.
 The badminton rule for scoring
is that the serving side can add
a point to its score.
Badminton Court - Badminton Court Size
The American Badminton Association
recommends a ground space of about
1620 square feet for a badminton court
size. The Singles badminton court is 17’
X 44’ whereas a doubles court is 20’ X
44’. There should be a minimum 5’
unobstructed area on all sides of the
badminton court. The recommended
surface for a badminton court is concrete
or bituminous material. The badminton
court can be optionally protected with a
color coating if it is a permanent
installation. The badminton court must be
leveled and smooth but not slippery. The
badminton court net can be made of fine
cord of dark color and even thickness.
The specifications for the badminton
court net are that it should have a mesh
of not less than 15 mm and not more
than 20 mm. The net must be at least 6.1
meters wide.