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Badminton science and sports science related to badminton

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Badminton Speak
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Badminton science sports science

Badminton science research is an area covering many aspects of science related to the badminton sport. These areas include exercise physiology, sport psychology, anatomy, biomechanics, biochemistry, and biokinetics.

Thankfully, a lot of scientific research related to badminton is publicly available. There is much to learn from this research. That’s why BadmintonSpeak.com would like to share some of the information with you.

One BWF-supported publication is dedicated to racket sports science. In the following, you will find links to some interesting and thought-provoking research studies related to badminton science.

Get easy-to-understand abstracts of badminton science research papers – subscribe to Badminton Speak today

Table of Contents

Please note that this article is updated with new links added regularly. Members of our newsletter, you will receive regular abstracts of the most important badminton science research papers and sports science studies.

Performance improvement in badminton is an important area. The badminton science research linked above provides tangible solutions to different areas of badminton performance.

Research related to behavioral science is interesting. Here are some of the

Evidence supporting the relevance of growing badminton

There is a lot of anecdotal “evidence” on the benefits of playing badminton. These research papers provide unbiased evidence of the (many) benefits of badminton.

Badminton science research papers you should know

Here is a list of some of the most recent badminton science research papers.

Research papers on badminton coaching

Coaching is both an art and a science. Check out these research papers related to the coaching of badminton and racket sports in general.

All they’ve got in Lugazi is 2 outdoor badminton courts, but they love it

By
Michael Leander
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Turns out, I forgot my first experience with badminton. But a story we received from a friend in Lugazi, Uganda, reminded me.

You see, around the world, many children and adults have one thing in common: they started their badminton experience outdoors. Some eventually make it on to practice badminton indoors, but many don’t.

I didn’t, but for other reasons than lack of access.

In so many places around the world, people do not have access to proper training facilities, motivated coaches, and a supportive badminton environment. Therefore the experience of the vast majority will be limited to playing outdoors. I can’t help but wonder how many talents are lost because of the lack of proper training facilities around the world.

The impact of parents on badminton around the world

Lugazi badminton outdoor

The Lugazi badminton kids, you are about to learn about, have something in common with most children who get involved with badminton. They are guided by their parents.

As I recall my first experience, my father took me to play at a “nature court” steps away from the home of my grandparents in Barløse (a tiny village in Denmark). I am pretty sure I enjoyed it. I must have. Because so many years later, I can still envision the “court”, the old wooden racquets, and the slow breeze.

Although my father never played organized badminton, he’s always loved the game. And that’s why he got the idea to take me to the nature court. (I refer to the court as a nature court, since it was “built” in a tiny forest. The court was surrounded by trees on all four sides).

Parental influence is also very much in play in Lugazi. Children in Lugazi are coached by parents or other adults with knowledge of the game. The adults themselves also enjoy the game of badminton on the two outdoor courts available.

Our thanks to Senthil Kumar who brought us this story. He is an Indian ex-pat living in Lugazi with his family.

What’s the badminton story in Lugazi?

At the moment, badminton is mainly enjoyed by the expatriate employees of SCOUL (they produce the famous Lugazi sugar) and Cable Corporation in Lugazi. It has become a popular activity for fun and exercise.

On a regular basis, there are around 10 children and 10 adults playing on the 2 outdoor courts in Lugazi. The courts are with concrete surfaces, but with flood lights enabling players to enjoy badminton after dark.

Currently, the Lugazi players use synthetic shuttles. They have not used the AirBadminton shuttles, which are specially developed for outdoor badminton.

The children also play at school. And some of them have even become school champions.

What happens to talented badminton players from Lugazi?

Talented players from Lugazi, have no other option than to seek organized training in far-away Kampala. Receiving professional training is key to talent development. Even for those who do not wish to compete at the highest level, training is crucial. The reason is that the more skilled a person is, the more enjoyable they’ll find the game of badminton.

The lack of structured training is a general issue in rural areas around the world. And it is a challenge in areas where badminton has not been given priority. A city the size of Lugazi has the potential to involve at least 800 children between 6-17 in organized badminton.

But without the right focus and commitment to expanding the sport locally, the potential will never be reached.

Resources and how to grow badminton in the city

In Lugazi visitors will find Uganda’s biggest privately owned, most scenic beautiful golf course (the Mehta Golf Course). So, naturally, golf is a popular sport in the city. But so is football – the city has 2 purpose-built football stadiums.

Volleyball is another popular sport. It is played at the volleyball stadium. Interestingly, baseball is also popular in Lugazi, as is weekend cricket for the ex-pats living there.

Are you thinking what I am?

Seeing how the city has given priority to the aforementioned sports, it seems there is an opportunity for badminton as well.

Imagine what could happen if a purpose-built badminton hall was erected in the city. A hall with – say – 6-8 courts, shower facilities, a physical fitness room, and a small cafeteria. Preferably one with solar panels on the roof capable of producing all the energy required to run the hall. (lots of sunlight hours in Lugazi).

We know that badminton is becoming more popular in Uganda. The country has been actively seeking to host international tournaments. This gives us reason to believe that a plan to grow the sport further is realistic.

Moreover, Uganda is home to a large population of Indian descent. Not as many as in neighboring Kenya, but enough to become a driving force in making badminton more popular in the country.

At Badminton Speak we are working on plans to help places like Lugazi explore the opportunities to grow badminton locally.

Get the Badminton Speak newsletter to stay informed about our ambitious plan to help grow badminton around the world

Is badminton good for the brain?

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Badminton Speak
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badminton brain benefits

The short answer is that badminton is very good for the brain.

A game of badminton stimulates what is known as our inhibitory function. That is a part of the executive function of the brain, which controls our impulses, helps delay pleasure, and assists in planning for the future. The same effect is true for playing table tennis, but not so much for running or walking.

In layman’s terms, researchers explain that badminton is good for the brain because the game involves constant decision-making. So apart from the obvious physical benefits, playing badminton also improves important functions of your brain.

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Research proves cognitive performance improvement after a game of badminton

In this scientific article, you can learn the details of the “badminton brain” study conducted by Shinji Takahashi of Tohoku Gakuin University, Japan. The study is called “Comparison of the effects of running and badminton on executive function: A within-subjects design”. It specifically compares people who played a game of badminton versus people who ran on a treadmill.

The following is a quick summary of the research:

Regular exercise can prevent cognitive decline and dementia. Moreover, it is thought that exercise has a beneficial effect on the executive function, including the inhibitory function, working memory, and cognitive flexibility

The research by Mr. Takahashi and the team was done to clarify what kinds of exercises improve executive functions (also called cognitive control). In the past researchers have studied both quantitative characteristics (e.g., intensity, duration, and frequency) and qualitative characteristics (e.g., exercise mode and complexity).

Complex vs. simple exercises – a big difference for the brain

Several studies have shown that complex exercises, including open-skill sports (e.g., badminton, tennis, and fencing), have more positive effects on executive functions than simple exercises, such as closed-skill sports (e.g., running and swimming).

Voss et al. reported results from a meta-analysis indicating that athletes who are experts at complex exercises tend to exhibit superior executive function than simple sports athletes and non-athletes.

Complex exercises require the coordination of a variety of motions and cognitive processes, including information pick-up, decision-making, visual attention, and inhibition of inappropriate actions.

Brain power improved after just one game of badminton

What’s interesting about the study is that the test subjects who were “brain tested” before and after a game of badminton, improved their post-game brain test score significantly compared to their score before the game.

When comparing the participating badminton players to runners participating, both groups produced similar results pre-activity, but the brain test score for those playing badminton was significantly better.

Learn more about badminton science and its impact on your health, well-being, and mental power

Learning about the science of badminton is interesting to many people. That’s why Badminton Speak devotes time and resources to bringing you information related to badminton science. Especially as it relates to people’s well-being and mental strength.

Subscribe to the Badmintonspeak.com newsletter for more insight on badminton science

Malaysia Open 2023 – facts and predictions

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Badminton Speak
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Malaysia Open 2023 badminton tournament

Malaysia Open 2023 – sponsored by Petronas – is the first BWF World Tour Super 1000 tournament of 2023. It takes place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia between 10-15 January 2023.

See the history of the Malaysia Open here

Quick links:
> See the draw for men’s singles
> See the draw for women’s singles
> See the draw for men’s doubles
> See the draw for women’s doubles
> See the draw for mixed doubles

See the BWF World Tour Super Series Calendar for 2023 here

Malaysia Open 2023 facts, figures, and recent winners

Prize money: USD 1,250,000
What’s special: The fans and the rich history of the tournament

Recent champions Malaysia Open (2022)

  • Men’s singles: Viktor Axelsen, Denmark (win his book)
  • Women’s singles: Ratchanok Intanon, Thailand
  • Men’s doubles: Hoki / Kobayashi, Japan
  • Women’s doubles: Rahayo / Silva, Indonesia
  • Mixed doubles: Siwei / Yaqiong, China

Prize money distribution:

EventWinnerFinalistSemi-finalsQuarter-finalsLast 16Last 32
Singles$87,500$42,500$17,500$6,875$3,750$1,250
Doubles$92,500$43,750$17,500$7,812.50$4,062.50$1,250

Ranking points to be earned:

WinnerRunner-up3/45/89/1617/32
12,00010,2008,4006,6004,8003,000

Which players to watch out for at Petronas Malaysia Open

Men’s singles – possibly Momota vs. Axelsen match

Great news in men’s singles. Kento Momota is scheduled to compete. He will face Toma Junior Popov of France (H2H:2-0) in the first round. The winner of that match will meet the winner of first seed and defending Malaysia Open Champion Viktor Axelsen vs. Rasmus Gemke (H2H: 4-0).

If we get another Momota – Axelsen match let’s hope it will be different than last year’s Malaysia Open final, which you can see below.

Watch the final from Malaysia Open 2022 – Kento Momota vs. Viktor Axelsen

Anders Antonsen is back. He will face Weng Hongyan from China in the first round. It is the first showdown between the two. The winner of that match will face either Antony Ginting or Angus Ng Ka Long.

Lee Zia Jia of Malaysia is seeded second and will meet Kodai Naraoka of Japan in the first round. That should be an interesting match to watch. If Naraoka can follow up on his recent accomplishments, he might just upset Lee Zia Jia. A certain Malaysian compatriot won the Malaysia Open a whopping 12 times. Therefore, playing in front of his home supporters might make Lee Zia Jia feel even more alive, or he may crumble under the pressure. Naraoka, on the other hand, has nothing to lose and has shown great form in 2022.

The winner of the Lee Zia Jia / Kodai Naraoka match will face the winner of Malaysian Ng Tze Yong against Nhat Nguyen of Ireland (H2H: 1-1) in the second round.

Men’s singles prediction:

The team at Badmintonspeak.com can’t quite agree on who we think will meet in the final.

So here is our soft prediction for the four men’s singles semifinalists at Malaysia Open 2023 – all chosen based on an anticipated near-perfect-form performance and because of their individual “x-factor”
– Viktor Axelsen, Denmark (seeded 1)
– Shi Yuqi, China (unseeded)
– Loh Kean Yew, Singapore (seeded 3)
– Kodai Naraoka, Japan (unseeded)

That said, at the time of writing this, we don’t know the playing and “wind” conditions of the Axiata Arena in KL. As you probably know, that makes a lot of difference in men’s singles.

Women’s singles – players to watch

The reigning Malaysia Open champion is Rachanok Intanon. She stands to meet Yamaguchi in the quarterfinal. In our opinion, she is not a favorite to come out victorious against Yamaguchi. We predict a new Malaysia Open Champion 2023.

Tai Tzu-Ying has been favored by a reasonably easy draw. We anticipate that Taiwan’s Ace female single player will make it into the top 4 of the tournament.

Carolina Marin is someone to watch. She will be playing what promises to be a thrilling match against India’s Sindhu – in the first round. If Carolina is in form, she might just overpower India’s beloved Pusarla Sindhu. Whoever comes out on top, stands to play either Nozomi Okuhara or Chen Yu Fei in the second round. No matter how it pans out, the audience at the arena and watching at home are in for a real treat.

Finally, Korea’s An Se-young shouldn’t have too much trouble making it to the semifinals. That is if she is fit to fight. If she isn’t, she may very well lose in the second round to Wang Zhiyi from China.

Europe is represented by 7 players (3 players from Denmark, 2 from Spain, 1 from Scotland, and 1 from Germany). Panam is represented by 2 players (1 player from the USA and 1 from Canada. The remaining 23 players are all from Asia.

We are currently updating this article, get the newsletter to stay alerted.

What is Felet badminton racquets and badminton equipment?

By
Badminton Speak
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Felet badminton brand

Felet is a badminton brand from Malaysia. While Felet is relatively unknown in Europe, it is somewhat popular in Malaysia and certain other countries. Their website gives you a good impression of what this badminton brand has to offer.

The brand was formerly known as Fleet. The rebranding was apparently chosen for strategic reasons. (If you know exactly what prompted the change from Fleet to Felet, please let us know in the comments).

Felet badminton history

Felet was established in Malaysia in 1992. For over 30 years the company has specialized in badminton equipment. Their range includes badminton racquets, badminton shoes, footwear, bags, shuttlecocks, apparel, and even stringing machines.

The motto of the firm is “Heading to the top”. (and aren’t we all aspiring to get to the top). Judging from the communication, the company is seemingly aiming to be perceived as strong in Research & Development, a claim that is often associated with Yonex.

Felet Sports is active on Instagram here and on Facebook here. They have more than 235.000 followers on Facebook and more than 37.000 followers on Instagram (as of December 2022).

Badminton players using Felet racquets

Over the years, Felet has supported many world-class players. These include badminton players such as:

  • Ng Ka Long Angus from Hong Kong
  • Shesar Hiren Rhustavito from Indonesia
  • Datuk Rashid Sidek from Malaysia

Recently Busanan Ongbamrungphan from Thailand and Sameer Verma from India joined the Felet badminton family. According to the website, they intend to sign more international players in the near future.

What’s the racquet quality like?

Until we can put Felet badminton racquets to the test, we’ve looked online to see what others say. Their racquets seem to get mixed reviews from the badminton community.

Most often badminton players compare with Yonex racquets. And more often than not, it is not an apple-to-apple comparison. If a badminton racket review is not done properly, the reviewer will actually not be able to conclude which of the two rackets is better.

At Badmintonspeak we intend to test Felet badminton shoes and racquets in the near future. Get the newsletter to stay tuned for that story.

Will they be a Yonex killer?

Yonex seems to be the market-leading badminton brand. The perception of Yonex is that it is a quality brand. But that doesn’t mean that others can’t produce the same or better quality. The question is if this Malaysian brand with its current limited distribution and brand awareness has the potential to match a super brand such as Yonex.

The future will tell.

Make your shuttles last longer – humidify them!

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Badminton Speak
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Make shuttlecocks last by using humidifier

Do you want your feather badminton shuttlecocks to last longer? Unless you are the Elon Musk or Bill Gates of badminton, you probably do. Quality feather shuttles are expensive and they might become scarce in the future. So most players want to do what they can to make them last.

The good news is that there is a method using a practical humidor, which may help you cut as much as 50% of the amount you spend on new shuttlecocks. The tips below will help you make shuttles last longer!

Scroll down to see how you can win a smart humidifier for your own personal use

Table of Contents


In this badminton tip, you’ll learn about the factors affecting the quality of shuttles. And you will learn why using a humidifier is a solid method to increase the lifespan of feather badminton shuttles. Read on.

Factors affecting the durability of shuttles

Buying new shuttles from one of the many shuttlecock brands such as Yonex, Victor, Lining, or RSL, can be a costly experience. In some countries, a dozen (12) new feather shuttles can easily set you back some USD 40.

So when you are investing around USD 3 per shuttle, it can be very disappointing when a shuttle breaks after a mere 3-4 hits. Oftentimes, players feel it is because they hit the shuttle poorly. And sometimes that is the case. But not always.

There are several factors that affect the durability of shuttles.

Let’s start with the most obvious: shuttlecocks come in many different qualities. Some of these are so poorly made that it seems the feathers break by merely looking at them. Poorly made shuttles simply don’t last very long.

On the other hand, high-quality shuttles might still break sooner than you’d like, but they may very well still be playable for a substantial amount of training matches or training drills.

Get the Badminton Speak newsletter to see a test that proves this point

A factor most people don’t think about has to do with temperature changes and the natural ambient humidity in your location. For example, if the environment your shuttles have been in is very dry, the shuttles will also dry out. If your shuttles are stored in the wrong temperature, it will affect their quality and shorten the lifetime of your shuttles.

How humidifying shuttlecocks help

If shuttlecocks do not contain the right humidity, the shuttles will lose their flexibility, elasticity – and especially speed.
When shuttle feathers dry out, they become brittle and break easily. 

Therefore, when you store your shuttlecocks in a humid environment – which is the optimal storage for shuttles – you will maximize the durability of your shuttles irrespective of the ambient conditions.

This is the exact reason why humidifiers help.

Humidome solution for badminton players

Humidome is designed and manufactured in Finland. This video explains how to use Humidome. It is a cost-effective method to make your shuttles last longer. There are many manufacturers of similar solutions. Be sure to check reviews and specific product details.

Humidome step-by-step explanation

Stein P. also promotes a similar solution for humidifying your shuttles. It is known as Stein P Shuttle Moisture End Cap.

Humidity shuttlecock cabinets for clubs and tournament organizers

Humidor cabinet for badminton - calculate savings

Badminton clubs that are interested in humidifying many shuttlecocks at a time should consider a cabinet. These are also known as hygro-boxes. Hygro-boxes should be equipped with an electronic moisture control system with a digital reading of the desired and actual relative humidity, and operating status.

The claim (from manufacturers) is that humidified shuttles last 50-80% longer. It is estimated that Badminton clubs can reduce purchasing of feather shuttlecocks by 25-40% per year.

There are many different options and sizes to choose from. Some can store and effectively humidify as many as 4.000 shuttles at a time. The end result translates into significant savings for clubs and tournament organizers.

Use this smart calculation to see how much your club can save (this is not an endorsement of the manufacturer)

Win your own shuttlecock humidifier

Subscribe to the Badmintonspeak.com newsletter. Every month we draw one winner of a shuttlecock humidifier. This will help you make shuttles last longer. The humidifier will be sent directly to an address of your choosing.

Subscribe today to be part of this month’s draw

Free app: how to check the tension of your badminton strings

By
Michael Leander
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0
Badminton strings tension check with Springster

Would you like to check or monitor the tension of your badminton strings? Or would you like to verify that your badminton supplier delivered the right string tension when your racket has been restrung?

Then you might want to try out Stringster – a free app for Android and iPhone.

With this app, you are able to monitor the actual and current tension of any badminton racket.

Get more badminton tool tips – subscribe today

Check string tension regularly

The elasticity of your badminton strings will reduce over time. In fact, even hours after a racket has been newly strung, the string tension is reduced by somewhere between 5-10%. That means you lose a certain percentage of energy generated by the strings initially. Over time, the tension is further reduced.

So in effect, if you think you are playing with a tension of – say – 13 kilograms (app. 26 pounds), you are not. It is also likely that some strings – in combination with specific rackets – lose less tension over time than others.

Meet Stringster – the free app

Stringster is a free app. It helps you monitor or check the actual tension of your strings. It is relatively easy to set up and use. In the video below Martin Hargrave gives you a step-by-step demonstration of how the app works.

The elasticity of the strings – and thus their energy – decreases over time. The Stringster application helps you to monitor the loss of tension over time and to identify the right point of time to replace your strings.

Moreover, Stringster enables you to experiment with different types of strings, string diameters, and tension levels. This enables you to better understand which strings stay “fresh” and for how long.

How to set up and use Stringster?

Want to know more about strings, tension, and such?

Get more information about strings, string tension, and racquets – subscribe to the Badminton Speak newsletter here Badmintonspeak.com will bring you more in-depth articles and tips to help you make informed choices about racquets, strings, tension, humidity, and what you need to know about traveling with your badminton equipment.

What’s great about fresh strings?

Needless to say, stringing your racquets regularly can be an expensive affair. You should, however, remember the benefit of new strings. These include:

  • better feel for the ball
  • more repulsion power
  • more controlled strokes
  • better shock-damping performance to keep your arm joints healthy

Your wallet may suffer a bit when you restring your racquets regularly, but your badminton game will benefit. To many of us, that’s more important than money, right? 😉

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