Badminton can be an excellent way to get some exercise and have fun at the same time. It's one of the most popular sports in the world and it's one of those that you don't need much equipment for, and we all like to save a pretty penny in this day and age.
From the text book:
Badminton is a racquet sport played by two people on the same team. The objective of the game is to hit a shuttlecock over the net with your racquet, and to prevent your opponent from doing so.
Simple as that, right? Well, I wouldn't recommend saying that when you rock up to your local club...
How to Get Started with Playing Badminton
Badminton is a great sport to get into. It's easy to learn and can be played by people of all ages. But how do you actually get into playing? Clearly you've already started, with a quick google search, but here are a few ways for you to get playing around Norwich:
- Find a badminton court: We have leisure centres all over the place, even lot's of schools and village halls allow you to rent a court (often for an hour at a time) and they let you borrow equipment. So grab some friends and get going.
- Find a Badminton Club: There is a full list of all of the badminton clubs in Norfolk here. There full of amazing people who I have no doubt will be more than happy to accommodate players of all levels.
- Find a Coach: Badminton England lists all of it's qualified coaches on the official Coaches Register. You can filter it by county and contact any coach you'd like.
So, we know how to get into badminton, but why bother in the first place?
Some Benefits of Playing Badminton
Badminton has been a popular sport in many countries for over 100 years. It is a fast-paced game that requires quick reflexes and agility. The rules are simple enough to allow beginners to play competitively from the beginning.
There are many benefits of playing badminton:
1. Badminton is a Total Body Workout
While you’re lunging, diving, running and getting your heart pumping, playing a game of badminton can help you burn around 450 calories an hour. The varied movements provide a powerful cardio workout by engaging the entire body, including the hamstrings, quads, calves and your core.
2. Socialising
For adults, we recommend taking 30 minutes of exercise, five times a week. Due to increased home and work life responsibilities, some of us may be guilty of not doing as much physical activity as we should. Badminton is a fun and flexible sport that can be enjoyed around your busy schedule. Our courts are available to hire during the day, in the evenings and on weekends. You can even use your workout as an opportunity to socialise and catch-up with friends and family.
3. Badminton Improves Your Mental Wellbeing
Taking part in any form of regular physical activity helps to release our natural feel good happy hormones, endorphins. In turn, this can help reduce depression, anxiety and stress and improve our overall mood and sleep. Talking to other players and rallying in singles or doubles means that badminton is a social sport. This can be particularly beneficial in combating loneliness among players.
4. Heart Health
A healthy heart is essential to ensure your body functions correctly and properly. Badminton decreases the levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol, which can block your blood vessels and improves the levels of good cholesterol. This leads to a reduced risk of hypertension (high blood pressure), heart attack and stroke.
5. Badminton is a Flexible Exercise
Everyone can enjoy badminton, regardless of your fitness or health. You can choose a more or less intense workout by altering the pace you’re playing at. This is to suit your individual needs and the needs and abilities of the other players.
In conclusion...
We've established that playing badminton is beneficial for many reasons. It's a social sport that can be played by people of all ages, It's also a great workout, which will give you an energy boost and make you feel better about yourself, and it can also help you relieve stress and improve your mood.
So what's stopping you? Get Playing!
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