Badminton is a racquet sport played by two or four individuals and features every match with rapid short-duration actions.
History Of Badminton
Having launched in India in the late 19th century at the time of British colonialism, badminton has evolved into a game that calls for excellence in technical, tactical, physical and mental arenas for elite-level performance. In the past two decades, application of sports science has revolutionized the development of performance in international badminton competitions.
How Badminton And Biomechanics Are Related?
Badminton has thus played a vital role in the science of understanding and improving performance in sports, especially through biomechanics-the science of human motion. It is believed to be one of the best methods for the understanding of the athlete’s technique of performance so that it would be enhanced as much as one could increase the former and minimize the latter. For instance, in badminton, optimization of the execution of the stroke helps one to understand the endurance demands and to enhance general fitness.
Badminton Power Strokes Biomechanics
The field of study has entailed a tremendous shift from the past views founded on a better knowledge regarding the biomechanics of power strokes in badminton. The early researchers suggested that the strokes, particularly the power strokes, were initiated by the wrist snap, however, the recent biomechanical studies have negated the above scenario. It has been seen in different studies that forearm rotation plays a significant role in the generation of power and contributions arise from the movement of the radioulnar pronation, elbow extension, and ulnar deviation at the wrist.
More research on this topic went further to quantify the contribution of various joints toward shuttle velocity during the smash stroke. Shoulder rotation and radioulnar pronation are significant contributors, with a contribution toward the shuttle speed of 53%. This finding established a drastic deviation from the traditional emphasis in stroke mechanics that focused around the wrist. It has been discovered that world-class players take enormous amounts of power in the underarm forehand and clear serve by pronating the forearm and rotating the upper arm medially while backhand clears are dependent on forearm supination and upper arm lateral rotation. Although the contribution of wrist motion has been reduced, further research is needed to determine the muscle groups that contribute to the power of these shots.
Biomechanics Applied During Forehand Overhead Jump Smash
The forehand overhead jump smash is one of the most important and aggressive strokes in badminton. Research on this stroke revealed that higher elbow angular velocity is correlated with higher shutter speeds during a jump smash. The timing of muscle activity is also important for the optimal performance of a smash. Studies on the temporal-spatial relationship between muscle activity and the execution of the smash have indicated that the control of distal muscles in the upper limb is critical for accuracy and speed.
Comparative studies on forehand and backhand strokes have pointed out key biomechanical differences in angular velocities and muscle activation. Skilled players have been reported to produce very high angular velocities in the actions of glenohumeral external rotation, elbow supination, and wrist extension when playing a backhand stroke. The relative difference was lesser in the forehand stroke. This would therefore indicate the fact that although players often tend to play the forehand stroke more often, players put much focus into developing their backhand throughout their careers. A comprehensive analysis of surface EMG activity shows that a jump smash requires greater EMG activation prior to the shuttle contact than a regular smash to ensure that muscle activation is achieved before impact to attain high shuttle velocities.
Biomechanics Applied During The Backhand Overhead Strokes
Among these backhand overhead strokes, such as smash, clear and drop shot, biomechanical studies of smash have advanced the understanding of stroke execution. Recent researches have proved the extension of angle of the shoulders and angular acceleration of the wrists during the initial phase of a given stroke can provide greater shuttle speeds. These suggestions are of critical importance for competitors interested in their backhand overhead strokes and technique to perform better.
Biomechanics Applied During The Forehand Serves
The biomechanical analyses of the forehand serves have also been done on the comparisons between the long and short serves. It was found that there were three principal variables, namely: elbow angle, shuttle height at contact, and shuttle trajectory after launch. All these differences are important since they relate to how max height is achieved at which the shuttle travels and hence the effectiveness of the serve. For instance, the biomechanical variables, such as elbow angle and shuttle height, form the basis on which players base their strategic planning in service techniques.
Biomechanics During General Endurance And Fitness In Badminton
General endurance and physical fitness are essential to badminton performance. It has been noted that muscular endurance and explosive muscle strength are essential, particularly in the lower body. Research done on the strength of the knee extensor (quadriceps) and flexor (hamstrings) indicates that lower extremity musculature is critical in providing for the quick, forceful movements necessary throughout a match. Maximally developing strength and explosive strength through isometric muscle contractions are critical in producing powerful movements and recovery between points.
Intermittent A badminton match imposes high demands on both the aerobic and anaerobic energy systems. Research has indicated that 60-70% of energy for a match is derived from the aerobic system and 30% anaerobically metabolized. The alactic anaerobic metabolism pathway is more prominent in the context of high-intensity explosions; here, explosive strength and fast recovery are of utmost value.
Biomechanics is one area of sports science that can give unique insights into optimal performance. Its application in this sport can make it possible for athletes and coaches to optimize stroke mechanics, from power strokes through the forehand overhead jump smash, backhand strokes, to serves. Also, knowledge in the demands of general endurance and fitness-the biomechanics experience-would be a basis for building the physical capacity needed to perform at the elite level by athletes. As research in sports science continues to evolve, the application of biomechanics will, therefore, remain a vital tool in ensuring improvement in the overall performance of badminton players worldwide.
The Sportz Planet Desk,
Atharva Shetye
