Student life can get very busy between all the coursework and social events. It’s hard to find time for physical activity. Some students are too tired to participate in extensive exercises. So what’s the solution? Badminton!
Yes, badminton is the best option for getting some exercise while using minimal energy. You can play at your own pace and enjoy the game. Plus, it requires only a shuttlecock, racquets, and a court. Most colleges have a badminton court or at least a large area where you can play.
Playing badminton as a student has numerous physical, mental, social, and even academic benefits.
How and which? Let’s find out.
The Physical Health Benefits of Playing Badminton for Students
Badminton is an excellent exercise to maintain physical well-being. The following are the health benefits of playing badminton as a student:
Enhanced Muscle Strength
Playing badminton involves full body movement. You are constantly using your arms, legs, core, and back. All these muscle groups are engaged simultaneously which contributes to overall muscle development. You will experience improved endurance and hence better overall physical fitness.
Better Cardiovascular Health
Badminton requires constant movement to cover the entire court. You need to rapidly shift from one direction to another. All of this increases your heart rate. The blood circulation in your body is improved. Because of that oxygen delivery to all parts of the body is more efficient.
Thus, badminton can make your cardiovascular health better. It can help lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, or any other chronic conditions.
Improved Flexibility
You must do stretching exercises before and after every badminton session. While playing the game you need to jump, do lunges, and run with a quick speed. All of this promotes flexibility. Your range of motion significantly improves.
The more flexible you are, the less likely you are to pull a muscle and injure yourself. This improved flexibility expands your overall athletic performance.
Weight Management
Badminton is a great way to burn calories. While playing a game, you can easily burn 300 to 400 calories. This is great if you are trying to lose or maintain your weight. If you combine badminton with a balanced diet, you can effectively manage your weight.
The Mental Health Benefits of Playing Badminton
Along with the physical benefits of badminton, you will also experience mental health benefits like reduced stress, better mood, enhanced self-confidence, and mental resilience.
Reduced Stress
Doing exercise releases endorphins in your body. These are neurotransmitters that act as natural stress relievers. So, when you play badminton, the levels of these neurotransmitters increase in your body. You will feel relaxed and your tension will get lifted to some extent. That’s why badminton is a healthy exercise to release pent-up emotions.
Boosts Mood
Badminton has an exercise-like effect on your body. It facilitates release of serotonin and dopamine hormones. These hormones are known to have a calming effect and lift your mood. You also get to interact with like-minded people. That’s an added bonus to enhance your mood by talking about the game you enjoy.
Enhanced Self-Confidence
When you play badminton regularly, you learn new things. It sparks a curiosity to learn better techniques than you already know. And when you learn or master one of these new techniques, you feel good about yourself. If you win a particularly tough match, you feel on top of the world. This in combination enhances your self-confidence. This confidence will also start reflecting in different aspects of your life.
Mental Resilience
Facing challenges on the court builds you to become tough. It creates a spark to be better. You will find yourself trying harder to learn something you are weak at. This is your mental resilience building up. You will not run away from challenges. Rather face them head-on.
The Social Benefits of Playing Badminton for Students
Playing badminton as a student is beneficial for your mental and physical health, but it has social benefits. Shocked? Don’t be! Badminton gives you a chance to improve your social skills because of regular interaction with different players.
Meet New People
You get opportunities to meet new people on the court. More so if you are participating in tournaments. You get to interact with these people sharing the same interests as you. It is a chance to expand your connections, learn new skills, and up your social game.
Improved Communication
When you are playing doubles badminton, communication is the key. You and your partner must be in sync with each other. If your communication is weak you won’t be able to coordinate during the game. This involves verbal as well as non-verbal communication. Talk with your partner before the game to decide on signs and signals to talk during the game.
Anger Management
Badminton is a competitive sport. It is easy to evoke strong emotions like anger, frustration, disappointment, and hatred. Expressing these emotions on the field is considered as unprofessional. Sometimes, it is even considered as a fault, giving your opponent a point. With practice, you learn to control these emotions.
Development of Team Spirit
This can be developed only while playing badminton doubles. There, you and your partner are a team. Your coordination, communication, and teamwork is what going to help you win the game. You will learn to encourage your partner in times of need and celebrate together in victories. But you will also learn not to blame your partner for something you failed as a team.
How Playing Badminton Should Benefit Your Academic Performance
What if I told you that you can study better if you play badminton? Sounds far stretched, right? But it is possible. You improve your cognitive function, and energy levels, develop discipline, and learn to manage your time. All of these are essential skills for academic excellence.
- Badminton improves cognitive functions like memory, reaction time, and focus.
- You feel energized after a game and your stamina increases.
- You learn to manage your time between study sessions and badminton.
- You develop discipline in your life which helps you study regularly.
- To learn to make quick decisions and solve problems on the spot.
- Due to improved mood, you develop mental clarity which leads to productivity.
Balancing Badminton and Studies: Time Management Tips for Students
The most important challenge of playing badminton as a student is time management. Most students have a lot on their plate. It becomes difficult to include a game session in everyday routine.
If you are playing for recreational purposes or for general fitness, you don’t have to stress out about it. Simply playing an hour-long session whenever you have time is okay. The weekends are mostly open for such activities. Use those.
But if you are playing professionally on any team, you will need to put in a bit more effort. Schools are usually very accommodating of sports schedules. You can talk to your guidance counselor to create a scheme that won’t interfere with your academics.
In the end, remember to have fun. Don’t put too much pressure into scheduling sessions. No point in stressing out about playing a stress-relief game like badminton. Play whenever you get time.
The Ultimate Checklist For Badminton Equipment That Every Player Must Have
Conclusion
I used to play badminton a lot during my school and college years. I can vouch from my experience that all these benefits come into effect if you play regularly. You might not see them instantaneously. But over time, they are quite evident. You will experience confidence in yourself that will help improve your overall well-being.
Don’t overthink it. Just grab a partner and head to the court. Or just go by yourself, you’ll surely find someone playing. Ask them if you can tag along. Hardly anyone says no.
Good luck!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is badminton a healthy sport?
As you have seen in this article, badminton has numerous benefits related to physical and mental health. So, it is safe to consider it as a healthy sport.
Is badminton suitable for all fitness levels?
Yes, badminton is suitable for people of fitness levels. You can start playing according to your pace and then build up your stamina as you advance your skills.
How frequently should students play badminton to experience benefits?
There’s no fixed number of times that you should play for. You can play whenever you find it feasible. But if you really want to experience the benefits of badminton, aim for at least 3 to 4 sessions per week.
Can playing badminton help with stress relief during exam periods?
Yes, badminton is a physical exercise that won’t tire you out. It also provides an adrenaline rush, which is great for stress relief. So, playing badminton for stress relief during exams is a great idea.
Are there any safety precautions students should take while playing badminton?
Yes, you must wear appropriate shoes so that you don’t skid and fall. Also, don’t miss stretching before and after the game, or you might end up straining your muscles. Stay hydrated while playing.
