BADMINTON Special Olympics Sports Skills Program

intervals. Build up to be able to perform the following
workout sequence after a good warm-up and stretching
period.
• 3 minutes slow speed
• 2 minutes medium speed
• 1 minute fast speed
Build up so you can repeat the above cycle three times for an
excellent wo r kout specific to badminton fitness. Athletes should
attempt to complete one fitness activity daily when not the
same day as a team practice session and record what they did.
Fitness Activity for Week # _____
1.________________________________________________
2.________________________________________________
3.________________________________________________
4.________________________________________________
5.________________________________________________
Signature of Athlete:___________________________
Signature of Parent: ___________________________
Mental Preparation
Mental training is important for the athlete, whether striving to
do his or her personal best or competing against others. Mental
i m a g e ry, what Bruce D. Hale of Penn State University calls
"No Sweat Practice," is ve ry eff e c t ive. The mind cannot tell the
d i fference between what is real and what is imagined. Practice
is practice, regardless of whether it is mental or phy s i c a l .
Ask the athlete to sit in a relaxed position in a quiet place
with few distractions. Tell the athlete to close his/her eyes
and picture himself/herself performing a particular skill. Each
athlete is seeing himself/herself on a large movie screen. Wa l k
him or her through the skill step by step. Use as much detail
as possible, using words to elicit the senses (sight, hearing,
touch, and smell). Ask the athlete to repeat the image, to
picture himself or herself rehearsing the skill successfully.
Some athletes will need help beginning the process. Others
will learn to practice this way on their own. The link between
performing the skills in the mind and performing the skills in
actuality may be hard to explain. However, the athlete who
repeatedly imagines himself or herself correctly completing
the skill and believing it to be true is more likely to make it
happen. Whatever goes into the mind and the heart comes
out in the athlete’s actions.
4 4
Cross-training Suggestions
Cross-training is a good idea for badminton players as well
as for all athletes. There are several sports that use some of
the same skills and muscle groups as badminton. Fun
activities such as bicycling, running, in-line skating, hiking,
and walking can improve your overall fitness and thereby
help your badminton game. Sports that use hand-eye
coordination can improve badminton skills. Examples are
baseball, tennis, squash, racquetball, fencing, and volleyball.
The purpose of cross-training is to take part in activities that
place similar demands on the body to badminton. However,
training is sport specific. The advantage of cross-training
activities is enhancing overall fitness and body management,
not improving badminton specific fitness and skills.
Nutrition Basics
Nutrition influences performance. Athletes need these
nutrients in their diets:
C a r b o hy d ra t e s– are the primary energy source. 50-60
percent of a daily diet should consist of bread, cereal, rice,
pasta, potatoes, etc. Simple carbohydrates like suga r, candy,
s y rup, etc., are high in calories but empty in nutritional va l u e .
Fats– are a secondary energy source. 20-30 percent of the
daily diet should come from primarily polyunsaturated
(vegetable) sources.
Protein– repairs and replaces cells and helps in regulating
blood fluids. 10-20 percent of the daily diet should come
from lean meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and dairy products.
Vitamins– regulate growth and development and should
come from a well-balanced diet.
Minerals– regulate fluid exchange and should come from a
well-balanced diet.
Water– is one of the most essential of all nutrients. Drinking
water before, during, and after events or training sessions
helps to produce energy from the food we eat.
Athletes should eat a meal at least 1.5 hours before a
competition. This meal should be high in complex carbohydrates,
yet low in proteins and fats. Baked potato, spaghetti,
rice, and cereal all make good choices. A proper diet for
i m p r oved athletic performance includes the follow i n g :
• Eating a variety of wholesome foods
• Eating a good breakfast
• Chewing each bite of food thoroughly
• Avoiding high-sugar foods such as cakes, cookies, and
soft drinks