Plyometrics Training

Introduction

Speed and strength are integral components of fitness found in varying degrees in virtually all athletic movements. Simply put the combination of speed and strength is power. For many years coaches and athletes have sought to improve power in order to enhance performance. Throughout this century and no doubt long before, jumping, bounding and hopping exercises have been used in various ways to enhance athletic performance. In recent years this distinct method of training for power or explosiveness has been termed plyometrics. Whatever the origins of the word the term is used to describe the method of training which seeks to enhance the explosive reaction of the individual through powerful muscular contractions as a result of rapid eccentric contractions.

Muscle Mechanism

The maximum force that a muscle can develop is attained during a rapid eccentric contraction. However, it should be realised that muscles seldom perform one type of contraction in isolation during athletic movements. When a concentric contraction occurs (muscle shortens) immediately following an eccentric contraction (muscle lengthens) then the force generated can be dramatically increased. If a muscle is stretched, much of the energy required to stretch it is lost as heat, but some of this energy can be stored by the elastic components of the muscle. This stored energy is available to the muscle only during a subsequent contraction. It is important to realise that this energy boost is lost if the eccentric contraction is not followed immediately by a concentric effort. To express this greater force the muscle must contract within the shortest time possible. This whole process is frequently called the stretch shortening cycle and is the underlying mechanism of plyometric training.

Choose the method to fit the sport

The golden rule of any conditioning programme is specificity. This means that the movement you perform in training should match, as closely as possible, the movements encountered during competition. If you are rugby player practising for the line-out or a volleyball player interested in increasing vertical jump height, then drop jumping or box jumping may be the right exercise. However if you are a javelin thrower aiming for a more explosive launch, then upper body plyometrics is far more appropriate.

Plyometric Exercises

The following are examples of lower body and upper body plyometric exercises.

Lower Body

Drop Jumping:

- This exercise involves the athlete dropping (not jumping) to the ground from a raised platform or box, and then immediately jumping up. The drop down gives the pre-stretch to the leg muscles and the vigorous drive upwards the secondary concentric contraction The exercise will be more effective the shorter the time the feet are in contact with the ground. The loading in this exercise is governed by the height of the drop which should be in the region of 30-80 cm. Drop jumping is a relatively high impact form of plyometric training and would normally be introduced after the athlete had become accustomed to lower impact alternatives, such as two-footed jumping on the spot.

Bounding and hurdling:

If forward motion is more the name of your game, try some bounding. This is a form of plyometric training, where over sized strides are used in the running action and extra time spent in the air. Two-legged bounds reduces the impact to be endured, but to increase the intensity one legged bounding, or hopping, can be used. Bounding upstairs is a useful way to work on both the vertical and horizontal aspects of the running action. Multiple jumps over a series of obstacles like hurdles is a valuable drill for athletes training for sprinting or jumping events. Examples of lower body plyometric exercises with intensity level:

• Standing based jumps performed on the spot (low intensity) - Tuck Jumps, Split Jumps
• Jumps from standing (low-medium intensity) - Standing long jump, Standing hop, standing jump for height
• Multiple jumps from standing (medium intensity) - bounds, bunny hops, double footed jumps over low hurdle, double footed jumps up steps
• Multiple jumps with run in (High intensity) - 11 stride run + 2 hops and a jump into sandpit, 2 stride run in + bounds
• Depth jumping (high-very high intensity) - jumps down and up off box (40-100cm), bounding up hill
• Eccentric drop and hold drills (high-very high intensity) - hop and hold, bound/hop/bound/hop over 30m (athletes stops and holds on each landing before springing into the next move), drop and hold from a height > one metre

Upper Body

A variety of drills can be used to make the upper body more explosive:

• Press ups & hand clap: Press-ups with a hand clap in between is a particularly vigorous way to condition the arms and chest. The pre-stretch takes place as the hands arrive back on the ground and the chest sinks, and this is followed quickly by the explosive upwards action. Once again, to get the best training effect keep the time in contact with the ground to a minimum.

• Medicine Ball: Another means of increasing upper body strength popular with throwers is to lie on the ground face up. A partner then drops a medicine ball down towards the chest of the athlete, who catches the ball (pre-stretch) and immediately throws it back. This is another high-intensity exercise and should only be used after some basic conditioning.

Planning a Plyometric Session

The choice of exercises within a session and their order should be planned. A session could :

• begin with exercises that are fast, explosive and designed for developing elastic strength (low hurdle jumps; low drop jumps)
• work through exercises that develop concentric strength (standing long jump; high hurdle jumps)
• finish with training for eccentric strength (higher drop jumps).

An alternative session could be:

• begin with low hurdle jumps
• progress to bounding and hopping,
• continue with steps or box work
• finish with medicine ball work out for abdominals and upper body.

Warm up

A thorough warm up is essential prior to plyometric training. Attention should be given to jogging, stretching (static and ballistic), striding and general mobility especially about the joints involved in the planned plyometric session. A cool down should follow each session.

How many ?

It is wise not to perform too many repetitions in any one session and since it is a quality session, with the emphasis on speed and power rather than endurance, split the work into sets with ample recovery in between.

Where to do it and what to wear

For bounding exercises use surfaces such as grass or resilient surfaces. Avoid cement floors because there is no cushioning. Choose well-cushioned shoes that are stable and can absorb some of the inevitable impact. All athletes should undergo general orthopaedic screening before engaging in plyometric training. Particular attention should be given to structural or postural problems that are likely to predispose the athlete to injury.

Conditioning for plyometrics

Higher than normal forces are put on the musculoskeletal system during plyometric exercises so it is important for the athlete to have a good sound base of general strength and endurance. Most experts state that a thorough grounding in weight-training is essential before you start plyometrics. It has been suggested that an athlete be able to squat twice his body weight before attempting depth jumps. However, less intensive plyometric exercises can be incorporated into general circuit and weight training during the early stages of training so as to progressively condition the athlete. Simple plyometric drills such as skipping hopping and bounding should be introduced first. More demanding exercises such as flying start single-leg hops and depth jumps should be limited to thoroughly conditioned athletes.

Young athletes

Some authors suggest that moderate jumps can be included in the athletic training of very young children (Lohman, 1989). However, great care needs to be exerted when prescribing any training procedures for preadolescent children. Because of the relatively immature bone structure in preadolescent and adolescent children the very great forces exerted during intensive depth jumps should be avoided (Smith, 1975).

Summary

Plyometric type exercises have been used successfully by many athletes as a method of training to enhance power. In order to realise the potential benefits of plyometric training the stretch-shortening cycle must be invoked. This requires careful attention to the technique used during the drill or exercise. The rate of stretch rather than the magnitude of stretch is of primary importance in plyometric training. In addition, the coupling time or ground contact time must be as short as possible. The challenge to you as coach or athlete is to select or create an exercise that is specific to the event and involves the correct muscular action. As long as you remember specificity and to ensure there is a pre stretch first then the only limit is your imagination. Plyometric exercise and weight training can be combined in complex training sessions to further develop explosive power.

Skill-based Fitness training for Female Games Players

Skills Based Training as an Alternative to Traditional Strength Training
from: www.pponline.co.uk


Strength, power and speed are just as important for female as for male games players, yet many females are uncomfortable in the traditional strength-training environment. The answer, according to James Marshall, could be skill-based fitness training

Female games players in sports such as soccer, rugby, tennis, netball, hockey and lacrosse, who wish to perform at a high standard, need high levels of fitness. Aerobic capacity, power, speed, agility and strength are all required in varying degrees to enable players to excel at these sports. Technical and tactical skills also play a major role in games players’ success; a team sport player has to work on the interactions with their team-mates as well as his or her individual skills.

With coaches having limited time to access their players, and with a host of things to work on, combining skill training with fitness training seems an ideal way to maximise contact time with the players. This is commonplace practice in male soccer and rugby league environments.

However, female games players are slightly different for two reasons; firstly, many female athletes are uncomfortable in the strength-training environment, because they regard it as more of a ‘male’ mode of training; secondly, the female body is obviously different from the male – specifically the biomechanics of the lower limb can make females more susceptible to lower limb injuries (females are 2-8 times more likely than males to suffer knee injuries(1-4)).

In order to provide a positive environment that encourages female games players to improve their fitness and also reduce their risk of injury, integrating skills and fitness sessions could be beneficial. This article looks at creating an injury prevention-based warm-up, and then at the research on skill-based conditioning games and how to apply them. Although strength training for female games players is not addressed here, the need for an adequate strength base before starting speed or power training cannot be emphasised enough.

Incorporating injury prevention exercises into the warm-up

Warm-ups in team training environments should be used to prepare the players for the activities to follow. If the sport requires jumping, then jumps should be included, sprinting requires sprint drills, contact sports require contact etc. Where possible, a ball should be involved for ball sports, and game- related drills performed so that the players can then get warm physically, technically and mentally.

This may also be the ideal time to introduce a basic routine that helps players develop better landing mechanics in order to prevent anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. The players are fresh, the progression is suitable for warm-ups and they are supervised. The ACL is at significantly higher risk of injury in females than males. When looking at non-contact injuries, the factors are either internal (joint laxity, hormonal differences, ligament size and femoral notch width) or external (landing mechanics, muscular strength, level of competition, muscle recruitment activities), with landing mechanics being responsible for many of these differences (4).

A recent study of female soccer players in the USA looked at introducing a commercially available warm-up package designed to train landing mechanics over an eight-week period(5). The authors of the study wanted to see whether the Sportsmetrics ‘Warm-up for Injury Prevention and Performance (WIPP)’ training programme improved the landing mechanics of the soccer players compared to a control group who did normal soccer training without the WIPP programme.

After eight weeks of training, both groups improved their vertical jump scores and their landing mechanics, indicating that soccer training in itself has a training effect. However, no difference was shown between the groups in their landing mechanics. The subjects in this study were young (average age 10 years) so it could be that any training that they did may have improved their landing mechanics. Studies isolating specific exercises that improve the function of the lower limb compared to normal training in trained female soccer players are required.

Balance versus plyometric training

Another study looked at older female volleyball players (average age 15 years) who had all been training for a minimum of four years, and compared a seven-week balance programme to a seven-week plyometric programme on lower limb mechanics(6). Both groups also performed a concurrent strength and speed programme on alternate days between their neuromuscular training. The researchers wanted to test the premise that both dynamic stabilisation and plyometric activity can enhance the neuromuscular activity in the lower limb, and therefore help prevent ACL injuries.

The plyometric group performed exercises that required maximal effort in sport-specific ranges of motion. Jumping and landing with a quick turn, single-leg bounding, landing and responding to a command to provoke an unplanned change of direction were all included, with the movements becoming more complex over the seven weeks. The balance group performed cushioned landings, with knee flexion and avoiding lateral movement of the knees. This progressed from stable surfaces to unstable surfaces such as the BOSU ball and Swiss ball, and also from double-leg to single-leg landings.

Both groups showed an improvement in their vertical jump, their hamstring strength and their hamstring-to-quadriceps strength ratio. They also showed an improvement in knee stability on landing. The balance group showed a significant improvement in their ability to reduce the force of impact during a single-leg jump, whereas the plyometric group didn’t. This was almost certainly because the balance group had practised this landing technique.

Both of these training protocols were effective, but they were done in conjunction with a strength-training programme. Isolating a single set of exercises that will help reduce ACL injury risk is difficult. Instead, a combination of strength work, plyometric exercises and dynamic stabilisation exercises seems best. This can be easily incorporated into the team warm-up; I have used this protocol successfully in the past with male athletes in a professional rugby club.

BOSU ball training

The use of the BOSU ball is becoming more commonplace in commercial gym environments, but does it have any place in sports conditioning programmes? Using it may help you improve your balance on unstable surfaces, but if it doesn’t help you improve your sporting performance, then why bother?

One recent study showed that using the BOSU for four weeks not only helped improve balance performance, but it also reduced time of completion in a multi-directional shuttle run compared to a control group(7). No difference was found in the vertical jump of the control and test groups, but then balance training was not theorised to have an impact on power performance. Follow-up tests two weeks after the end of the BOSU training period showed that while balance on the ball was maintained, shuttle time had increased again. The bottom line is that balance training is likely to have an impact on injury prevention and agility, but little impact on power and speed, and that the training must be continuous. Including it as part of a warm-up protocol throughout the season is recommended.

Skill-based conditioning games

If balance training has little impact on speed and power, or on anaerobic conditioning, then can skill-based conditioning games have such an impact? Good coaches can integrate skills training into small games and drills that require a game-related physical effort, making them fun and hard work.

Other coaches see skills and fitness training as two very different areas; I have witnessed sessions consisting of hours of technical drills with no physical fatigue (but a lot of mental fatigue) followed by 10 minutes of all-out fitness at the end of the session – none of which is game specific, with the players rapidly losing interest. If female games players have a negative perception of fitness training to begin with, then these types of drills will only exacerbate the problem.

An example of how skill-based training affects physical parameters is found in research on junior volleyball players in Australia(8). Here the authors measured the results of three skill-based sessions taking place each week over eight weeks. The targeted skills were passing, setting, serving and spiking. Physical parameters measured included 5 and 10m speed, agility, body mass, skinfolds, aerobic power and vertical jump ability.

At the end of the testing period, the players’ ability to set, pass, and spike had all improved significantly. Physically, their 5 and 10m speed and agility had also improved, but no other physical changes were apparent. Surprisingly, not even vertical jump performance increased, despite hundreds of repetitions of jumps in the spike and serve training. The speed and agility may have improved due to the sheer volume of practice of these movements in the skills training sessions.

The authors of the study recommended that additional physical training take place to induce physiological changes in the players. However, what if the drills taking place had then moved into smaller games to replicate the game situations? Could the coaches structure the practice differently to allow the skill and physical abilities of the players to develop concurrently? What sorts of game practices are specific and which physical parameters do they affect?

Aerobic/anaerobic training effects of ‘small games’

Soccer and hockey are good examples of sports that monitor their games with heart rate monitors (HRMs) to see the aerobic/anaerobic effects of the games sessions. A recent study looked at comparing different variables of soccer games, with player numbers and pitch size changing in each drill, and using HRMs to assess the training effect(9).

Drills varied from 2-a-side for 2 minutes work with 2 minutes rest period, for 4 sets over a 30x20 yard pitch to 8-a-side for 10 minutes work, 1.5 minutes rest for 3 sets over a 70x45-yard pitch. Average heart rates for the smaller-sided games were 90-95% HR max, ideal for improving VO2max in conditioned players. With more than 5 players per side, HR averages were 85-90% HR max, more suitable for improving lactate threshold capabilities in these professional players.

Depending on the level of conditioning of your players, manipulating the size of the pitch and the number of the players will help induce different training effects. Obviously, the more players involved, the greater the similarity to the real game tactically, but the same set of technical skills will be used to a large extent, even in the 2-a-side games. As an aside, the successful use of HRMs needs some education of the athlete, especially as most female recreational exercisers tend to use a self-selecting perception of exercise intensity, rather than heart rates(10).

Speed, power and agility and ‘small games’

Aerobic and anaerobic conditioning can be affected with the use of small-sided games, but what about speed, power and agility? As was shown in the volleyball study, speed and agility can be improved as a result of pure technical training with enough repetitions.

A study on rugby league players compared two in-season training methods and their impact on 10, 20 and 40m sprint times, aerobic power, vertical jump ability and agility(11). The first group of players performed traditional running activities without a ball for their conditioning, while the second group of players played various games from 2-a-side to unequal defence vs. attack games.

Both groups improved their 10m speed and maximal aerobic power, but the games conditioning group also increased their 20m and 40m sprint performances, and their vertical jump ability. Perhaps more importantly for the coach, whilst both groups had the same win-loss records in their matches, the games conditioning group scored more points in attack, and had a greater points differential than the traditional running group.

Conclusions

If you are a coach of a female team, and you want to improve skills, fitness and prevent injuries, but have limited time with your athletes, what can you do? Well, what gets measured gets done; instead of subjectively assessing whether your team is fit or not, why not take two or three variables that you think are key to winning matches and measure them? Then design some games that incorporate skills but utilise the physical parameters that you want to improve.

For example, speed, agility and aerobic power are useful in soccer. Using games that require sudden changes of direction, both planned and unplanned, could help improve agility. Smaller-sided games, such as 2- or 3-a-side in a slightly bigger area but for shorter times, will help produce the same effect as high-intensity interval training. Use HRMs to help determine the exact effect a drill is having. Conversely, a skill game that has a maximal speed component, but higher amounts of rest, will not improve aerobic capacity, but should help speed performance. From experience, players like these games, because they don’t realise they are tired until they are over. By combining effective warm-up drills, skills training and conditioning games you will maximise the time you have with your team and hopefully make training a lot more fun.

James Marshall MSc, CSCS, ACSM/HFI runs Excelsior, a sports training company

References

• Am J Sports Med 1995; 23:694-701
• Am J Sports Med 1994; 22:364-371
• Am J Sports Med 1982 10:297-299
• Clin Sports Med 2000; 287-302
• JSCR 2006; 20(2):331-335
• JSCR 2006; 20(2):345-353
• JSCR 2006; 20(2):422-428
• JSCR 2006; 20(1):29-35
• JSCR 2006; 20(2):316-319
• JSCR 2006; 20(2):446-449
• JSCR 2006; 20(2):309-315

Seputar Bulutangkis
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Fitness Training in Badminton

from: Badminton Association of England Ltd © April 2002


This booklet is intended to be used a resource for students and young players with a view to increasing understanding of badminton fitness training. Many of the examples given are intended for those who are serious about improving the standard of their game – especially developing juniors. However, it is hoped that all readers would further their knowledge and benefit from reading this information.

The Badminton Association of England accept no liability or responsibility whatsoever for any injury or illness sustained through the use of exercises and information contained in this or any document.

Introduction to the game

Badminton is an extremely demanding sport. At an elite level, players are often required to perform at their limits of speed, agility, flexibility, endurance and strength. On top of all of this, players must maintain a high state of concentration in order to meet the tactical/mental demands of dealing with their opponents. The varied potential stresses of competitive play are considerable. It is therefore essential that everyone involved with the modern game ought to be familiar with the fitness (physiological) requirements of the game and how ‘Badminton fitness’ can be enhanced.

Physiological ‘description’ of the sport

Badminton is a highly complex sport and this presents great challenges for players and coaches of all levels. An individual rally is a series of demanding movements performed using a movement pattern which is unique compared with any other sport. Rally length is often short (average for elite players is around 6-8seconds) and, consequently, performed at very high intensity. However, players must also be prepared for long rallies. Rallies are interspersed with short rest periods (typical duration around 15 seconds) which allow partial recovery from the previous rally. However, competitive matches may last at least 45 minutes. So, badminton is a combination of speed (anaerobic fitness) in rallies and endurance (aerobic fitness) to allow sustained efforts and to promote recovery between rallies. Great strength, power, agility and flexibility are also required. All of these fitness components should form part of a player’s fitness training. Additionally, the development of tactical and technical elements is, of course, also vital. With all of these types of training, an understanding of the principles of fitness training from a general point of view is essential.

General principles of fitness training

Specificity

From a simple point of view, specificity of training refers to whether training is relevant. For example, power training for a javelin thrower is likely to require very different routines to those which would be used for badminton players. Relevant power training for Badminton would simulate some of the movements which are experienced on the court. An example would be the use of lunges for strength development. Because this movement is so important to badminton, training with lunges is very specific and therefore more effective than general techniques.

Lunges off court Lunges on court

Specificity extends to all areas of fitness training. A knowledge of the typical rally length and recovery length should be used in the development of specific training. If players only ever trained for work periods of 30 seconds or more, this type of training could be judged to be non-specific because most rallies are much shorter than this. The human body is amazingly adaptable but it can only adapt in response to the stresses it is exposed to.

Progression The whole purpose of good training is to expose the player to situations where the body’s physical limits are gradually being extended. For example, an athlete wishing to complete a marathon would have to gradually extend the distance covered in training sessions.

Gradually over a matter of weeks a session which was hard will become easier and the distance or the intensity (i.e., speed) will have to be increased for the training programme to continue to be effective in promoting improved fitness. The same is, of course, true in Badminton.

When a given kind of training is introduced for the first time, it is important that the training is initially fairly easy for the player to perform. With experience, the training must ‘progress’.

In fitness training, this means that the stimulus to improve fitness is slowly increased so that fitness improves gradually from one stage to the next. Progression is an essential element of a successful training programme.

Example – off court session to improve aerobic fitness (low initial fitness level). One session per week:

• Weeks 1-3: 20 minute continuous jog at an easy pace. Aim: to complete run without stopping
• Weeks 4-6: 30 minute continuous jog at easy pace. Aim: as above (but 30min)
• Weeks 7-9: ~ 25 minute run at moderate pace. Aim: same route as week 4-6 but at a faster pace
• Weeks 10-12: 35 minute continuous run at similar pace as in weeks 7-9.

This plan shows progression for both the duration and for the intensity of the exercise.

Only once a programme of training can incorporate progression in some form can true improvements be evident. Progression must be gradual, however. Excessive increases in the demands of training will bring about excessive fatigue and increase the risk of injury.

This will ultimately be counter-productive. It is impossible to judge generally the rate of ‘ideal overload’ for any given player. But with well-documented training and a professional approach a coach and player will soon begin to learn the player’s capabilities.

Variation Training needs to be varied in order to enhance both physical and psychological development. There are a number of general physical requirements of a badminton player.

For example; speed, strength, endurance, flexibility. While these should all be developed specifically, it is also beneficial if there is some general development of these components as well. Some players like to go running for endurance fitness but overuse injuries can result from a lack of variation in training. It would be preferable if endurance work could be performed using a range of training activities (e.g., swimming, cycling, running and other sports).

The principle should also be applied to on-court situations. Technically, if a certain skill is developed using a range of drills, then there is a greater likelihood that it can be applied to new, unexpected situations. If a player needs to increase movement speed, then that needs to be achieved in many varied circumstances on and off the court. Clearly on-court speed is vital for the sport but general development of speed off the court will also transfer onto the court if movement technique is good.

Example – on court sessions to improve movement speed (moderate initial fitness level)

• Drill 1 – Shuttle runs across the width of one court & back to start point. Perform 3 repetitions in succession and repeat 10 times with 45 seconds between each effort.
• Drill 2 – Shadow play from service return position. Net shot, back to play clear, come back to net to play kill. Repeat 12 times with 25 seconds between each effort.
• Drill 3 – Multifeed* 15 shuttles random movements. Repeat 8 times with 40 seconds between each effort. All drills to be performed at maximal speed.

These sessions show variation as they use non-specific movements (drill 1), specific movements without a shuttle (drill 2) and specific movements with a shuttle (drill 3).

Shadow play

Multifeed is where a coach or feeder hits or throws a shuttle, one after another, for the players to return.

Training techniques for Badminton

The type of training used by badminton players is generally related to the standard of the player. For younger players with less well-developed skill levels, most training is likely to be devoted to playing games. With higher skill levels should come greater dedication to the game and increased use of the many potential types of training that will help competitive performance.

Simply, Badminton training can be initially categorised into on-court and off-court work. Oncourt work would mean training with badminton movements with a racket and usually (although not always) with a shuttle. Off-court work is usually additional work that has the aim of enhancing some particular aspect of fitness. After an initial section of warm up and warm down, the purpose of this section is to outline types of training, while a later section will give examples of how these techniques can be used to enhanced fitness.

Warm up & warm down

Any exercise is a considerable stress on the human body and the body should be given time to adapt to exercise and also to recover from exercise. Warm-up and warm-down are similar in principle and similar exercises can mostly be used for both purposes. Warm-up and warm-down are easily ignored as they may not appear to have a direct bearing on the training session in hand but both elements should be part of every training session and time should be allocated (at least 10 minutes each) to allow this to happen.

A warm-up has psychological and physiological goals. Firstly, it should involve dynamic movements that help to increase body temperature. This is initially achieved by general activity such as gentle jogging for around five minutes. Secondly, it should involve some stretching which will help to prepare the muscles for the stresses ahead. After jogging, some stretching should be performed. This should particularly concentrate on muscles that are to be used in the activity. Stretching in a warm-up should involve some dynamic flexibility work– i.e., movements through a complete range of motion. Finally, warm-up has psychological advantages as it should allow the player to mentally prepare for subsequent training or competition.

Warm–down is the opposite of warm–up and is performed after completion of an exercise session. The purpose of warm down is to maintain a slightly elevated metabolism which will help to promote recovery from the exercise that has just taken place. Moderate intensity activity is an excellent way to promote recovery of previously active muscle so a few minutes jogging is to be recommended after completion of a session. Like warm-up, this should also be followed by some stretching. Stretching after exercise is not as common a practice as it should be. This is a very important way to further promote the recovery from exercise and to help reduce injury risk.

Examples of on-court fitness training types

Games Playing games will nearly always have some fitness benefit as well as the obvious technical and tactical benefits. But it should be appreciated that sole use of games will not be effective in promoting one specific area of fitness.

A fairly high proportion of training should be focused on games, especially in the weeks before a major event ‘Shadow play’ (i.e., Badminton without a shuttle!) Because shadow play is not concerned with the outcome of a shot, shadow movement routines are often used to work on footwork or fitness.

Example to enhance movement speed (suitable for all levels) Players are required to move around the court for ten seconds at their maximum speed. This is then followed by around 40-50 seconds recovery. This routine can be repeated for 10 – 20 minutes.

Multifeed A feeder begins with many shuttles, ready to hit or throw (‘feed’) them to a player. Shuttles are quickly directed to different positions around the court. Like shadow play, multifeed routines can be used to stress many different aspects of fitness (and other requirements for the game, generally).

Example to enhance speed / endurance (suitable for highly trained players) Feeder feeds 30 shuttles to random positions around the court. Player must return each shuttle before moving straight onto the next shuttle. A 30-second recovery is given before the next set of 30 shuttles is fed. Such a routine would be extremely hard, if done correctly, and it is unlikely for such a routine to last more than 10 – 15 minutes.

Multifeed session for singles players

Conditioned games A variation on standard games. Conditioned games may be used to stress certain aspects which need to be worked upon in training.

Example to enhance on-court endurance Rally length could be artificially lengthened by making players hit 10 shots each before playing out the point in the usual way. This could be an effective way of improving specific Badminton endurance and consistency of shot production.

Conditioned drills This would be any drill with a specific aim using principles not covered already. Such drills would be more specific than shadow play or multifeed work but less specific than a conditioned game mentioned above.

Example to enhance movement speed in singles player (advanced) 2 v 1. One player plays rallies against two players on the other side of the net. The two players usually cover half a court each playing ‘side by side’. The lone player will be forced to move more quickly in this condition. Such a session with three players could involve rotation of players playing alone against the pair.

Singles player 2 v 1

Examples of off-court types of fitness training

Strength Training

The purpose of weight training is usually to increase muscle strength. In order to achieve successful strength gains, specific muscles must perform movements while working against a resistance. Weight training is a skill and, like all skills, development of optimal strength for a player may take a very long time (often a matter of years). Players should start with light resistances so that they become skilled at the movements required (qualified instructors should be used for this purpose). Once a movement is learned (this may take at least 8-10 sessions), the resistance can be increased so that real strength development can commence.

Sufficient strength is vital for many aspects of successful Badminton play. A strong player is likely to move more quickly and powerfully and is also likely to hit harder. Effective strength training will lead to a player having greater control of movement. Strength training is also very effective in overcoming imbalances in muscle strength. Badminton is an asymmetrical sport and this can cause unequal muscle strength. Such imbalances are not uncommon and may lead to imbalances in movement style and then go on to cause injury. Good muscle strength will also help to protect joints and, thus reduce the risk of injuries. At international level, all elite players perform strength training and the benefits are also likely to transfer to players of a lower level of ability. One common concern about weight training is that it will cause excessive increase in muscle mass (‘bulking up’). This is extremely unlikely to occur if a player is performing an otherwise well-rounded Badminton training programme.

Weight training should only be undertaken under the supervision of qualified instructors. Players who are still growing should not normally undertake weight training.

Aerobic training

The purpose of aerobic training is to develop the ability to transport oxygen and food energy around the body (i.e., cardiovascular fitness). Aerobic activity is quite simply any exercise that raises the heart rate significantly for fairly prolonged periods of time. Badminton itself is an aerobic activity and using games as aerobic training is totally acceptable. However, aerobic training should also be done away from the court. Any activity which uses large muscles (e.g., legs, arms) will help aerobic fitness provided that total exercise duration is above about 20 minutes. Suitable activities would include running, swimming cycling and many fitness classes.

Aerobic (or endurance) fitness is essential for Badminton. Aerobic exercise involves the heart & lungs transporting oxygen and food energy to the working muscles. These help to promote recovery from exercise as well as restoring muscle energy supplies for the next bout of activity. A player with good aerobic fitness will be able to play very hard without getting as tired as a less-fit opponent. Once a player is tired then mistakes will become more frequent and, as a consequence, aerobic fitness is likely to be closely related to success in long games. Good aerobic fitness is also likely to mean a player can do more training over prolonged periods of time. In this way aerobic fitness, like strength, underlies all training activities. A common concern about endurance training is that it will cause a player to become slow. This is because continuous endurance training is usually performed at fairly low intensity (i.e., a speed that can be continued for 30 minutes). A lot of continuous endurance training could certainly detract from speed and agility but appropriate endurance training (detailed later) should involved a range of activities and training intensities and should not result in decreased movement speed.

Speed & Agility Training

Speed and agility are quite closely linked to strength. Speed, in particular is usually improved when strength and power are enhanced. Both speed and agility are vital to Badminton performance. A successful player must move quickly when necessary but changes in direction are equally important in the game due to the nature of the movements required in a rally. While some people seem to be naturally fast and agile, these are both skills that can be acquired. It is important to remember that speed and agility will not be improved if a player is training while tired. Speed and agility must be trained when a player is relatively fresh, but after a good warm up.

Flexibility Training

This is essential for our sport and good flexibility is both a requirement for success in the sport but is also likely to be related to a reduced risk of getting injured. Flexibility training involves stretching a joint through its whole range of motion. This can be done using slow movements where a stretch is held for a period of time up to 30 seconds. This kind of stretching (‘static’) is performed at the limit of a muscle’s range of motion. Alternatively, flexibility can also be performed using dynamic movements. Both of these types of flexibility training should be incorporated into every player’s regular training schedule.

Core Stability Training

Core stability refers to strength of the postural muscles in the torso. These muscles help to stabilise the spine, pelvis and shoulders. Although these areas may not appear to be directly responsible for dynamic movements in badminton, strength here promotes effective movements in connected areas (i.e., arms, lower body). A ‘strong core’ can be likened to the foundations of a house. If the core strength is good then the quality and power of other movements in the arms, trunk and legs will be increased. Core stability training will help to promote overall balance and muscle control as well as reducing injury risk and muscle imbalances. The training procedures for core stability usually involve slow, often static, muscle contractions which may involve some use of additional equipment such as gym balls. Muscular contraction with an emphasis on control is the key to successful core stability training.

Circuit Training

Circuit training is a general term used that describes training where different exercises are performed at high intensity for quite short periods, followed by quite short rest periods. Circuit training is excellent for badminton fitness as it can be used to increase muscle strength, endurance and aerobic fitness. Circuit training can be performed using weight training exercises or by using one’s own body weight to create a resistance. Additionally, movement drills (sprints, shadow play etc.) could be adapted to form a part or the whole of a circuit training session. Typical work duration would be 30 seconds, with an intervening rest period of 30 seconds. With a range of exercises (jumps, sprints, court drills, weights, situps, press-ups) many different activities can be performed one after the other to form a whole circuit training session which could last around 20 minutes or more.

Development of specific fitness components

The purpose of the many types of training used in badminton has already been discussed. This last section will give you specific details of how to convert this knowledge into real training sessions like those which are performed by elite players.

Aerobic Training

The key to successful endurance training is to use varied training in terms of the intensity and duration of sessions performed. The following is a list of four contrasting types of aerobic training sessions. Each of these are valuable in their own way and a well-rounded aerobic fitness will be developed by incorporating all of these types of sessions into a training programme

• Duration - 35 minute continuous run / swim / cycle at a moderate intensity
• Long interval - 5 repetitions of 4 mins. hard running followed by 3 mins. of easy jogging written as ‘ 5 x (4 min hard : 3 minutes easy) ’
• Medium interval - 4 sets of (5 x (40sec hard : 120 sec walk)), 2 additional minutes rest after each set
• Short interval - 5 sets (4 x (10 second sprint: 30 second walk) 2 minutes rest after each set

These suggestions above are only to be used as a guide and it is fine to use the same principles when planning a session with other activities such as swimming, cycling, rowing, etc. The principles of variation, specificity and progression should be considered when incorporating these types of training into a whole programme.

The ‘duration’ type of session is to be used mostly away from competition time as it involves slow, repetitive movements. However, duration training is very good as a foundation for the other, more intense sessions. In contrast, the short interval session should mostly be used near to competition time as it is aerobic but also involves fast, short movements.

Strength Training

Strength training is best optimised with 3-4 sets of 4-8 repetitions. The recovery between each set should be about 120 sec. Strength training sessions should generally be performed up to three times per week. True strength gains are unlikely unless training is performed at least twice a week. Once a player has become accustomed to performing the strength training movement appropriately, it should be ensured that weights are selected which cause fatigue after the required number of repetitions (in this case between 4 and 8 reps). The subsequent 2 minute recovery should be enough to allow the same (or similar) number of repetitions to be lifted.

There are thousands of exercises that target different muscle groups. The programme should consist of both badminton specific and general exercises. Valuable exercises for badminton would include: Rotator cuff, Seated row, Lunges, Squats, Calf raises, Tricep press, Dumbbell flies

It is preferable to use free weights (bars, dumbbells, etc.) as opposed to machine weights as the adaptations to free weight- training exercises are more functional to sporting performance. Correct movement technique is essential for appropriate strength development without injury risk. However, it is beyond the scope of this booklet to instruct on the technique of specific exercises: qualified instructors should be used for this purpose.

Power Training

Power is the application of strength at speed. Power can be developed initially using the same kinds of movements used in strength training. This is best trained with exercises that use a number of muscles at a moderate resistance with fairly high movement speed. Olympic lifts such as power cleans best suit this type of development. A progressive overload is essential, and like strength training (above) you should never sacrifice technique.

Power can also be developed using body weight as the resistance to work against. Exercises like explosive jumps and sprint drills can be helpful in converting strength already gained in strength training into power. Experienced and well-trained players use exercises called plyometrics to enhance power. Plyometric exercises generally involve jumps and hopping with fast movement speed and minimal contact time between feet and the ground. Such exercises are very stressful, however, and are likely to cause injury if performed without sufficient initial fitness and without appropriate tuition. Individual plyometric exercises should only be performed for very short duration (never more than 10 seconds) and be followed by at least 1 minute’s recovery.

Plyometric training should not be undertaken until the body has stopped growing. Plyometric training should be undertaken under the guidance of qualified instructors.

Speed Training

General speed can be developed by either light-resistance work performed quickly such as medicine ball work or with very fast whole-body movements such as short sprints (e.g., 30m or across 4 courts, for example). Badminton speed must be developed as well and this is best achieved using the ideas already covered in this booklet (e.g., shadow, multifeed). It is essential that a player regularly performs specific speed training and that the duration of such sessions should be kept fairly short. Additionally, the duration of the periods of work in such a session must be kept to a minimum. The body will reach its maximum speed within 5 seconds of maximal exercise. If speed sessions include work periods of longer than 10 seconds then the session is not training speed. Equally, sufficient recovery must be given and for a speed session, recovery should be at least 5 times longer than the period of work.

A Badminton shadow play session made up of the following drill should be effective in promoting speed, provided that players move at maximal speed during the work.

Duration: 10 sec, with 40 – 60 sec recovery.

Flexibility Training

There are a number of different situations where flexibility (stretching) work is performed. Stretching should be part of any warm-up and warm-down but stretching should also be performed by Badminton players with a view to promoting long-term increases in joint flexibility. High flexibility is essential in our sport and separate flexibility sessions should be performed regularly in addition to the stretching done as part of a warm-up/down.

If flexibility is performed as part of a warm up (and it should be), the aim is to make dynamic movements (i.e., not static stretches) throughout the range of motion for the main joints used in Badminton. This should involve focussing on the joints in the shoulder and lower body.

Flexibility should also be used in warm down as this helps to reduce subsequent injury risk. In this case, flexibility should involve static stretches where a muscle is stretched to close to its limit. At this point, there should be a very slight pain in the stretched muscle. This point should be held for 20-30 seconds before relaxing and repeating the same stretch 2-3 more times.

Summary

The intention of this booklet has been to promote good practice and sound fitness-training principles for our sport. It is hoped that the booklet is thought provoking and that it may be effective in promoting reflection about training sessions that you may be performing on a regular basis. It is impossible for such a booklet to be comprehensive in its advice and you should be aware that some of the more demanding sessions here are only performed by the most highly trained players in the country. However, there should be many aspects of these principles which could be adopted very effectively for players at lower levels of play.

You are encouraged to contact the Strength & Conditioning Coach at the BAofE with any comments about the contents of this document.


Happy Training !


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Agility

Definition

“Agility is the combination of coordination with quick and nimble movement. “

Situations in Badminton that require it:

• The movements we use in badminton include jump, split, turn, move, (chasse or run)
• We have to be able to move in these unknown direction, at maximum speed
• We have to be able to start and stop quickly
• Then there is changing direction when recovering, or caught by deception
• We have to be able to change contact points from left to right, and high to low.
• There is changing grip
• Changing from completed to preparation positions
• We require agility of the limbs for deception
• All in a potentially random environment with little or no cues

Hitting based Agility Exercises

• Grip
• Relax/tighten grip
• Fast feeding to the same position (backhand, forehand, high & low.
• Changing grip
• Fast feeding, backhand to forehand side continuously

a/. For training defensive agility feed low, while standing in front of the player
b/. For attack agility training, feed high, while crouching behind the net.

• Different contact points
• Fast feeding 3-4 points from the protection of the net, (backhand, forehand, high & low
• Fast hand feeding in front of the player crouched down, high speed, with some deception in the feeding
• Fast feeding at the player with racket or hand. They are defending. Suddenly they are given a high one back, causing them to have to split jump backwards, or they are given a sudden slow one, and are forced to split jump forward.

Footwork Based Agility Exercises

I. Execution to Preparation: Body rotation with a backcourt hit, back foot brought forward to match front foot, racket foot back, and repeat continuously at high speed.

II. Miniatures: High speed miniaturised footwork, random footwork patterns, mixing defence and attacking movements into 6 six points.

III. Shuttle Shuffles

1. Moving at high speed with tiny chasse’ or roaming sprint style movements, the player always stays square to the coach
2. 1 shuttle. This can be done with square and circular movements. Coach calls direction changes. Players move at maximum speed.
3. 2 shuttles. This can be done as a figure 8 or as a circular movement. This can also have addition exercises put in between the shuttles such as shuffles, and split or vertical jumps.
4. 3, 4 shuttles. This is where the shuttles are set up further apart, and direction jumps start the movements between the shuttles, with miniature chasses taking the players around the individual shuttles. Each one is numbered, so the coach calls out which one the player is to go to next. Player stays circling the same shuttle until a new number is called, or the command “change” and the players changes the direction they are travelling around the individual shuttle (clockwise to anti-clockwise for example).

IV. Sprinting, stopping, turning.

1. Number off six points on a half court. The coach calls a number, and the player sprints to that point, turns quickly to face the coach who is moving around, and begins to sprint on the spot until the coach calls the next corner. The coach can call a new corner before the player has reached the current one they are moving towards, and must turn immediately and begin in the direction of the newly called corner.
2. As the players get stronger and better, the coach can add more tasks, such as “jump” where the player must immediately stop, jump vertical and begin to sprint back to the last corner.

Mental Agility Exercises: Connecting the mind

“Excellent reaction skills and movement patterns can help in improving our agility for a game environment. “

Call specific commands for the players to perform. These instructions will include at least 3 tasks, and at least 3 different types of movement

• “Jump”, “Sprint” (on the spot), “In” (split and lunge, pointing for direction of forehand or backhand)
• “Jump”, (roaming sprint) “Left” or “Right”
• “Jump”, “Shuffle”(RFF,LFF,RFB,LFB), “Left” or “Right” (roaming sprint).
• (Sprint) “Forwards”, (run) “Backwards”, “left”, “right”, “spot” (on the spot), and “Jump”
• Player moves up the centre line with slow tiny jogging movements.
• The coach calls out 1 of 6 numbers. 1 = Forehand net, 2 = backhand net, 3 = high forehand mid court jump, 4 = high round the head mid court jump, 5 = forehand backcourt attack, 6 = round the head backcourt attack.
• These are single movement routines, and after one is done, the player resets to the backcourt middle line, and starts anew.

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Speed and Agility

Developing speed and agility in sport is specific to the game or sport an athlete plays. In team or court-based sports, it differs from the technique of a 100m sprinter, in that the track athlete can run flat-out, with maximum stride length and stride rate in a straight line.

For example, the speed and agility requirements in a court-based sport are very different to those of a field-based team sport. In badminton, because of the very small court, an athlete will take a maximum of one or two steps in a particular direction to cover the court, involving a high frequency of diagonal, lateral and forward and backward movements.

A netball, hockey, or rugby player, on the other hand, would rarely travel more than thirty metres, so the most important qualities are very different – acceleration and the ability to change direction rapidly, are key in team sports.

To improve speed and agility, strength and conditioning coaches would include specific workouts targeting that physical quality into the weekly programme of an elite team sport athlete, in addition to the endurance or strength training they were doing.

To produce an enhancement in performance at elite level, requirements of what the player or sport specifically needs are carefully considered, before drills which develop the skills are designed, mostly concentrating on acceleration and change of direction.

In rugby or hockey, a player would accelerate into position, either to find space, or to make a challenge, but those movements are often angled runs, changes of direction whilst running, or running in a curve, so any exercises or drills designed to improve that ability, would, necessarily be sport-specific.

Technique is vital, according to EIS Strength and Conditioning Coach, Raph Brandon.

“Improving speed and agility is more of a skill, than physiological ability, such as strength. Most training sessions would involve very specific, high-quality sessions, with plenty of rest, rather than lots of reps.

“It is diffuclut to define one set of agility exercises, although there are certain general exercises that are useful for developing footwork skills – agility ladders, side-stepping, basic cross over and forwards and backwards and shuttle runs – which can be useful for a number of sports,” he said.


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Taufik Hidayat Footwork

This badminton video shows a close-up on Taufik Hidayat's footwork. Needless to say, badminton footwork is one of the most important aspect of the game.

Great footwork shown by Taufik, but too bad...his wrong judgement cost him this point. Better luck next time!

Just click on the arrow to play this Taufik Hidayat video clip. If you have a dial up or slower Internet connection, click on the pause button after starting the video and let it load all the way so the video plays through without any problems.

Badminton Footwork by Peter Rasmussen

Unsur paling dasar dari hampir semua cabang olah raga adalah tata langkah (entahlah dalam cabang Catur, Bilyard, Gapleh). Dalam cabang bulutangkis, foot work (tata langkah) merupakan materi utama dalam pelatihan. Video ini berisi bagaimana melatih tata langkah yang diambil dari Peter Rasmussen Instructional Series: Badminton Footwork. Semoga ada gunanya bagi penikmat olah raga bulutangkis yang sedang memperbaiki penampilannya.


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Keseimbangan Kemampuan Teknik dan Fisik

Lebih Banyak Latihan Teknik
Oleh Prof. Drs. dr. H. Y.S. SANTOSA GIRIWIJOYO, Psi.

DALAM artikel sebelumnya, telah saya kemukakan tentang kerugian yang terjadi apabila kita menghentikan sama sekali latihan olah raga, yang telah rutin dilakukan sebelum Ramadan. Latihan harus tetap dilanjutkan, meski kita menjalani puasa Ramadan.

Harus kita pahami, bagaimana latihan selama bulan Ramadan. Kita perlu mengetahui komponen-komponen apa yang harus dilatih dalam pelatihan olah raga pada umumnya dan khususnya pada olah raga prestasi. Artikel ini, terutama ditujukan bagi pelatihan olah raga prestasi.

Olah raga selalu terdiri dari dua sisi. Satu sisi, kemampuan koordinasi, yang wujudnya keterampilan teknik kecabangan olah raga dengan ciri utamanya ketepatan (akurasi) gerakan dan/atau hasil gerakan. Contohnya, gerakan yang akurat pada senam atau gerakan shuttlecock menyusur di bibir net sebagai hasil gerakan yang akurat dari netting. Sisi lainnya, kemampuan dasar yang sering juga disebut sebagai kemampuan fisik. Kemampuan dasar ini terdiri dari kemampuan anaerobik dan aerobik.

Setiap cabang olah raga selalu mempunyai kedua komponen itu, hanya kadarnya berbeda-beda antara satu cabang olah raga dengan lainnya. Misalnya, lari maraton hampir sepenuhnya berada pada titik berat kemampuan dasar aerobik, angkat berat hampir sepenuhnya berada pada titik berat kemampuan dasar anaerobik. Sebaliknya, biliar hampir sepenuhnya berada pada titik berat keterampilan teknik. Sedangkan bulu tangkis, menuntut keterampilan teknik dan kemampuan dasar yang seimbang.

Pelatihan harus dapat menjangkau kedua kutub itu secara proporsional. Bila kemampuan dasar relatif lebih baik daripada keterampilan teknik, titik berat latihan haruslah pada latihan untuk meningkatkan keterampilan teknik. Demikian juga sebaliknya. Ada hukum fisiologi yang perlu diketahui, yaitu latihan keterampilan teknik tidak boleh sampai lelah. Sedangkan latihan fisik harus sampai lelah.

Hal ini disebabkan latihan teknik untuk menghasilkan gerakan halus, cermat, dan akurat. Sedangkan latihan fisik untuk menghasilkan kemampuan gerak dasar yang cepat, kuat (gerakan eksplosif maksimal), dan ketahanan (anaerobic endurance dan aerobic endurance). Dengan demikian, pelatihan dasar adalah pelatihan fisik yang berat. Apalagi bila programnya untuk meningkatkan kemampuan dasar.

Untuk pelatihan olah raga prestasi selama bulan Ramadan, sebaiknya dititikberatkan pada latihan keterampilan teknik. Sementara latihan fisik, hendaknya pada dosis pemeliharaan. Pelatihan fisik tetap harus dilaksanakan untuk mencegah terjadinya deconditioning (kemunduran kondisi fisik).

Pada cabang-cabang olah raga yang mengandung komponen fisik dan teknik yang kira-kira seimbang, misalnya bulu tangkis dan tenis dengan menitikberatkan pada latihan teknik saja maka komponen fisik akan dengan sendirinya terlibat. Misalnya, latihan smes pada bulu tangkis atau latihan servis pada tenis.

Satu hal yang perlu mendapat perhatian, komponen keterampilan tidak boleh dipergunakan untuk tujuan pelatihan fisik, sesuai dengan hukum fisiologi. Contoh, latihan smes pada bulu tangkis dan latihan servis pada tenis, sama sekali tidak boleh dipergunakan untuk tujuan meningkatkan kekuatan dan kecepatan otot-otot lengan.

Latihan tersebut harus tetap dilaksanakan dalam kerangka latihan teknik, yaitu dengan kriteria akurasi. Artinya, smes atau servis itu harus dilakukan secara berulang-ulang dengan frekuensi yang cukup tinggi dan diarahkan kepada ketepatan "menembak" titik-titik sasaran tertentu.

Pelatihan harus segera diakhiri, apabila jatuhnya bola semakin jauh dari titik-titik sasaran. Jadi, latihan tersebut tidak boleh ditargetkan untuk mencapai jumlah pengulangan (repetisi) tertentu. Misalnya, harus mencapai 50 kali smes atau servis dengan mengabaikan kriteria akurasi. Bila itu terjadi, berarti pelatihan fisik yang menggunakan komponen gerakan keterampilan teknik, yang dalam lingkup fisiologi olah raga, hal demikian dilarang. Nengapa latihan teknik dilarang digunakan sebagai latihan fisik?

Ciri utama dari gerak keterampilan mutu yang tinggi, adalah akurasi dan efisiensi. Akurasi adalah wujud dari kemampuan mengoordinasikan fungsi komponen-komponen saraf-otot (neuromuscular) secara cermat. Tidak akan disebut bermutu tinggi, apabila netting dalam bulu tangkis tidak (tepat) bergulir tetapi mengapung terlalu tinggi di atas bibir net. Demikian juga salto pada senam tidak (tepat) mendarat dan seimbang pada kedua kaki atau manuver dalam loncat indah yang tidak (tepat) masuk ke air dengan arah kepala atau kaki, melainkan dengan punggung atau perut.

Hakikat dari keterampilan mutu tinggi adalah gerakan-gerakan akurat, cermat, dan sangat efisien yang terjadinya hampir bersifat otomatis sehingga seperti refleks. Hal itu terjadi karena syaratnya telah terpenuhi, yaitu latihan. Gerakan demikian disebut sebagai gerakan refleks bersyarat (conditioned reflex).

Dengan rutin latihan maka secara berangsur-angsur komponen-komponen neuromuscular yang tidak esensial untuk gerakan itu dapat dieliminasi sehingga pada akhirnya hanya komponen-komponen neuromuscular yang benar-benar diperlukan akan terlibat dalam gerakan itu.

Semua gerakan keterampilan teknik haruslah dikembangkan sampai menjadi refleks bersyarat, yang hanya dapat diperoleh bila dapat memenuhi syarat, yaitu latihan rutin. Artinya, gerakan itu harus diulang, diulang, dan diulang (drilling) sehingga dalam istilah belajar, menjadi hafal. Contohnya, latihan akan menghasilkan gerakan yang akurat, cermat, dan sangat efisien terlihat pada orang yang belajar berenang dan bersepeda.

Orang yang belum dapat berenang, bila diceburkan ke kolam akan melakukan sangat banyak gerakan tetapi tetap saja ia tenggelam. Dengan berlatih, berlatih, dan berlatih maka ia kemudian dapat tetap terapung.

Demikian pula pada orang yang belajar bersepeda. Pada awalnya, kemudi sepeda akan dipegangnya erat-erat tetapi tetap saja akan jatuh. Tetapi, dengan berlatih, berlatih, dan berlatih terus, akhirnya ia dapat mempertahankan keseimbangan bersepedanya tanpa perlu memegang kemudinya erat-erat.

Dari tiga tulisan yang telah saya beberkan, mudah-mudahan ada manfaatnya bagi kaum Muslim yang tetap melakukan olah raga. Terutama, bagi atlet olah raga prestasi dalam menjalani latihan di bulan Ramadan ini. Semoga Allah Swt melimpahkan lebih banyak kenikmatan dan pahala bagi kita semuanya. Amin!***

Penulis, ahli ilmu faal dan faal olah raga FPOK UPI Bandung

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Badminton Footwork - RRC

Unsur paling dasar dari hampir semua cabang olah raga adalah tata langkah (entahlah dalam cabang Catur, Bilyard, Gapleh). Dalam cabang bulutangkis, foot work (tata langkah) merupakan materi utama dalam pelatihan. Video ini berisi bagaimana melatih tata langkah (versi sekolah bulutangkis di RRC). Semoga ada gunanya bagi penikmat olah raga bulutangkis yang sedang memperbaiki penampilannya.

Seputar Bulutangkis
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Merawat Kaki Atlit Bulutangkis

Perhatikan Kakimu

Bagi atlit bulutangkis, kaki merupakan bagian tubuh yang sangat penting. Agar dapat melesat menguasai lapangan bulutangkis dan melompat tinggi untuk melakukan smash, seorang atlit membutuhkan kaki yang sempurna. Sebagai bagian tubuh bagian bawah, tugas kaki sangatlah berat karena harus menopang beban keseluruhan berat tubuh dan benturan baik pada saat berjalan, berlari dan melompat.

Cobalah berdiri di atas timbangan (pakai alat timbang yang kuat dan akurat). Mintalah seorang teman untuk membantu mencatat indikator di alat timbang. Kemudian, saat berdiri di atas timbangan, loncatlah setinggi mungkin dan jatuh kembali di atas timbangan. Teman yang membantu harus melihat indikator alat timbang saat kakimu menjejak/menekan timbangan untuk meloncat dan pada saat kamu mendarat kembali di alat timbang. Saat melompat, indikator pada alat timbang akan menunjukkan angka sebesar 3 x berat tubuh (dalam keadan diam) dan pada saat jatuh akan menunjukkanangka sebesar 2 x berat tubuh (dalam keadaan diam).

Misalnya berat tubuh atlit dalam keadaan diam (statis) sebesar 50 kg, maka saat melompat kakinya harus menopang beban sebesar 150kg dan ketika jatuh harus menahan beban sebesar 100 kg. Bayangkan, berapa kali kaki atlit bulutangkis harus menanggung beban ketika melompat dan mendarat. Belum lagi beban yang harus ditanggungnya saat atlit berlari cepat dan berhenti mendadak (push off) ketika mengejar shuttlecock.

Sebagai bagian tubuh yang sangat penting, kaki harus mendapat perhatian khusus agar terhindar dari cidera. Kesalahan dalam merawat dan memperlakukan kaki dapat mengakibatkan cidera yang pada gilirannya akan merugikan penampilan atlit di lapangan bulutangkis.

Seperti apa Kakimu

Sekarang mari melakukan pemeriksaan kaki untuk dapat menentukan keadaan kaki kita dan bagaimana penanganannya agar dapat menjalankan olahraga bulutangkis tanpa perlu mengalami cidera.

1. Untuk pemeriksaan sederhana, basahi kaki dan berjalanlah di atas lantai yang kering. Atau berjalanlah di atas kertas yang diberi kapur. Amatilah jejak kaki. Bekas yang ditinggalkannya akan memberikan gambaran apakah kaki kita adalah kaki normal atau kaki datar.
   
2. Berjalan di atas pasir basah akan memberikan bentuk replika kaki orang yang berjalan di atasnya.
   
3. untuk pemeriksaan yang lebih kompleks adalah dengan menggunakan bahan cetakan pedilene, bahan seperti gabus yang lunak yang bila diinjak akan mengikuti bentuk kaki yang dipijakkan di atasnya sehingga dimungkinkan untuk dicetak dan dibuat replikanya dengan bahan gibs.
   

Kaki normal

Ciri khas kaki yang normal adalah ia memiliki lengkungan kaki yang cukup. Jika dilihat dari arah belakang maka tendon Achliles-nya membentuk garis lurus dengan sudut 90 derajat dengan landasan pijakan. Saat berjalan, kaki akan melakukan heel strike dan jatuh menginjak landasan pada tumit bagian luar, dilanjutkan dengan putaran ke dalam agar dapat meredam benturan saat berjalan.

Kaki datar atau tapak leper (flat foot)

Jejak telapak kaki tampak lebar dan mendatar. Telapak kaki datar terjadi akibat lemahnya otot-otot telakap kaki. Hal ini menyebabkan berkurangnya kelenturan kaki saat mendapat benturan. Akibatnya, pemilik kaki mudah lelah saat berjalan jauh. Kaki seperti ini juga rawan cidera karena putaran kaki yang berlebihan ke arah dalam akibat penggunaan secara berlebihan (overused injuries). Untuk itu, dibutuhkan sepatu dengan sol bagian dalam yang penopang lengkungan telapak kakinya baik agar dapat mencegah gerakan memutar ke dalam yang berlebihan.

Kaki dengan lengkungan terlalu tinggi (high arch)

Pada gambaran jejak telapak kaki jenis ini, tampak landasan kaki sempit dan tidak stabil. Saat si pemilik menjatuhkan kaki, kakinya tidak dapat melakukan putaran ke dalam secara memadai sehingga kaki "dibiarkan" mengalami benturan yang pada gilirannya dapat mengakibatkan cidera.

Kaki eversi

Pada jenis ini, kaki memiliki bentuk telapak normal namun ia memiliki putaran kaki pada daerah pergelangan kaki ke arah luar. hal ini memudahkan terjadinya nyeri pada daerah mata kaki bagian dalam. Jenis kaki seperti ini dapat dideteksi dengan melihat derajat keausan sol luar sepatu yang lebih banyak terjadi pada sisi bagian dalam.

Kaki inversi

Jenis ini merupakan kebalikan dari kaki eversi karena putaran pada pergelangan kaki terjadi ke arah dalam dan memudahkan terjadinya nyeri pada daerah mata kaki di bagian luar. Jenis kaki seperti ini dapat dideteksi dengan melihat derajat keausan sol luar sepatu yang lebih banyak terjadi pada sisi bagian luar.

Karena saya gatek (gagap teknologi) dalam hal memasukkan dan me-layout gambar di website maka saya rujuk sebuah alamat yang yang dapat di klik di Remarkable Feets.


Seputar Bulutangkis
bulutangkisindonesia.blogspot.com