Badminton: No Sport for Pussies

A lot of people, who have accustomed themselves into seeing boxing and basketball as the manliest sport for men, have deemed badminton as a game for men with no cojones. Okay, so badminton players wear short shorts and physical contact is highly unlikely. But that does not mean that they (ehem, we) do not put themselves in harm’s way.

Badminton players, like all athletes, train to achieve flexibility, agility, endurance, focus, and strength. Exercises used to achieve these attributes consist of mostly physical activities like that of basketball and other contact sports. The only difference is that badminton players also train on how to use their racquets.

A game of badminton also requires the player to use his mind as well. Factors like how strong should one hit the shuttle, where would he place his next shot, or would he smash or use a drop shot instead, can spell either victory or defeat. In any case, a badminton player has only a fraction of a second to decide whether he does this or do that, much like chess players.

A badminton player is also prone to injuries, ranging from minor toserious ones. Topping the list would be twisted ankles, strained groins, leg cramps, and hyper-extended muscles. And people s

ay badminton athletes are a bunch of wuss.

One more thing.

Fact: badminton is the fastest racquet sport in the world. The shuttlecock (the feathery thingy that players hit back and forth) can travel up to 450 miles per hour (630 km/h). Getting hit with that thing right into the face streaking at that speed can cause serious damages. Now, try and take this smash head on, esse.