Everyone today wants to be fit and in shape, but not everyone wants to go to the gym for a workout, and it might also seem boring for some people. But what if I tell you that choosing and playing an energetic sport daily can be one of the finest ways to lose weight and enjoy it?
Now, you might be wondering how playing a sport can help you lose weight.
So let me inform you that a racket sport, badminton, helps you burn 300 calories in just one hour. Now imagine that playing this sport regularly or several times a week can dramatically improve your weight loss.
Rather than this, it also helps increase your heart rate and metabolism. And still, if you are unsure about this sport, let me explain how playing badminton keeps you fit, healthy, in shape, and active.
So let’s dive in:
Top 5 reasons badminton will help you lose weight
Let’s begin with:
1. It’s just like HIIT training
Badminton and HIIT share some similarities (high-intensity interval training). HIIT entails switching back and forth between brief rest intervals and lower-intensity training. Whereas badminton frequently consists of quick rallies, swift movements, and intense bursts of play interspersed with small rest intervals.
Also, while playing this racket sport, you must move across the court and hit the shuttlecock in quick, strong bursts of action. Like HIIT workouts, these short bursts of strong effort raise your heart rate and tax your cardiovascular system.
Badminton’s intermittent nature, which involves fast movements and brief rest periods, can help you burn more calories overall and encourage fat loss. It is because HIIT exercises and sports like badminton can improve your metabolic rate, causing you to continue burning calories long after you stop playing.
HIIT and badminton can also improve cardiovascular fitness, endurance, and muscular strength. They both require explosive movements and engage multiple muscle groups, providing a full-body workout.
Moreover, both HIIT and badminton can enhance physical strength, stamina, and cardiovascular fitness. They both call for quick movements and target various muscle groups, giving the whole body a workout.
And this particular characteristic of the sport makes it effective for burning fat. HIIT (high-intensity interval training) adopts the same principle of quick, intense workouts that demand 100% effort each time.
Rather than this, it can provide an effective and enjoyable way to incorporate high-intensity exercises into your fitness routine and support weight loss efforts.
2. It gets your heart pumping
Badminton is an intense sport and the fastest racket sport in the world, which requires a lot of dynamic movement. All of this will make your heart pump quickly, and this is what scientists call the “fat burning zone”.
The fat-burning zone is the heart rate at which you burn the most calories effectively. And here’s an easy way to figure out your fat-burning zone, all you need to do is take your max heart rate of 220 – your age then calculate 60%–70% of that number. For example; 220 – 21: 199, then 199 × 0.6: 119.4 beats per minute, or 199 × 0.7: 139.3 beats per minute.
Not only badminton but playing other sports also raise your heartbeat. According to a survey done by BWF (Badminton World Federation) and the University of Victoria, playing badminton raises 80–85% of a player’s heart rate, significantly higher than 68–70% of tennis. And this implies that players can raise their heart rates more quickly in badminton than in tennis.
Now, take a look at the table below that compares the top speeds of several sports to get an idea of how quick and intense badminton is:
[table “17” not found /]Rather than this, playing badminton also helps you strengthen your heart muscles by unclogging the blocked walls of the heart, which leads to better blood flow in the body.
3. Burns a lot of calories
Continuous movement, swift direction changes, and explosive motions like lunging, jumping, and smashing engage various muscle groups throughout your body while playing badminton. And performing all these activities use a lot of energy, which burns about 300–400 calories even if a player plays for an hour.
Badminton is a fast-paced sport that raises your heart rate and increases cardiovascular activity. Also, the constant movement and rallies give you aerobic exercise, helping you burn extra calories and strengthen your heart.
The longer you play, the more calories you are likely to burn. The duration of your session directly affects your overall calorie expenditure. Engaging in longer sessions or playing multiple matches can further increase calorie burning. Also, the intensity at which you play badminton influences the calorie burn. Higher-intensity play, such as fast-paced rallies and competitive matches, requires more energy expenditure and thus burns more calories.
4. Makes you feel more thirsty
Badminton is all about performing quick and fast moves and reflexes, which raise the heat, stress, and hormonal shifts that increase your body temperature and cause sweating. Your body sweat comprises 99% of water and the remaining 1% of salt and fat, and this amount of water loss from the body makes you feel more thirsty. So it’s necessary to drink more water during the breaks and also on a regular basis.
Drinking more water helps in boosting your metabolism, cleans your body, and makes you feel hydrated and less hungry. Also, it prevents your body from going into a phase known as water retention when it attempts to conserve water since it isn’t being replaced frequently enough, causing you to lose a few pounds of water simply by drinking more water to replace it.
Drinking water throughout the day, preferably ice cold, before meals are advised because this can speed up your metabolism and help your body more quickly absorb colder water.
Remember: always try to drink normal water instead of carbonated or sweetened beverages to quench your thirst.
5. Playing badminton is fun
Going gym for a workout can be boring but trust me playing badminton can be fun and enjoyable too. This sport is relatively easy to learn and can be played by people of all ages and skill levels. The basic rules and techniques are straightforward, allowing beginners to quickly understand and enjoy the game. This accessibility makes it a popular choice for recreational play and encourages people to give it a try.
It provides opportunities for social interaction and bonding. Whether playing singles or doubles, it can be enjoyed with friends, family, or as part of a team. The friendly competition shares experiences and teamwork and creates many memorable moments on and off the court.
And the best part of playing badminton is that it can be played in various settings, including indoor courts, outdoor courts, and even backyards or parks. The flexibility in playing locations allows for versatility and adaptability, catering to different preferences and providing options for year-round play.
Final Words
So, these were some reasons why playing badminton helps you lose weight. Also, it keeps you active and fit and is a very entertaining sport.
So what are you waiting for? Grab your racket and a shuttlecock and go out if you care about your kids’ physical and mental stability.
Also, badminton can be the best alternative if you are stressed with your regular fitness routine and looking to switch up your medicines.
And in case you face any problems or have any questions regarding this post, feel free to ask us or pin them up in the comment section below.