We recently discussed the importance of warming up before your badminton match, and it is vital to stress that cooling down is just as important. However, a lot of people are unaware of this and will head off the badminton court without giving badminton cool down stretches a second thought; this could be massively detrimental.
In this article, we are going to look at why cooling down correctly after your game is important and some of the stretches you can do to help with this.
Why Are Cool Down Stretches Important?
There are several things that you can do to prevent injury when playing any sport, including badminton. One of these things is doing cool down stretches, and these will help you to regulate your body temperature, which will have risen significantly during play, lower your heart rate and evenly distribute lactic acid.
Lactic acid builds up in the muscles when we are active, and this is perfectly normal. However, if this is not redistributed evenly after an intense physical workout like badminton, it can cause muscle cramps and painful stiffness.
Badminton does require a high level of physical activity, and many people who are not familiar with the sport may take this for granted and believe that it won’t over-exert you.
However, any badminton player will tell you that during a game, your body will be put through its paces and you will meet your physical edge in more ways than one.
Aside from cooling down properly, you must ensure that you complete a warm-up routine and follow these simple tips for preventing injury and pain as a result of badminton.
Always ensure that the badminton you are playing on is well-maintained and has a level playing surface.
Make sure that you take part in other forms of exercise every day to keep your muscles in good condition. This could be something as simple as a daily walk.
Be sure to invest in high-quality badminton shoes that will offer support and stability, both of which are essential in preventing an injury.
Take part in strength training to ensure that your muscles remain flexible and agile.
Badminton Cool Down Stretches
As we have discovered, going through the correct cool down stretches after your match is essential for a variety of reasons, and the good news is that there are plenty of interesting and effective stretches out there.
Whilst we would need an entire website to explain every possible stretch, we have put together a list of our favourite badminton cool down stretches that work.
1. Forward Lunge
The forward lunge is a simple and often overlooked stretch that can drastically reduce the build-up of lactic acid in the muscles. This stretch will target your core muscles as well as the hips. You will likely also notice some sensation in the legs.
It is an easy stretch to do and requires you to step one foot out in front of the other whilst leaning into the front leg and bending at the knee. You will find that most of your weight is now in the front leg.
At this point, remain in the stretch for between ten and twenty seconds and be sure to hold the head high and stretch through the chin as well.
2. Ankle Stretches
Your ankles undergo an incredible amount of pressure during a fast-paced game like badminton and stretching them both before and after the game is vital. If you were to obtain an ankle injury, you would likely find that you were out of action for some time.
You can do this stretch before your badminton match, but doing it afterwards will serve you well. Sit somewhere so that your legs are comfortably in front of you and lift one leg over the other.
Now begin to move the ankle joint. Some people may simply do this clockwise and then counter-clockwise but tracing out the alphabet with your ankle is a very effective method. Not only will it stretch the muscles and ligaments that surround the joint, but you will also notice an improvement in your mobility.
3. Shoulder Stretch
Much like the ankles, the shoulders are extremely active during a game of badminton and require some careful attention after the match.
Take one hand and place it on your back, as close to the centre as possible, you should have your bent elbow pointing outwards. You will then take your free hand to pull the elbow forwards, and this will stretch the shoulder.
4. Forearm And Wrist Stretch
Another area of the body that will face a lot of strain is the wrists and forearms, so it is important to focus on these at the end of the game.
Start by pointing one arm out in front of you. Then take your free hand and bend the palm back whilst rotating the arm up and down. You should aim to do at least ten rotations of this stretch for maximum effect.
Conclusion
Playing badminton puts a lot of strain on your body, and this means that an injury could occur if you do not take good care of your muscles.
A lot of people are familiar with the concept of doing a set of warm-up stretches but not so many people put such an importance on cool down stretches. These are important for many reasons, including a reduction in lactic acid, lowering the heart rate and breathing rate.
This selection of cool down stretches will effectively target all the main areas of the body that are used during a game of badminton.
