Hi, I've been training using a Start-timer, usually 3 times per week (see http://starttimer.mysite.orange.co.uk ) and find that my playing speed has improved dramatically. My concern is that I may be neglecting my long term aerobic fitness, all my training being geared to speed work. Does anyone else share my concerns? Please advise. Jo.
I hope you didn't actually go out and buy that thing... Anyhow, keep going with the speed work until it stops improving rapidly. Don't worry about the fitness, it's not like you're sitting around eating doughnuts when you train like this.
training Badminton is all about Speed not aerobics....what you have to worry about in badminton is playing 3 games in quick succession...do your speed drills for 15min (about same as a game)...take a break by walking and drinking fluids...about 2 min....then 15min of speed drills with 2 min break and then once again with the drills....if your feet start getting tangled up then shorten the drills or lengthen the break time...if you dont "burn" then you are not hitting it hard enough...by the end of the last drill you should be spent...your legs like rubber and your chest hurting...
If you really want to train for speed, then you need a high rest/work ratio. For example, you might do 10-20 seconds of high intensity exercise, followed by a minute's rest. It's physically impossible to exercise at maximum intensity with a low rest/work ratio. You might think that you're going all-out for 15 minutes, but actually you are working at a lower intensity. Different rest/work ratios complement different intensities of exercises, and help to develop different energy systems.
Everything needs to be improved. Speed, stamina, concentration, power, etc... it depends on your strength and weaknesses. Always good to get someone to see your game and give comments.
I would even say that anything around 10+ seconds is not even top speed, it's speed endurance. From an endurance athlete's standpoint, that seems like a very short amount of time. But, remember that in a sport like badminton individual movements can take as little as .10 to 0.20 seconds if performed at top speed, so even 5 seconds is a long time in that context.
I agree. Top speed is about 10 seconds or less (the alactic energy system). 15 minutes, however, is aerobic (well, primarily aerobic anyway).
