There are a lot of areas to focus on if you want to improve as a badminton player. From shot technique to endurance, the list is nearly endless.
But how often should you actually practice badminton? Is there such a thing as too much or too little training? And if so, what is the sweet spot for the best results?
Below, learn about how often you should practice badminton, along with a few tips to help you make the most of your time on the court.
1. Ask Yourself: How Many Badminton Sessions Can Fit into My Week?
So, how many times per week should you play badminton?
In short, it depends on your schedule — and that’s why it’s important to consider how much training is actually practical for you. After all, you don’t want to burn yourself out or overwork your body when you simply do not have enough time or energy.
But as a rule of thumb, 2–4 days of 1–2 hours of badminton practice per week is the sweet spot for many beginner and intermediate players. This level of practice can bring you steady, lasting results.
It’s possible to improve your skills with fewer days per week, but you’ll need to plan your routine strategically. And if you’re working towards becoming an advanced or pro player, you can increase your practice hours as needed.
What to Consider About Your Weekly Training Schedule
Here’s what to know about your badminton training schedule, based on the time you have:
- One session per week: As a beginner, one 60–90-minute session per week can lead to results. It might make for slower improvements, but you’ll still see growth. You can also get more out of your time on the court by working with a badminton coach.
- Two sessions per week: This is a great place to start if you’re becoming serious about badminton. The time between sessions is shorter here, which means your mind and muscles will remember more of what you learned in previous sessions. In turn, this makes it easier to build upon your abilities.
- Three or four sessions per week: This is what many intermediate-to-advanced players see as the sweet spot. Three or four days per week gives you plenty of time to rest and recover, but still ample time to stack your skills.
- Five to six (or more) sessions per week: This is the sweet spot for many advanced and professional players. However, it can be hard on your body unless you know what you’re doing. It’s best to work your way up to a heavy schedule like this, and remember to take at least one day per week for recovery,
2. Maximize Your Training Efficiency
If you’re serious about improving, it’s important to make your badminton practice as efficient as possible. For this reason, you can benefit from focusing on strategic and technical badminton skills like footwork, shot technique, and singles/doubles tactics.
These fundamental skills will make your future training more effective and make you a better overall player. If you don’t get these basics down, you might have to backtrack and re-learn some things later on (and nobody wants to do that!)
To make your training even more efficient, you can:
- Include footwork in your warm-up to knock out two birds with one stone.
- Focus on getting as many good repetitions of each skill you’re working on as possible.
- At the end of each session, ask yourself: Where could I have improved? This can help you figure out where to best focus your energy for next time.
3. Find Ways to Practice at Home
If you’re tight on time and can’t make a trip to the badminton court, don’t worry. An extra 20 minutes or so is all you need to practice some of your skills and techniques at home.
A bonus is that if you have a long break in between badminton practice sessions, home training can prevent you from getting rusty. Here are some ideas to help you get started.
4. Play Matches at the End of Your Training Sessions
Finally, don’t forget to play some matches at the end of your training sessions! This is the most fun part of heading to the badminton club, and it makes all that technique and tactical training worth it.
It also allows you to put your skills to the test, check your progress, and identify any weak spots to work on next time you hit the court.
How Often Should You Practice Badminton? The Takeaway
“How many times per week should I practice badminton?” is a common question from players who want to improve their skills.
But how often you practice isn’t the only aspect of becoming a better player — it’s also how you structure your training. And ultimately, you’ll find that your ideal badminton training plan is unique to your body, skillset, and goals.
Depending on how serious you are, 2–4 weekly sessions of up to two hours at a time is a good starting point. You can also sprinkle in some strength and conditioning training throughout the week. And finally, don’t forget to schedule a couple of rest days in between!
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