Badminton as a game has become undoubtedly the most popular indoor sport in India in recent times. Premier Badminton League to many emerging internationally acclaimed players like PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal, and Srikanth Kidambi achieving greater success at different international competitions. The sport has become so prevalent that most of the badminton courts across various cities are completely booked, not only during primetime but also courts are booked even during non-primetime hours. Largely people who play the sport is to maintain their fitness, while some play the sport at a competitive level so that they can represent the country at various competitions. And of course, many are passionate about the game.
Despite Badminton being the most popular indoor sport in India, we have not been able to achieve a tremendous amount of success in international competitions. What could be the reason for this? Is it because the athlete not preparing well? Is it because he/she is not getting proper coaching? Or is the player not getting the proper infrastructure to practice? Like any other sport, Badminton also requires an ideal infrastructure to practice the game, which has a badminton court of international size, badminton flooring which will have sufficient shock absorption capacity to reduce the risk of injury, good grip for quick feet movement, proper ventilation system, and good lighting.
FLOORING
Most of the commercially run badminton court owners miss the basic requirement of the game, which is to have good badminton flooring and ambient light. It is often seen that most of such courts have synthetic badminton courts, but to reduce the cost of construction they avoid having wooden sub-structure below the PVC mat. Such kind of badminton sports flooring reduces the player&#;s comfort and also develops knee pain over a period of time. Also, it is been observed that in order to reduce the cost of flooring many people use cheap quality PVC vinyl flooring material, which has a very shorter life. Although it shows the color, it tends to lose its grip over a period of time, and due to that players can skid and which increased the possibility of injuries. Some owners install plywood underneath the PVC flooring which is not at all recommended for Badminton courts because plywood is classified as softwood and the type of wood that is recommended for Badminton courts is hardwood. Due to constant use of jumping and moving around the surface, the softwood tends to crack over a period of time and they will tear the PVC flooring as well.
Different types of Badminton Court flooring surfaces:
Wooden Court- Naturally, wood has the ability to absorb pressure and it is not at all hard on the body. Maple/ Teak wood is usually used for flooring when it comes to building a Badminton court. In order to maintain the glossiness of wood, it requires regular polishing and cleaning of the court with water. If regular cleaning is not done, the court starts turning black which degrades the quality. Let us see the differences between Maple wood and Teak wood. Maple wood has less moisture content as compared to Teak wood. Due to less moisture content, expansion and contraction don&#;t happen and hence minimum grooves are needed in between two planks of maple wood. Whereas lower quality teak wood can expand and contract due to moisture and humidity and hence grooves are given in between two planks.
Wooden Badminton courts are very durable but comparatively expensive when it compares to other synthetic courts like PU/PVC courts.
PVC&#; Most modern-day Badminton courts have PVC flooring. PVC synthetic courts have anti-slip properties which provide comfort for the players. Usually, PVC courts come in mat form, which makes them easy to install. The recommended thickness of PVC flooring is usually 4.5mm to 6.5 mm. Ideally, PVC mats should be installed above hardwood flooring.
PU- Polyurethane flooring is a very good alternative looking at the durability and the comfort. It also provides seamless flooring with self-leveling properties. PU floorings are joint and it is non-static. It provides an additional cushion due to its rubber backing. PU surfaces reduce the risk of slipping which in turn reduces the risk of injuries for the players.
VENTILATION
Another important aspect that those who are considering building a badminton court is of having a proper ventilation system, especially in India where the temperature in summer goes up to 44&#; during the day in most cities. Most of the commercially run and privately built Badminton courts are covered with tin sheds, and during summers the tin shed does not help at all with the ventilation because once the tin shed is exposed to hard sunlight, the atmosphere inside the court also gets hotter and it also increases the humidity which directly affects the gameplay. If the courts have a proper ventilation system in place, the players will be able to enjoy the game for a longer period of time, or else the players who play the game for leisure purposes won&#;t be able to cope with the heat and humidity inside the court.
Badminton is undoubtedly a fun, empowering and energetic sport that everyone enjoys. People tend to love it because it can be played both outdoors and indoors. This means that there are no restrictions on playing badminton. Outdoor badminton courts are prefered since it's in the open air and more close to the nature.
It is essential to know all the basics before playing a particular sport. The reason for this is that this is how you become completely engrossed in the sport and fully master all aspects of the game. Before positioning yourself as a professional badminton player, read on to better understand the game.
The net divides the court/playing area into two equal parts, one for each player. The quality and mesh of the net is very good. The net is placed between two poles to keep it straight, stiff and firm. The depth of the badminton net is 760mm, while the width is 6.1m (minimum). The court surface and the top of the net are approximately 1.524m from the center. from the sideline, this distance is 1.55m for a doubles match. the end of the poles and the end of the net are perfectly aligned side by side. This means that there is no gap between the two.
Badminton court dimensions include the length, width and height of the badminton court. The court is rectangular in shape and a badminton net is divided into two parts by a divider. The professional court is 13.4 m long and 6.1 m wide. For singles matches, the width is slightly smaller than usual at 5.18 m. The boundaries of the court are marked with white or yellow distinguishing lines. They are about 40 mm wide.
Badminton players use the back boundary line as the long service line, while the uprights are placed on the side lines of the court. Another distinct line is marked between the net line and the long service line for short service. The distance between the same line and the back dividing line is about 1.98 m. The total length of the court diagonal is 14.366 m.
Except for the different spatial locations, the markings and all other badminton court dimensions, as well as the rules and regulations are the same for both types of courts. However, the badminton court flooring varies from indoor to outdoor badminton. Synthetic and rubber flooring courts are usually used for indoor courts. Wooden floors are equally suitable for both types of badminton. Cement flooring is the least popular outdoor and indoor badminton court flooring because it does not provide any absorption and stability to the player's movements.
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From a player's point of view, the badminton court floor or surface is the most important. Since it directly affects the player's performance, there are four types of courts depending on the types of flooring.
a) Cement Ground Courts
These are usually seen in outdoor badminton tournaments such as parks. This is not suitable for daily play as it does not provide shock absorption and hence can lead to knee injuries.
b) Rubber Floor
These courts have rubber flooring in the form of mats. They are used for indoor badminton courts. They are easy to maintain and they provide relatively good shock absorption.
c) Wooden Floor Courts
They have the natural ability to absorb shocks. Wooden floors are well known and recommended by local sports federations. They are widely used for badminton matches but they have the disadvantage of getting wet due to sweat. This makes the wooden floors slippery for badminton players.
d) Synthetic flooring
Badminton courts with synthetic floors are the most popular and are best suited for large tournaments and championships such as the Olympics. These floors have a wooden base underneath. They are best suited for bouncing and are highly non-slip. A non-slip surface is a key feature that any player can demand. This prevents players from knee injuries because the pressure on the knees is greatly reduced on such courts. It is also available in two types.
e) PVC Courts
They are non-slip and come in the form of mats that are easily placed on a wooden base. PVC mats are divided into three layers, including a lower, middle and top mat.
f) Acrylic Pitch
Compared to PVC mats, acrylic mats are cheaper; therefore they are economical. They are available in different colors and are also widely used for other sports. They also have anti-slip properties, but their shock absorption properties are not as good as PVC mats.
Maintaining the court is not a daunting task, but it should be done regularly to prolong its life and improve efficiency. Some tips and tricks related to maintenance are shared below.
&#; To increase the grip of your feet, you must apply a non-slip coating from time to time.
&#; Wear specially designed, non-marking shoes.
&#; Over time, the course markings begin to fade. Make a note of them when needed.
&#; Mopping daily to remove dirt, sweat and sticky substances (such as tape and gum) is necessary.
&#; Power sanding is necessary every 2-3 years to improve the life of your wood floors.
&#; To get a sparkling clean look, wipe the floor with silicone thinner or you can simply use vinegar. Simply add a few drops of them to the mopping solution.
&#; Use the wheels to move things around the court. Do not drag items, as dragging can cause scratches. It will eventually affect the smoothness of the surface.
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