Badminton update

[Oldgirl]

Some of you may have read my blog about going to badminton for the first time in over 25 years, that was Saturday evening.

Now I'm advanced in years but concider myself pretty fit as I do the following throughout the week:- Run, Zumba, pilates class (advanced) Body pump class (twice), combat aerobics class and low impact aerobics class (twice), so I'm pretty active by anyone's standards.

Saturday evening the badminton class started with warm up circuits, not even out of breath at the end of that, which I was proud of and the coach was amazed at.

Any way then the badminton started, we practiced serves for about 20 minutes, then were split into doubles for 40 minutes of game play. There are mixed ability players and because I was new to the class was matched with some of the less proficient players, which was good as I hadn't played in years and was needing to get my eyes used to the shuttle speed etc.

All in all it was a smashing evening, did I find it was hard to keep up? No my running had paid off. Did my muscles know they had been worked the next day? OMG YES!! Sunday morning I was a bit achy, so went for a run, legs sorted, not so stiff. Arms OMG what the heck my right shoulder muscles really knew they had been worked, Now remember I've already said I do Body Pump, which is a weights lifting class with loads of weights and squats involved.

So if anyone thinks Badminton is an easy work out session give it a try and let me know how you get on, I was amazed at my muscles response. Legs and thigh muscles screaming, upper body especially right side the muscles were tight and achy, waist and abs knew they had been worked too.

Phew not a push over at all, will I be back? Oh you bet, it was brilliant and very sociable too.

[plodalong Graduate]

Well done Oldgirl .I have played badminton every week for over twenty years. I have had many comments from those who have never played that you just tap a shuttlecock over the net. Well it certainly isnt just that and it can be very fast and furious . But I love it and I am sure you will get hooked. Make sure you do some arm and neck stretches before you play helps to warm up those muscles you are not used to using. Good luck

[Oldgirl Graduate in reply to plodalong]

Its a class plodalong and they do circuits to warm up followed by stretches. I learned the hard way all those years ago how important it is to warm up and stretch when I went out on court and smashed a shuttle. The outcome was trapped nerves in shoulder and elbow, took months to sort with loads of ultrasound treatment and injections too. I'm just looking forward to going again, can't wait, I had a ball!! Oh no a shuttlecock

[Hidden]

I play badminton too, sort of took it up when I first did the C25K two years ago, and it is a brilliant workout. My husband and I play against another couple we know and initially the men smashed us to bits each and every match but as both Kit and I got fitter through our running, we started turning the tables on the men and now we are strong as they are and we last better on the court!!!