Hi, would it be wise to get really huge arms and a big chest? I like to go to the gym but I don't power lift or anything like that. I usually go to keep fit and see what's working and what I can improve on but I wanna start bulking fast and get huge muscles. My question is that would it be wise to do so? I don't see anybody on the BWF international that's really big except Ko Sung Hyun and Fu Haifengs left arm I've been told that having big arms and a big chest can really ruin/affect the way you swing. Is this true?
Depends on where you stand in accordance to how much you want to improve if at all. If you're perfectly okay with the level you're playing, I'd think it'd be okay. However, if you do want to get better, I think putting on some (not a lot of) muscle mass would help prevent injuries and help with your game. Granted, it's the muscles you use when playing. Bigger muscles don't always equal more power.
The simplified logic goes like this, you need both muscle and flexibility to be optimal (body wise) in badminton. Up to a certain point, more muscle would reduce flexibility. Therefore, to be optimal, you must find that balance between the two of them. Every person has a different balance point.
It's hard to determine what's the "right" amount of muscle except from what you see with the pros. However do you have a smaller/slimmer build who finds it difficult to put on weight/muscle? Or are you more on the larger/mesomorph or endomorph body type? If you're on the smaller/slimmer end, lifting increasingly heavier weights (close to your max) I believe can only help you as you will most likely never reach a bodybuilder/powerlifter body unless you train seriously with a strict diet for years. I guess what I'm trying to say is that although people here are telling you that it's not optimal to have bulky huge muscles, the reality is that most of all people will never reach that stage due to the physical and mental commitment needed to reach that point. You would be so fatigued and short on time from lifting weights in the gym that you probably wouldn't have time to play badminton! In short, weight lifting to increase your strength will definitely benefit you and you should not be deterred from weight lifting just from what we have said here. Now if you in fact have close to a bodybuilder/powerlifter body type, I think the advice people have said here is quite correct.
If you're playing doubles then having powerful muscles especially shoulder, forearm really help with getting powerful, heavy smashes just like FHF, KSH and it would be easier to handle head heavy rackets on a regular basis, it's just you have to keep training on your days off from badminton to maintain that level of power and with pros like FHF, KSH they have trainers and program set to always ensure they're fit and ready for world tournaments.
But interestingly and paradoxically to note, both KSH and FHF play with flexier head balanced rackets instead of stiffer head heavier ones, despite them having the physique to handle the latter.
If you just want to get 'big' quick, it will really slow you down, and could reduce your range of motion and flexibility. This will affect your speed on court and your shots. If you want to get stronger and fitter, it will most likely help your game. Stick to lower weight when lifting and do 12+ reps in your sets. Don't try and bulk up by eating dirty. Be sure to stretch, and keep your range of motion up by doing the less mainstream shoulder/back exercieses that work the smaller muscles in there. Bench press and bicep curls alone won't help your badminton much. All my expertise comes from me training like this and surpassing my equally skilled brother who fouses on the heavy lifting/heavy eating in the gym.
So would you say that having my wider arm muscles really changes the way you swing your racket to the point where it's wider/longer and then you would benefit more from a racket that's more flexible and medium?
It's true, all I'm saying is that weight training especially arm could help with getting the power play for doubles play, and is highly beneficial for those going for power attacks using head heavy rackets (e.g VTZF2).
You mean all your advice is anecdotal? Ok, gotcha. Your advice is poor tbh. 12+ reps for badminton is too much. Badminton needs explosive power from the muscles. http://www.brendanchaplin.co.uk/building-badminton-athletes/ http://www.brendanchaplin.co.uk/badminton-q-and-a/
[MENTION=31680]amleto[/MENTION] thanks for that! I've actually been looking into some gym stuff and I'd heard both sides of the story, heavy loads low reps is what a personal trainer recommended to me too. 5 reps, 3 sets?
Sounds ok to me, but I am definitely no expert. I know just enough to be dangerous... (and smell BS from people with 'expertise')
Adding anything that doesn't contribute to badminton movements will only make you heavier for no badminton gain, and chest and upper arm do very little. If you're going to put mass somewhere, stick it on your legs!
Big muscle is only to impress other guys. I heard even girls get turned off by it. As for badminton, no use at all.
First of all: Do you gain weight fast? If yes, there's a high probability that you'll gain muscles faster than other people. If (you're asian and) you're having a hard time to gain weight or even get fat, you'll probably will have to do a lot more for (big) muscles. I'm from the latter one. The so called hard gainers... So, if you don't gain weight that fast, don't worry and keep going! It's been a year now, when I've started to go to the gym at least 3 times per week. Reason to start going to the gym: ACL injury. I gained weight and muscles. Not that much, but I clearly visible have built some chest and other muscles. It doesn't disturb during badminton at all - because I'm still a slim person with a little bit more muscles than before. There are advantages only, as long as you're not going to be a bodybuilder. It takes A LOT time to get THAT much muscles. Work and or school, Gym, Girlfriend, Badminton, Friends -> bye bye, leisure time The problem is rather: What do you want to focus on? On Badminton or getting fit? Sometimes it's troublesome to plan your week, especially if you play tournaments and have to ensure not to train (hard) a few days before. I think the time-problem OR the discipline-problem is much bigger. So don't worry yet about getting too big / bulky Based on my own experience I can say that going to the gym and lifting weights, doing 30min HIIT (high intensity intervall training) regularly improves your fitness A LOT and helps you on the court A LOT. Thanks to my gained strength rescue shots are a lot easier and more effective than before. Attacking clears are less tiring and sharper than before. I'm not sure about my smashes. They are not that harder, but this is not a new thing. Even women can smash harder than men. Timing of a smash is as import as the pure force. So gaining weight to get a better smash? No. Getting fit (and gaining muscles overall)? Yes. Relating to the more or less reps-debate: The most important thing is to DO it. Both will work. It doesn't matter. You have to exhaust your muscle to the limit. With more reps you will be able to exhaust it like less reps with much weight. It just takes more time. But it's a good way to avoid injuries. I prefer a balance between these two: 8 - 10 reps. However: It's much more important to do it. Go to the gym. Train hard. Eat clean (and enough - which is also difficult to get used to).
agree with accordaz! in my team where I play (we mostly play doubles), there is a player who build his points by using clever pushes and fast touches, there are some who excel using their agility and athletism to cover the court, there is a player who will just use every chance to play tight net and fast cross net shots, he's exceptionally fast with his front taps and will always dare anyone to play netshots, there's another guy who has brick defense and crazy counter attacks (really good at cross lifting or blocking smashes). I don't have all the ability mentioned above but I need to find something that I could use to still compete with their level of plays, that's why I work on playing power shots, especially drives and smashes, and I usually make sure I thunder down any loose returns at front if my partner smashes from behind. What I'm trying to say is that you could use more power in the muscles as an advantage especially working on the shoulders, forearm and wrists. As when I got a good clean shots with my smashes aimed at their racket hand or down the middle usually I could seal a point and that's when I felt power could be something that would be useful. You don't have to aim Ronnie Coleman big, just FHF or KSH big which is not that big at all say if you want to compare it to Ronnie or Arnold^^
