Badminton Queen of India Saina Nehwal (15 page)

Dr. Singh’s almirah in his office room at the Directorate of Oilseeds Research is loaded with many souvenirs and other items bought by Saina on her different trips abroad. The proud father gets emotional each time he opens the almirah. According to Dr. Singh, the importance of the purchases was not more than their material value. For him, they were the symbols of Saina’s success. Each item represented a rung on the ladder she had climbed.

The almirah comprises of a Longines watch worth 2 lakhs INR, a brand that Aishwarya Rai Bachchan endorses. It also has a Sony Vaio laptop that she bought for 50,000 INR and a lot more. The struggle of parents in the early years has turned into gains.

Dr. Singh admits that badminton is a cheaper sport when compared to say cricket or tennis. However, for a player to excel, the parents should be prepared to keep aside adequate funds to take care of smaller needs.

Dr. Harvir and his wife realized the strong future of Badminton as a sport by 2001. Hence, they invested in expensive shuttlecocks despite their modest means. Usually, these shuttlecocks are used by players only at the tournaments.

“The AS2 or AS3 shuttlecocks used to cost Rs 55 a piece. There were other parents who said why spend so much on shuttlecocks, but then I did not want to leave anything to chance. I used to buy 10 cartons at a time with each carton containing 10 shuttles, which meant shelling out Rs 5,500. At best, the carton would last four weeks” confessed Dr. Singh.

Mrs. Usha Nehwal’s contribution was significant in Saina’s career. According to the world champion, “My mother made me think like a champion since I was eight or nine. She told me, back then itself, that I will be an Olympic medal-winner and the World No. 1. She showed me videos of top players in the world of that time. There is an instance I must mention here. I was playing in an Under-10 tournament in Thane. I was playing with one of the older players and I lost that match. My mother desperately wanted me to win it. I was coming out of the court and she just slapped me and reprimanded me for losing that match. All my colleagues started laughing and I told myself that I will show all these guys who they are laughing at. When I went to the room, I analysed why I lost the game.”

Being a Girl Child

She is one of the most sought after female sporting stars in India but when Saina Nehwal was born in patriarchal community, her own grandmother refused to look at her because of the inherent discrimination against the girl child in the state.

“I was really surprised when I was told that my grandmother did not come to see me till a month after my birth. I was born seven years after my only sister Chandranshu and my birth was a big disappointment for her,” the ace shuttler, fresh from a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games, wrote in a column for the ‘India Today’ magazine.

“But in it there is a message that I understand very well now about the discrimination against the girl child,” she said.

Saina still counts her blessings for having parents who were liberal enough to allow her pursue sports.

Tarun felicitates Harvir Singh and Usha Nehwal during the Shakshsiyat Award 2013, held at Sri Ram Centre, Mandi House, New Delhi, on March 07, 2013

Experts in the field of sports strongly feel that families play an important role in a player’s successful career. Families need to make systematic investments in a youngster over years before a champion emerges. More than the player and the coach, parents are worthy of the credit for the success of a sportsperson.

Badminton Fitness

Fitness – The Key to Saina’s Success at Top Level

Badminton is the world’s fastest racket sport, and hence badminton players who wish to excel and compete at the top levels, need to have excellent agility, stamina, strength and fitness. The best badminton players across the world are also known for amazing fitness levels. They all have well-developed strong legs. The overall body structure, strength and fitness are almost identical to what hockey and football (soccer) players have. The basic features include sturdy muscular legs and high endurance.

Badminton players usually focus on fitness exercises. Some of the most common ones they go for include running, sprint running, hopping, jumping, skipping and some weight training exercises. These workout schedules tend to enhance their overall fitness.

Having sturdy legs is very important. It is a crucial part of a player’s physical fitness especially in the field of badminton. The game involves good amount of running, hopping and jumping. The ritual continues for the entire duration of a badminton match that typically lasts for about 60 minutes.

Recently, Saina’s success and her all – new glamorous look was the talk of entire nation. The media was interested in her fashion moves, the brands she endorsed and then prize money she won. These activities were written in bold, golden words. However, not much was actually reported about the kind of unflinching dedication and commitment that she has had towards her rigorous training schedule since childhood. After all, sacrificing candy floss, dolls, birthday parties and playing with other children is not a cakewalk for a child. But Saina never complained and she is where she deserves to be today – at the top! The entire world is singing praise and celebrating the success of this young, immensely skilled badminton player.

Dedication, consistency, rigorous practice and undying passion towards the game have made Saina Nehwal the kind of player that she is.

Aspiring badminton players who wish to reach the levels of Saina Nehwal, Prakash Padukone and the likes should focus on their footwork and skills. This is not all. One also requires being aware of body and its precise requirements. Eating a healthy fitness diet and regular work out at fitness centers such as a gym or a fitness club is a compulsion. It is also crucial to use the right fitness equipment under the guidance of a professional in order to improve fitness levels at consistent rate.

The requirements of a badminton player are different from players associated with other games such as cricket, hockey, etc. They don’t need to carry around a muscular body like that of a boxer or a 100m sprinter. The body should not be too heavy like weight-lifters. Being too light and wiry like the long distance runners is also not recommended. Badminton players need to be perfect.

In short, fitness requirements of badminton players are unique. They should emphasise on having the perfect combination of the following:

•    Strength of a sprinter

•    Stamina of a long-distance runner

The above listed qualities will help them play power smashes, run fast around the court and last for the entire duration of the match.

An aspiring player should keep these points in mind when choosing a fitness regimen. This is possible only when they work hard under the guidance of a highly skilled and experienced fitness coach. Badminton in itself is considered to be a fabulous way for working out and stay fit and healthy.

Badminton is known to be a fun sport. Children and adults enjoy playing this sport. However, it can be physically demanding too especially when it comes to playing at high levels of competition. The player should always be in great shape and sport an athletic body.

A variety of skills are required to excel in the field of badminton. This is possible with effective training.

Strength Training

Constant serving and volleying in a game of badminton may tire out your arms especially if they’re not used to the motion. Hence, it is beneficial to work with weights. You should focus on training with high repetitions. This is important to enhance muscular endurance. Some of the best exercises include military press and lateral raise. These workouts are very effective for strengthening your shoulders. Most fitness experts and physical trainers to badminton players recommend these exercises to ensure requisite stamina and endurance to play badminton.

Endurance

For players, who are serious about making it big in long matches and tournaments, endurance can go a long way. They should emphasise on building endurance. This will help them last for long matches. The best way to build endurance is to indulge in cardiovascular exercises. Running and biking can help a lot. If it is not possible to go on long rides and runs to build endurance, there are some other ways you can do it. Interval training is one of the most effective ways to build endurance. Most training experts recommend these exercises for badminton players. You can start with 1-to-2 ratio of work to rest and work towards a 1-to-1 ratio. The best example of this is sprinting to jogging.

Agility

When it comes to badminton, it is crucial to change directions very frequently and swiftly. In order to prepare for this, you need to get into some agility training. The four-cone-square drill is a simple setup for agility training. This helps in ensuring agility required for playing badminton. Players can start with the following steps:

1. One cone
   
2. Back pedalling to the cone behind it
   
3. Side stepping to the next cone
   
4. Sprinting forward to the next
   
5. Side-stepping back to the first cone
   

Varying the drill is important. It is helpful to vary it with different directions and cone formations. Regardless the drill, fitness experts recommend that each movement should last between 5 and 10 seconds.

Hand-Eye Coordination

Hands and eyes play an important role when playing badminton. Hence, it is crucial to improve hand-eye coordination. This can make a huge difference in a player’s performance. The best way to do this is by playing tennis or table tennis. The game requires player keep a close watch at the ball and using hands skilfully. Another technique a player can follow to increase hand-eye coordination is via throwing a ball off of a wall and catching it with one hand. Having a friend throw a birdie at you as you try to return it is also a fabulous technique. Badminton trainers and bodybuilders recommend another effective way to develop hand-eye coordination. This includes using a boxing speed bag to enhance coordination and power.

Fitness Routine

Maintaining a fitness routine can make a huge difference. A player should focus on having a fixed and dedicated fitness schedule. Saina is very serious about her weekly routine. It includes the following:

Saina Nehwal’s Endurance Training

•    Strength training sessions: 2-4

•    Endurance sessions: 3-6

•    Agility sessions: 6-8

•    Moderate running

The above listed techniques make for an integral part of Saina Nehwal’s endurance training.

Saina Nehwal’s Strength Training

•    Dumbbell pullovers

•    Rowing exercises

•    Military press for shoulders

•    Heel raises for calf muscles

•    Lat pull downs

Saina Nehwal’s Agility Training

Saina Nehwal follows a dedicated agility training schedule. It is a customised routine that includes speedy bursts of the following:

•    Running

•    Lunges

•    Ab crunches

Stepping into the Glamour World
– The Ace Badminton Player’s
Glamorous Side