Badminton is one of the most popular racket sports. It is a game for all ages, needs little equipment and just two players. Badminton is not just highly entertaining and competitive, it also brings with itself a host of health benefits. Here are 6 of them:

1. Weight Loss

Badminton as a sport is highly exhausting – making use of all major muscles in the body. A proper game of badminton (on a professional court) can help you burn around 600 calories in an hour. Also, this calorie burning lasts hours after the game because of increased metabolism rate. If you play it twice a week, you can easily lose 4-5 kilos in a month.

2. Muscle Toning and Good Physique2. Muscle Toning and Good Physique

Badminton not just helps you lose the fat, it does so from all the right places. All the quick movements, jumps, smashes and crunching while picking up a drop shot, help you in toning your muscles. Thus, if you want to lose the flab around waist or thighs, a game of badminton works much better than just running. In a way, it acts as a natural circuit training regimen.

3. Improves Reflexes and Concentration3. Improves Reflexes and Concentration

You won’t appreciate how fast a game of badminton is unless you step on the court. The ‘reaction time’ is one of the lowest in badminton among all racquet sports.  The shuttle moves at breakneck speeds and the player is expected to cover the court at all times. This requires sharp reflexes and a pin-point focus and concentration for extended periods. Various studies have a shown a positive relation between playing sports regularly and improved productivity at work.

4. Reduced Blood Pressure and Risk of Heart Disease

Basal heart is rate is the heart beats per minute while at being complete rest. A low resting heart rate is an indicator of good fitness. Playing badminton will help you reduce the basal heart rate by a few beats per minute. This reduces blood pressure too. It also strengthens the heart muscle, keeps the blood vessels from clogging and preventing further heart complications.

5. Control Stress and Anxiety

Given the lives we lead, stress and anxiety are major health issues these days. Badminton not just improves physical fitness, it can boost your mental health as well. Playing badminton, just like any fruitful physical activity, releases endorphins – our “happy” brain chemicals. The area where it beats regular exercise is the adrenaline rush a competitive game of sports provides; thus, releasing even more endorphins. No wonder, we feel so satisfied and happy after winning.

6. Keeping Cholesterol Levels In Check6. Keeping Cholesterol Levels In Check

In our bodies, the total cholesterol, low-density-cholesterol (LDL) cholesterol and triglycerides are bad cholesterols and the high-density-lipoprotein (HDL) is the only good cholesterol.  Playing a high-intensity sport like badminton reduces the level of bad cholesterol and increases the good cholesterol levels.