It's getting cold—this warm-up will help you get into the right mindset faster.

This sudden drop in temperature during the National Day holiday has us playing it safe on the court—because weather like this is all too easy to overlook. Without proper warm-ups, it’s way too tempting to get hurt. After all, in a season with such drastic temperature swings, it’s surprisingly common to accidentally push yourself too hard.

So, from now on, make sure to perform thorough warm-up exercises to ensure a healthy and enjoyable game.

1. Principle of Gradual Progression: Warm up slowly and systematically, starting from the top and working your way down—don’t rush onto the court expecting to play hundreds of intense rallies right away.

2. The principle of comprehensiveness, which means performing joint movements at every position throughout the entire body.

3. The principle of focus—specifically, performing thorough warm-ups on key areas (such as the shoulders, waist, knees, and ankles), as well as previously injured areas (even if they’ve already healed).

4. The principle of thoroughness—ensure that key areas are adequately stretched, avoiding a perfunctory or half-hearted approach.

Here's a warm-up routine suitable for most people—players can choose the one that best fits their own conditions.

Step 1: Jog for 10 minutes to boost nervous system activity, reduce muscle viscosity, and fully warm up your body. If you choose to jog on the badminton court, be sure to stay well away from the active playing area—this way, you’ll avoid any potential mishaps (like accidentally getting hit) and ensure you don’t create trouble for others either.

Step 2: Rotate each joint to release stiffness and reduce the risk of injury. Badminton primarily involves the following six major joints: wrist, elbow, shoulder, hip, knee, and ankle. For each of these six joints, perform gentle clockwise and counterclockwise rotations individually.

(Stretching the shoulders)

(Stretching the shoulders)

(Rotating the shoulders)

(Active Waist)

(Active Waist)

(Active Waist)

Lunge and leg stretch

Lunge with a sideways stance

Activity wrist

Activity wrist

Step 3: Jump rope—essential for warming up, it gets every part of your body moving and is one of the must-have auxiliary drills for badminton.

Step 4: Focus on warming up and massaging vulnerable or previously injured areas—such as the knees, lower back, and other sensitive spots—to enhance blood circulation and reduce muscle stiffness.

Step 5: Warm up your footwork by practicing the full-court "T"-shaped footwork pattern, gradually increasing from slow to faster speeds.

Step 6: Warm up with racket swings without the ball, practicing forehand strokes. You can also incorporate footwork movements to help you feel the rhythm of hitting from different positions around the court.

Step 7: Ball-and-racket warm-up exercises

① Drop shots at the net to familiarize yourself with the ball and practice your net skills;

② Mid-court flat drive practice, gradually increasing in speed, with players alternating positions from far to near.

③ Backcourt high lob and smash practice (definitely don’t start with high clears for warm-up)

Warm-up duration: It's best not to go below ten minutes— the cooler the weather, the longer you should warm up. Here’s how experienced players differ from beginners during warm-ups: While beginners are already wrapping up their first game, seasoned veterans are just finishing theirs!

Prioritize warm-ups—not after injuries occur, but as a proactive measure to prevent accidents from happening in the first place!