It's cold—want to practice badminton at home? Here's how you can make it even more effective!

Winter training is a great opportunity to boost your physical fitness—this period of "sleeping on straw and tasting bitterness" prepares you fully for a more enjoyable game come springtime next year. While many players tend to become lazy during the colder months, for those with "ambition," it’s actually a perfect chance to catch up—and even surpass others.

But it’s cold outside—still, Fish Leong didn’t give you “Courage.” So how can you boost your motivation now? Remember, solutions always outnumber challenges. If you’re not in the mood to head out for a workout, why not make the most of your time at home by engaging in various forms of fitness training? That way, you’ll keep your body strong and healthy!

Another benefit of working out at home is that you can listen to music, watch TV, or even enjoy a comedy show to distract yourself from the fatigue of exercise—allowing you not only to meet your physical needs but also to enrich your mental world, keeping both body and soul on the move.

Here are a few methods for tennis enthusiasts to choose from for practice:

1. Practice wrist flexibility with and without the ball

Hitting practice is an important and effective method in badminton, primarily focused on developing your racket feel. Not only does it help refine your hitting technique, but it also allows you to become more attuned to the racket's aerodynamic properties and overall handling characteristics.

Demonstration of wrist flexibility exercises using a baton

Focus on wrist technique during forehand swing practice—use your wrist as the pivot point and swing the racket up and down.

Focus on wrist technique during backhand swing practice—use your wrist as the pivot point and swing the racket side to side.

2. Grip strengthener

This primarily strengthens the fingers. Not only does it help make your grip more stable and easier to control, but it also enhances the power behind your finger flexion movements.

3. Skillful Application of Force

This exercise primarily targets wrist strength and flexibility. Wrist explosiveness is crucial—boosting power for powerful shots while allowing for more subtle, deceptive movements in delicate plays. Additionally, a flexible wrist enables greater versatility at the net.

4. Wall-Supported Squats

The main focus is on strengthening the muscles around the knee joint to provide better protection. Badminton is often referred to as the "number one killer of knees," so it’s especially important to prioritize reinforcing and safeguarding your knee joints.

5. Squats

It’s mainly about building lower-body strength. Badminton requires explosive power in the legs and feet, and squats are an excellent way to enhance both of these qualities. Plus, strong lower-body muscles help protect your joints from injury while also improving stability during movement.

6. Plank

Focuses primarily on strengthening the core muscles of the waist and abdomen. Everyone should understand how crucial core strength is for badminton—core strength plays a vital role in…

Stability in movement and proper force generation are both crucial, so you can’t afford to neglect core strength training. Plank exercises not only help you develop a sleek "mermaid line" or "six-pack abs"—perfect for sculpting a stunning physique—but also play a key role in achieving overall fitness. To achieve your best shape, consistency is essential.

7. Sit-ups

It’s also a great way to strengthen your core and abdominal muscles. Most importantly, this technique comes into play when, after executing a backhand attack, your upper body gets stuck behind you and can’t follow through toward the net. In such situations, powerful core strength is essential to bring yourself back into position effectively.

8. Cleverly Use Bottles to Train Wrist Strength

The bottle exercise method can first strengthen wrist muscles and secondly, it also helps build finger strength—plus, practicing without a racket is even more convenient.

Practice backhand wrist rotation and power generation

Practice wrist flexibility by tracing figure eights.

9. Specialized Racket Swing with Fixed Posture

Forehand High Clear

Key points: Keep your racket high, simulate a high, forward-upward impact with the ball, and ensure your wrist swings swiftly.

Backhand Clear

Key points: Raise your racket high, ensure the racket face is square and directed forward, engage your wrist with a firm snap, and at the moment of impact, gently press your thumb toward the net. Keep your movements quick and powerful—this practice will help improve your swing speed while strengthening your wrist for better control and power.

Cross-court forehand flat shot

Key points: Side lunges—keep your arms extended out to the sides as much as possible, lifting them slightly higher with each beat. As you swing the racket forward, make sure to push forcefully with your index finger. Keep your swings quick and your movements nimble and fluid.

Cross-court backhand drop shot

Key point: Strike the net with your thumb firmly, keeping the racket face slightly sideways and flat.

Forehand lift

Key points: Step forward with your lead foot, keep your wrist flicks quick, and sharply lift the racket upward and forward from back to front. Make sure your wrist has a slight upward hooking motion.

Backhand drop shot

Key point: Use your forearm to guide the wrist movement—keep the wrist flick quick and sharp. Only with this technique can you loft the ball far, landing it close to the baseline.

When practicing these exercises, make sure to use the right techniques—don’t just practice blindly. If you’re unsure about something, simply search for specific tutorials online. Stick with just one or two methods consistently, and you’ll definitely see your skills improve dramatically next year. Don’t believe me? Give it a try—you’ll be amazed at the results!