ABSTRACT
Although the New York Badminton Club, founded in 1879, became the first organized badminton club in the world, historical evidence indicates that games somewhat like badminton were played in ancient Greece, in the fifth century in Asia, and in the thirteenth century in Europe. The world team championships for men, the Thomas Cup, was first held in 1948 and is now a biennial event. When badminton players are of equal skill, whether novice or advanced, fitness becomes an important factor in deciding the winner. Three general categories of fitness training programs, which are based upon the demands of the sport and the physiological principles, should be followed; these are traditional fitness training, shadow drills, and pressure training. Traditional training methods include wind sprints, running, rope skipping, circuit weight training, and calisthenics.
