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Exercises

Badminton warm up: an 8-minute routine for quick feet and a fast arm

Published October 24, 2026

Do 2 minutes of alternate-foot rope skipping, then 3 minutes of mobility: 10 ankle circles per foot, 10 leg swings each way per leg, 10 arm circles each direction and 5 cossack squats per side. Add 12 band face pulls and 10 lateral band steps each way, then 2 minutes of primers: skater hops, single-leg hops and a few jump squats, each set quicker than the last. Then start with soft clears and drops before you smash.

  1. Jump Rope Alternating Foot Calves, Quads
  2. Ankle Circles Calves
  3. Leg Swings Hamstrings, Glutes
  4. Cossack Squat Quads, Adductors
  5. Band Face Pull Shoulders, Upper Back
  6. Skater Hop Glutes, Quads, Abductors
  7. Single-Leg Jump Quads, Glutes, Calves

Get warm: 2 minutes

Badminton footwork lives on the balls of your feet. Skipping the rope one foot at a time warms the calves and gets you light without tiring you.

Raise, footwork rhythm

Jump Rope Alternating Foot

Calves, Quads

Stepping over the rope one foot at a time builds the quick, light rhythm of badminton footwork and warms the calves you rely on.

How to do it

  1. Hold the handles low and start the rope turning with your wrists.
  2. Step over the rope one foot at a time, like jogging in place.
  3. Build speed once the timing feels easy.

Cues

  • Light jog over the rope
  • Elbows tucked

Common mistakes

  • Lifting the feet too high: keep the steps short and quick.

Swap for: Jump Rope, High Knees

Build a session with Jump Rope Alternating Foot

Ankles, hips and shoulders: 3 minutes

The deep front-corner lunge loads the ankle and hip of your racket-side leg, and smashes ask for full shoulder range. Move each joint through more range than the court will need.

Ankle mobility

Ankle Circles

Calves

Every lunge and push-off starts at the ankle, so loosen it before the first rally.

How to do it

  1. Stand on one leg with a hand on a wall, or sit, and lift the other foot.
  2. Trace slow, full circles with your toes in one direction.
  3. Reverse the direction, then switch feet.

Cues

  • Move only at the ankle
  • Full, slow circles

Common mistakes

  • Rushing small circles: make each one as wide as the ankle allows.

Swap for: Standing Calf Raise, Jump Rope

Build a session with Ankle Circles

Hip mobility

Leg Swings

Hamstrings, Glutes

The front-corner lunge needs open hips and long hamstrings. Swings take them there gradually.

How to do it

  1. Stand side-on to a wall or post and rest one hand on it.
  2. Swing your outside leg forward and back like a pendulum, letting the range grow each rep.
  3. Do all reps on one leg, then turn around and switch.

Cues

  • Loose leg, still torso
  • Let the range grow

Common mistakes

  • Rounding your back to kick higher: only go as high as your torso can stay upright.

Swap for: Walkout, Cossack Squat

Build a session with Leg Swings

Shoulder mobility

Arm Circles

Shoulders

Smashes and clears move the shoulder through a big overhead arc. Circles start that range slowly.

How to do it

  1. Stand with your arms straight out to your sides at shoulder height.
  2. Draw small forward circles, then let them grow larger over the set.
  3. Reverse the direction for the second half.

Cues

  • Small to big
  • Ribs stay down

Common mistakes

  • Shrugging up into your ears: keep the shoulders low while the arms circle.

Swap for: Band Pull-Apart, Plate Halo

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Deep lateral lunge

Cossack Squat

Quads, Adductors

It rehearses the wide side lunge for net and mid-court reaches, at your own pace.

How to do it

  1. Stand with your feet about twice shoulder width, toes turned slightly out.
  2. Shift your weight to one side and sit down into that knee while the other leg straightens, toes up.
  3. Push back to center and sink to the other side.

Cues

  • Heel of the bent leg stays down
  • Chest proud

Common mistakes

  • Dropping deeper than your hips allow: stop where your heel starts to lift, and go a little lower each rep.

Swap for: Dumbbell Lateral Lunge, Kettlebell Lateral Lunge

Build a session with Cossack Squat

Activation: 1-2 minutes

Face pulls prepare the back of the shoulder, which brakes the arm after every smash, and band steps get the outer hips ready to steady your knees on landings.

Rear shoulder activation

Band Face Pull

Shoulders, Upper Back

It wakes up the muscles that slow the racket arm after a smash.

How to do it

  1. Anchor a band at about head height and hold one end in each hand, palms down.
  2. Pull the band toward your forehead, with your elbows high and your hands finishing beside your ears.
  3. Return slowly until your arms are straight.

Cues

  • Elbows high
  • Hands end by the ears

Common mistakes

  • Leaning back to move the band: step closer to the anchor and keep your torso still.

Swap for: Face Pull, Band Pull-Apart

Build a session with Band Face Pull

Glute activation

Lateral Band Walk

Abductors

The outer glutes keep your knee in line on side lunges and landings.

How to do it

  1. Place a mini band around your legs just above the knees or at the ankles.
  2. Sink into a quarter squat with your feet hip-distance apart.
  3. Step sideways with the lead foot, follow with the other without letting the feet touch, and keep tension in the band.

Cues

  • Stay low
  • Toes point forward

Common mistakes

  • Swaying the torso side to side: keep your shoulders level and take shorter steps.

Swap for: Clamshell, Band Standing Hip Abduction

Build a session with Lateral Band Walk

Footwork and jump primers: 2 minutes

Finish with hops that look like the game: side bounds, single-leg landings and a few jumps for jump smashes, each round a bit faster.

Lateral primer

Skater Hop

Glutes, Quads, Abductors

Side bounds mimic the push from center to the sidelines and back.

How to do it

  1. Stand on your right leg with a slight bend in the knee.
  2. Push off sideways and land on your left foot, letting your right leg swing behind you.
  3. Stick the landing, then bound back to the right.

Cues

  • Stick each landing
  • Push sideways, not up

Common mistakes

  • Taking off before you are balanced: pause for a beat on each landing.

Swap for: Lateral Box Jump, Single-Leg Jump

Build a session with Skater Hop

Landing primer

Single-Leg Jump

Quads, Glutes, Calves

Badminton has many one-leg landings after jumps and lunges. A few hops rehearse them before they count.

How to do it

  1. Stand on one foot with your knee slightly bent.
  2. Hop up off that foot and land on the same foot.
  3. Stabilize, then hop again; switch legs after the set.

Cues

  • Land quiet
  • Knee over toes

Common mistakes

  • Knee folding inward on landing: hop lower until it stays in line with your foot.

Swap for: Skater Hop, Single-Leg Box Jump

Build a session with Single-Leg Jump

Jump primer

Jump Squat

Quads, Glutes

A few jumps at rising height prepare the legs for jump smashes.

How to do it

  1. Stand with your feet about shoulder width and your arms ready.
  2. Dip into a quarter to half squat, then jump straight up, swinging your arms.
  3. Land softly with bent knees and reset before the next jump.

Cues

  • Soft, quiet landing
  • Reset between reps

Common mistakes

  • Landing stiff-legged: let the hips and knees bend to absorb the landing.

Swap for: Box Jump, Bodyweight Squat

Build a session with Jump Squat

Put them together: example sessions

Each session below picks from the exercises above for one situation, with the sets, reps, rest and RIR filled in. Open one in the session builder to change a pick, price it from a recent set, and add it to RIRLift.

Session 1

Before club night

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets18 a week
  • Per workout~10 min
  • EquipmentJump Rope, Resistance Bands

You play doubles socially once or twice a week.

The full eight-minute routine with moderate primers, so you start warm without tiring before the games.

Club Warm-Up
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Jump Rope Alternating FootSeconds. 2 × 45–60 4 15 s
Ankle CirclesPer foot. 1 × 10 4 0 s
Leg SwingsPer leg. 1 × 10 4 0 s
Arm CirclesEach direction. 1 × 10 4 0 s
Cossack SquatPer side. 1 × 5 4 15 s
Band Face Pull 1 × 12 3 15 s
Skater HopPer side. 2 × 6 3 30 s
How to run it
Do it on the side of the court before your first game.
How to progress
Speed up the primers once the routine feels easy.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

Before a singles match or tournament

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets28 a week
  • Per workout~20 min
  • EquipmentJump Rope, Resistance Bands

You play competitive singles and the first rallies are long and fast.

Adds single-leg hops and jumps at the end, so your landings and jump smashes are ready from the first point.

Match Warm-Up
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Jump Rope Alternating FootSeconds. 3 × 45 4 15 s
Leg SwingsPer leg. 1 × 12 4 0 s
Cossack SquatPer side. 2 × 5 4 15 s
Lateral Band WalkSteps each way. 1 × 10 3 15 s
Band Face Pull 1 × 12 3 15 s
Skater HopPer side. 2 × 6 3 30 s
Single-Leg JumpPer leg. 2 × 5 3 30 s
Jump Squat 2 × 3–4 3 30 s
How to run it
Start 15 minutes before play, then hit clears and drops.
How to progress
Add a third set of skater hops at match speed when you feel ready.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

Stiff ankles or calves

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts1× a week
  • Working sets10 a week
  • Per workout~10 min
  • EquipmentJump Rope, Resistance Bands

Your first lunges feel stiff, often after a day sitting.

More ankle and hip work and gentler primers, so the lower legs loosen before anything fast.

Stiff-Day Warm-Up
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Jump Rope Alternating FootSeconds. Easy pace. 3 × 30 4 15 s
Ankle CirclesPer foot. 2 × 10 4 0 s
Leg SwingsPer leg. 2 × 10 4 0 s
Cossack SquatPer side. 2 × 4–5 4 15 s
Lateral Band WalkSteps each way. 1 × 10 3 15 s
How to run it
Use it on days when you feel stiff before play.
How to progress
Return to the club-night version once the stiffness is gone.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

What are good warm-up exercises for badminton players?

Rope skipping, ankle circles, leg swings, arm circles, cossack squats, band face pulls and skater hops. Together they prepare the lunge, the jump and the smash.

How long should a badminton warm-up be?

About eight minutes before you pick up the shuttle, then a few minutes of easy rallying.

Should badminton players stretch before playing?

Use moving drills before you play and keep longer held stretches for after.

Why warm up the ankles for badminton?

Every lunge and push-off starts at the ankle, and stiff ankles make the first rallies feel slow.

Can I warm up with just rallying?

Easy rallies are the last stage. A few minutes of moving first lets you play at full speed sooner.