Before and after core strength training: A comparison of smash technique between badminton players

Objective: This paper aims to investigate the impact of core strength training on the smash technique in badminton. Methods: Twenty male badminton players were randomly assigned to Group A (core strength training) and Group B (conventional waist and abdominal strength training). They underwent training from 15:00 p.m. to 17:00 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Group A did core strength training exercises such as four-point support and cross-body crunch. Core strength, balance, and related indicators of the smash technique were measured before and after a 12-week experiment for comparative analysis. Results: Before the experiment, there were no significant differences in the indicators between the two groups (p > 0.05). However, after the experiment, Group A achieved a badminton throw performance of 8.61 ± 0.75 m, a 30s double-rocking rope skipping performance of 48.67 ± 3.77, an one-minute sit-up performance of 58.24 ± 3.71, an eight-level abdominal bridge performance of 3.38 ± 8.15 points, a closed-eye single-foot standing time of 56.12 ± 12.35s, a closed-eye straight-line walking displacement of 17.78 ± 10.12 cm, a batting speed of 145.12 ± 5.97 km/h, and a landing point stability of 34.22 ± 2.31 points, which showed significant differences compared to the performance before the experiment. It also performed better than Group B except for the eight-level abdominal bridge. Conclusion: The results indicate that athletes who undergo core strength training show significant improvements in physical fitness and smash ability, proving the reliability of core strength training and its practical application in training.