Effects of resistance training on performance in competitive badminton players: a systematic review

Introduction to the Article

The systematic review by Wang et al. (2025), published in Frontiers in Physiology, examines the effects of resistance training (RT) on physical and technical performance in competitive badminton players. The review addresses a key question in performance development: whether RT interventions can enhance badminton-specific capabilities such as power, speed, agility, endurance, and skill execution. The authors analyze and synthesize evidence from 14 studies involving athletes with formal coaching experience and competitive backgrounds, aiming to provide practical insight for coaches and practitioners in badminton.

Summary of Key Aspects

Study Characteristics and Methodology
The review included 14 studies meeting strict inclusion criteria under the PICOS framework. All studies involved competitive badminton players (≥3 years of training or regional competition level), used RT interventions lasting at least 4 weeks, and reported performance outcomes. Most interventions focused on core or lower-limb strength, with only one study including upper-limb RT. Eight studies were rated as high quality, and six as moderate, using the QualSyst assessment tool.

Participants
The total sample size across all studies was 377 players. Participants were primarily male (in nine studies), with three studies including both sexes, and two not reporting gender. Ages ranged from 14 to 25 years, and most participants had ≥3 years of training or competitive experience at club, collegiate, or national levels.

Training Focus and Modalities
– Three studies focused on core training (planks, balance drills).
– Eight studies targeted lower-limb RT (plyometrics, squats, directional runs).
– Two studies combined lower-limb and core training.
– One study combined upper- and lower-limb training.
– No study focused solely on upper-limb RT.
– Interventions ranged from 4 to 14 weeks, most lasting 6–10 weeks.
– Training frequency was usually 3 sessions/week.

Outcomes by Domain

Power and Jump Performance
Six studies reported significant improvements in countermovement jump (CMJ), squat jump (SJ), and vertical jump (VJ) following RT. Interventions such as flywheel eccentric overload (Low et al., 2023), plyometric training (Fröhlich et al., 2014), and autoregulatory progressive resistance exercises (Huang et al., 2023) were particularly effective in improving explosive lower-limb power. Upper-body power was also enhanced through medicine ball throws (MBT) after core or combined RT.

Muscle Strength
Improvements in lower-limb strength (knee extensors/flexors) were reported following high-load RT (Andersen et al., 2007; Biao and Lu, 2023). Core strength gains were observed in plank-based interventions (Nirendan, 2023), and trunk stability improvements contributed to better force transmission during technical actions. One study reported increased upper-limb power in MBT, but direct evaluation of upper-limb strength was limited.

Speed and Sprint Performance
Sprint performance over 5, 10, and 30 meters improved following lower-limb or plyometric RT in several studies (Yisi, 2023; Sawant, 2023). One study also reported decreased hamstring asymmetry, contributing to improved linear speed and injury prevention (Wiriawan et al., 2024). Improvements were especially relevant for short burst efforts common in badminton.

Agility and Directional Movement
Six studies demonstrated improvements in agility through directional drills, shuttle runs, and agility-specific tests. Significant changes were observed in the Bandcamp Agility Test (Low et al., 2023), 10-m round-trip test (Jianping, 2021), and the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) (Yüksel and Akın, 2017). Flywheel and plyometric interventions yielded notable gains in reactive agility and lateral movement.

Endurance and Functional Capacity
Few studies explicitly assessed endurance. Improvements were reported in rope jump repetitions (Biao and Lu, 2023) and burpee test performance (Nirendan, 2023), suggesting gains in muscular endurance. Tennis-specific endurance tests were not used, and no study assessed repeated sprint ability or aerobic capacity directly.

Skill-Based Performance: Smash and Stroke Metrics
Three studies included badminton-specific skill outcomes. Smash velocity and shuttle speed increased following upper-limb and core training (Biao and Lu, 2023). Technical accuracy in forehand and backhand strokes improved after progressive core RT (Sun and Shao, 2023). Reaction time reductions and movement time improvements were seen with combined cognitive and RT interventions (Chansrisukot et al., 2015).

Conclusions and Practical Applications

The review provides strong evidence that RT positively affects physical and technical performance variables in competitive badminton players. Key benefits include enhanced jump performance, lower-limb strength, agility, and to a lesser extent, upper-limb power and stroke execution. Core RT contributes to balance and kinetic chain efficiency, while flywheel and plyometric approaches are effective for power development.

Practical applications include the integration of structured RT programs—especially during preparatory phases—to build foundational strength and explosive capacity. Coaches should consider combining core and lower-limb RT with sport-specific drills to optimize transfer. The review also highlights the need for more research on upper-limb RT and long-term intervention effects. Standardized testing protocols and badminton-specific assessments (e.g., smash precision under fatigue) remain underdeveloped and warrant further investigation.

Most included studies focused on male participants, with limited representation of female athletes. This restricts the generalizability of findings, as females may respond differently to RT due to physiological and hormonal differences.