What is the age and height needed in a badminton game?

by Anantha Kumar

(Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, India)

Question: How much maximum age and height need to play badminton?

Answer:
Hi Anantha, thanks for your question.

Badminton is played at several levels. Everyone of all ages can play badminton!

However, badminton is played at different levels. Each level have different physical requirements. In other words, age matters if you are playing at a higher level.

Generally badminton is played at the:

International and world class level

State level

Club level

Social

International and World Class Level

This is the highest level of play, and it requires a huge commitment to the sport.

At the international level, badminton players are usually selected from a very young age. Players as young as 12 years of age are selected by the nation’s badminton association. These players go through intense training routines to improve their fitness, badminton skills and tactical understanding of the game.

If you want to play at the international level, you are usually required to take up the sport as your career.

In order to become a world class badminton player, you’ll need to start your career from a young age (usually around 17 years old; the earlier the better).

World class badminton is an intense sport that demands an extreme level of fitness from a player.

The level of fitness of an average world class player deteriorates significantly around the age of 30.

Therefore, professional badminton players are usually forced to retire at around 30 years old because it is almost impossible to keep up with the fitness level of younger players.

There are certainly exceptions. A few top players like Peter Gade and Taufik Hidayat have passed 30 but continue to play at the highest level. They no longer play to compete for gold medals but because they love the sport.

However, in badminton doubles, players can usually play until the age of 35. The reason for this is because badminton doubles is less demanding physically.

State Level

Similar to the international level, state badminton players compete within the country.

Their training schedule is not as tight as the national players.

However, badminton players at the state level seldom play badminton full time. There are not many opportunities as a state player.

Therefore, state players usually consist of junior badminton players. Young teenagers train at the state level after their schooling hours.

In order to become a state player, you’ll also need to start young (around 12 years old).

Club Level

Badminton played at the club level is less intense. Generally everyone can become a local club player at any age.

Sometimes badminton trainings are not even compulsory for club players. Badminton played at the club level is for non-national and state players who seek to play badminton competitively.

It’s not a career. It is for the few best badminton players around your area to gather once or twice a week to play or train together.

Social Level

Social badminton is for anyone, from beginners to intermediate players.

There are even seniors as old as 50-60 years old that still plays badminton.

You can either arrange your own badminton games or join social badminton events organised by a badminton club or badminton enthusiasts.

Maximum Height

Regarding your question, there is no maximum height or minimum height required to play badminton.