Muhammad Arnando, Nurul Ihsan, Syafruddin Syafruddin, Ardo Okilanda, Yovhandra Ockta

Enhancing Footwork Performance in U-21 Male Badminton Athletes: The Impact of Combined Plyometric and Shadow Training

Introduction

Enhancing footwork performance in u-21 male badminton athletes: the impact of combined plyometric and shadow training. Boost U-21 male badminton footwork. This study shows combined plyometric and shadow training significantly improves agility, coordination, and movement efficiency.

Abstract

Badminton is a high-intensity sport that requires excellent footwork, agility, and explosive movements. Footwork techniques are essential for positioning the body to execute optimal strokes, and deficiencies in this area can negatively affect performance. Plyometric training improves lower-body power and quickness, while shadow training enhances movement patterns and court positioning. Combining these two methods may significantly improve footwork performance, particularly among under-21 male athletes, yet this approach remains underexplored. This study examined the effect of combined plyometric and shadow training on the footwork ability of badminton athletes. A quasi-experimental one-group pretest–posttest design was used, involving fifteen under-21 male badminton athletes from Universitas Negeri Padang selected through purposive sampling based on inclusion criteria of being active, under-21, and injury-free. Participants completed sixteen training sessions of combined plyometric and shadow exercises. Footwork ability was measured before and after the intervention using the validated six-way footwork test with a shuttlecock, recorded manually with a stopwatch. Data were analyzed using SPSS 26, applying normality and homogeneity tests followed by a paired-sample t-test. The results showed a significant improvement in footwork performance (p < 0.05), with most athletes shifting from “poor” in the pretest to “good” or “excellent” classifications in the posttest. These findings demonstrate that the combined training effectively enhanced agility, coordination, and movement efficiency. In conclusion, the integration of plyometric and shadow training provides an effective and engaging approach for improving badminton athletes’ footwork ability and can be recommended for coaches aiming to optimize player performance.

Review

This study investigates a practical and relevant topic within badminton performance, specifically the impact of combined plyometric and shadow training on footwork ability in U-21 male athletes. The authors effectively highlight the critical role of footwork in badminton and the potential benefits of integrating these two training modalities, an area they correctly identify as underexplored. The application of a structured, 16-session intervention, followed by assessment using a validated six-way footwork test, provides clear evidence of a significant improvement in footwork performance among participants. The finding that most athletes transitioned from "poor" to "good" or "excellent" classifications is particularly compelling and suggests a substantial positive effect, offering valuable insights for coaches seeking to optimize player development. While the study presents promising initial results, several methodological aspects warrant critical consideration. The use of a quasi-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design, without a control group, is a significant limitation. This design makes it challenging to definitively attribute the observed improvements solely to the intervention, as maturation, practice effects, or other confounding variables cannot be ruled out. Furthermore, the sample size of fifteen athletes, selected through purposive sampling from a single university, considerably limits the generalizability of the findings to a broader population of U-21 male badminton players. Greater detail on the precise training protocol (e.g., specific exercises, sets, repetitions, recovery periods for both plyometric and shadow training) would also enhance replicability. Despite these limitations, the study offers a valuable proof-of-concept for the efficacy of combining plyometric and shadow training in enhancing badminton footwork. Future research should prioritize a more robust experimental design, ideally a randomized controlled trial with a larger and more diverse sample, including a control group to isolate the true effect of the intervention. Incorporating long-term follow-up assessments would also be beneficial to determine the retention of these improvements. Nonetheless, the current findings provide strong encouragement for coaches to consider integrating these training methods, suggesting an engaging and effective approach to improve agility, coordination, and movement efficiency in badminton athletes.

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