Review of the effects of core muscle exercises on subcutaneous fat percentages of badminton players

Abstract

Badminton involves jumping to reach a shuttle at the highest possible point when descending for a better stroke, such as in a smash and drop shot. Hence, the body weight has to be lifted repeatedly against gravity, and extra mass in the form of fat would be a disadvantage. Moreover, fat tends to be localized in the trunk and lower body segments. It has been established that an excess percentage of body fat is detrimental to health, and that the percentage of body fat required for excellence in performance differs from sport to sport and between males and females. Core muscle exercises strengthen the abdominal muscles, back muscles and the muscles around the pelvis. To increase the efficiency of physical activities, one must strengthen the core muscles. A stable and strong midsection can improve posture and balance. The present study was conducted to assess the impact of core muscle exercises on subcutaneous fat percentage of badminton players. To achieve this purpose, twenty five badminton players were included in the study, whose age ranged from 17-21 years. The subjects were given selected core muscle own-body-weight exercises without any equipment, including ten different pilates exercises with 20 sec break in between. The subjects underwent this training for six days in a week continuously for four weeks. The subcutaneous fat ratios in the arms, trunk, legs and whole body were measured before and after training. The obtained pre- and post-test data were statistically analyzed using a t-test. The results showed significant differences in the subcutaneous fat percentage in the arms, trunk, legs and body of the badminton players.