Badminton
Get badminton fit with Ashwini Ponnappa’s home workout routine
The ace Indian badminton player explains some of her favourite exercises that can be performed with little equipment.
Ashwini Ponnappa has been at the top of the badminton game in women’s doubles for many years.
Over time she also found ways to give back by conducting her own women’s doubles-only badminton tournament where she imparted her wisdom from over a decade in the international game to teach young aspirants how to improve their game.
And one of the key reasons according to her has been her commitment to fitness. It is what helped her secure India’s first-ever gold medal in women’s doubles at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and dominate the field while partnering with multiple players since then.
While she enjoys a bit of downtime to interact with her fans on social media, she is also committed to maintaining her fitness for once she gets back to playing tournaments.
She is enjoying the fact that workouts from home mean that time is no longer a restriction, although she doesn’t like that she can also get distracted easily. Either way, her focus is on maintaining basic fitness by exercising every day while she is at home.
Here are Ashwini Ponnappa’s five favourite home workouts.
Squats
From a standing position with your feet under your hips, drop back into a seated position until your knees are almost at 90 degrees. Slowly lift yourself back up to complete the repetition. You could do this with your hands clasped at the back of your head, crossed in front of your chest or stretched out in front of you. Just make sure to keep your knees pointed outward and maintain a straight line from your head to your tailbone. Ashwini loves squats because they can be performed anywhere, anytime, and makes her legs feel stronger.
2 min
Ashwini Ponnappa - No Excuses
Indian badminton doubles ace Ashwini Ponnappa explains her fitness routine and how it helps her excel at her game
Push-ups
All you need to perform a push-up is adequate floor space. Start by dropping down to the floor and balancing on your palms and toes with your arms at full extension. Slowly lower your body until your chest is hovering inches above the ground, and then slowly lift yourself back up. Keep your elbows tucked in so your elbows, torso and head are forming an arrow shape. Ashwini loves push-ups because they build strength in her arms, which help directly when playing badminton.
Tricep dips
You will need a bench – or any other stable elevation – for assistance with this workout. Place your hands at the edge of the bench with fingers pointed forward. Extend your legs and plant your feet into the ground. Lift yourself off the bench and dip your hips until your elbows are at about 90 degrees. Ashwini loves tricep dips for the same reason she loves push-ups – great for arm workout and helps with her game.
Heel raises
While in a neutral standing position, shift the weight of your body to your toes and lift up your heels. Balance the weight of your body on your toes and keep your calf muscles braced while lifting. Slowly lower your heel back down and repeat. Ashwini says that heel raises help keep her calf muscles strong, which is particularly important right now because she is recovering from a calf muscle injury.
On-the-spot marching
In a standing position, keep your feet roughly shoulder-width apart. In one quick motion, lift your right knee till it forms a 90-degree angle and drive your left arm up to your chest with a slit bend in the elbow. Quickly drop your right leg back down and bring your left knee up, also switching movements with your arms. Repeat the entire movement routine to march on the spot. Ashwini likes this cardio workout because it helps you work up a sweat from the comfort of your home.
2 min