Why Do Badminton Players Shout When They Smash?

Featured Image: Antony Stanley

In more recent years in badminton, players have started to shout more and more when they’re smashing. When you watch professional matches, it’s not uncommon to hear players in doubles yelling as they pummel the shuttle aggressively towards their opponents. Particularly in the men’s game where it is becoming almost second nature to yell when you smash.

There’s an obvious reason that we all think this happens, aka to appear more aggressive or more powerful. But having thought about it, there’s probably a number of other reasons players shout when they smash. Whether the player themselves is aware of it or not.

Psychological Reasons To Shout

For the person playing the smash, yelling helps them to feel like they’re really giving their all to the attack. If they didn’t shout, perhaps it wouldn’t make much difference to their physical attack. But by shouting, it psyches them up and this helps to build their confidence in the rally. This may have a positive knock-on effect on their partner who perceives that they are really giving their all to the point and therefore they also up their game to match that energy.

For their opponents, the shout can be very off-putting. Playing against players who constantly yell can become irritating very quickly. When players become annoyed, they are much more prone to mistakes. Professional players obviously will have to adapt and will often have specialists who help them to deal with this. But for the normal amateur player, we are all different. Some of us just think people who shout are idiots and let them be, others get really wound up to the point that they will stop the game to have words with the opponents.

Increased Strength In Attack

A study in 2014 found that tennis players who grunted when they strike the ball, hit it at about 4% faster on average. Now, unfortunately, I’m not aware of any similar studies for badminton. However one could potentially argue that the same conclusion might be applicable.

As I see it, the effect of shouting on the body is what increases the power. If you’ve ever done martial arts, you’ll know when you punch you yell at the same time. This causes you to breathe out and your core to contract.

As we know the core is incredibly important in badminton, including in the smash. When smashing the core contracts when you hit the shuttle, creating power in the shot. So it follows that badminton players who shout when they smash are contracting their abs on the impact of the smash, perhaps more forcefully, and therefore increasing the power in their attack.

Apparent Effort

Even though I’m sure most professional players are giving their best on the court during all matches, it’s much more evident when the players have an audio accompaniment to their visual effort. If you ever weight train, you might have found when you’re struggling to lift a certain weight, yelling as you do so give you an extra boost to push or pull that weight. In the same way in badminton, yelling helps to perhaps force an extra per cent of effort. Particularly as in longer rallies where they start to feel fatigued and drained.

Stress Relief

Playing in front of a crowd must be stressful. Particularly if it’s a big event like the All England. When there are nerves and tension in the body, it can be debilitating to your game. Everyone plays better when they’re relaxed.

Some players might feel that yelling will help to discharge some of the built-up tension. The effect of which allows them to get more involved in the match to a point when they feel more relaxed to play their more natural game. Tense players are often too “rigid” in their movement which affects the quality of their shots and even shot choice.

Audience Involvement

Great rallies and players will always grab the attention of the crowd. But when there’s an audible accompaniment, players are more likely to get the crowd invested in the match and in that particular player or partnership. It should never be underestimated how important crowd support is. Obviously, home nations will always support their own athletes, but when neutral countries are playing, having the audience behind them will make a big difference to a players confidence.

Is it Right To Shout?

In tennis, grunting was highly contentious, particularly in the women’s game. Now every player does it. In badminton, I haven’t heard of any professional players complaining about shouting when smashing. In fact, it’s becoming more and more common. Personally, I think the increased animation of the game and increased crowd involvement makes it much more interesting to watch as a spectator sport and adds an additional element of excitement. Something which badminton needs to promote in order to become more popular.

Conclusion

We’ve seen above that professional players might shout for a number of reasons, whether those reasons are consciously or subconsciously known. What’s funny, is that the hardest hitters of the game tend to be the ones who don’t make too much noise on court!

As amateur players, shouting is pretentious, irritating and can create tension among clubs and may be seen as unsportsmanlike like. In a way I agree, we’re not all playing major international tournaments, most of us are playing in local sports halls and leisure centres. So really shouting just looks a little stupid. However, there’s nothing to stop them doing it so really, we have to live with it! Luckily it’s pretty rare.

Please consider subscribing to my blog for more great badminton content and make sure to follow me on Instagram and Facebook for other posts and updates!

If you want 15% off Alien Pro’s awesome looking badminton grips – click here and use the code “shuttlesmash” at check out! It will help support this website and enable me to provide you with more badminton content!