The Protected Player: An 8-Week Strength and Conditioning Program

The Protected Player.pdf

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Injury prevention is something every athlete and coach knows they should prioritize, but it often doesn’t get the direct attention it deserves. We might unknowingly address it through exercises targeting the shoulders, knees, hips, and feet in a progressive strength program, but how often do we actively think about preventing injuries in these vulnerable areas?

Injuries, whether from overuse or sudden, unforeseen circumstances, are an unfortunate reality for athletes. A perfect example is the devastating knee injury suffered by Carolina Marin. This cannot have been avoided by following a specific strength and conditioning program. "The Protected Player" is designed to reduce the risk of common strains and overuse injuries, so that you can train hard while staying safe. Imagine how much further you could go if you remained injury-free throughout your athletic career.

Introducing "The Protected Player"

As a strength coach, the goal of keeping athletes injury-free has always been a personal mission. Injuries can occur in the most unexpected ways—like when a teammate of mine tore ligaments in his foot from stepping on a faulty floorboard while picking up a shuttle. While you can’t control everything, what you can control is the load your body takes on each week, month, and season. Managing this load is key to reducing overuse injuries.

"The Protected Player" offers exercises designed to help you build strength in areas that are often overlooked but crucial for injury prevention. The program doesn’t promise invincibility, but it’s a solid start to becoming a more resilient, well-rounded athlete.

Whether you're a beginner in strength and conditioning or already following a structured plan, this program provides exercises and techniques that will improve your athletic foundation and help you stay injury-free.

Strength Exercises

The full progression and exercise details are available in the downloadable PDF, but here are some highlights:

1. Side Plank

   Strong core muscles are vital for keeping your back healthy. Start with side planks, aiming for two minutes per side, and progress from doing them on your knees to a full plank. This exercise also improves shoulder endurance.

2. External Rotation

   Since badminton involves a lot of internal shoulder rotation, adding external rotation exercises can help prevent shoulder pain and imbalances.

3. Nordic Hamstring Curl

   Strong hamstrings can help prevent injuries. While not yet proven specifically for badminton, this exercise has been shown to reduce injuries in other sports, making it a valuable and logical addition.

4. Pogo Jumps

   Great for developing explosiveness and preparing your body for more intense plyometric exercises. Pogo jumps stimulate the stretch-shortening cycle, improving explosive power.

5. Box Jumps

   A low-impact plyometric exercise that’s a stepping stone to more advanced, single-leg exercises.

Conditioning

In addition to strength, conditioning is critical for preventing injuries by preparing your body for the demands of badminton. Here are a few key components:

1. Hard Intervals (Long Distance)

   Try running 400 meters as fast as possible with 1.5 minutes of rest between sets for six rounds. This will push you a lot.

2. Short Intervals (Change of Direction)

   Perform 14 rounds of 20-second bursts of speed, with 20-40 seconds of rest between each round. This simulates the quick directional changes on the court.

3. Footwork Drills on Court

   Complete 10-15 sets of 10-second max-speed drills with 20 seconds of rest in between to develop agility and court readiness.

Mobility Work

Injury prevention doesn’t stop at strength and conditioning. Focusing on mobility can help address weak points and improve flexibility. Some of the best exercises include:

• Inchworms

• Thread the Needle

• 90/90 Lift Offs

These exercises serve as a warm-up or targeted mobility work to keep your body in optimal

shape. Make sure to find your weak areas and work on them.

Get Started on Your Journey to Becoming a Protected Player

The revised version of "The Protected Player" is available on the website. Whether you're looking to stay injury-free or simply become a stronger athlete, this 8-week program is the perfect starting point. Make sure to check out the other training programs on the website to further enhance your performance.

Let’s keep you protected, stronger, and always ready to perform at your best!