How Rudy's Fitness inspired Padukone

Badminton, is the fastest racket sport in the world, in which aspiring players needs to have outstanding fitness levels to succeed at the international levels of play. It is also a well known fact that since badminton is such a demanding game, its players are one of the most superfit athletes of all the sports world.

Badminton players need to have excellent speed reflexes, flexibility and power and the endurance to play out long and tiring matches. Hence their strength and fitness training, and their fitness diet has to be in accordance with this requirement. Making use of proper fitness equipment under the guidance of a fitness expert, can help a lot in taking a players game to the next level.

Given below is the story of two badminton legends, the great Indonesian player Rudy Hartono, and Indian badminton legend Prakash Padukone.

How Rudy's Fitness inspired Padukone:

Rudy Hartono, the legendary Indonesian badminton player was known for his excellent physical fitness levels, and attacking style of play.

The then young and upcoming badminton player, Prakash Padukone who had become the Indian National champion who got a chance to play against Rudy Hartono at the Bombay Gymkhana in 1974. He was thrashed by super fit Hartono 15-3, 15-5. It was at that point of time, that Prakash Padukone realized that he needed to stop playing defensively, and work on improving physical fitness, to succeed at international levels.

Later on Prakash went on to Jabalpur to watch Hartono playing another match. He saw Hartono doing his strength and fitness training by doing continuous skipping for an hour before the final match. Hartono explained that he was doing only some light training as he had to play the final match soon. Otherwise usually his fitness program included a lot more fitness exercises. Hartono went on to win the final match with ease.

This experience convinced Padukone that he needed to work on fitness, and change his playing style too.

Then in 1976, Padukone went on to Indonesia for a 6-weeks training with the Indonesian National players. This training brought about a huge change in Padukone's play, and the rest was history as he went on to become one of the best players in the world of his time.

.