CORRELATION BETWEEN SPEED AND AGILITY OF MOVEMENT AND LEG MUSCLE POWER IN BADMINTON ATHLETES AGED 18-21 YEARS

Abstract

Background: Badminton is a sport that requires high levels of physical fitness, particularly movement speed, agility, and lower-limb muscle power to support optimal performance during competition. Although these physical components are considered interrelated, their relationships among badminton athletes aged 18–21 years remain unclear. Objective: This study aimed to analyze the relationships of movement speed and agility with lower-limb muscle power in badminton athletes aged 18–21 years. Methods: This study employed a quantitative approach with a cross-sectional analytical observational correlational design. A total of 22 badminton athletes aged 18–21 years were selected using purposive sampling. Movement speed was assessed using the 20-m Sprint Test, agility using the Hexagonal Obstacle Test, and lower-limb muscle power using the Standing Broad Jump Test. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, normality and linearity tests, Pearson's product-moment correlation, and multiple linear regression, with a significance level of p < 0.05. Results: Movement speed showed a weak negative correlation with lower-limb muscle power (r = −0.242; p = 0.278), while agility demonstrated a very weak positive correlation (r = 0.135; p = 0.549). Multiple linear regression analysis also indicated that movement speed and agility were not significantly associated with lower-limb muscle power simultaneously (F = 0.879; p = 0.431), with a coefficient of determination of 8.5%. Conclusion: Movement speed and agility were not significantly associated with lower-limb muscle power in badminton athletes aged 18–21 years, either individually or simultaneously. Lower-limb muscle power may be more strongly influenced by other factors, such as muscle strength, neuromuscular adaptations, and training characteristics.
Keywords: badminton; movement speed; agility; lower-limb muscle power; correlation