As fatigue deepened, accuracy dropped fast and a speed-accuracy trade-off appeared under moderate to severe fatigue.

When physical and mental fatigue were induced together, badminton forehand smash performance fell sharply, especially accuracy. From baseline to severe fatigue, smash speed dropped 10.6% and accuracy dropped 46.1%. Under moderate-to-severe fatigue, hitting faster was linked to worse accuracy, signaling a clear speed-accuracy trade-off.

Quick summary

• What the study found: As combined fatigue increased, smash speed and accuracy declined, with accuracy more sensitive; moderate and severe fatigue showed a negative speed-accuracy relationship.
• Why it matters: Competitive play often stacks physical exertion with decision stress, and this mix can degrade shot placement even when speed seems “mostly there.”
• What to be careful about: The design modeled combined fatigue, not separate effects, and the sample was small; laboratory conditions and a modified stroke for some athletes limit generalization.

What was found

In the journal article Synergistic effects of physical-mental mixed fatigue on badminton forehand smash performance, 24 national-level badminton athletes completed a protocol that induced both physical fatigue and mental fatigue.

Athletes performed 10 smashes at baseline and after mild, moderate, and severe fatigue. Smash speed was measured by radar, and accuracy was scored using a camera-based system.

Performance fell as fatigue accumulated. Smash speed declined from 198.21 km/h at baseline to 177.21 km/h under severe fatigue, while accuracy declined from 16.92 to 9.12 points.

What it means

The central message is practical: under mixed fatigue, accuracy collapses earlier and harder than speed. Players may still feel they can “hit hard,” but they lose control of placement.

The study also flags a speed-accuracy trade-off, meaning pushing for speed tends to reduce precision. Under moderate fatigue (r = −0.58) and severe fatigue (r = −0.53), higher smash speed correlated with lower accuracy.

Where it fits

This result aligns with a basic performance principle: attention and motor control draw on limited resources. When exertion and cognitive demand rise together, fine control tends to degrade first.

The authors frame this within a dual fatigue model: neuromuscular strain plus mental fatigue. Mental fatigue here refers to a subjective state of tiredness that can reduce decision quality and sustained attention, especially under repeated, demanding targeting.

How to use it

Coaches can treat accuracy as the early warning signal. If placement quality drops during intense drills, it may indicate mixed fatigue is already compromising decision-plus-execution, even if raw power looks acceptable.

Training can better simulate competition by combining high-intensity movement with cognitively demanding targeting, then practicing “good-enough speed” with deliberate placement. The goal is to preserve technical quality under realistic stress, not only in fresh conditions.

Limits & what we still don’t know

This study was built to test combined fatigue, so it cannot separate how much decline came from physical versus mental fatigue alone. The authors also note the absence of neurophysiological measures, such as electromyography, which could clarify mechanisms.

Laboratory conditions may miss real competition stressors like audience effects and real-time pressure. The sample was small, and due to safety and standardization, some athletes performed a restricted-step stationary stroke rather than a jump smash, limiting direct comparisons.

Closing takeaway

Mixed physical and mental fatigue does not just slow a smash; it disproportionately harms accuracy. By moderate fatigue, the athlete is more likely to face a forced choice between pace and placement.

If training only rehearses precision while fresh, it may fail at the exact moment matches are decided: late, tired, and under decision pressure.

Data in this article is provided by PLOS.

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