BADMINTON

Choosing a badminton racket

One of the most frequently asked questions by badminton players is how to choose a badminton racket. I thought I might give you a bit more info on the subject.

They say a bad workman blames his tools but it never hurts to think about what benefits you might gain from having a racket that suits your playing style. There are several aspects about racket design that you should pay attention to when choosing a suitable racket.

1. Frame
2. Weight 
3. Balance 
4. String 
5. Grip 
6. Stiffness/Shaft 

1. Frame

There are mainly two different shapes of frame on the market.
1)Oval Shape. This is the traditional shape of racket.
2)Isometric/Square Head. This was introduced by Yonex. It has become the most popular shape of rackets.

The difference is the sweet spot. Like tennis racket, badminton racket also has a sweet spot. You can use any part of the racket surface to hit the shuttle. But if you can hit it with sweet spot, the shuttle can absorb more energy. You will also feel less twist. If you pay attention to the sound of hitting the shuttle, you can also find the difference. If you hit the sweet spot, the sound is more solid and crispy. If you clear or drive, hitting sweet spot will ensure you can send the shuttle further. If you can smashing, that will give you more powerful shot, given everything else equal.

Shape of the frame decides the size of the sweet spot. Isometric frame has a 30% bigger sweet spot than traditional oval one. That is why it is much more popular these days than traditional oval frame.

But why we simply all use isometric frame? The smaller the sweet spot, the more concentrated your power. If you are an advanced player, you can always hit with sweet spot but wish you can have more powerful shots, traditional oval frame racket may be a better choice. But given the advance of other technologies, the difference is becoming less important.

At the same time, bigger sweet spot can give you big advantage when you have difficulty to shoot right in the middle. This is particularly important when you play double. The speed is so fast. Sometime you would thank God if you can barely hit the shuttle.

That is why you see fewer and fewer players using oval head racket in tournaments.

Overall, you may want to choose an isometric racket. Unless you are sure you are comfortable with the small sweet spot.


2. Weight

Heavier rackets are mostly preferred by players who have much stronger wrists and can therefore make use of the weight of the racket to extract more power from it. So unless you are in this category, I would suggest you purchase one that is not too heavy. A heavier weight racket would transmit less shock and less vibration when sending off shuttle, and has a larger sweet spot than lighter weight rackets.

The power of badminton rackets does not solely depend on the weight. It is not heavier the rackets are, more power they could generate. Don't forget who is the one swinging the rackets. Use the following formula to understand more of the power generated from a racket.

[Racket head speed x Racket head weight = power]

To obtain the optimum power, you need to be able to generate maximum racket head speed with a given weight of racket. How to generate optimum racket head speed depends on your muscles and correct techniques.


Yonex has a very good system in indicating the weights of rackets they manufactured. 2U <90g, 3U 85-90g, 4U<85g. 3U rackets are the most popular ones as they could generate optimum level of power. 2Us are heavier with less racket head speed and 4Us are lighter faster but with less mass.


3. Balance

There are three kinds of badminton rackets available, head-light, even-balanced and head-heavy. Generally head-heavy rackets are more powerful than head-light racket. But they are offset by the slower racket head speed. Most players would use head-heavy rackets for singles, and head-light or even-balance rackets for doubles. Even-balance rackets are good for both doubles and singles.

Here is a rough guide. Balance point from handle without string or over-grip.


Head-light <280 m, Even-balance 280 – 295 m, Head-heavy >295 m.



Head Light Rackets - concentrate a larger proportion of the racket’s weight in the handle area, which gives the racket a lighter head.

Head light rackets also utilize Nano technology, which helps to transfer weight to the handle without compromising the lightweight nature of the racket.

When using a head light rackets, it is immediately apparent that the frame feels lighter, which will facilitate faster swing speed, which yields greater maneuverability & power; this makes them particularly beneficial to players that like to play at the net.

Evenly Balanced Rackets - also referred to as mid balance rackets; these are frames which have an evenly distributed weight balance across the entire frame. Rackets that are evenly balanced will afford players more flexibility and speed when they are playing, making them a perfect choice for players that demand greater control and feel of the shuttlecock, and also all-round court play.

Head Heavy Rackets tend to be much lighter rackets, but they have much of the weight distributed in the head area of the racket. As a result, head heavy rackets facilitate excellent swing manoeuvrability without the need to sacrifice power. It is commonly accepted that head heavy rackets are ideal for the developing player seeking power in a lightweight design, as they give more momentum to the swing; this is ideal for power players that like to muscle the shuttlecock over the net.

 

4. String

Professionals use string tensions stronger than 26lbs as high strings tends to have better control and power and also they don’t need to pay for the rackets and strings. Amateur players should be ok with tensions between 20-26 lbs.

Thicker strings are more durable and gives more control but not as powerful. Thinner strings will give you more zip and power but they don't last long.

A lot of people think that a higher string tension means more power. In fact it's the opposite that is correct. A higher string tension will give you more control while a lower string tension will give you more power. This is due to the trampoline effect of the strings.

Professional players normally string their rackets at 30 lb or higher. That is mainly for control accuracy. For professional players compete at highest level tournaments, a tiny difference can be important. But let me warn you. Don't pretend to be a batman if you are not. Except for the demand of power, it comes with other side effect. First, it costs you more. String a badminton racket at such high tension makes it very fragile. If it collides with another racket, or sometime only hits the shuttle at the frame, the racket or the string will easily break. Second, more impact will get transferred to your wrist. That could hurt your tendon and muscle. The problem is similar tennis elbow. If you do feel that pain, you should stop using it immediately. Turn to a racket you feel comfortable before more damage.

5. Grip

Choose a grip size that you feel comfortable with. Generally, attacking players prefer bigger grips as they need to hold the racket more tightly to generate power.
Players who like to rally and make use of deception usually prefer a smaller grip so that the racket is easier to turn in their hands.

You should pick handle with right size for you. It is marked as G2, G3, G4, G5, etc. Normally, you should pick one with smaller handle. You can always wrap over-grip on the handle. Over-grip can absorb impact, sweat and avoid slip.

6. Stiffness/Shaft


The stiffer the racket the more difficult it is to make it flex or bend. This can be a problem if you are a beginner because you may not have the necessary skills to swing the racquet fast enough to make it flex.


The extra stiff badminton rackets require even more skill to make them flex, so you really need a fast swing to get the most out of these types of rackets. Flexible versions are the best bet for beginners because they flex much easier, and so give a bit more power for the same effort.


You will find that the top end rackets have stiff or extra stiff ratings. The reason is that more stiffness gives more control. This works because the racket does not bend as much and so there is less movement of the racket head on impact with the shuttlecock. This gives you more control than a more flexible racket does. The most expensive rackets are geared towards offering this control, and they are aimed at advanced players.

Vibration is a major disadvantage with stiff rackets because you feel every impact just a little bit more compared to a more flexible racket. The disadvantage of the flexible rackets is that they are harder to control, although this is all down to personal preference.

The best thing to do is to try some of the rackets your friends play with and see how they feel in your hand. Think about your playing style and level and choose appropriately. Don't forget that having a good racket is no substitute for improving your technique.

Stiff shaft and high tension string give you less distortion of the racket and string surface. That enables you control the shot more accurately.

For a beginner, it is a good idea to choose a medium stiff shaft and setup the string at around 18~20 lb. Once you improve your strength and skills, you can pick a stiffer shaft and string your racket at higher tension.

Power/Control	Shaft	Suitable for
More Power	Flexible	Beginners or players with a slower arm speed - provides more control
↑	Medium	For players with mid arm speed - ideal for those developing their technique
↓	Stiff	For good players with a faster arm speed and sound technique
More Control	Extra Stiff	Players with an even faster arm speed and good technique

See you on the courts..