SOTX Badminton Rackets - A Rival For Yonex?

SOTX badminton rackets are a relatively new name in the badminton world, however, they have been growing at a fast rate in China. Now they have entered the UK and US market, selling a wide range of badminton equipment such as rackets, shuttlecocks, bags, clothing and shoes. SOTX was formed in China in 2002, and now have many outlets throughout many major chinese cities. SOTX has also expanded globally, into 20 other countries, and are extremely active in promoting the sport of badminton. This can only be good for our sport, extra competition doesn't hurt anyone, and it may well help to lower costs for those who purchase badminton rackets.

I guess it was inevitable that a major badminton racquet company evolved in China, the only mystery is that i didn't happen sooner. Yonex is the most successful manufacturer in the far east, selling millions of rackets each year. However, SOTX appear to making quite an impact, and are already eating into the market share. This rapid growth has now seen SOTX badminton come to the west, in the UK and in the US.

There are nine ranges in the SOTX line up, and the flagship rackets are the CP series, which stands for Commax Power, or circle power. These racquets are made from high modulus carbon, and also include a new technology exclusive to SOTX, force pro nano. Force pro nano technology is designed to minimize vibration which can cause injury and strain to wrist, arm and shoulder muscles. The CP series is designed to withstand higher stringing tensions, as high as 31lbs. This tension produces excessive vibration in normal badminton rackets, but with the force pro technology, this is no longer the case. The benefit to badminton players could be huge, and SOTX appears to be the only current manufacturer offering this protection for players. I guess the only way to tell if this technology works is to try it for yourself. String your racket at 31lbs tension and see if your arm aches after a few hours play. The only other problem is finding a string that can take this stress without breaking.

The downside to this engineering is the price. The top of the range CP 7000 retails for around £109 in the UK, and $300 in the US. This puts SOTX in direct competition with the top Yonex offerings, who already have a solid reputation for quality and innovation. The CP 7000 is also very stiff, which adds to the vibration, and as such is only recommended for experienced players, who are able to get the most out of these types of racquets.

At these prices i think it will be difficult for SOTX to sell many rackets, but in time, as their reputation grows and more online retailers stock their products, the prices will fall to more reasonable rates, in line with most of the competition. The rest of the CP range are the 6000, which is a bit more flexible, the 5000 which is yet more flexible and lighter, all the way down to the CP 1000, and even this entry level racket will set you back around £60.

Things get even more expensive with the SOTX Woven range. The Woven 16 costs a whopping £129.99... gulp. It is developed from high grade carbon fibre and glass fibre which make it more stable and easier to control. It can also be strung to high tensions, but it does not have the force pro technology so you will most likely feel all the vibration at high tensions. Cue the arm and shoulder injuries. There are another 9 rackets in this range, which are all very similar, and the bottom of the range is the Woven-2i, which still costs £49.99.

The SOTX Diamond Fighter range is made from special memory alloy which reduces the ageing process of the racket. How it does this i do not know, but it does seem very similar to the Yonex ArcSaber range.

There is also the super light range, which, as the name implies, offers very light rackets, down to just 75 grams, which is in direct competition with Karakal badminton equipment, only SOTX is more expensive. The choice is yours...

It appears that SOTX is the new kid on the block, and the more established brands could come under threat. The main stumbling block for SOTX badminton rackets is gaining an honest reputation for quality and durability, and only time will tell if they are successful.

Find out all you need to know about SOTX badminton rackets at the badminton racket blog.

The Ideal Badminton Set For You

Badminton is a perfect game for people who desire to get in shape as it helps to reduce weight. Furthermore, it is an enjoyable sport for all ages without the hassle of going through vigorous training. It can be played indoor or outdoor, fun and casual playing or professionally as in competitions and tournaments. This article is to give information on the different types of badminton set required for different ways of usage or play. Before getting a badminton set, you have to decide whether you are playing for fun or competitively as there is a vast difference in terms of monetary value.

If you are playing badminton for fun, you can easily purchase a badminton set from either a supermarket or a large sports store. In some places, you can find badminton set sold in a hardware store or even a pharmacy. There are certain sets which are nicely packed together in a carrying case with a zip. These usually consist of everything you need in a badminton set and do not cost much but they are basically quite useless and can easily hurt your wrist. It is best to get medium cost rackets. You may need to purchase several packs of shuttlecocks as the feathers can easily be damaged or perhaps you can use the plastic types which are more durable. Lastly, a badminton bag would be helpful and handy to carry your badminton set around.

As for purchasing a badminton set for competitions or tournaments, it is advisable to obtain advice from badminton centers or refer to the sports specialist as to which set is appropriate. You can also consider purchasing the equipments online using search engine. The rackets used for competitions are usually of a higher quality than those used for fun and therefore the cost is heftier. You will need a minimum of at least two rackets just in case if the strings were to snap in the racket which you are using.

As for the shuttles, you will require at least two packs of the feathered ones. Get the high quality types of shuttlecocks which are packed separately. There are also synthetic nylon plastic types that can withstand the forceful hitting and last longer but ensure that the heads are made of cork and not plastic. Where the net is concerned, it is usually provided by the badminton courts, both indoor and outdoor. If you need to purchase a net, then look for nets with metallic poles. Also check for an all-weather net that can withstand both sun and rain if you intend to play on an outdoor court.

If you are playing professionally, then do dress up for the match. Wear suitable sports attire that is flexible and comfortable as badminton game requires you to dash randomly around the court. Supportive and soft soles shoes are highly recommended. Remember to get a badminton case as it will be easier to transport your badminton set around. If you have any other queries on badminton set or intend to buy one, click on this http://www.badmintonset.org for further assistance.

Why Egos and Incorrect Information About String Tensions in Badminton Could Be Harmful

Imagine the scene. A young player is chatting to an experienced player at your club about racquets. Invariably at some point the discussion moves on to the subject of string tension. "My racquets are strung at 30lbs" says the experienced player, "the tighter the string the better - that's what you want."

Now this scenario has been played thousands of times in club and league badminton and it will continue. The question is, is it doing any damage?

There has been a huge amount written about badminton racquet string tensions over the last few years. Forums are full of players quoting all sorts of sky high numbers. For those who are new to this wonderful game, or have limited knowledge of this critical element, it is very easy to be taken in by the confident belief that "the tighter the string, the better" or "the tighter the string, the more power you get."

Is It True, or Have We Been Told A Big Lie All These Years?

If you want a simple answer, then the above statements are untrue. It's not quite as simple as that though. So let's separate fact from fiction so that you can then make more informed decisions about your string tensions.

The string tension in your badminton racquet plays a major part in your ability to play shots well. If the strings are too slack, then they fail to perform at optimum level. For now, I'll assume you are past beginner level and play in a club and you're a senior (over 18).

Before I discuss what I consider to be "safe" string tensions, perhaps it's worth getting some of the facts about string into the open.

• All strings stretch, like elastic, and therefore from the day your racquet is strung, the strings begin to lose tension (known as creepage in the trade).
• Every racquet has a "sweet spot." This is an area on the strings which produces the best results from the contact with a shuttle.
• The lower the tension, the bigger the sweet spot. Consequently, beginners need to play with lower tensions as they are more likely to mis-hit the shuttle. The bigger "optimum hitting area" is therefore essential in their progress in the sport.
• As a player becomes more consistent, they do not require such huge sweet spots. Their needs change and they now require a faster "response" off the strings and more power.
• As tensions are increased, the sweet spot reduces. A highly accomplished player, who consistently hits the shuttle well, will generate more power and enjoy the benefits of the shuttle travelling faster off the strings. The tighter strings give them more control.

OK, so we've moved from beginner to highly accomplished player. I'm not talking about your first team player here because that will vary between leagues or clubs. What I mean by a highly accomplished player is someone who is representing the area, playing county badminton or even international badminton. They could be tournament players who are playing local and national tournaments. They play to a consistently high standard.

When Increased String Tension Does Not Equal Increased Power

Whenever you increase string tension, there is a point when you do not get the same return in terms of power. So what is this point of "diminishing returns?" This will depend on the individual. A highly accomplished player may find that their tensions need to be 24lbs before they notice a levelling out on power. A lower level player may find that this is way too high and 20/21 lbs is a max. Whilst it may not seem a great difference in terms of numbers, I assure you it's massive in terms of how the racquet plays and feels.

Whatever the range, please keep your ego at bay here as it's so common for players to boast about playing with super-high tensions and yet their performance will be suffering as a result.

Once you have found your maximum tension for power, then you need to decide whether you wish to sacrifice some in order to improve the repulsion characteristics of the string, which basically give you more control of the shuttle. Let me explain...

As the strings are tighter and the sweet spot reduces, the strings do not absorb the shuttle and then propel it forwards as much (which is where power comes from in the string). Instead the shuttle moves off the strings quicker, instantly reacting to the movement of the racquet. This produces control.

The lower repulsion and higher control characteristics are what the top players are seeking in order to provide them with the greatest opportunity to exploit the weaknesses of the opposition. They already posses the power required to create openings and recognize that this, coupled with touch and speed form the basis for a top flight all-round game.

So Where's The Danger?

Every racquet manufacturer provides information on what they deem safe tensions for their racquets. Many players choose to ignore these "early warnings" and have their racquets strung considerably higher.

As you can imagine, exceeding recommended limits is potentially dangerous in two ways. Firstly, the racquet frame may crack or shatter due to the significant pressure on it. Second, when you increase tension, you also increase vibration through the racquet.

The loss of repulsion characteristics means the player may have to put more into the shot to get the same power. This may result in tennis elbow, shoulder or neck injuries, which are now becoming more common because of the higher tension requirements from players.

And that's where this knowledge can be dangerous. These injuries are serious and can take considerable time to heal. You may need physiotherapy treatment which is costly. My concern here is that young players are being given the wrong information, backed up by over-zealous players in far-east who contribute to the badminton forums. Before you know it, our budding youngsters are sidelined with serious injuries and could easily miss a season.

League clubs overall are suffering through falling numbers. Losing a player for weeks or months through injury can be a major blow to the club. Promotion, relegation or even winning the league may depend on fielding a fully fit side week after week. It would be tragic to lose a key player through injury at a critical time.

How Tight Is Tight - A Guide To Stringing Tensions

I've been stringing badminton racquets for over 20 years. This has included string for beginners to international players. Having seen the changes in technology from two piece racquets, to one piece composite frames, nano technology and isometric heads, I've pretty much seen it all over the years. The development in racquet technology has brought us lighter and yet stronger frames.

This development has also generated a significant amount of testing by international players, looking for competitive advantage. Tensions have been pushed higher and have now entered those usually seen in squash racquets. Bear in mind squash racquets are significantly thicker and heavier than badminton racquets and therefore they are designed to withstand these tensions.

So here's my guide to racquet tensions. As with all guides, there are players who will not wish to be classed as a beginner or low level player (there's that ego again), and therefore dismiss my recommended tension. Also, tensions are so personal. We all play a different game, some are power players, some are great tacticians, some have a very broad range of shots, others have limited shots but have mastered them. Essentially we're all different. You need to experiment to find the optimum tension for your style of play.

Beginner - 16lbs - 18lbs - especially if playing with plastic shuttles
Beginner - 17lbs-19lbs if playing with feathers
Intermediate - 18lbs -20lbs
Advanced - 20lbs-22lbs
County/International - 23lbs - 25lbs

As I said previously, this is a guide. I know county players who are happy playing with 22lbs and I also know some who play with 27lbs or more.

Whilst stringers will string your racquet beyond the manufacturers recommended tension, expect them to stipulate that they will not be responsible if the frame breaks.

A Quick Word About Playing With Plastic Shuttles

Whilst playing with plastic shuttles is extremely cost effective compared to feather shuttles, please bear in mind that hitting these shuttles are a major cause of tennis elbow. Plastic shuttles do not fly like a feather. You generally have to put more effort into clearing the shuttle to the back of the court than you do with a feather.

As the saying goes you "stroke a feather and punch a plastic."

Because there are significant flight differences between plastic and feather shuttles, it is recommended that you lower your string tension to get more repulsion properties from your string and less vibration. If you're playing with a plastic shuttle and have your racquet strung at say, 24lbs, you may as well play with a board.

As with all sports, a modicum of common sense prevails. I've known players who play with both plastic and feather shuttles. Thankfully, they are fully aware of the increased dangers of playing with plastics compared to feather shuttles and use a different racquet, strung 2-3 lbs less than their racquet for feathers in order to compensate.

What About Differences In strings?

This article is not written to do direct comparisons with strings but there are a few things worth mentioning.

Generally, the better players are opting for thinner gauge strings like Yonex BG80. It's a great string, can be strung to high tensions and the players like the "feel" and control they get with the combination of a favoured tension and this string. As it's thinner, the string will not have the same durability as a thicker gauge string and therefore the racquet will need to be strung more often.

Again, string choice is personal. Beginners need string with durability rather than feel and control because their focus at this standard of play is all about getting the shuttle back and playing rallies.

As the player develops and skill increases, the need for durability reduces. Control and feel become more important. There are strings that bridge the gap between these two opposing needs, namely Yonex BG65Ti, Ashaway Rally 21 and many more.

To find what works for you, you need to speak to your stringer and ask them to record your tensions and chosen string so that you can eventually find the right combination for you. If you change racquets, you may need to adjust again, but generally you'll only be making minor adjustments to suit.

Let's Wrap This Up

Hopefully you now understand that a higher tension does not necessarily equal more power and generally it's actually the opposite. Please do not be fooled by those boasting of extremely high tensions, they may already be feeling the pain from this and yet don't wish to tell you about it!

There are definitely dangers in exceeding racquet manufacturer recommended tensions. Beware, you could soon be ending your love affair with your favourite racquet if you choose to exceed the recommended tension. Check your frame for stress lines frequently or you may be in for a shock.

Test to find your optimum tension and string choice. Remember, this is personal to you and you alone. What's right for you may be detrimental to your club colleague or partner.

Please, do not be lead by others and some of the foolish comments on the badminton forums. Test any changes in small increments of 1lb. Bear in mind that each string is individually tensioned when stringing a racquet, so a 1lb increase is enough to notice a difference.

When you've found the right tension for you and the right string, you can then concentrate on enjoying and improving your game without having that little niggle in the back of your mind that you're missing something.

Enjoy your testing and feel free to email me if you want further clarification on any of the points I've raised - it's always good to hear from you.

Paul Stewart is an Advanced Badminton Coach based in Warrington, Cheshire, UK.

Further badminton coaching & training articles and videos can be found on his badminton blog http://badminton-coach.co.uk

Three Simple Tips to Increase the Power of Your Badminton Smash

One of the hottest topics I'll be covering in my online coaching program is increasing power to your badminton smash.

Wherever I travel to coach, there are always two major questions I'm asked

How to improve the backhand
How to get more power in the smash
There are a number of simple adjustments you can make that will help you increase power and improve your accuracy in your badminton smash, so let's get started...

Let's Begin With Your Feet!

Why your feet? Simple. If you haven't the speed to get behind the badminton shuttle before you hit it, then there is no way you are going to hit a good powerful accurate smash. You need to be behind the shuttle so your bodyweight is ready to move in the direction of your smash. Adding your bodyweight to the smash provides more power.

How far behind the shuttle should you stand? Ideally, you need to be far enough that the shuttle would land slightly ahead of your non racket leg, but in alignment with your racket shoulder.

Exercise 1

You need to test whether you are moving fast enough to get behind the shuttle. Stand on the front service line and ask your feeder to lift the shuttle towards the back line. Now, with your racket in your hand, try to beat the shuttle. But, you mustn't hit the shuttle! Instead, allow it to hit the floor and note the position it lands in relation to your body.

Where is the shuttle? Is it sufficiently in front of your body that you can hit it down, allowing your bodyweight to move forward? If not, you've just discovered one key element you need to improve that will add more power to your smash.

So try again, and this time move faster, going beyond where you would normally stop. Test again. Any better? If so, repeat this exercise until you are comfortable that you've got it right.

Finally, test again by moving back and this time hit the shuttle. Work it and it's likely the first few shots will fall into the net!

Grip

There are so many badminton club and league players I've seen that seem to move and hit with excessive tension in their bodies. This tension is caused by pressure getting to the shuttle on time, frustration from wanting to hit the shuttle better or score more points and most likely a host of minor reasons that are causing a major issue.

When the body is tense, it is unable to perform anywhere near its optimum capability. A tense body cannot move as fast, hit as fast or as powerfully as one that is free from tension. Think about it. If you were to go onto court to play against a player you know you can easily beat, why is it your shots are so much better and you appear to move so much faster? Yes, you're not under pressure and therefore playing with a sense of freedom - freedom from tension.

One of the major adjustments I ask of most players is the way in which they grip their racket. I'm not talking about correct forehand or backhand grips here, although that does feature high on my list.

In this article I'm talking about the strength of your grip. If you grip your racket too tight, then your muscles are constantly under tension. This does not allow them to flow and carry out you instructions to move in a certain way in order to hit the shuttle. They are almost fighting to move in the right sequence.

A tight grip then restricts the amount of power available to these muscles, which only leads to a poor result and disappointment for the player. If you consistently grip the shuttle too tight, then you're running the risk of injuring your elbow. Tennis or golfers elbow is extremely painful and is frequently caused by your grip being too tight, or your racket grip being too small for the size of your hand.

Exercise 2

Go on court and hit shuttles with a very relaxed grip. Grip the racket firm enough that it won't slip out of your hand - you don't want to see the whites of your knuckles or you're gripping too tight! Play a few overhead shots and the second before your racket connects with the shuttle, squeeze a little tighter.

I expect you'll find that you're hitting the shuttle harder as your racket can accelerate quicker towards the shuttle without the tension to apply the brakes.

Your backswing can make all the difference

Looking back over the last 30 years or so, preparation for an overhead shot has changed. This is mainly due to the significant improvements in racket technology. No longer are we playing with steel framed rackets, weighing considerably more than the average 85g in today's rackets. The lightweight, one-piece carbon construction has meant that you can now prepare and hit in a second. There's no need for a long backswing - an almost tennis-like serve in order to hit an overhead shot in badminton.

What I do see so often is almost a "corkscrew" action whereby the racket is moved with the shoulder turn. So why is this wrong?

Whenever you move a muscle, or series of muscles, they always want to return to a neutral position i.e. go back to where they started from.

A corkscrew action therefore usually creates a reverse action. This means that instead of the racket being thrown in a direct line at the shuttle, it's almost moving across the path of the shuttle. Catch the shuttle at precisely the right point and you may hit a good smash.

But, this method is extremely unpredictable and inaccurate too.

Exercise 3 (A video explanation is available)

Stand in a space with sufficient clearance around you to swing your racket. From a defensive stance, place your non racket hand onto the front of your shoulder to feel the muscles move.

Now, with your non-racket hand still on your shoulder, prepare to hit an overhead and feel which way your arm and shoulder are moving. Got it? Now play the shot and pay attention to the follow through and where your racket finishes.

Do the same exercise again, but this time lift your racket straight over your shoulder as though you are scratching your back. Your elbow should be pointing virtually upright. Can you feel a difference? If you can, that suggests you're more likely to be using a corkscrew action in your preparation.

If you didn't feel a difference, turn your shoulders as though you are going to hit the shuttle. Your racket will move to its usual position.

When you throw the racket from here, watch the line of the racket. Is it going out in direct line to where you want to hit the shuttle, or is it falling across your body towards your non-racket leg?

If your racket is going in a straight line then you've got great technique and chances are you're already hitting the shuttle pretty hard. Focus on exercises 1 and 2 to see if you can improve in these areas.

If your racket is somewhere near your non-racket foot, then you may find that you hit stronger and more consistently cross court than you do straight. If you do, then the corkscrew action is a cause. Also, you may find that you pull most of your round-the-head shots out of court.

Quick Summary

OK, we've covered some basic ground here, but from what I continue to see in clubs, a huge percentage of players can improve the power of their badminton smashes by improving in one, two or all three of these key areas.

Have some fun testing these exercises out, and hopefully you'll find the one area where you quickly find a little more focus makes a huge difference in the result of your smash.

This article is not meant to be a complete checklist of ways to improve the power of your badminton smash. I've chosen my "big three" because they are relatively easy for you to check for yourself when you haven't the luxury of working with a coach.

Paul Stewart is an Advanced Badminton Coach based in Cheshire, UK but also coaches in Lancashire, UK.

He was Head Coach for Greater Manchester Junior Badminton Association between 1995-1999 regularly running 2 squads at weekends. The highlight of coaching these squads was attaining a medal for third place at the 1999 ICT tournament. The ICT is considered the pinnacle of the county junior calendar and is the most highly sought after for team places.

He has a weekly coaching session for league badminton players and is also coaching county juniors as one of the assistant coaches in the Middlewich cell of Cheshire County Juniors.

Further badminton coaching & training articles and videos can be found on his badminton blog http://badminton-coach.co.uk

What Is a Badminton Drill?

A Badminton Drill is quite simply a practice.

No, not practicing by playing or knocking a few shuttles across the net to your partner. A Badminton Drill is a practice. It's a practice of a specific skill or element required to play badminton. The Badminton drill can take many forms but will usually focus on taking a small and specific area on which to work.

Let me give an example from my own style of play, I invariably have my racquet 'down' either to the side or in front, even when at the front of the court. But a far better position for the racquet and me as I'm well over six foot, is to have my knees slightly bend and the racquet head raised to shoulder or head height. I need to Drill this habit into my head. So my partner and I play the 'patty cake' game, both stand just back of the front service line and try hitting the shuttle as horizontal and as close to the net tape as possible.

It becomes a 'game' when there are no rules, i.e. freedom to hit shuttle on either forehand or backhand. It becomes a Drill when you continually just do forehand. It can be further broken down into say, near forehand and far forehand.

Badminton drills are better than practise as they are more specific to particular areas and should be done over a considerable amount of time. An hour spent on a particular Badminton drill is nothing, and what's more it should be regularly repeated throughout the training regime.

Another Badminton drill might be 'mid court backhand cross net return', bit of a mouthful that, but if your partner can deliver the shuttle to the right area this is easily practicable, but the main purpose of the drill could be to get you to change from a forehand grip to a backhand grip!!..

A Badminton drill is a very useful training technique and is simply a repetition of a small but necessary skill.

To learn more Badminton training tips to improve your game and watch some strange video clips showing you things you can do right away to improve the way you play, go take a look here now - Badminton training

If you'd like to read a review of Jago Holmes's new Badminton training program - 'How to Get Fit to Win,' go take a quick look here - http://www.badminton-information.com/badminton-training-how-to-get-fit-to-win-review.html

Why Don't More Kids Play Badminton?

I suppose it shows my age when I say things like that. I recall having several badminton sets as a kid. They were lots of fun then and I'll bet if more kids were exposed to them - they'd find it true today as well. I suppose it's not unlike so many other sports niches - a small but rabid following whose expertise scares away crowds of novice players. Have you ever seen a 'professional' badminton match?

When I first began researching for the badminton page on Backyard Steward site I was mesmerized by the incredible depth of product variability - the technology and materials used in the racquets are very modern and highly sophisticated. We've come to the point now that we're looking for ways to reduce wind drag on badminton racquets. Some are reminiscent of fine Chevy engines - completely blueprinted and balanced. Can you believe that?

All that high tech stuff aside for a moment - badminton is an excellent backyard game you should consider for your kids - if you haven't already. It's a low impact and deliberately easy game to play for beginners. The slowed movement inherent of the shuttlecock (we called it the birdie when I was a kid) makes it a game that old and young can play together easily. Very few people can't pick up a badminton racquet and whack the shuttlecock across the net a time or two. One might even consider it a primer for a much more demanding sport such as tennis. Tennis, while generally similar, is much harder on just about all your body parts by comparison. Knees, wrists, and ankles are much better off for badminton players - trust me on that.

Another great characteristic of badminton is the ease and speed in which you can set up the net. Most backyard sets have aluminum poles that can easily be planted with little effort. For kids this is good for another reason - changing the height of the net. Once kids start batting the shuttlecock around a bit they typically forget about keeping score - because they're having too much fun. Does outdoor exercise get any better than that? You don't have to strictly adhere to the court dimensions either - which makes it fit in any size backyard.

Personally I think badminton is a developmental thing that all kids ought to be exposed to at least once in their lives. Coordination, timing, and balance are all synergized and in the guise of good natured entertainment. For the older kids you'd probably want to chalk the yard for all those 'line' shots - just to prepare them for their tennis-like McEnroe impersonations.

All kidding aside, badminton with or without strict interpretation of badminton rules is one of those classic family fun games yours is virtually guaranteed to enjoy.

Badminton Sets

Greg King is the owner and operator of the Backyard Steward website which is focused on power tools, outdoor furniture and decoration, as well as family-friendly entertainment ideas.

http://www.backyardsteward.com

The Many Health Benefits of Playing Badminton

Badminton is a fantastic sport. Not only is it great fun and a good opportunity to socialize with like minded people, but there are also many health benefits of playing badminton.

Let's take a look at a few of these now.

Flexibility - no one can deny that Badminton improves your flexibility in most of the major muscles, including the hamstrings, erector spinae, pectorals, triceps and many other areas. It's an absolute necessity that good players maintain a healthy level of flexibility in all of these muscles. Whilst stretching hasn't been proven to have a positive effect before playing, there is certainly plenty of evidence to prove that it is beneficial afterwards.

Strength - Obviously your upper body won't gain too much strength due to playing Badminton, but your forearms, thighs and calves will be sufficiently challenged to improve their strength and power. Anyone who has ever done a series of jump smashes back to back will testify to the huge challenge this places on the thighs muscles.

Muscular Endurance - Absolutely vital to any Badminton players, it's the ability to keep going right to the end of a match. Virtually every muscle group has to continuously contract in a long game of badminton. From the calves right up to the shoulders.

Heart and Lungs - Again Badminton places a very challenging workload on the heart. Those who regularly play singles or against a particularly good doubles pairing will agree with me on this one. Short bursts of all out effort are often required in quick fire rallies which can often last for well over 10 shots per point. This series of stop start action, intense activity interspersed with short periods of rest is very much like interval training which is rapidly becoming one of the most popular types of fitness training techniques.

Mobility - As we age our joints can become less fluid or moveable. The connective tissue and bone endings can become worn and are therefore not as mobile as when we were younger. It's important as we age to maintain a certain amount of movement in our joints otherwise both our posture and the performance of simple everyday tasks becomes much more of a challenge. Badminton helps to lubricate and mobilise almost all the joints on the body so again it's a very useful sport to take part in.

These are just a few of the most obvious health benefits of playing Badminton, but what many people overlook is the social side of the sport. Not only for meeting and interacting with people who share the same passion for the sport as you, but more so for the bringing together of people who love to use and challenge their bodies in a way that can actually improve their health and well being the way that Badminton can do.

To find out more about Badminton training to improve your game and to watch some strange video clips showing you things you can do right away to start seeing a difference go take a look here now - badminton training

If you'd like to read a review of Jago Holmes' new Badminton training program - 'How to Get Fit to Win,' go take a quick look here - http://www.badminton-information.com/badminton-training-how-to-get-fit-to-win-review.html

Badminton Footwork - Is It Really Important?

There are basically 3 main factors to successfully playing Badminton.
First, you have to move to get to the shuttle, so your Badminton footwork has to be good. Secondly, you have to be able to hit the shuttle, and thirdly, it has to be hit to where you want it to go.
Basically if you can't get to where the shuttle is/will be, then all the training and drills on shot selection, practice and tactics are utterly useless!.
Fast Badminton footwork is crucial and so is the right starting position. To be able to move from a static position, your knees must be slightly bent and your weight on the balls of your feet so that your heels are barely in contact with the ground. For a right handed player, your feet should be in a '10 to 4' clock position, '20 to 2' for you lefties.
Your feet should be placed apart so they are 'outside' your shoulders. To check this, assume your normal stance and have a quick look down. Check this, I'll bet your stance is not quite wide enough.
With only a small upper body movement you should be able to 'fall' in any direction. Any movement around the court is dictated by your ability to move your feet, so both readiness and balance are crucial.
In game play a different more pronounced stance may need to be used depending on the state of play. For example if you expect to receive a smash you'll need a wide (and squat) stance in order to reach or 'dig out' the smash return.
In short and long play your Badminton footwork will change and you'll need a narrower and longer front to back starting stance because the necessary movement will generally be in those directions.
The next time you take to the court... look down, have a look at your feet and give some thought to what is or is not going on with them, you'll find that improving your Badminton footwork really does make a difference to your game if you give some thought and attention







To find out more about Badminton training to improve your game and to watch some strange video clips showing you things you can do right away to start seeing a difference go take a look here now - Badminton training
If you'd like to read a review of Jago Holmes' new Badminton training program - 'How to Get Fit to Win,' go take a quick look here - http://www.badminton-information.com/badminton-training-how-to-get-fit-to-win-review.html

5 Steps to Significantly Reduce "Home" Advantage & Gain Valuable Points at Away Badminton Matches

During my travels and discussions with badminton players, I'm amazed at the number of times I'm told stories of major defeats, with the only reason given was that they played on the opponents "home" badminton court. For most badminton tournaments or league matches there isn't a huge crowd to cheer the locals to victory. This is what our international players have to play against. So, why should there be such a difference and what can you do to combat home advantage?
Here's my top 5 tips to help you make a major breakthrough in your away badminton matches
1) Court Dimension
Most court measurements are the same to meet International Badminton regulations. However, you should not take it for granted that they are. Pace your existing court so you know the dimensions. When you get to the away match, a quick check should confirm you're playing on a court with the same measurements.
Believe it or not, I've been caught out by this in the past. I played at an old church hall and the court was short, although the club had painted the lines so it looked fine. As a result, my serves were long and I struggled to keep the shuttle in. On this occasion, I averaged a loss of 7 points per game which turned the eventual result into my opponents favour.
Here's what you must do...
First of all you need to check which dimensions are incorrect prior to adjusting your game. If it's just the back line that is shorter then the simple action is to test hitting "short" and asking your partner to allow the shuttle to drop so you can gauge where it's landing in relation to the line. You can then get a feel for the length you need to hit.
Practice both short and flick serves prior to the commencement of the game to get your eye in. Ask your partner to short serve and flick serve you so that you can count your steps to the back service line to ensure you are clear when the shuttle is in. Check you have sufficient room to run around your backhand without crashing into obstacles.
2) Ceiling Height
This is the usual difference and one that catches many players out. Why? Simply, the height of the ceiling can dictate the pace of the game. Teams that play in low ceiling halls tend to play a faster flatter game. They punch clear and try to attack more frequently knowing that a lift from you may hit the ceiling and be called a fault. They also play a faster pace as they are used to the speed of play in their particular hall.
Consequently, teams that play in halls with high ceilings tend to use the height to their advantage and play at a slower pace. They can vary the pace a little more and are not as fast and eager to get on the attack compared to my example above. They know that they can use height to get out of trouble and therefore are prepared to take a few more risks in order to out manoeuvre the opposition.
Here's what you must do...
If you know ahead of time what your opponent's home court is like, then create similar conditions whenever you can at your club and play the game to these conditions. This is easier if you play at a club with a high ceiling as you can practice punch clears, playing fast, getting on the attack quickly.
Remember also to practice your serves, both low and flick serves, but especially your low serves. If you can continue to serve well in these conditions, then your opposition is under pressure. Work with your partner regarding their presence at the net. You need to threaten any net return from the serve from the outset so your opponents are backing off this tactical stronghold. The more you control the serve and restrict your opponent's returns, the more points you will win. Controlling the net is always a winning tactic.
Sadly, if you play in a hall with a low ceiling, you cannot create the height to practice. However, it is easier to hire a court at such places to get some practice in. But, if you can copy my recommendations above regarding serving and return of serve, the same tactic will work for you too. By putting pressure on your opponents in this key area may rush them into a pace of game they're not used to.
This could lead to errors and more points for you. They are then playing your normal pace which you should be better equipped to handle. Continue to keep the shuttle low and try to play to your strengths in terms of pace and shot repertoire rather than succumbing to your opponents pace. Speed the game up at every opportunity and keep attacking.
3) Know Your Back Line
Whenever I visit a badminton club or sports centre, one of the first things I do is get to know my back line. You see, whilst the dimensions on court may be the same, it's amazing how many times a player can be disorientated by their new surroundings. This means they leave far too many shuttles that land in, costing them dearly. Has this happened to you?
Here's what to do about it...
Stand at the back line and look up at the ceiling. Make a mental note of any overhangs, girders etc that are there. Now judge whether the shuttle would be out if they past this point or not. Ask your partner to send a few shuttles towards the target area and see what happens. Usually, you can quickly find the spot on or near this target that allows you to make the right decision.
Make sure you do this for both sides of the court! You'd be amazed how many times players forget this and you then don't have the time to test your target area. Use this same target to practice your lifts from the net and ask your partner to let the shuttle fall so that you know how close to the back line you're lifts are getting.
4) Slippery Floor
Some places you're asked to play are deadly. They have extremely slippery floors, which means that you can hardly move your feet to retrieve the shuttle. But, your opponents seem to be fine and they're chasing around winning point after point easily.
Here's what you must do...
Take a spare damp towel with you in your bag. Try wiping your feet on your towel and testing the floor again. Usually, the damp towel trick does the job and suddenly you have grip. If this is the answer for you, then leave the towel by the side of your court and frequently wipe your feet in between points to maintain the best traction on your shoes. There are sprays you can buy to help you grip. Yonex sell such a spray and I'm sure there are others too. Keep the spray in your bag for such occasions and use sparingly. Too much moisture on your sole can be just as deadly.
5) Shuttle Speeds
This is a subject readers of my blog know I am very passionate about. Players seems to think that they must accept whatever shuttle the opposition gives them as the right one for the game. No!
You already know that playing with incorrect speed shuttles can have a detrimental effect on your game. If they're too slow, you're struggling to reach the back line for length, or can't finish off the point as your smash is ineffective. Or, too fast and you're hitting shuttles out of the back on serve and wherever you are on court, giving your opponent so many easy points.
Here's what you must do...
Stand your ground, you are in the right. Test the shuttle as I've shown you in an earlier video and article. If the speed does not meet the guidelines, then either change the shuttle or alter the feather until it does. This may mean tipping the feather either outwards to slow it down, or inwards to speed it up. Never settle for a poor speed feather when you have the capability to do something about it.
Summary
No matter what conditions you are met with when you arrive at an away match badminton court, there is a way in which you can prepare for them ahead of the match and be ready to face the opposition with a game plan to win. Many of the elements I have mentioned in this article are external and can be managed if you are prepared. Certainly, there is no reason why you should lose so many points over such things if you are prepared.
These "home advantage" elements can easily dissipate with the right preparation, and instead of losing so many cheap points to your opponent, you could be turning the tables on them and winning the match. As always, I encourage comments to my articles and if you feel there are other areas I haven't mentioned, then please let me know. I'll include them on a future article.







To your success.
Paul
Paul Stewart is an Advanced Badminton Coach based in Warrington, Cheshire, UK. Further badminton coaching & training articles and videos, including priority access reservation for his upcoming #1 Breakthrough Badminton Secret Video can be found on his badminton blog http://badminton-coach.co.uk.

Necessity of a Badminton Set

Badminton is one of the most famous and popular games over a thousand of sporting activities in the world. Badminton games can be stand with or without any professional training. Hence, you may enjoy this game everywhere with a court size space. Any outgoing activities may have a badminton set as a good companion for the day of fun. A good player will always come along with a complete good badminton set!
Looking for a good badminton set? Here I give you a briefly introductory about badminton set. Generally, a complete badminton set are consist of one rackets, a set of shuttlecocks, badminton string, and attire for badminton such as shoes, jerseys, shorts, caps and jackets. These attires are ultimately designed for the different representative purpose as for special team spiritual.
First of all, one shall be aware of the tools and equipment needed to prepare in order to comprise a good badminton set. Since badminton is mainly a racket sport game, hence the racket would be the very basic and fundamental equipment in the set. Together with the so called main soul mate "shuttlecock", just as a disc player with a disc, without the disc not song can be play, without the shuttlecock no game can be start for the badminton. Thus, rackets and shuttlecock play a significant character in the game as necessary equipment in the badminton set.
Secondly, badminton strings can be said as an inevitable part of the racket, without it the racket just cant be perform and it is like empty frame. There is all kinds' string available in the market, different color of string, and different quality. Thicker string are meant for those players who like their racket be more durable, inversely, the thinner string are purposely meant for those players like to have more powerful performance for the racket.
Shuttlecocks can be divided into two types, one is feathers made another one is plastic. From earlier of the invention towards badminton, feathers made shuttlecocks are mainly used and for the purpose of all sort of tournament all around the world, even for these day as well. Yet the plastic shuttlecock has been popular in recent years only. Thus, professional player would often used up the feathers shuttlecocks while, casual common player can have this alternative plastic shuttlecock which more easy to maintain compare with feathers shuttlecock more fragile.







Lastly, as everyone know, there is no certainty of "the more u paid the better you can get" not necessary expensive racket can be suited oneself. Since there is a variety sizes of range of weight for racket. Your badminton set inclusive your racket should always fit your custom desired and suit you to have a pleasure and wonderful games Click here http://www.badmintonset.org for further details and information to obtain your favorites suits.

Tips For Buying a Badminton Set

A Badminton set is one of the most popular sporting goods. Badminton is supposedly one of the most played outdoor games in the world. Badminton is a game in which you need not have any professional training to play. Whether it is a picnic or a small family outing a badminton set is your companion for a day of fun.

Badminton sets come in different shapes and sizes. First of all one needs to know what is the equipment needed for making a badminton set. Badminton is a racket game and thus badminton rackets are the most important and indispensable part of the set.

The next thing which must be there in a badminton kit is a shuttlecock and of course the net. Without the shuttlecock and the net there cannot be any game of badminton. So, rackets and shuttle cock are the most vital equipments of the set.

While selecting a badminton racket, one must be very careful. Remember there is no hard and fast rule which says that an expensive racket will help you play a better game. Your badminton set should have a racket that suits your style of play.

Rackets range in a variety of weight. The badminton sets are prepared combining rackets of different sizes and weights. Some are made for professional badminton players while others are for casual players.

Like the badminton rackets, the shuttlecocks also come in a wide variety. Shuttle cocks are basically of two types: feathered and plastic. The feathered cocks are the traditional shuttlecocks used since the inception of the game. In almost all the major badminton tournaments of the world, feather shuttlecocks are used. The plastic ones have been gaining popularity in recent years.

Badminton strings are also an inevitable part of a badminton set. The set is usually provided with two kinds of strings. The thick strings are preferred by those who want their rackets to be durable, and the thinner ones are sought by those players who want more power in their rackets. The badminton set maker keeps in mind the requirement of both types and includes both types of string in the set.

Earlier, before the invention of plastic shuttlecocks, feathered cocks were extensively used. So if you are a professional badminton player it is suggested that a feathered cock will be the best choice. Casual players can opt for plastic cocks.

A badminton kit usually has 5 things. A pair of rackets, shuttlecocks, badminton string, badminton shoes and badminton accessories like jerseys, shorts and caps. Things like badminton shoes and jerseys are included in the sets to make them different from the common badminton sets. Prices of these kits vary according to the brand of products and number of items.

Kate Marsala writes articles about badminton sets on the website Badminton Set Central.

Items in a Badminton Set

Badminton is one of the most famous sports in the world. In the past few years, badminton players contending in international tournaments such as the Olympics and so on were mainly those in the Asian continent. Only recently badminton has gained influence over new countries in the western areas. It is not certain where this sport originates as searches point to different countries which are located far apart such as China, France and even England. Anyway, let me tell you the basic items needed in a badminton set to play the game.
The first item is a badminton racket. Just like squash or tennis, badminton is a racket game. Many people are unaware of the effect a badminton racket has on the game. The two factors that are different from each racket are its weight and size. This is mainly influenced by the material the racket is made by. For example, carbon fiber remains as the best material as it is both strong and light. The size of a racket shall not exceed the length of 680mm or 230mm while the stringed area shall not be longer than 280mm or 220mm.
A badminton racket needs its string. The tension of the string affects the velocity and impact of the shuttle when struck. Therefore, the tighter the string is tied onto the racket, the better as its tension increases. Another item that is essential to the game is the shuttlecock. The shuttles in the past were made out of feather which is the same ones used in all major tournaments. Now however, shuttles are also available in plastic form. It has become popular as it can be used for a long period of time. Feathers, on the other hand, must be changed very often as they wear out faster. Although a plastic shuttle may sound good to you, there is a vast difference in feel as they are heavier when compared to the feathered shuttles.
The last item that is essential in a proper badminton game is the net. Yes, the net is important as it sets a height to where the shuttle must go over. There is not much to it when choosing a net as it is simply an indicator of height. With all these items above, you are now ready to go out and have a blast. There are several other items which are 'add on' items in the badminton set such as badminton shoes, headbands, wristbands, etc. Prices of these items are based on its brand and material.







Before you go out and get yourself a badminton set, remember that having an expensive racket does not enable you to be a professional right away. Professional playing will need training. But anyone, irrespective of age, can be a casual player as the game is easily picked up. So enjoy yourself and play this beautiful sport. And if you need further information for comparison, just click right here on this link http://www.badmintonset.org

Badminton Training Concepts

Basically, badminton training depend on the need of each individual badminton players. It is usually related to the standard of the player. The training for children who just started to learn badminton is likely just for having fun with little technique in the beginning. But for players who want to be a pro athlete needs greater commitment to the game and willing to learn many potential training types that will impact its level of competitiveness.
When it comes for badminton training, plainly it is divided into on-court and off-court exercise. On-court exercise meaning by practicing badminton movements using a racket and shuttlecocks (depend on the goal you have set before). Off-court exercise meaning extra work that has a goal to improve some aspects of fitness and support on-court exercise.
By continue reading this article, you will find the important of training program together with exercise selection and training developments. The key to be a successful player depend on the seriousness of training program that he or she followed. Your skill will improve dramatically if you follow all the instructions and practice it.
You need a good training program that help you increase your stamina, power and master your badminton skills. You also need to make sure that your training will deliver you to the right path of enhancing your game skill.
Badminton Training Concepts
In general, badminton training program will concentrate on developing your wrist flexors and the endurance. These two parts are very crucial for the player. Many movements in the badminton game rely on the power of your wrist flexors.
Hitting a shuttlecock is always using your wrist, so if you have a weak wrist will impact to the game. Good endurance will benefit you when you have to move back and forth across the court during the game for period of time.
Cardiovascular Exercises
Cardiovascular exercises is a very basic training and need to be a part of each training session.
You should work at minimum of 45 minutes of intense cardiovascular exercise every session in your training program.
The aim of this exercise is to increase your heart beat and keep it up for some period of time. This exercise is good in order to keep your performance on top form.
Strength Training
The program should provide some exercises to help building both upper and lower body. You need to make sure in strength training you get exercises that will strengthen your wrist and arms.
You may use weights in your training. Stretching is also part of your training program.
Mastery Training
Your training must include program to develop your badminton techniques.
Some basic movements are swings and serves. To be able to do it you need to practice with your partner several times a week.
You can practice alone. It is good for focusing on specific technique, but practice with your partner will help you to learn more about badminton tactics that you use in actual game.
Those training above are badminton training program that cover all the necessary components for you to be better player. Missing one part can influence your performance and your game.
Badminton game combines a factor of fitness and skill techniques. You need to make sure your badminton training program includes all cardiovascular, strength and mastery training so you can be in your top form and play the best game possible.







Fredy Siswanto is a local veteran badminton player who loves to share his experience to everyone during his best career in badminton. Badminton Shots and Badminton Training Drills are among of his favorite blogs. Visit his blogs to find more interesting and related articles.

A Note On The Legendary Game Of Badminton!

Badminton is one of the top racquet sports played all around the world. Badminton is played with a badminton racquet, and a feather shuttlecock in national tournaments and international games. A nylon shuttlecock is used for intramural games or in-school seasonal games. There are various types of badminton racquets for all types of players. There are racquets that would increase your hitting accuracy, some racquets increases your speed, and some helps you even increase your power. There are also different types of nylon shuttlecocks. There are lighter, medium, or harder shuttlecocks. The leading producer of badminton racquets, shuttlecocks, or any badminton equipments is Yonex. Yonex is a company from Japan, and it uses sophisticated engineering technology in producing higher-level equipments for top level players and also for novice or intermediate badminton players.
Badminton is played by either two players, or four players. There is singles Badminton, where one person plays against another player. Furthermore, there is doubles badminton, where two players face against another two players. There are two types of singles badminton: Man's and Woman's singles. But, however, there are three types of doubles badminton: Men's, women's, and mixed. The mixed doubles are played by one male player and a female player of the same team, face against another male player and female player of another team.
There have been a lot of changes in the point system in badminton since the first point system was too long to finish a game. The game is played by two teams; singles' or doubles'. The team that wins a coin toss or any other toss starts the rally. If the rally is to finish without the bird not being in one side of the court, the person in that court gets a point. The game goes until 21, and if there is 20-20, the game goes until one person wins by 2 points, or if they end up having 29-29, the person who gets 30 first is the winner. This point system goes for all types of badminton.
Badminton requires a person's stamina, speed, technique, flexibility, stability, agility, and fast reflexes to win a game. It takes quite a long time to master all techniques, skills, and gain physical and psychological tools to be a professional badminton player. There are lots of strategies and tactics which can be learnt because badminton is not just a game of brawn, but brain too. It also requires team work and coordination if it is a doubles' team.







Badminton does not only increases your physical abilities, but it makes your mind stable, builds confidence in yourself and brings out the best of your abilities in you. This is why badminton is one of the top raquets sports in the world.Get a badminton set and start make fun now!

Badminton Accessories

Badminton is a sport, like most sports, that you have to play on your feet, you need to be agile, you need to be quick, you need to be light on your feet, and for this, you want to wear shoes that are comfortable, these shoes are called badminton shoe. Like tennis shoes, or football shoes, these are made for this specific sport, so you are sure to not get any sort feet as you play, at least after you have gotten used to the shoe. This is true for any new shoe you buy, whether you are walking in the street with them or playing a sport with them, this is why the professionals recommend using your badminton shoes for about a week before you actually play a game with them on.

Badminton supplies starts at getting the racket, but it does not end there, because there are other tools to this trade. You will need to get your badminton shoes, you will need to look at different shoes that suit your feet and your wallet, because as in any other sport there are many different manufacturers making shoes, and each pair of shoe has a different feel and fit. So it is advised that you shop around first, and once you have chosen the shoe you like, it is wise if you were to wear it for a few days, to wear them in, before you play an actual game with them on.

Starting with the new game of badminton is easy. However, when you do decide that you want to be a badminton player you will need to get a few badminton supplies. You will need to check out a few websites, even if you know what you need to get, you still need to find the best prices. It is easy saying that you need supplies but it is actually finding the supplies that you will need to do. So, before you go out and buy your badminton supplies, let us take a look at what you actually need. The first thing you will need, and this might be the most important thing, is the badminton racket. Obviously you will not be able to play badminton without a badminton racket; it will be the same as playing tennis with your hand. This goes for just about anything, if you are doing or playing a specific sport or thing you need tools for the job, and for badminton, it is the racket.

If you are looking to play badminton you will need to get a few supplies, because we all know that you need tools for any thing you do nowadays, so why should badminton be any different? The tools you need for this game is not complicated, it is played like tennis, so you will need a sort of tennis gear if you are looking to play. Now the bat or racket that is used in this sport is not the same as the one in tennis, just like you do not use a tennis racket when you play table tennis or squash. You will need a badminton racket, this racket is much lighter than a tennis racket, the head is smaller and you will need a bit more precision when you are playing the game. The racket is made lighter and smaller because you need to be faster on your feet and you need to handle it quicker.

Taufik Lin Dan is author of this article on Badminton, Badminton racket, Yonex badminton.

Find more information about Badminton history, Badminton rules here.

Badminton For Physical Education - What Products Can Take The Punishment!

Badminton has been an old standby for PE classes through the decades. A fantastic sport that can be played by youngsters and adults alike, badminton requires little equipment and offers an exciting workout that will improve eye hand coordination and agility.

Physical education equipment takes a beating and lightweight badminton rackets, birdies and nets are not known for their ability to withstand punishment.

While new racket materials such as titanium composites have become more prevalent there are a few standard models that are known to take a lickin and keep on racketing. You get the point!

This article will point out a few badminton racket models that physical education teachers across the country have depended on. We will also discuss badminton shuttlecocks and badminton nets that will help you run your physical education program.

Badminton Rackets:

While competitive badders through out the world may be in the market for high tech composite badminton rackets for physical education classes you should have one material on your mind steel, steel, steel.

There is no substitute for good old steel. Steel shaft, steel frame and even steel strings. Here are some popular models.

The Morley# M14539 badminton racket offers about as much steel as you can get into a racket without ending up with giant spatula.

The Morley#M14540 doesn't feature the steel strings but it does not lack in durability. Double steel shafts keep this badminton racket coming back for more, again and again.

The Morley# M14543 badminton racket is 2 inches shorter than a standard badminton racket. Measuring in at 24 inches in length it is designed for younger elementary school badminton players. It also features a durable steel shaft and a steel frame.

Other models that are popular at the institutional level are as follows.

Carlton Attack Ti, Carlton C9750, Carlton 313, ADA 76 Smack Excel, Yonex B460 and HL 110.

Some of these models feature aluminum shafts and frames but all of these models have proven themselves in the gymnasium and are a great value. These higher end models are still available at economy prices which makes them a great purchase for high school level physical education classes were durability may be a little less of a concern and a better playing racket is more important so students can excel.

Badminton Shuttlecocks & Birdies

Here it gets a little tricky. While steel rackets are usually some of the least expensive and best for PE classes when it comes to shuttlecocks cheapest is not always best. The least expensive shuttlecocks are plastic with rubber tip and should be considered only for backyard use.

They do not offer the best flight characteristics so they will actually make the game harder as the birdie appears to have a mind of its own in flight. They are a bargain though so you may want to have some on hand just in case.

The best models have a cork tip for better pop off of the racket and nylon skirts that perform well.

As for speed my advice is medium or blue speed as this is practical for all age groups.

In the color arena yellow has become increasingly popular for youngsters as they are easier to track in flight.

My pick for shuttlecocks for PE would be one of these or a mix.

Carlton T800 Yellow Blue Speed

Carlton C100 White Blue Speed

Yonex Mavis M300M White or Yellow

All of the above are of high quality for great playability. They will pop of the strings, fly in the direction you intended assuming you know how to use the racket and they are durable enough to survive physical education classes.

Badminton Nets

A lot of school accounts purchase our PE quality badminton net or economy nets which is fine but if your net will be used indoors may I suggest the M14563 institutional net. The difference, other than a few dollars, is that the institutional model features taped sides and bottom while the less expensive models are just net.

The taped sides and bottom make the net keep its shape better for a more professional look and better playability the tape also helps the net standout more and most importantly the taped sides and bottom make the net last longer and easier to roll for storage. Believe me the extra few bucks is well worth it.

If you are using the net outside however go with the cheapest model this will stand up to the elements best and provide more bang for your buck.

This little bit of advice should help you stretch your physical education equipment budget.

Badminton is a fantastic sport and teaching it to our children in physical education classes will help build healthy adults. The sport will improve coordination, balance and agility as well as building a healthy respect for competition.

Ken Morley III - has 11 years full time experience in the Team Sporting Goods business. As fourth generation at Morley Athletic Supply Company Inc. he has inside information regarding products for team sports and physical education.

He authors articles that offer product reviews for team sports supplies and equipment and articles that offer advice on how to run your programs more effectively by using the right products.

Many articles include information on ground breaking product technologies or industry trends.

For more information visit http://www.morleyathletic.com

Badminton Game - A Pleasure to Play

Badminton is a historical game packed with loads of fun and folly with intelligence quotient too required to win. Badminton apart from its heritage and history, it is also a game of fitness of all ages.

Badminton is a user-friendly game, in the sense that it can be played either in a small scale level indoors (courtyard of the house) or in large scale in badminton courts in clubs/ sports grounds etc. Let me pen down few uses of playing a badminton game.

Games can be categorized as mind games and body games. A mind game is mostly played indoor and does not have anything to do with the body. They improve intelligence of a person and teach them how to think. Whereas, body games give fitness and health to your body but do not have much to do with intelligence quotient. There are very few games which feed both your mind and body, out of which badminton secures a prominent place.

Badminton can be rightly defined as a game of Mind and Body!

Well, playing badminton burns your calories to a drastic level, which is right choice to lose weight in an interesting way. Hours of push-ups and make-outs in the gym may yield you temporary results which are a result of unnecessary cash flow. Without wastage of a single penny, the best way to lose weight is with the help of sports and badminton has got it right.

Losing weight not only means losing innumerable calories but also making your body fit and trim. The game of badminton has all potential to give you packed abs and strong muscles. Regular gaming can yield you good results.

Another important factor of the game of badminton is its versatility. Badminton does not have age limits. Anyone can play badminton. Playing it unofficially does not even need rules to follow. Just smashing the shuttle cork left and right will make a good game. This is not in the case of other games. You need to follow certain rules even in a kid game. Thus anyone can easily adapt to the game of badminton.

Moving on to the benefits of badminton to the mind, one should first understand the basic rules of this interesting game. Once you learn the rules and start to play, you will understand the intelligence involved in the game. A single move has to be taken with precautions and calculations that you don't lose the game. In this way it helps nurturing your mind too!

Thus badminton is an excellent game and its gaining importance day by day in all parts of the world. House wives to business women, kids to college girls, all of them have started to play this game every morning as a substitute for walking. Very soon walking will lose its importance and badminton will take its place in the near future.

So why waiting friends, get your badminton set and start off with this wonderful game!!! Get going !!

Badminton History and Tradition

Badminton was invented in ancient Greece and Egypt as a form of sport. Badminton was originally a child' game and was initially called "battledore" or "shuttlecock." Originally Badminton was played with a feathered shuttlecock back and forth with tiny rackets. During the 18th century in India, Badminton was called "poona." British army officers who were stationed in India during this time brought this version of Poona back to England during the 1860's. Once it was back in England it spread slowly as the army met would introduce the sport to friends. It wasn't until a famous party in 1837 that the game really got going. The Duke of Beaufort had a party at his country place where the sport was played. The name of the country place was "Badminton in Gloucestershire. At the time of this party, the game had no name, and so it was simply referred to as "The Game Of Badminton." That's how the game got it's official name!

Now that the game had a name, it spread quickly from England to the United States, New Zealand, Canada, and Australia. Despite its "male" beginnings, the sport is now pretty evenly divided with about the same number of women playing the sport as men.

In 1899 the first All England championship for men was held and the first tournament for woman was organized in 1900. For some reason or the other, these two tournaments were deemed to be unofficial, and it wasn't until 1904 that the "official" beginning of the All England matches started. In 1920 there were only about 300 badminton clubs in all of England, but by 1920 there were 500, and amazingly, only 10 years later, there were over 9,000 in the British Isles after World War II.

The International Badminton Federation was organized in 1934 with 9 initial members - Canada, England, Netherlands, Denmark, France, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, and New Zealand. It wasn't until 1981 that this organization because the sports only international governing body. The International Badminton Federation, in 1939, decided it was time for International competitions, and the IB president at the time, Sir George A. Thomas, Baronet offered a trophy to the winning team. Ironically shuttlecosk shortages during the war and post-war caused a delay in the first "Thomas Cup" games until the 1948-1949 season. Someone tried to introduce an international women's team around the same time, but ultimately it wasn't acted upon due to financial difficulties. Eventually, during the 1956-1957 season, the "Uber Cup" was held. The Uber Cup was a women's international triennial tournament where the trophy was donated by Mrs. H.S. Uber of England. In 1992 Badminton was first contested as an official Olympic sport in Barcelona, Spain. There are now several world Badminton events including the Uber Cup, World Championships, World Juniors, Sudirman Cup, the World Cup, and the World Grand Prix Finals.

The game of Badminton today resembles tennis and volleyball and involves the use of a net, a shuttlecock and lightweight rackets. The shuttlecock is typically a cork ball fitted with feathers for stabilization. It's played with either two or four players and is played indoors or outdoors on a marked court about 44 feet by 17 feet wide for two players and 20 feet wide for 2 players. The official measurements for the net are that the top edge of the net should be 5 feet 1 inch from the ground at the posts and 5 feet from the ground at the center. During Badminton play, only the serving side can win a point. If the side serving the shuttlecock fails to return they lose the serve and if the side receiving fails to return, they lose the point and they will receive again. A Badminton game is played to 15 points, except in women's singles, which is played to 11 points. If the score is tied toward the end of a game, it can be decided through a procedure called setting. Setting is a tie breaking procedure which involves different procedures depending on the point at which the score is tied and the rules may be different for men and women's competition.

Badminton has a rich and interesting history, and it's popularity is always increasing with the availability of inexpensive equipment and places to play, almost anyone can enjoy the sport of Badminton. New competitions are being planned including the development of a SuperSeries and some one-off "Spectaculars." Searching on YouTube for badminton yields all sorts of interesting videos and match play and exhibition games.

MyCheapTools.com Has what you need to get started playing Badminton today!

Badminton is Hours of Fun

A good badminton set will have all the basic equipments required for a thrilling game of badminton. The foremost requirement is a badminton racquet. A standard set usually comes with 4 badminton racquets. Apart from this, there is another essential equipment, the shuttlecock. Most badminton sets contain two shuttlecocks.

The badminton set also comes with an official sized net and stakes. Any of these pieces missing in the set would be a great hindrance in playing the game. Some people also include special badminton shoes without which the game could not be played with such ease. Any of these things missing would not really mean playing badminton.

The game of badminton is generally for those who are craving for absolute fitness in their lives and are always in the quest for improved skills. There are some people however, who play this skillful game just for fun. The badminton set for these category of people definitely differs from the set of the professionals.

For these fun loving individuals, the compact sets are usually avoidable. It is suggested that they should assemble their own set by buying stuff that would suit their individual needs. They can buy many shuttle packs and racquets that cost anywhere between $40 to $100. They can keep their equipment in a professional looking bag and this would complete their desired set.

The trend of playing badminton has definitely changed over the years. Initially, racquets and shuttlecocks were the only requirements in a set. In fact, a casual game of badminton for the sake of amusement did not require wearing of shoe at all. However, with changing times, the requirements changed. Badminton sets today are much more sophisticated, advanced and expensive too.

It is to be remembered that a set that suits your need is the best for you. It is not always the price that counts. For example, a badminton racquet that suits your style is the best for you. Similarly the choice of shuttlecocks lies with the player. The feathered cocks are preferred over the plastic ones in spite of the fact that the plastic ones last longer. Most badminton sets include feathered cocks.

Dony Samuals writes about sports equipment such as badminton rackets on the website Badminton Set Central.

Choosing A Badminton Racket

Choosing the correct badminton racket can be a crucial decision, whatever level you are at. With ao multitude of rackets available these days,it can seem a little daunting to know which racket is best for you. Hopefully, with a little help, i can help you find just the right badminton racket that suits your style of play.

As you search to find the perfect badminton racket you will soon get to know the more established racket companies such as Yonex, Carlton, Wilson, Head, Prince and numerous other brands, who all want you to part with your cash and select their badminton rackets. Yonex are the most successful and prominent badminton brand, but which manufacturer you choose is entirely down to you.This is where the fun begins. But with the right guidance and information you will be able to make an informed decision, so that you find the best racket for yu, and only you.

All badminton players are different, with their own strengths and weaknesses. The trick is to find the right badminton racket which compliments your style of play. You can spend a lot of money on your weapon of choice, or, like most of us, you will no doubt have a limit on what you want to spend on a badminton racket. Remember, you are investing in your game, to improve your standard, so you need to choose wisely.

It can be a real pain when you have spent a whole load of your hard earned cash on the latest "must have" badminton racket, only to find it doesn't quite live up to your expectations, and you can't understand why you aren't playing like the glossy adverts say you should be. Guess what? you have just fallen for the marketing hype, a subtle, sneaky little trick that we experience every day of our lives. However, if you follow my advice i can guide you in the right direction, so you can make the best decision.

Think of your badminton racket as the cherry on top of the badminton cake. Without the base and the ingredients your little cherry isn't going to taste so sweet. In case your wondering what i am talking about, the base and ingredients are your game, your footwork, technique, grip, fitness and tactical ability. Without these, your new racket is much less effective, and the shuttle will not go where you want it to. In my opinion, a badminton racket you buy will give you, at most, an extra 5% to your game. The actual racket strings are probably more important than the racket itself. The other 95% is all down to you. But don't worry about that, i can help you get the best out of yourself, so you can get the most out of your badminton racket.

I have played with many different rackets over the years, from various manufacturers, and most of them offer something a bit different, sometimes good, sometimes not so good, but it's all part of the experience of finding that one badminton racket that suits you down to the ground. It's a great feeling when this occurs, but first you need to learn about yourself, your own game, then you can fit the right racket to your game, not the other way round.

What kind of player are you? Perhaps your a power player who smashes the shuttle hard? Or maybe your a touch player who enjoys moving the shuttle around the court with angled shots and deception. Once you know what kind of game you play, you can then find out which badminton racket will bring out the best in your shots, and thus improve your badminton.

If you have just started playing,the chances are that you will not know what type of player you are yet. It's all part of learning the game. There is no point buying the most expensive badminton racket at this stage, you will probably not notice much difference in your play, trust me. However,as your skill level improves you will then start to know more about yourself and this is when you start to look for a specific racket. The more you improve, the more you will understand the basics of badminton, and you will be looking for that tiny advantage to beat your competitors, this is where your badminton racket comes in, but it will only give you a slight advantage, period.

In upcoming posts i will guide you through the badminton racket basics, what to look for, what to avoid, how much to spend, and where to buy.

Visit the badminton racket blog and find out everything you need to know about how to choose the best racket for you.

For the Love of Badminton

Badminton is one of the most popular sport ever created by humans, it is usually played by two to four players hitting the feathered ball with a racket in opposite direction. I really love this game because it doesn't require a lot, just buy a racket, shuttle cock and invite friends to play badminton even to the streets.

History of Badminton

It is said that this game was invented in the ancient Greece, derived from the child's game battledore and shuttlecock, where two persons will hit a feathered shuttlecock using a long thin racket. The Indians call this game "Poonai" in the 18th century, the British officers who stationed in India are the ones who bring the game in England, introduced it to their friends, introduce some rules and developed some equipments.

This game was officially launched in 1873 at the Badminton House, Gloucestershire. During that time, the game was referred to as "The Game of Badminton," and the game's official name became Badminton. 1992 is the year that Badminton became an Olympic Sport.

Benefits of Playing Badminton

Don't you know that a complete game of badminton can make you loose from 350 to more a thousand calories? Yeah that's true, now you know why many want to loose weight through badminton, its will not only make you thin but it can also make you reduce bad cholesterol and for better blood circulation. Because this game is more on ball focus, Badminton is also recommended for those persons with poor eyesight and ADHD kids.

Court Dimension, Scoring, Racket, Shuttle Cock and Net

Full width of the court: 6.1 meters ( 20 ft )

singles: 5.18 meters ( 17 ft )

Full length of the court: 13.4 meters (44 ft )

Service line distance

singles: 1.98 meters ( 6 ft )

doubles:.78 meters (2.6 ft )

Twenty one (21) is the winning point unless there's a deuce, a deuce happens when the score is 20-20, the winning player/s must achieve at least two (2) points ahead in order to win. Thirty (30) is the maximum winning point. Badminton Racquets are light usually 80-90 grams of weight, its is made out of light metals such as aluminum. the strings are usually made-out of carbon criss-crossed together for added strength to stand hard smash.

The shuttle cock is a conical shape material made out of protractor shaped cork covered with clothe and feathers.

Badminton Playing Tips

o Perform warm-up exercises before playing to avoid injuries.

o Hand Shake Position is the best way to hold the racket.

o Always remain to the center area of your court, it's the base position.

o Always put the ball where your opponent cannot get that ball easily.

o Be prepared, focus on your opponent's body movement, it may give you an idea on where he will put the ball.

o Smash the ball whenever you have the chance

o Estimate if your opponent's hit will go out or not.

o Defense is better than offense.

o Be confident, it can help.

Thanks for reading my article.

http://www.squidoo.com/letsplaybadminton

Get Kids Moving With Badminton Fun

The other day I was watching the kids in our neighborhood looking pretty bored.  It was one of those perfect days the sky was blue and the sun was shinning.  It was a perfect day to do just about anything you could think to do outside. 

Watching the kids I could tell they couldn't think of anything to do.  This made me think about when I was a kid, and what kind of things I liked to do.  One thing came to mind that I hadn't thought of in a long time and that was badminton.  My sister and I use to play badminton for what seemed to be hours. 

Backyard badminton is a fun game almost anyone can play.  One thing I have noticed is that you don't hear about kids playing badminton these days.  I find that kind of sad.  With all the attention that is given to overweight children on the news and in the magazines, you would think badminton would be one of those games that would be recommended to get kids moving. 

After thinking about badminton and the fun I use to have playing, I went out and bought myself a badminton set. Hey, I figured I could always invite the neighborhood kids over for a game.  I found that most of the popular stores such as Fred Meyer, Wal-mart, and Target all have badminton at very reasonable prices with or without a net.  It's not absolutely necessary to have a net, when I was a kid we just use to hit it over the clothesline.  But now everyone uses dryers instead of clotheslines. 

Well, I have had the badminton set for a couple weeks now, and I was just waiting for the day I could invite one of my neighbor friends over for a game.  I was curious to know if they even knew what badminton was.  Either I was busy or the kids were busy.

But today was the day; I spotted Katy outside looking for something to do.  So I hurried outside (you would have thought I was just another kid looking for someone to play with) and asked if she had ever heard of badminton and if she would like to play.  She had seen it on television and she thought it looked hard.  I explained they were professionals and we would be playing for fun. 

So I showed her how to hold the racquet and how to hit the birdie (otherwise known as a shuttlecock).  At this point in time I didn't mark out the court size, maybe later as she develops her skills.  It didn't take long before we were hitting it back and forth.  At first she kept saying how bad she was, but after a short time of getting use to how to hit it she was feeling much better about herself. 

Badminton is a great way to get kids outside and moving around.  It can be great exercise for kids without them realizing they are exercising.  It can also boost their self-esteem once they get the hang of hitting the birdy consistently.  Badminton also develops coordination, timing, and balance.  It is basically a good all round backyard game that everyone can enjoy.  Badminton can be as competitive as you like, it is a classic game that is fun whether you strictly adhere to the rules or not. 

Today was another one of those perfect sunny days to play badminton.  And I am sure my friend will be coming over again soon.

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How to Be a Good Badminton Player

To become a good badminton player, beside Physical Skill, you also must have a Mental Strength. Mental Strength is very crucial especially when come to the tournament. Besides these, Sport Nutrition is also important especially for the player preparing for the tournament.

1. Physical Skill:

Let's start with the most fundamental of badminton skill, ie: Strokes, Steps/Footwork, Stamina, and Strategy.

Strokes:

The basic technique of badminton strokes includes Overheads forehand and backhand clear / smash / drop, drives, lifts, net shot. You are higher recommended to learn from the badminton demo video(see link at the bottom of this page). With the video, it will save you a lot of time learning all the basic strokes.

After you have learn the basic strokes, the next step you have to do is practice and practise. Without the ability to execute all the different strokes, one will not be a complete badminton player.

Steps/Footwork:

Steps/Footwork is always comes together with stroke. A good badminton must have a good coordination of footwork and strokes. This includes foot, body, arms, swing coordination.

Stamina:

A badminton can last anything from 15 minutes to 1 hour plus and there can be more than one game within a day. A completed badminton match is best of 3 games, that means you got to play at least 2 games continuously. Without good stamina, a badminton player will be unable to successfully execute his/her desired strokes or even cannot finish the game. Again, stamina need to be build over the time via regular training, workouts or exercises. Regular workout will also help to improve your game by increasing your arm strength.

Strategy:

With good badminton skill and stamina is not enough, you must also have a good strategy to win a game. you have to make the correct shot at the correct time, either a drop-shot, smash, or clear? This is also important to identify the weakest point of opponent. This is especially crucial for doubles game, you should identify your opponent weakness and attack the opponent who is weaker. This is the most simple strategy. If your opponent is weak on his/her backhand clear, then you should hit the shuttle towards his/her backhand more. To go one level higher, it is also important to make the correct choice for a series of return and to lay out a game plan for whole match. This is so called the strategy of a badminton game.

2. Mental Strength:

Besides physical skill, a good badminton player must have good mental strength as well. Mental strength is the ability to make the correct decision even when under pressure or at the crucial moment. For example, when one is down to 5-19, or reaching the match point, 20-20. The player must stay focus to the game regardless whether he/she is leaving behind, leading, or under huge pressure due to the internal or external factor (eg: audience). A good badminton player must also be able to change strategy during the game on different situation. A good badminton player will not go down without a fight and should be able to keep his pace and the accuracy of his shots until the very last point in the game. A good example would be the game in between Lee Chong Wei and Lin Dan during the Malaysia Open 2006. Lin Dan was already leading 20-13 in the rubber game and this was a really difficult situation for Lee Chong Wei, But he handled the pressure well and showed a great fighting spirit, slowly clawing back in to the game. And Finally, he won the game by 23-21.

You also have to keep yourself calm in the court and with high EQ. Many incidents, good or bad, can happen during a match either outside or inside the court. For example, bad line calls, umpires decisions or insulted by the audience or even opponent coach. See The Athlete's Mind Guide(refer link below this page) .

3. Sport Nutrition

Beside physical skill and mental strength, Sport Nutrition (refer link at the bottom of this page) is also important especially for the player preparing for the tournament. On a day-to-day basis, you have to take care of your nutrition by consuming a well balanced diet comprising carbohydrate, fat, protein, electrolytes, vitamins, minerals and water. A Nutritionist can extend help in achieving this. Water should be consumed in just adequate amounts before, during and after play, ideally at the amounts required to quench the player's thirst.

http://www.vonlineshop.com