Badminton Racket Basics

Badminton rackets can be expensive so it would be wise to know the basics before you buy. If you are a novice player you do not need to spend a lot on a racket. A less expensive badminton racket will do just fine. Aim to spend about £30 maximum. There are many good rackets around at this price.
There are some basic fundamentals to look for in any badminton racket, the most important are the weight, the balance, the head shape, the flexibility and the grip size.
Most racquets weigh between 80-100 grams. More weight should give you extra power, but less maneuverability. A heavy racquet will be more difficult to swing through the air, but it will be more stable than a lighter racket. A lighter racket will offer more swing speed and maneuverability, at the cost of power and stability. The lightest badminton racket i have come across is the Karakal SL-70 and it weighs just 70 grams. This is the weight before you add the strings and your overgrip, so you need to be aware of this.
Yonex are the most popular badminton racket manufacturer and have their own unique system for determining the weight, the U system, which ranges from U= 95-100g all the way to 4U= 80-84g. Various racket makers have their own way of doing things and will be different to Yonex. A novice player should not bother about the weight so much, it is far more important to concentrate on your badminton skills.
The balance of a badminton racket refers to just that. There are three kinds, head heavy, head light, and evenly balanced. Head heavy rackets offer more weight at the top of the swing, giving more power and stability on contact with the shuttle. Head light rackets will enable you to swing the racket quicker, but less weight means less power and stability. Even balanced rackets give you a neutral feel.
The classic head shape is usually an oval shape, but you can also buy isometric head shapes. The isometric head is more square, which creates a larger sweet spot. If you can hit the shuttle in the middle of the racket head you will be hitting the sweet spot. With an enlarged sweet spot you will have more chance of getting power from off centre shots. For a novice this could be a useful advantage
The flexibility of the racket relates to how much flex there is. A stiff racquet will have less flexibility and as such it is unforgiving for a beginner. A flexible racket will obviously have more flex and this will give a beginner a bit more power, as you will have a kind of sling shot effect, but the downside is you will have less control. You should only buy a stiff flex racket when your technique is up to scratch, otherwise you may get shoulder problems, as the vibration from hitting the shuttle travels through your arm and into your shoulder joints.
Grip sizes also come with different systems. Yonex badminton have their G system, which ranges from G2 (the largest)to G5 (the smallest). Other brands use small, medium and large. Your grip size is your own personal preference, everyone is different.
These are the badminton racket basics and i hope this will help you when you choose your next racket.







Visit the badminton racket blog to find all the information you will ever need about badminton rackets

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.