I’ve been using an RSL 6800 and Armortec 800 DE until I developed bursitis in my playing shoulder. I’m now taking a break from badminton, but like most addicts, can’t wait till I get my next fix. So I’ve been running, skipping, basically doing all I can to stay fit to prepare for a tourney in October. I’ll be back in training by end-August.

In the meantime, I thought it would be a good idea to tweak my equipment so I won’t get reinjured again.

I’ve been reading through www.racquetresearch.com (http://www.racquetresearch.com/). What I got out of it is that to protect my joints, I need a headlight, flexible, heavy, tail-weighted racket. So…

Could anyone tell me if there’s a 3U/2U headlight and flexible racket in the market today?
Is putting lead tape on the wood handle next to the butt cap (before installing a replacement grip) a good idea?Thanks, everyone!

In the meantime, I thought it would be a good idea to tweak my equipment so I won’t get reinjured again.


That sounds like a bad idea. A better idea would be to do conditioning exercises to reduce the risk of injury.

I couldn't agree with you more. I want to stress that I'm not playing at all at the moment.

I just need advice on how to apply the analysis by racketresearch to badminton rackets, so by the time I start playing again, I'll have a racket that will minimize shock to my joints.

Conditioning will come later. Right now I'm focusing on restoring full range of motion to the shoulder. I'm in no hurry. :)

The NS6K would fit your requirements. Otherwise check out DinkALot's racket review for other brands.

I have use 8 pieces racket - YY MP 77 2U, RSL 6800 3U, RSL M5 5180 3U, Pro Ace TB 3U, Prince Pro 86 XP 3U, Carlton Powerflo 807 Wide 3U, Carlton Aerospeed 29 3U, Apacs Nano 555 Speed 4U. So from my experience in using all those racket, I fine that Carlton Aerospeed 29 is the most suitable to minimaze impact on my shoulder n wrist. It is becoz due to its headlight (even rated as even balance) and medium stiff. I can make fast move and swing the racket hardly as I can without worry any injured as long as my technique is right. My fren Lefty23, I recommend u Carlton Aerospeed 29 respectively.

Thanks for your replies! I will be checking out stores to look for these models. Do you think it would also help to reduce string tension? I usually use 26 lbs. I thought that reducing it to 21 or 22 would be best, considering my situation.

It's possible that reducing tensions may help with your shoulder, as there would be less stain on your shoulder, but maybe you should take the reductions in a slightly smaller decrements. Playing at 26 lbs and reducing to 21-22 lbs is quite a big difference.

One other thing...is there something I can do to my Armortec to make it more shoulder friendly? It would save me the cost of a new racket! :rolleyes:

One other thing...is there something I can do to my Armortec to make it more shoulder friendly? It would save me the cost of a new racket! :rolleyes:

Hi! What is your level of play? It's strange that you have shoulder problems - those problems come out usually when you hit with your whole arm and not with the forearm... I had some pain in my first and second year playing badminton but those problems vanished when I started to hit properly - with the forearm (I highly recommend videos from Zhao Jinhua http://www.badmintoncentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36499&highlight=zhao).
You asked if you can do something with your Armortec 800DE - is it 4U or 3U? If it's 4U maybe you can put one more overgrip on it to decrease shock.

Here you can do a search for racquets:
http://www.badmintonalley.com/Badminton_Racquets_Rackets_s/1.htm

Hi! What is your level of play? It's strange that you have shoulder problems - those problems come out usually when you hit with your whole arm and not with the forearm... I had some pain in my first and second year playing badminton but those problems vanished when I started to hit properly - with the forearm (I highly recommend videos from Zhao Jinhua http://www.badmintoncentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36499&highlight=zhao).
You asked if you can do something with your Armortec 800DE - is it 4U or 3U? If it's 4U maybe you can put one more overgrip on it to decrease shock.

Here you can do a search for racquets:
http://www.badmintonalley.com/Badminton_Racquets_Rackets_s/1.htm

We-e-ell...I'm not a newbie, but I'm no badminton hero, either. :)

You're right about the stroke mechanics. Thanks for the suggestion and the links. I've been watching those videos, too. But I think the problem came about when I didn't take enough time off from badminton after a minor injury earlier this year. I've been to a sports doctor and a few months ago he cleared me for badminton, but I guess the shoulder wasn't healed completely. I normally play 5 times a week, 3 hours at a time. I don't think the good doc anticipated that. :o As soon as I can hit again, I'll focus on using forearm pronation more.

I have a 3UG4 AT800DE. Wouldn't your suggestion work for a 3U?

It's possible that reducing tensions may help with your shoulder, as there would be less stain on your shoulder, but maybe you should take the reductions in a slightly smaller decrements. Playing at 26 lbs and reducing to 21-22 lbs is quite a big difference.

OK...I'll give 23x24 a shot. Thanks!

if you want to get such a racket a NS is the perfect choice, if you want performance get the NS9k type S and if you on a budget get the 6k

One other thing...is there something I can do to my Armortec to make it more shoulder friendly? It would save me the cost of a new racket! :rolleyes:
sorry i missed this post, like everyone said reduce the tension. These rackets cant be taken apart or modified to become more easy on the shoulder but the string and grip can help a lot if not remove the problem all together. Try different overgrips, I would get thicker ones. good luck

As Martin also suggested, you can try with ticker grip which "eats" the shock but on 3U your racquet will be little heavier, slower... but not too much. Try it. And yes, as they said lower tension - less shock and more repulsion, so you will also hit with less strenght...

OK...so now I've restrung the AT800 using Powergut 65 (supposedly the most shock-absorbing string in the bunch) to 23 lbs, regripped the racket using Karakal Super PU and Gamma Supreme Overgrip. The feeling of shock has reduced considerably.

My next question is...has anyone experimented with tail-weighting their racket with lead tape?

As Martin also suggested, you can try with ticker grip which "eats" the shock but on 3U your racquet will be little heavier, slower... but not too much.
I find that adding grips makes the racquet faster, as the balance point moves backwards a bit, so it's more headlight.

I find that adding grips makes the racquet faster, as the balance point moves backwards a bit, so it's more headlight.

That's not true, adding weight to the handle do not make racquet faster, BUT it only FEELS like that... There were a lot of threads about that...
Headlight means that the head is made of light material, not (just) that it have balance point at the handle!

Oh. But for me, the feel is the most important part of the racquet; specs come second. Haha.

Adding grip moves the center of gravity closer to the handle, yes. There is a small change in the moment of the racket since the moment arm is reduced, which leads to improved maneuverability. But it hits just as hard, if not a little harder, because of the increased swingweight. Finger power is harder to apply, though. And it's a little more tiring to use for longer rallies because of the increased overall weight.

Update: after making the mods to my AT800DE, my girlfriend can't take her hands off it! :o Dang it!

On to the RSL 6800, then.

Nanospeed series would be good...

Could anyone tell me if there’s a 3U/2U headlight and flexible racket in the market today?

The MP66 is exactly that; it may be what you are looking for. Take care of your arm!

I was reading http://www.racquetresearch.com/. It looks like it is a tennis orientated site which, in some ways, does not apply to badminton at all. The way you use your muscles is very different in tennis and badminton. THe action of swing is also different, you do not do 'smash' shots from overhead in tennis whereas in badminton, you probably do in hundreds of time in a match. I had shoulder problems myself, serious ones, but rest is probably the best way to avoid it. The weight of the badminton racket does not matter as much as in tennis rackets, which is at least 3-5 times heavier. Most of the time, with the wrong time of racket on top of the high tension string, the easiest point of injury is the wrist, not the shoulder. You are playing 3hrs a day, 5 times a week, you are pretty much playing like a pro, you need proper rest between each day. My suggesting is, if you are not playing badminton for a living, just play less. Changing the racket does not help a lot if you over exercise your already injured shoulder.

I had shoulder problems myself, serious ones, but rest is probably the best way to avoid it.

My suggesting is, if you are not playing badminton for a living, just play less. Changing the racket does not help a lot if you over exercise your already injured shoulder.

Thanks colekwok...I did that. I limited my playing days to 3 a week. :)

Your question was about adding a lead tape to the handle and how it will affect the playability of a racket.

I had an Ashaway Powerkill before. It's handle was made of plastic. I said "was" because the handle broke already. I removed the handle. With it was a piece of flattened lead, about 1 inch wide, and the length was about two winds of the handle. Because of curiousity, I weighed it - 10 grams.

If you're still interested, you may want to experiment with lead. Get a lead plate and cut with a pair of scissors about 1/2 inch wide and about 10 inches long.

Hammer to thinness the lead strip, just enough not to pulverize it or cut it and just as thin as an ordinary tape.

Weigh it.

Have a starting weight, say 15 grams.

Wind it and put an overgrip which you can remove later. Do not make permanent your tape.

Play with it and find out if it suits your taste. If not, then if you think it needs more, add more strips. If less, cut away from the original strip.

Be sure to weigh when adding or subtracting. Find out also the changes in the balance by actually measuring the balance point.

A note, though. If your racket weighs 85 - 90 grams without strings, and 97 to 100 with strings, then it would weigh already 115 with the lead strip, and about 118 - 120 with the grip. If you think you can handle this weight, then procede with the experiment.

Personally, I would prefer playing with a racket of about 100 grams or less.