Help !! My rackets break way to quickly !

Discussion in 'Badminton Rackets / Equipment' started by Bjorn, Feb 17, 2012.

  1. Bjorn

    Bjorn Regular Member

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    The problem is that the last years all my rackets break already after a few months or even weeks...

    First some information about me and my play:
    I am a very powerful player (I am 2 m tall), although I don't use that power in smashing too much. I rather smash a little less hard but more accurate. Instead, the cause of the problem is my backhand. I have a very strong wrist and I can easily play the shuttle with backhand from baseline to baseline, crosscourt. I can also backhand smash quite hard. Almost all the power for this comes from my wrist: to play backhand, I really twist the racket around my wrist very rapidly, with a large acceleration (and also deceleration I guess). It is this accelleration/deceleration that causes my rackets to break. They always break at the shaft, near the cone (where the grip starts), when playing such a hard backhand.

    I played like five years with one of my first rackets, which was a flexible one. When that finally broke, I switched to a stiff one, which suits my play much better. But: they all broke very soon. In two years I've had:
    * 3 Yonex Armortec 800
    * 4 Sotx Woven 9
    These all lasted a few months...
    Then last month I've tried a Forza Ti555, that already broke after two weeks !!! I only played four times with it...
    So in these two years I've spend more than 1000 euro on rackets, which is making me desperate... As things continue like this, it is cheaper to go play golf for me :)-C)

    So I am desperately seeking for advice !!! Please help !
    Taking into account the information above, which racket would be suitable for me and last for at least a year ?
    I am searching for a (very) stiff racket, preferrably not to heavy, but I am already willing to make sacrifices in that.

    (Note: changing the way I play my backhand shots is not an option...)

    Thank for the help.
     
  2. ckyew

    ckyew Regular Member

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    I can relate to what you're describing here as we've got a player around the club who plays just like you. Breaking rackets every now and then with his backhand smashes. He's a very powerful player with the ability to suddenly generate a lot of twist (pronate and supinate probably is the word) with his forearm (probably the same as you describing your wrist turning). And his rackets breaks the same way as yours, just slightly above the handle area of the shaft.

    I think I know what and how you broke your racket but am not very good at describing how as its quite complicated in my mind but I'll give it a try.

    Personally I think its not your swing that breaks the racket, its the recoil and how you hold your racket that breaks it.

    I am assuming that you have quite a tight grip on your racket when you whip your rackets for a backhand.

    Picture this: your try to execute a backhand smash, the shuttle is still high above coming down rapidly. You go for the shuttle by doing your backhand swing by turning your forearm inside to out (probably called supinate i think). At this moment of time, your racket head lags behind the actual position of the racket (take into account where the handle is pointing) with the shaft bent trying very hard to catch up to your swing generating a lot of whip doing that as well.

    You contact the shuttle. Striking it in a downward direction, and also by this time, the racket and your hand as well should be starting the recoil phase of the swing. The racket head has now overshot its neutral position after making contact and the shaft as well trying to return to its neutral position during the recoil.

    Assuming you have a tight on your racket at all times during the complete cycle of that shot, your racket will break when you contact the shuttle and forcing the recoil of the racket instead of letting normal racket carriage recoil comes through. What I mean is the inertia of the downwards backhand swing of the racket coming through the shaft during the point of striking the shuttle and you forcing the recoil with your hand.

    Try and look for slow mo videos of professional players playing power shots, they bend their rackets' shaft quite a bit as well but as they have relaxed grip and only tighten it upon contact with the shuttle, they let their rackets recoil with proper racket carriage as well (relaxing the grip after the shot), which is why their rackets do not break upon making an extremely powerful shot.

    I may not be right but I'm trying my best to describe what I think may be due to your cause in you breaking rackets. But having a relaxed grip and timing your grips better upon contact with shuttle will make your shots more powerful and faster as well also not to mention the smaller actions of your shot making deception with every shot possible with a bit of practice.

    Good luck.^^
     
  3. canti

    canti Regular Member

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    just to tell you armortec 800s are very fragile
     
  4. Licin

    Licin Regular Member

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    If Bjorn referring to AT800Defensive, i might agree with you that AT800Def is a little bit fragile, however AT800 Offensive is not that fragile, IMO.
    Additionally, 4x SOTX Woven 9 in just several weeks is astonishing
     
  5. zero_hour

    zero_hour Regular Member

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    i dont beleive you were that strong, video please!! *rage!
     
  6. Bjorn

    Bjorn Regular Member

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    ckyew: You're description exactly fits what happens each time ! Indeed, I do have a very tight grip on my racket. I use two overgrips to make sure that I can hold it real tight with my (large) hand.
    OK, I can try to work on that, for example by loosing one of the overgrips. That will automatically make my grip on the racket less tight. I actually tried that before, but it didn't feel as good... Now you convinced me to work on that.

    Still I have to buy yet another racket. Any good advice on that ?

    Licin: with "These all lasted a few months" I meant that each of the rackets lasted for about 2 to 4 months. So with the 4 Sotx Woven 9 I managed to fill the year...

    Regards, Bjorn
     
  7. ckyew

    ckyew Regular Member

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    To me as you already has so much power why not go for rackets that are even balance but have a decent shaft. Get a decent brand and one that is slightly high end-ish would probably last you slightly longer than usual.

    I love my arcsaber 10's so you can give that a try if you want.
     
  8. greblu

    greblu Regular Member

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    I had a similar problem, I broke lots of rackets (Yonex, forza, karakal, calton, yang yang,...) before at the handle^^(have a very strong wrist as well)
    Since I changed to li ning N90, 90 II, no racket broke^^
    My N90 even survived clashes, ceiling hits(ceiling had a scratch racket ok..), floor hits...it seams almost indestructible^^
    (It is an expensive racket, but it is worth cause it has a long lifetime. )
    The N90 and N90II are heavy and head heavy, so you my try an other like N50(survives Fu Haifeng smashes) or N55 (they are still heavy but not very head heavy)
     
    #8 greblu, Feb 17, 2012
    Last edited: Feb 17, 2012
  9. mms6a

    mms6a Regular Member

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    Since as you claimed that you are an extremely power player (comparable to Pros at All England)

    You can try something is that even balanced or headlight



    These will probably take the stress from the shaft a little tiny bit...




    I am a pretty strong smasher as well (probably not as strong as you as I am more of an arm player with a bit of wrist...)

    I have yet to break ANY of my RACKETS ever since I started badminton.

    I have rackets that are used for over 10 years (Yonex) and an extremely old MP99 and all are fine. just paint chips, but definitely no cracks...

    Maybe you mishit the shuttle on the shaft sometimes without knowing??? Who knows lol..
     
  10. awekuda

    awekuda Regular Member

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    if i have this problem i would train for proper gripping technique and wrist control. so i wouldn't depend on one model of racket only.. there's a lot of good racket out there to try on :D.. i believe you could do it.. just mater of time.. and your backhand will be as evil as TH backhand smash :D..
     
  11. a|extan

    a|extan Regular Member

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    wow
    u need to really buy top grade rackets...
    it shd break less often?

    u have any photo to show those rackets u broke?
     
  12. Avenger

    Avenger Regular Member

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    so.. can you give us the photo where did you break it?
    if it's only the wood handle, then you can buy the wood handle and change it by yourselves
     
  13. Optiblue

    Optiblue Regular Member

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    Sounds like this is just an equipment issue. If you're really that strong, don't change the way you play just to save on rackets! Switch to the Li NingWoods N90. Don't bother with the version 2's.

    This racket packs an insane punch and is durable as hell. If it can survive Lin Dans smash, good luck trying to break this thing! Yonex QC is becoming very questionable lately and I wouldn't recommend you getting more from them. AT800 was known to be quite fragile, AT900's being slightly better.
     
  14. OhSearsTower

    OhSearsTower Regular Member

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    who says it survives lin dan?

    nobody knows how many racket the pros are smashing


    he wont be playing with an old racket at tournaments i dont think
     
  15. Tactim

    Tactim Regular Member

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    What tensions are you stringing at? If you're stringing at very high tensions that also plays a factor into the durability of the racket.
     
  16. Licin

    Licin Regular Member

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    Yeah LIning N90 is the way to go, let us know the result...Btw, did you break your racquet by mishit in the frame when you are about executing smashes, drives, defense, etc...
     
  17. Staiger1

    Staiger1 Regular Member

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    I understand where you coming from , this is not the first time I heard this happened and I actually seen it myself on the court few weeks ago when my partner went for a backhand smash. I guess yours shaft snapped close to the cap as well. From what I know, supination is more powerful than pronation . I know some of you might say ''my forehand smash is more powerful etc'' but in forehand smash the power also comes from your arms , upper body , leg muscles as well as your wrist (pronation). whereas in a backhand smash , the power mostly come from supination of the wrist. Hence unless you are a wrist player with the correct techique, you will struggle with gaining power in your backhand.

    Lets get back to the racket, since the backhand smash required that snap ''sudden explosion'' from power in your wrist , this is transferred into the racket and create stress and strain in the shaft of the racket mainly from when you tightening your grip at impact point. A stiff shaft is not as elasticated as a flexible shaft ,that energy from impaction have no way to go (unlike flexible racket where it would dispersed -recoil) . This remaining energy is then being distributed and transferred along shaft and causes more stress (accumulate) at the weakest point of the shaft.......hence it breaks.

    My advice to you is dont let this affect your game -carry on with same technique for your backhand smash/clear since it is a shot that is working well for you , but instead of going for a racket that is extra stiff , choose a slightly more flexible one (i.e. stiff , medium stiff). which to be honest I now prefer as well ( that extra recoil from your initial forehand smash would not make alot of different to your subsequent smash unless you are hitting those shuttle at 145mph+ ).

    someone above mentioned , to relax the grip after hitting the shuttle .........but this is natural , after tightening the grip at impact, your grip should relax naturally and ready for the next shot.

    Also I can say that you are not the only way that break rackets every 2 months , I do as well , but mostly from clash of racket during defensive play unlike what you experience. It is more affordable for me as I get a very good discounted rate. This kind-of things happens , I know most of my rackets would not last 6 months .......they are there to be use as a tool and if it breaks , there will be a replacement.

    Anyway, good luck with your badminton , if you have any problems or questions , send me a PM .
     
    #17 Staiger1, Feb 17, 2012
    Last edited: Feb 17, 2012
  18. paulierand

    paulierand Regular Member

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    Panda power ultra pro,Yonex armertec 700,Li Ning N90.Those should be unbreakable because of the super stiff shafts and heavy heads. If you break those, you need to change your stroke.
     
  19. sFrog

    sFrog Regular Member

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    I broke one NS9000 Type S during competition near the cap and was quite surprised, even though I like to smash hard. Maybe it broke cos it is not a very durable racket. While smashing there always was some kind of metallic, high and sharp sound... thought it was normal.

    2 months for a racket is quite impressive though... :p
     
  20. zombiez

    zombiez Regular Member

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    Try
    1. Victor SW35
    2. PP Ultra
    3. Ask Dink to custom made for you
    4. Use training rackets 160g
    5. Use squash rackets to play badminton
    6. If all fails, use tennis rackets
     
    #20 zombiez, Feb 18, 2012
    Last edited: Feb 18, 2012

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