3U to 4U and vice versa

I have 3U and 4U VTZF. Having played with them interchangeably in Single and doubles. I will usually use 4U VTZF whenever i am getting tired, however most of the day i am using 3U.

 

Having switched to a 4U racket for 3 months now, I would say that it has helped me improved my game. I only play doubles and with a 4U racket my defence has improved quite a bit. However, not everything can be credited to just the lighter weight (although it helps quite a bit), it is also a more capable racket. It is now my go to racket.

 

You just have to find out for yourself. It's not something someone else can tell. Personally, I've only ever played with a 3U in the last 10 years or so. Just remember that rackets were much heavier back in the 1980s etc, and matches often lasted more than 1.5 hours etc. I'm sure many people were playing for 3+ hours with 1U or 2U rackets back in the day and not feeling exhausted.

 

it's not 3u or 4u that matters, but the swing weight

eg. a 4u vtzf will definitely be more tiring and demanding than a 3u bs12

however, keep in mind that the former will still hit harder than the latter, at the expense of speed and defence of course...

 

But I still think the point is not really about racket weight or swing weight or head heaviness etc. Are you saying the "1U" rackets back in the day were too exhausting to play with? Anyway, just making a point.

 

I played some school badminton back in the day, and yes played with cheaper much heavier rackets.

I bought 1 3u and 1 4u VT ZF, And i got really tired playing with the 3u!!!

I couldn't do it. I don't understand why though, because I played for hours with the older heavier racket no probs are we just spoilt now ?

 

^ ^ it's not the total racket but the amount of weight at the top of the vtzf frame that really makes it harder to swing and more demanding to use

 

You can get used to just about anything in life. Same goes for a badminton racket - if you are "fit" enough, you should just keep playing with the racket and your body will eventually adapt to it. Then you can do power smashes while still have great defense. Of course, if your technique is significantly flawed, no racket will save you.

 

Get a hammer. Hold it normally. Swing it around. It'll feel heavy/sluggish when swinging it. Now flip it and hold it by the head. Swing it around. You should feel it's lighter and easier to move.

Same total weight but by grasping at opposite ends dictate how easier it will be to swing and move it. Same principle with badminton rackets. It'll depend where the weight is distributed.

 

A racket with alot of weight at the head (head heavy rackets) will be more tiring than a racket that is 5-10g heavier in overall weight but the majority of it's weight is at the handle/shaft (ie. head light rackets).

 

As per CanucksDynasty.

But I also think all the points made are generalisations. Theory is all very well, but it may turn out differently for YOU in practice. Also, what one person feels in practice may be different to how you feel. As I've implied, it really depends a lot on your technique with so called "head heavy" and "head light" rackets. In the end, you can only try it out and see for yourself.

 

^ ^ Uh... Sorry to disappoint you but this is not theory, it's simple physics.

 

Sorry to disappoint you, but "simple physics" IS theory.

And I think you may have missed my point.

 

Lol... So you're one of those who needs to reinvent the wheel all over again because the circle is only a theory? The laws of physics are immutable and unbreakable... whether you believe in them or not, or whether you feel the need to prove it all over again to mankind is another matter altogether.

 

It's all a bit of semantics and how one defines "theory" and in what specific context.

Anyway, my point is that, in the context of the sport of badminton, while the "laws" of physics apply (in anything we do for that matter), you don't really know for sure in "practice" which racket will tire you out more unless you try it. I mean, there isn't exactly a mathematical equation to account for every variable when a human being picks up a badminton racket right? So without this mathematical equation (and in the context of the original poster's query), one person may find it more "tiring" to wield a relatively head lighter 1U racket compared to a relatively head heavier 4U racket, while another person may find that the opposite is true.

 

But in this case, the comparison is 3U vs 4U. A difference of about 0g min to 10g max.

 

Thats the thing, it doesn't explain it on paper but when you play the 3u makes you feel so much more tired.