let's together answer : what is the ideal tension?

**JERRYVDV** · 12-20-2005, 07:14 AM

I play competitive badminton for three years now (on a low level in Belgium) and after one or two games I get problems with my arm, I don't seem to be able to hit hard anymore. I have been practicing bodybuilding for 15 years, which means that I have very muscular and thus heavy arms and schoulders. When I start a game, I don't have any problems to hit the shuttle hard, I smash very hard as well, but after a while my arm and shoulder gets really tired. I need to find a way to keep hitting hard without my arm getting tired, maybe I should switch to a lower tension, can anyone give his thought about this ?
I play with 23 lbs but (unfortunately) I have to use plastic shuttles, I don't have this problem when I play with decent feather shuttles but plastic is the rule in our competition. What kind of tension would an experienced player advice for me ? Thanks

**david14700** · 12-20-2005, 07:48 AM

I don't think 23lbs is too high a tension for you, it shouldn't be high enough to cause you soreness in the arm. Lowering the tension even more might just mean you lose touch on feel shots.

I would try to work on improving stamina in the muscles. You must have an arm that's been trained for short power bursts, whereas badminton tends to require more stamina (white muscles fibres?).

Stretching will help, as will proper technique. Use your body more, with the power coming from the waist and shoulders, rather than just the arm.

Just my 2 cents

**zahirshah** · 12-22-2005, 03:25 PM

Have just tried out my friends racquet with 25 lbs and well seems to be fine. well thks a zillion for the reply.

Rgds

Zahir

**blueagle** · 12-25-2005, 06:16 PM

string tension is a matter of preference. whatever feels comfortable for you and makes you play better.

**Hagane** · 01-15-2006, 05:08 PM

Originally Posted by taneepak

This has resulted in strangers passing their racquets to my friends to hand them over to me to string at 26/28.5lbs as well as at 27.3/30lbs. I kind of like this-taking on tensions that other stringers fear to even try, on both Yonex and fake ones, and other brands. I am not complaining. If I cannot cope with it then I would just raise my stringing charges! I need the law of supply and demand to help me cope

*remembers his conversation with a stringer on Friday*
Me: I would like you to restring my racquet.
S: Yep, what would you like?
Me: BG85 @ 28lbs
S: *GASP* 28?? *pauses* What happens if your racquet breaks?
Me: Can't blame you for it, anyways.

*remembers his conversation when purchasing his NS8K*
S: what tension?
Me: probably 24lbs.
S: That's too light, what about 29 lbs?

Racquet is back, and I'll be looking forward to play it again

I have experimented with 22-28lbs, the only thing I could say is that, I like the 28lbs more than 22-26 end with the same racquet, same string, different tensions - courtesy of my friends

It has good power (as strong as 22-26), but with a lot more control. However, not a single one of them liked the tension on mine

**HKChua** · 02-20-2006, 09:01 PM

Hi Hagane,

For the past couple of months, I was playing with 26LBS X 26LBS. Last Friday, I restrung my string to 29LBS(Cross) x 27LBS(Main). After playing for 2 hours, I can only say that I loved the tension; it is just RIGHT for me!

I had restrung both my YONEX Ti-10 to 29LBS(Cross) X 27LBS(Main).

Thanks.

**taneepak** · 03-08-2006, 09:33 PM

It would be interesting to find out if string tension among BC fellows have been trending upwards over the last 2 years. I have a gut feeling it has. This is because when I was all for higher tension some time back I had a distinct feeling I was quite on my own. But it is not the case now.
In my daily contact with fellow players and their friends I have been quite successful at converting a large number of players to high tension now. It is easier for me because I string their racquets and if necessary optimized their racquets for high tension.

**jerby** · 03-19-2006, 01:55 PM

I think stringing tension all over the world have progressed....4 years ago there was this "crazy bloke"who wanted 9kgs..at least..that was high at our local club...now 8,7kgs is what i string when the owner didn't specify a tension...and under 10kgs for myself...

so at oru bluv tension has risen roughly 3 lbs in 4 years...this should be a poll

**Neil Nicholls** · 03-19-2006, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by Gollum

Whilst absurdly low or high tensions will not benefit anyone -- people who play with 15 lbs or 40 lbs are just ignorant or silly -- there is a wide range of "ideal" tensions, depending on the skill, accuracy and swing speed of the player.

careful now.
I'm currently playing with 14x16 lb tension
and yes, I've tried most tensions up to 30lb
maybe it's because I'm a vet

(but then so is taneepak)
each to their own ((with experimentation rather than blindly following)

**jerby** · 03-19-2006, 03:08 PM

Originally Posted by Neil Nicholls

careful now.
I'm currently playing with 14x16 lb tension
and yes, I've tried most tensions up to 30lb
maybe it's because I'm a vet

(but then so is taneepak)
each to their own ((with experimentation rather than blindly following)

at such lwo tensions...why the 2lbs more? at those tension deformation is almost zero isn't it?

but I have to admit it's pretty weird 14x16 is your optimum, but indeed each to their own...

**cdmv72** · 04-06-2006, 10:43 AM

Hi all, I just started playing badminton regularly, and have now picked up a YONEX ISOMETRIC 653 at a recent sale. Could anyone advise me on the best string for this racquet, and, the shop where I purchased this racquet told me that he strung the racquet at medium tension with a YONEX BG7, what is medium tension, how many pounds or kilos would that be? What would be the best tension for a beginner to medium level player?

Thanks.

**cdmv72** · 04-18-2006, 11:00 AM

Hi all,

Would appreciate any feedback on Isometric 653 VF, and, Isometric 665 Light.
Personally my performance with these two racquets are OK, but would welcome other feedback.

Thanks.

**SPaterson** · 04-18-2006, 11:29 AM

Originally Posted by cdmv72

Hi all,

Would appreciate any feedback on Isometric 653 VF, and, Isometric 665 Light.
Personally my performance with these two racquets are OK, but would welcome other feedback.

Thanks.

Depends what the definition of 'medium' tension was to that particular stringer. Medium to be could mean anything from 18 to 25lbs ish, which is a Very big difference. It's hard to tell what the stringer meant by 'medium'. If the string feels not too tight compared to other factory-strung racquets, I'd suggest by medium he may have meant the middle of the values on the racquet if there's a sticker on it saying recommended tension (usually on the cone of Yonex racquets I think)

If you Particularly want to get them restrung and the string Is very tight, get just the one of your racquets restrung in a low tension as low tension is in my experience much better for beginners. E.g. 18lbs. A good all-round string is BG80.

I don't like telling a beginner/relatively new player to spend money especially on something like re-stringing a racquet, but in your case it may be of benefit because:

Racquet might be strung at too high a tension, this is pretty important because it can be a fundamental reason for lack of power IMO.

Also, if you get your racquet re-strung you know what tension the string is currently at, therefore if you like it, you know what tension to get it re-strung at next time. And when you change racquets later, you can apply the same string and tension to adjust easier etc.

**CoolDoo6** · 04-18-2006, 01:01 PM

Being a bit of a stringer myself. I would interpret the medium shop tension being 20LB's. For beginners who haven't yet developed the power to comfortably clear baseline to baseline, I would suggest 18LB or even less.