Hi All I've been reading with great interest the reasoning people have in buying head heavy or head light rackets. It got me thinking, surely a physically strong player could better handle a heavy racket compared to say a lighter player. The disadvantages with defending using a heavy racket would also have a lesser affect for the physically stronger player would it not? Does it therefore make sense for physically strong players to use a heavier racket? I'm interested in what you knowledgable folks at BC think?
racquet choice depends on one important thing, if your comfortable with it, doesn't matter your size or physical abilities, you can't use something your not comfortable with.
Nope a strong player may want a head light racquet to improve there defence, little point in adding power if you have it in abundance already. Then again they may want to blow the opposition away and select a head heavy as that gives them more perceived power.
so it is fact then that head heavy rackets provide more strength? what if a guy who is not that strong physically uses a head heavy racket? would it pack more punch into his smashes?
I think the general concensus is that a heavier racket give more power so yes, a not so strong guy would probably pack more of a punch with a heavier racket. He would however probably suffer in defence and quick reaction shots. My point is a physically stronger player could take advantage of the heavier racket but would not suffer as much with defence, net play etc? I don't know if this is true - just wondering what people think?
In theory, yes. However, there are much more factors in badminton, than just being strong. The swing is generated with technique, that's why you can see some junior players can also produce a thunderous smash, even though themselves are barely 5 ft tall, and weight only 90lb or even less. Everyone has a comfortable range, based on their own "combo" of various factors (of course, strength could be one). Within this range, everything is "useable". However, how to balance up the trade-offs among all the categories, it's down to player him/herself.
I'm quite a big guy (hence the name) and i find anything lighter than a 3u unusable. if only they made a 2u At500.
so wouldnt that also mean a not-so-strong guy would tire more easily with a heavy racket? if so, would lower tension make up for that? for example, im an average strength person and i get a 4U racket. that would make my shots weaker, so would lower tensions make up for that?
All things being equal (i.e. if you had a badminton robot), an extra stiff 4u would generate marginally less power than an extra stiff 3u (which would be less than a 2u). In order to recover some of this missing power you could alter the string tension, raising it could bring back some power (if the robot is still capable of using the strings full elasticity), or it could lower it (the elastic limit/strength is reached/exceeded) in which case a lower tension could help. Or you could use the flexibility of the shaft to help bring the power back up (a racquet head that’s being super accelerated as the shaft comes back to its normal shape) would generate more power therefore hitting the shuttle further. Or you could alter the weight distribution, head heavy generates additional force, headlight would generate less. (take throwing the hammer -v- shot put as an example if you don’t believe me).
so what about balance point? some rackets come in different balance points versions. would getting an offensive balance point put more punch into my shots? (same scenario, getting a 4U racket) or is a Defensive balance point a head light racket? advice please
A lot of things are in theory, and you can only use such as reference. Everyone has his/her standard, as my term of "heavy" might be "too light" for another person. All the specifications are written in relative terms as well. Therefore, the best way to purchase is still "try/demo" before reaching to your wallet.
well, before I start. I'll be using these generalisations: -heavier rackets (global weight) are more 'powerfull' -hevaier rackets are slower to defend -lighter rackets are less powerfull, but defend faster -headheavier rackets are more powerfull, less mobile -headlighter rackets are less powerfull, more mobile now, the heavier/headheavier rackets are slower for everybody..why would a big guy be able to move a slow rackets faster than a skinny/nimble person..it's no more than 100grams we're talking about! not 10kgs... however, concernign overhead strokes..a heavier racket might tire the skinny guy out faster... myself as an example...I wielded a woven11 without really tireing out..and I can barely do 10 pushups exception to the rule perhaps..perhaps my technique is "efficient" p gotta love the leverage) now light/headlight rackets also ahve some clear benefits...benefits the bigger, and soemtimes slower, players need/want... in conclusion, it's all personal....like everybody else already said
Choice of the racket weight depends on what the player is looking for. The guy with popeye arms in my club uses a 4U racket. Me, stregth-wise the weakest guy in the club, and possible on BC, uses a 120g racket - equivalent to a minus 2U. In my peak condition, I could smash almost as hard as him. I have weak, slim, and agile arms, so the added power of a heavy racket is useful to me. For the strong, bulky, and slower arms (heavier muscle mass + thick muscles getting in the way of each other ), a light and fast racket is more useful.
Who said strong and bulky = slower arm? That's not necessarily true. I hit better harder with a 105 gram racket than I do with a 78 gram racket.
Adding on to that, I am quite the oppisite to jerby for the most part in terms of racket choice, but similar in body physique. I, on the other hand, have problems with heavier rackets. A 3u at700 caused me to become quite tired after a single game so I usually play with lighter headlight rackets.
Generally speaking, bulky things tend to be slower. But of course there can be exceptions when adundant force is available to act on the bulk. If you say you have fast bulky arms, I am not going to argue with you. That demonstrates racket weight chosen according to the desired power, which is basically what I was saying.
You said: And I disagree. All the bigger guys I see use heavier to heavy rackets. Don't know any that use light rackets. But it could happen.
It is easier for strong guys to max out their power using light rackets than weak guys. So the defensive bonus of lighter rackets make these more useful for strong players. The question is: how strong is strong ? In the case of the strong guy in my club, he already had close to max power, which was too much, using a light racket, going heavier would make no sense. I said: "Choice of the racket weight depends on what the player is looking for". Perhaps I should be more clear: if the player is looking for more power whilest sacrificing defence, heavier racket can help. if the player is looking for more defence whilest sacrificing power, lighter racket can help. If the player has abundance of power, sacrificing power for defence would be a logical choice. Similarly, a fast and agile arm can afford to sacrifice some defence for power.
My confusion right now is the differenciation between fast and power since aren't the related? You need power to move your arm at a fast speed?
