Hello! I am about to turn 50 years old. I live in Tucson, Arizona. I currently play tennis (about a 4.0 player plus or minus) but I mainly drill and don't play matches. I work out with trainers for strength and conditioning. The Olympics reminded me that I took some badminton PE classes back in college and I thought the game was great. I am looking to try it out to see if I still can play it (I have a bad knee -- missing an acl but I am still able to run and play tennis -- am a little worried about badminton because of the small court and the possibility of quick turns). I am looking for suggestions for a beginner's racket just to see if I can invest the time into it. I am in pretty good shape and should be able to improve quickly. I would appreciate any feedback about equipment. I don't want to invest a lot of money into this sport until I am sure I want to do this. Thanks! On a personal angle, I am a self-employed attorney who works in Elder Law (disabilities, guardianships, probates, trusts) but just in litigation matters. I have two children ages 10 and 14 and am still married (about to be 20 years). I'm glad I found this forum. I am used to posting on another forum regarding another passion, University of Arizona basketball, and have met a community of like-minded fans who discuss the Wildcats as well as politics, movies, music and just about anything else.
hi daryl, nice to see a badminton convert:0 U mentioned the olympic badminton had inspired u back into badminton, nice to hear that. I know that many north americans have tried badminton in school but don't really go beyond that. If u have a bad knee, u should focus on doubles. Men singles are too hard on your knee. the racket i recommend is an older model carbonex 8 if u can find one 2nd handed. Another way is buy a low end model with aluminium frame and graphite shaft. It would be perfect for u, low cost and resistance to racket clash breakage. Some beginner thinks metal frame is too heavy but i say it's not. Some high end rackets are made head heavy as well. With your tennis background, a slightly head heavier racket is nothing to u, u still feel the racket like swinging a big popsicle . Due to numerous nationalities amongs the members here, it would be best to avoid politics and religion discussion here. We don't want to start an international incident here u know Since u have a law background, u can do it tactfully. If u do a search under chit chat forum, u like find many off topic discussion on foods, music, movies, jokes, cars, computers, photography, biking, etc You will also bump into our local panda (aka dinkalot) here as well. If u can't find a racket, he has lots of used rackets to sell. Since u r just starting out, having dinking shuttle skill in a must and he has the right dinking rackets to sell
Hi Daryl, Welcome to BCBF. We are all badminton fan here. Cooler is a great resource for info and a very nice guy. Just because he is all the way up north, he is actually a warm person. Anyway, I will suggest you to go to a club near you and ask if any one has an old graphite racquet they can sell you cheap. That is uaually a good starter racquet. Give it a try and see if you like it. I will tell you this. Badminton is a easy sport to learn and get OK with it. However, It is very hard to master it. Also, the smash is a great help to add a little more snap to your tennis serve. However, every badminton stroke is a nightmare to your tennis game... PS, I am a Bruin and see you on the football field and basketball court. Also, I will try not to crack anymore lawyer joke so you won't sue my @$$ off.
Thanks for the advice, Cooler. I will stay away from politics as I prefer, in any event, to discuss music.
Silentheart, thanks for your input. I am a little afraid that badminton might adversely affect my tennis game but I don't really play games, I just do a "bootcamp" where we drill strokes for 1 1/2 hours. I have also played racquetball in the past and know how that affects tennis. My condolences on your Bruin background (although my basketball Wildcats have been whacked around by your team lately).
If you are talking the full spectrum (equipment, guitars, amplifiers), both. If you mean musical tastes, much more the "hardware" side of things.
1) At lease I am not a Sun Devil. 2) Sorry we are whacking you guy around for the last 2 years... 3) Depend on what you are looking for. I do find that my top spin is getting more bite partly because I am snapping wrist on my forehand. My coach made me do push ups while I was playing tennis in high school. Every time I snap my wrist and ball fall short of the service line during a rally, 5 push ups. I think you know the coaching method from 20 years ago. Now a day, big top spin and more power to force the other side into error... No more position and location. No more long rally...
1. Lol! Do you allow Sun Devil's in this community? If so, I might have to reconsider joining. 2. I'm sorry too. 3. My coach threatens us with push ups too but, as I am working out, push ups are no big threat. You still have to lock your wrist pretty much with tennis. Its all about topspin.
1) They are only good for throwing party and nothing else. So If there is any Sun Devil here (?) and welling to throw free party with all the brews and girls, I am all in... 2) I over hear that Athletic Director might be on the way out. May be a silver lining? 3) It is all the rage for the younger player now that they want to play like Nadel and Maria with big forehand top spin... I still do not agree with the new coaching style...
Welcome.. ..to BCBF, Daryl Zero!..Another member from Arizona; great! We do have another BC member residing in Arizona, and he plays in one of a few active baddy clubs in AZ; however, he is in the Phoenix area. If you're interested in getting some infos on where to play, you can go to the Places to Play->USA West sub-forum. Anyway, hope you'll enjoy your time here with us in this small but growing baddy community!
