Hi there, I hope this is the right forum to pose the question. I´m just wondering, if racquets do determine the playing style. Until recently I played with AT900T. I find that AT900T is very good at maneuverabilty and net play. My shots are overall acurate and normally at the net, I tend to do net crosscourt instead of net kill. Last week, I decided to buy a heavy headed racquet. My choice were AT900P and AT700Ltd. So for a few days, I´ve been reading the threads concerning those racquets. I tried AT900P from my friend. I had the feeling that the racquet is very solid just by holding it. I don´t know how to explain but it feels just right. When I used this racquet, my smash improved and my clears were better. Then I tried AT700Ltd. Here in Germany or at least at my place, people can try the racquet first before purchasing it. I mean, I get the new racquet for a whole week to try at my will and upon returning I can always say no, if I don´t like it. So my first impression upon holding this racquet was I´m holding a hammer. The racquet is very heavy headed. By the way, it is 3UG3. After about 5 minutes drive drill my hand was already shaking. The racquet is very heavy to swing. But by the second day, I´m already used to the racquet. My smashes and clears are way better than before, as reviewed by many people. What I want to share here is upon using the racquet, I tend to smash and clear a lot. With this racquet smash and clear are the only things in my mind to win a rally. If you´ve gained so much momentum by swinging it, why waste it with a drop shot. Why not finish it with smash? Why not release ''the monster within'' the racquet? I know, smash is not everything and my smash is not that powerful, I´ve seen people with better smashes. But with this racquet I just cannot resist to smash. So people, what do you think?
your racquet doesnt determine your playing style, your playing style determines which racquet you want to buy By the sound of it, you havent really mastered (as in mastered mastered) the basic shots yet, so you will definetely feel a difference in power if you use a really heavy headed racquet. However, only you getting more experience can tell you what kind of style you are most suited to playing. If you already have all the basics mastered, then your smashes or clears should improve by changing a racquet, and your game plan/strategy shouldnt change. For example, even if lin dan picked up a nanospeed 7000 in practice one day (pretty much the most head light opposite of at700 there is), he wouldnt play any differently.
lol........ so true. one of my friend pretty much can pick up any racket and generate just as much power from a smash. and others that use the racket are like 'woah..... really? my racket can do that?' but they havnt mastered shots etc. and cannot execute the shots properly. however once someone has developed a certain playing style, certain rackets do certainly aid/help. eg, im a defensive player and i find the arc7 or AT900T more suited for my playing style as opposed an arc10 or AT900P where I have to put in a little more effort to defend as more wrist power is required to manuvure/flick shuttles back etc. hahaha......... i've heard of testing the racket on the spot, then buying, but taking home for a week? wat if it gets scratched/chipped or something? have to buy?
Congrats on ur new Armortec... bout finishing the game with smashes i guess thts suicidalin the long run for ur own game... no doubt u wud like to do so coz the added power impulses u to do such but just think bout it... where is the variety of shots in ur Arsenal... once ur opponent gets tht u r mainly interested in smashing he ll either try to avoid clears or be prepared to take the smashes... also.. smash is one where the recovery time from the shot is the longest... so u r ultimately at a disadvantage with only smashes... one drop shot return for a smash frm the third court n u r in a tight spot mate... wht say??
moreover.. a drop shot (sliced) for a clear shot can b highly deceptive with the same amount of power as used for smashing... result -- game improvement and a win... too less a reward for being devoid of smashing all the time... is it??
hahaha......... i've heard of testing the racket on the spot, then buying, but taking home for a week? wat if it gets scratched/chipped or something? have to buy?[/quote] Normally people try the racquet they want to buy. In my case, I wanted to try AT700Ltd and AT900P. And I wanted them with 3UG3. If he has used one, he will give me that one. If not, he´ll take the new one (unstrung) and he´ll string it with the string I like. I could even have the new AT900P (for trial) if I wanted, but since I tried it already, so I took only AT700Ltd. If you are not sure whether to buy it or not, then you should be careful not to scratch it. But accidents do happen. I don´t think I have to buy it if it is scratched. Maybe I have to pay a little amount of money for the scratch. I would recommend this retailer, if anybody lives nearby. But if you are Bremen and you play badminton, you should probably know him already.
A racquet is not selected solely for its smashing or clearing strength if you want to be an all round and balanced player. Of course there are players who are willing to give up other capabilities of a racquet if they could just get a racquet with great smashing power-never mind its other weakness. This is up to you. It would be ideal to select a racquet that gives you satisfaction in hitting the following, both forehand and backhand, strokes: 1. Clears, both attacking and defensive 2. Smashes 3. Drives 4. Drops 5. Lifts 6. Net shots, both (a) Hit down and (b) Hit up 7. Service, flick, low, and high 8. Return of serve, flick, low, and high 9. Return of smash (This is as important as Smash)
Racket has nothing to do with your playing style. And, racket actually help you less than your training xD... Since, my racket is a 4U extra stiff xD (My friend said it's like hitting with wires lol can't feel anything), and very light xD... Since I love to be all around, I like a pretty combination of them. (Actually I got those racket xD... don't choose them lol) Extra Stiff -> Offense 4U -> Defense Medium -> Middle 3U -> Middle
Hi there. I see people are giving me advice that smash is not everything. I appreaciate that. I know it myself. Badminton is not all about smash. But is not what we´re discussing about. We´re discussing whether a racquet can influence your playing style. Badminton is a sport that blessed with smash. Of course you can smash, regardless what racquet you use. If you give Lin Dan any racquet, I doubt that he will change his playing style. But consider this, if you´re an allround player and you smash only you have really good chance. And you are an observative player, you observe your opponent and try to send the shuttle to the most difficult spot for him to reply. You like to do deceptive shots. And in the middle of the game, the string snaps. You don´t have any racquet more. Then somebody gives you a heavy headed racquet and you have to play with it. In some extent, you cannot play the way you used to play, can you? Since your shots is not that accurate anymore. And you realise that your smashes and clears improve. In this situation, in some extent, you will change your playing style, won´t you?
I'm actually a little curious about that too. I know you say "choose a racket to suit your playing style", like an AT700 if you're the kind of player who likes to smash hard etc. However, when I bought my first racket, I didn't know anything about rackets, and I didn't really even have what you'd call a playing style. I chose it purely because it was very light and looked cool. Now, I look for rackets with similar weight/balance/flex, because that's what I'm now comfortable with. I just wonder whether I'd have developed a completely different playing style, by using a different kind of racket from the start.
Don't forget about the strings. Sometimes I just wonder what is the point of having an extra stiff racket with a string tension of 18lbs. Or the other way, a very flexible racket with a string tension of 12kgs? High tension brings better control, not neccessarily more powerful smashes (stiffer rackets, higher the tension ->more force needed for powerful smashes). As long as you feel comfortable with the racket (i.e. head heavy, head light) and adjust the string tension accordingly as your triceps strengthen, then the balance will be found. As your strength increases, then heavy headed ones would be more suitable
Players need to adjust his/her own game (within a reasonable range) when facing different opponents, regardless whether s/he is using the usual racket or not. You can say FHF is a smashing beast, but that does not mean he does not have have deceptive stroke, just beause he relies on his smash more often than the other. Same thing as for TG, it's not like he can not smash, but he prefers control over the power. Therefore, if I got stuck with a un-usual racket, I might need to rely on my usual style even more, and make sure my strokes can be as perfect as possible. Remember, we are here talking about fairly competitive level of playing, which means you are fine with the basic strokes. Yes, maybe say your "usual master pieice" might not be as deadly, but it should only degraded in a very minor degree. So, as your "usual weaker link" might only imporve in a very minor degree as well. You might still need to control on your own part (timing, tech, stategy, etc) to overcome the situation, rather than suddenly change your style completely. Also, if you think the racket is way too extreme, and way out of your "usage range". You should consider borrow another racket which is more toward all around or your own preference before the next rally.
Hmm... Have at least 2 identical rackets with you strung at the same tension. Better to have 2 average priced rackets then just one at the top of the end.
Thanks again for the responses. Maybe you guys are right, people choose racquet that suits their playing style. I wonder how those who start playing badminton choose their first racquet, if they don´t consult any senior player. One of the criteria is a cheap one. Very few beginners want to invest a lot of money in something they are not good at. Second would be the appearence of the racquet. The only reason why I don´t buy ArcSaber 10 in spite all the good reviews is because of the colour. I don´t like red. The third could be the attribute of the racquet itself. When I was looking for my first racquet, I didn´t have any idea about badminton. My first racquet was the lightest racquet I found in the supermarket (not in a badminton store). Now after playing badminton for some time, I wanted to have a new racquet. But now, I´ve gain some knowledge about badminton. I know about shaft stiffness, weight balance, string tension, grip size and those criterias that define the attribute of a racquet. And I´ve developed my own style. Again, now I want to buy a new racquet. Which racquet should I buy then? For senior players they would buy racquet that suits their playing style. Normally they don´t want to try something new. A racquet that doesn´t suit your style is disaster, if all you think is about winning. If you´re in a tournement, play an alien racquet is suicide. You have reputation to maintain and you need to win. So far, I´m not into that direction. I play badminton for fun. Winning or losing doesn´t bother me that much. I improve my play faster when I lose because people learn better from mistakes. I know my level. If somehow I win against a professional player, I know it is a shear luck. If I were to play in 100 sets of games, maybe that was my only victory against him. There are always people out there who are better than you. All I want to improve my play and of course,fun. Good players are those who can bring happiness from the game, by winning or losing. (It doesn´t apply in a tournement though. ) Back to the topic. I decided to buy AT700Ltd, because it is a limited high end Yonex racquet. I´m afraid that in a few years it will become like the old version of AT700. So I grab it now while it is in the market. I´m not collecting racquet. When I buy a racquet, I will use it. Currently this is my main racquet. It take some time until I get used to it. This might offend those who think the opposite, I´m sorry to say this, the attribute of the racquet slowly grows in my play and I become more and more the kind of player for which the racquet is intended. My last example was a bad one. The truth is I intentionally choose a racquet that doesn´t suit my playing style. I know well that there not many players out there would do such thing. If they do, maybe they are agree with me. My logic is very simple, the new racquet (the one, the only one) limits the effectiveness of their old play and at the same time gives them more rooms for the 'passive' skill to expend.
I use AT700 3UG4 old and play a relatively defensive style of play...not much offense especially in singles. However, sometimes I do switch to my AT900T in 4U and find I play the exact same style.
yes that is so true..... ur style will not change just because of the racket you are holding, no matter what racket someone uses their style will not change.. but which racket do you find better to use when defending? good on the wrist, can do more with the shuttle? (lol..... i'm sure not all rackets are the same, otherwise companies wouldn't put so much money into coming up/developing all the technology etc. )
