Why do people use a higher tension and get more power?

[xrawrhenry]

Why do people use a higher tension and get more power? Isn't it suppose to be the other way around? People like Taufik Hidayat, Lin Dan, Peter Gade and Lee Chong Wei all use high tension on their rackets but it still produces so much power on their smashes. Why is that? I heard from people that if you want more power stick to lower tensions like 24lbs or around there. I am curious because I tried the lower tensions and it doesn't quite give me that feel of impact on the shuttle as it does with the high tension. Also I don't want to string too high because I don't want to keep changing my strings after it breaks. If anyone can give me their input on this that would be great. Thanks!

[neogenesus]

Strengthen your arm and wrist will help generating power with high tension. Using the right technique and timing (hitting the sweetspot) definitely help also. I used to use lower tension (lower than 25 lbs) before, now I am using 28/30 lbs with BG 65. I think BG 65 and high tension is perfect for me as it still has the soft feeling even at high tension, repulsion is better because of the high tension, control is better because the birdie doesn't bounce too much when doing net shot, durability is great (been using it for 2+ weeks and it still hasn't shown any wear or tear ...yet ). My recommendation is try a lot of different tension (increment of 1 lbs is good) and find the best tension for you, don't follow the hype and trend of other people doing.

[Mark A]

Simply put, professionals have good enough technique to get all the power they need even with high tension; they choose high tension for better precision/control.

[chewablemorphin]

Higher tension makes your shots harder and accurate. The only downside of high tension is you'll break the strings more often.

[Deathsticks]

They can generate that kind of power with high tension because of:
Hitting sweet spot, high speed flicking, and their developed technique
i my self hit at 25 lbs with BG70pro no problem for me

[staiger]

It is to enable them to get more control/ precision with the shuttle since they have such good technique that they could get all the power required for the game . (Less vibration and repulsion from the string = better accuracy )

For me, it is 23/24lbs is ideal , I am not one of those people who set up their racket to the same spec to the pro....... is pointless because there will be only a few people on this site that could bring the best out of a racket with the set-up the pros using. This professionals train 4-6 hrs a day !!!!!!

[Athelete1234]

It minimizes flex for touch shots, yet provides significantly more repulsion when flexed.

What that means is that their smashes are harder, but their netshots bounce up less...so they can make more minute adjustments to the height of the bird. Also, when the stringbed is flexed, it snaps back faster, so they have more precision with their strokes due to the trampoline effect being minimized.

The only reason why the rest of us can't use 30lbs is because we cannot flex the strings (not strong enough), cannot hit the sweetspot (not consistent enough), and can't afford all of the broken racquets and strings (not rich enough).

[Mikael]

also repulsion takes time, high repulsion (low tension) = needs a slower movement/hitting action. Low repulsion (high tension) = needs a faster movement.

So it needs to be aligned! Try hitting slower/faster with your lower tension racket, and then tell me what happens as U decrease/increase speed! Properly u will find an optimum in beetween! BTW It also depends on the flex of racket!

[Gollum]

My personal theory is that optimum power comes from matching the string tension to the player's swing speed and accuracy. Players with faster swings will need higher tensions in order to make the most of their power; players with slower or less accurate swings will need lower tension.

If you start from a very low tension (say, 20 lbs), and increase the tension incrementally (1 or 2 lbs at a time), you should find that your power improves at first, and then suddenly declines (it feels as though you're hitting the shuttle with a wooden board).

Why does this happen? I think it's about the time taken for the strings to deform and spring back (rebound). At a lower tension, I think this takes longer. If you have a fast swing speed, then the shuttle may have left the strings before the string-bed has rebounded -- resulting in wasted power.

However, if you use a slow swing with high tension strings, you may not be able to exert enough force to make the string-bed deform (much). The strings will "give back" whatever power you put in (minus friction losses), but first you have to make them flex.

You also need to be more accurate with high tensions: off-centre hits will fail to deform the string-bed, robbing you of power.

However, it's just a theory. I don't have much to back this up with.

[weeyeh]

My personal theory is that optimum power comes from matching the string tension to the player's swing speed and accuracy. Players with faster swings will need higher tensions in order to make the most of their power; players with slower or less accurate swings will need lower tension.

If you start from a very low tension (say, 20 lbs), and increase the tension incrementally (1 or 2 lbs at a time), you should find that your power improves at first, and then suddenly declines (it feels as though you're hitting the shuttle with a wooden board).

Why does this happen? I think it's about the time taken for the strings to deform and spring back (rebound). At a lower tension, I think this takes longer. If you have a fast swing speed, then the shuttle may have left the strings before the string-bed has rebounded -- resulting in wasted power.

However, if you use a slow swing with high tension strings, you may not be able to exert enough force to make the string-bed deform (much). The strings will "give back" whatever power you put in (minus friction losses), but first you have to make them flex.

You also need to be more accurate with high tensions: off-centre hits will fail to deform the string-bed, robbing you of power.

However, it's just a theory. I don't have much to back this up with.

That about sums up my own experience with string tension.

[Ferrerkiko]

I shared my experience. I had been playing badminton for around 10 yrs, When i was younger around 18-21 , i put tension 23-24.. Later on i go for coaching , my stroke become better, i up it to 25, then last 3 years all the while i put 26 .. Only recently i play more on attacking in doubles, i up it to 27 , with armotec 700 BG 65 string ..

Conclusion : The higher the tension , the control is better, in my opinion for smashing to be at his max, jumping smash higher tension around 27-30 will be better.

[crimson_eyes13]

I shared my experience. I had been playing badminton for around 10 yrs, When i was younger around 18-21 , i put tension 23-24.. Later on i go for coaching , my stroke become better, i up it to 25, then last 3 years all the while i put 26 .. Only recently i play more on attacking in doubles, i up it to 27 , with armotec 700 BG 65 string ..

Conclusion : The higher the tension , the control is better, in my opinion for smashing to be at his max, jumping smash higher tension around 27-30 will be better.

by experience huh?
but how come our coach told us to use 28lbs at our first time in playing badminton?
I'm already playing for just 2 years now and my shots are quite accurate.
is it because I started at 28?

[Monster]

Been playing for 4 years and still at 23 lbs. Shd I gradually increase? I feel comfortable with23 lbs and have been at 23lbs for >1 yr.

[DivingBirdie]

by experience huh?
but how come our coach told us to use 28lbs at our first time in playing badminton?
I'm already playing for just 2 years now and my shots are quite accurate.
is it because I started at 28?

i think that's a little too high to start on...maybe the stringing machine is different?
anyway there's a truckload of threads regarding this...you guys should check out the strings forum. or run a search
http://www.badmintoncentral.com/foru...play.php?f=144

[Gollum]

but how come our coach told us to use 28lbs at our first time in playing badminton?

Probably because you got an inaccurate stringing job. It's common for stringers to string a racket at much lower tensions than requested -- either unintentionally because of the inaccuracy of their equipment, or intentionally because they know 28 lbs is a silly tension for you to be using.

I remember a 12-year-old junior county player proudly showing me his "28 lbs" racket. From pinging the strings, I could tell that it was at most 22 lbs.

[Cheung]

by experience huh?
but how come our coach told us to use 28lbs at our first time in playing badminton?
I'm already playing for just 2 years now and my shots are quite accurate.
is it because I started at 28?

Nothing to do with the string tension...you got the accuracy by playing more!!

[DivingBirdie]

Nothing to do with the string tension...you got the accuracy by playing more!!

actually i tend to agree with the opinion that you get better accuracy with higher tension...probably because the shuttle stays on the stringbed for a shorter time...but that's just from my personal experience