Thanks, yes. I can always get an 88s 3U down the track. Obviously, its ideal to have 2-3 racquets anyways, with restringing and the like [which is why I wanted to either buy another ZFII or another racquet in the first place] - when strings are broken its a mad dash to get it restrung.
If you are as physically non-strong as you claim, you might want to check your grommets/stringer etc. Are you breaking the strings in the middle? Maybe you underestimate your physical prowess. If that is so maybe better to just get that Astrox 88s. Where are you? Is there a place you can test more rackets? I just meant to find a racket that makes your smash faster, as opposed to a racket for faster handling in the front court, which are different goals. You need to have some way to win more points than you lose from the backcourt, otherwise there is nothing to stop opponents from just lifting everything, especially on cold wet winter nights, since there is no real counterplay to that. Then it becomes a real priority to get a better smashing racket?
I generally never post, but I feel a kindred spirit as another ex table tennis player in NZ, takes up badminton in their early 20s, has generally good control but near-disastrous power from weak body... Only difference is I have been playing badminton for a lot more years. Its like talking to myself from a decade ago.
Basquests: I'm also a weaker player struggling with my smash, and so far I have found that there is a definite sweetspot weight for power (though most likely that changes with person to person and probably even with getting stronger). Too heavy and I can't get the headspeed fast enough for a good smash in a fastpaced game, though the additional mass does help with long clears and when there is time for a fully drawn out swing. Too little and the lack of mass and inertia from the racket is also making me lose power (especially in clears). For me the sweetspot was around 39-40g of headweight (strung), that should be about what the 4u 88 rackets are. But also consider, that there's a sweetspot for stiffness. Very stiff rackets need more power to get the most out of them. If you lack power, maybe try some midstiff rackets? If you like accuracy, i'd skip flexible rackets, but a good midstiff racket might give the extra bit of power. With yonex, maybe Astrox 77, that's supposed to be midstiff (havent tried it myself, so can't recommend directly, but maybe try it test it somehow)?
I think I'm being realistic about my my physicality .. it is improving, however I can't do pullups, can barely do 2 press ups, have like a 1 minute plank.. 2 different physios said i am hyperflexible which leads to more dexterity [good for racquet sports] but less power and more injury susceptibility [bad for racquet sports]. My running is good, around 26min for a 5k. Basically legs are ok, core is weak and upper body too. I will research or ask about the grommet / breaking from acquaintances who are well versed, as I'm not aware about them. I just weighed my ZFII, and with the strings and Tourna overgrip etc. its 99 grams... certainly a cannon. I'm in New Zealand, so fortunately can play at a club quite safely, however a lot of people that i know there are rocking quite old or different types of racquets, or simply just middle/lower end racquets. One of my friends has like 10 middle end racquets [for EACH tennis and badminton] because he thinks top end is too technically demanding / suited to pros. We don't really have a functional 2nd hand market, so if you buy it pretty much rely on keeping it or giving it away so hence its important to either be rich or do your research. For example I have a VT 80 etune [which i haven't used for years, but didn't mind] and Arcsaber 11 which i definitely found too balanced [although both are strung at 23/24lbs and have lost tension atop that, so that didn't help..but they were previously 25, i just strung them a bit lower so parents could use it from time to time]...luckily i got all my racquets from sunrise click, and they basically gave them away [$130 $130 and $150SGD, plus 2 xfree 9 racquet bags, strung, bunch of other extras] so I can't feel too aggrieved about those.. Yes, my understanding WRT 88s 3u and especially 4u is that it must improve my smash due to the higher ability to generate racquet head speed. I don't think I'm reaching anywhere near the RH-speed to make use of a ZF2's HH, let alone in 3u form. The guy who advised me also has a 4U ZF2. With 28lb BG80 Power or 28lb Nanogy 98 I believe. That was incredibly hard for me to use [my string broke so i had borrowed it]. Meanwhile the 88S 4u @ 29lb [either BG80 Pwr or Nanogy 98] required no adjustments.
I should be able to get my hands on an AS77. As I mentioned above, my ZFII 3U, is 99g strung. I don't know what that converts to in terms of headweight, but its certainly too tough for me to reach that racquet head speed I need to, in order to get to the Goldilocks zone - Enough RH speed to get a fast swing, and enough mass to ensure that results in a bang. Talking it through though, sounds like 4U is good, with aspirations to maybe get 3U down the track...but I most likely will be playing doubles anyway, and its not competitively regardless, so i can afford to not have something that's 100% ideal. Its just yes, I want to be playing with something that gives me joy when i hit a good ball, and allows me to express all my skills on the court, which from my experience with the 88S, it certainly does...and not getting injured from wielding a cannon.
Wow, if it's not too forward of me, the NZ TT community is quite small /well knit If you are an ex-NZ TT player, I'd love if you PM'd me your name [and of course mine to you]. I probably know your training partner, or something, or who knows, maybe we cross path sometime in a either stadium and it'd be good to talk about TT or badminton. I think there's a lot to learn from each of the racquet sports, in terms of accelerating your growth in all of them...but few people play both sports! I know my improvement in footwork in TT has mainly been off the back of badminton. Whilst the footwork is different, it's so easy to learn badminton footwork as you can always observe your opponent in real time as the net is see through. In TT, there's a solid table hiding your mistakes from your opponent, and hiding their good habits from you.
You own Arc11? Why don't you start with that? Maybe just restring it to your liking. It's widely known to be very user friendly, though I've never played with one before. But it won't hurt to get an 88s too.
I had tried it in 23/24, and it felt absolutely wrong. Every single time. I knew from reviews et al that it probably wouldn't suit me, and was probably more friendly for my mom if it didn't pan out. As I said, its feeling was way whack, tension being off by 2-3 pounds in my estimation is not going to fix the overall issues i had with it, which were severe. Plus, it's 'moms' racquet now.
I think the Arc 11 might suit with the correct string actually. If you can get the racket you could find out. There seems to be some comments on the internet saying that the 88S is similar to the Arc 11, mainly in the soft/holding feeling, so I wonder if your dislike of it is related to the strings (BG65?). Can you try to explain why Arc11 felt bad? Was it this soft/holding feeling? If you didn't like the holding feeling you can fix it with some more bouncy "hard" string, and the converse is true. If I recall NBG98 is pretty soft, BG80P is more like medium-hardish. BG80 is hard. I guess its similar in TT where you need the rubbers and blades to work together, BG65+ZF2 is like the equivalent of using some soft dead $5 rubber on a mega-carbon blade, which almost makes sense since the softness and the hardness cancel out. Something like a Kizuna 63 will be like glued rubber with that corky feel. BG80 is like chinese rubber, very grippy but slightly worse in power.
Ok, now you're speaking my language. It's very hard to know all the terminology in both sports, especially as a lot of interpretation is subjective, and even the meaning of specific things is viewed differently by different people. I can't really explain it since its been a while. When using different friends who string 26+ lbs, and 65Ti or 'better' strings, i get the same feeling on various racquets - that its not linear, or the sweet spot is wrong, or for whatever reason the shuttle's end point or flight path is different to what i'd expect and hence i cannot rely on precise hitting to gain incremental advantages in the point - something that i love doing.
23/24 lbs with 65ti... feels wrong for me.. to dull.. bought a second hand racket just 3 months old, and I cut it after my first session with it. Get yonex aerobite if you want to feel your shuttle more... raise the string to higher tension, maybe 27 or 28 lbs. See if it feels good disclaimer, I am no pro, I only use 25 or 26lbs... previous own 3u 88s, 3u zf2.. playing badminton for a year now and TT for 3 month. Sent from my POCOPHONE F1 using Tapatalk
Hey guys! Im currently a happy owner of 3 Mizuno JPX 8.3 but due to it being out of production, i wonder if any of the astrox series will suit me given how widely popular it is. Any advices?
Have not used JPX 8.3 but since ur in 88s and 88d I can probably tell 88d characteristics as I am using it.. 88d is head heavy, stiff, short handle with long shaft. I am using it was bg80power string and it’s very good at backcourt smashes, pretty good at defence, very decent in net skills and drops are spot on!! The rotational generator system helps in smashes, drives, defence. Those who have used the voltric rackets will enjoy the complimentary RGS in it. One of the best yonex rackets so far!! In some cases it’s better than 100zz I suppose guys here can correct me! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
