Almost every day I receive emails from badminton players around the world telling me about their style of play on a badminton court. Then they ask me what is the best racket for their particular style of play.
If you’ve spent time reading my blog or forum, you probably already know the answer I would give you. However, for the reader who has not been to this blog, here is the answer I always give …
“Your style, technique, badminton experience, physique and muscular build are different from mine and anyone else’s. Therefore, how you feel about a badminton racket will also be different for me and for any other player. This means that no one can advise you precisely which racket to use ”.
I honestly believe that the only person who can decide if a racket is right for you… is you. However, this means that you should take your time and go through the experience of trying different rackets.
And this is where the big problem lies. Most players do not have access to a wide range of badminton rackets. There are very few retailers that have demo rackets for players to try out on the court, which means that it is almost impossible to make a good choice the first time.
Does experience count?
As your experience in badminton grows, you develop a feeling or instinct for what you like about a racket and also for what you don’t like. This experience, while invaluable, can sometimes be detrimental to your game. Let me give you an example …
A few years ago I selected the Armortec 900 Power as my racket of choice. I really loved the racket and it seemed to cover many aspects of my game. Not being a naturally powerful player, I needed the extra weight on the head of the racket to help me hit hard.
One day I was doing a demo session with a player and for whatever reason I really struggled defensively, which made me question my decision on the AT900P. For the next season, I changed the rackets to the Nanospeed 9900, which was a beacon. Immediately my defense “returned to normal” and for a while I kept hitting hard.
During the season, I noticed that my success was returned more often, which puzzled me. What had changed? It took me a while to realize that my body had adapted to the lighter head racquet. Initially, switching from a heavy to light head racquet meant that my muscles were used to working harder to play a shot from above. When I switched, the muscles worked just as hard, which initially gave me a better result. Over time, the muscles relaxed for some reason, which ultimately left me with a worse result.
So, I took my old AT900P and tried it again. At first it felt sluggish, however when I started squashing, there was an immediate improvement. Then I realized what had been happening and that I had been asking the wrong questions.
The lesson here is that despite my experience, I made a mistake in drawing conclusions without asking the right questions. Now I know what questions to ask before choosing a racket, do you?
Ask the right questions
The first question you should really ask yourself is …
1) Do I really need a new racket?
You see, many players create beliefs to justify themselves that they need a new racket. Most of the time, the facts are simple – you don’t need them. However, the marketing of racket companies leads us to believe that playing with “that” racket will almost magically make you a better player. That is simply not true.
If you really want to see a significant improvement in your game, then invest in a training course or a coach. A good coach can do more to help you improve your game than any new racquet.
Of course, if your racket has a crack or looks badly worn, it’s probably the right time to replace it. Let’s also remember that a good re-stringing can also transform the performance of a racquet, so also test the string tension and the type of string.
Well, we have covered the first point. What is the next question?
2) What are the features of my current racket that I really like / dislike?
Know why you like your current racket because ultimately it is the guide, your starting point for where to start choosing a replacement. If you like a medium flex shaft, this is perhaps the most important feature you need in a new racquet. Of course, try a flexible or rigid shaft racquet to validate your knowledge, in case you find that your tastes have changed. Do the same for head weight, actual racket weight, and grip size, although I appreciate that some countries have limited offerings on some of these features compared to others.
3) What aspects of my game do I want to improve with this new racket?
This question asks you to look at your current game first to decide what are the most important features that you would like to improve. Would a racket change really help? The answer can be positive depending on what functions are on your personal list.
4) What aspects of my game am I prepared to allow a drop in performance until I can fix them?
This is just as important as question 3. Let’s give you a quick example here. You’ve decided that you want more power in your overhead and are therefore now looking for a head heavy racket. This will result in a reduction in your immediate ability on defense and around the net area, as the racket head will move more slowly than its current model. However, this can be improved by simply doing my chair exercises.
5) What am I willing to pay?
Obvious question, I know. We all play on a budget, so you have to weigh if you are looking at the more expensive rackets and maybe buying a racket, or you compromise a bit and look at the mid to budget priced rackets where you could possibly buy two. or more of the same racket (when you know it is the racket for you) and therefore you have a spare one for those occasions when you break a string, or in the worst case, break the frame in a collision.
Summary
I have covered several points here. Remember, no one can accurately tell you that a particular badminton racket will suit you best. Of course, listen to other players, but remember, they are not you and therefore have completely different references to what a good racket does. Ask them if they don’t mind you trying their racket then at least you have the knowledge to keep it on your Like list or you can immediately dismiss it as completely weird and not worth investing in.
Please use the questions I have given you and I hope you make a more informed decision. Keep your ego out of the way. In other words, don’t buy the next big thing from a manufacturer because your favorite player is using it. What suits them is unlikely to suit you and certainly won’t make you play like them! If you buy one of these rackets and then you don’t like it, think about how you look in front of your badminton friends. I’m sure some will think that you have more money than common sense.
Lastly, keep in mind that you can get a much better return by investing in a coach or coach. Solving poor technique problems and helping you learn more skills will ensure you have them for life. Your badminton racket will rarely last that long.
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