Confusion Concerning BALANCE POINTS
The Confusion
A lot of confusion seems to arise from the assumption that if we apply more grips on the handle, thereby shifting the balance point towards the handle it would make the racquet more head light. Certainly the new balance point would indicate that it is now head lighter, but is it actually more head light?
The answer is no – unless you play by gripping the racquet above the handle!
The reasoning is this...
A racquet is primarily rotated about the players hand/wrist and as this is where we would mainly feel the differences in balance, the “fulcrum” should be roughly where the hand/wrist is. So adding weight near or at the fulcrum would have no real effect on the head weight of the racquet since the moment approaches to zero.
To explain it further, if we assume (in a static model) the weight of the racquet is broken down into three main parts, head, shaft and handle. To get the real "balance" feel of the racquet I believe we should take moments about the players hand not the centre of mass of the racquet (which is what has been done conventionally).
A moment is simply the turning force applied on an object. In this case, the static loads are from the weight of the parts of the racquet.
http://www.badmintoncentral.com/foru...8&d=1349451889
The moment therefore is simply the sum of the leverarms of the elements multiplied by their respective weights.
M = FxD.
M = (Head Weight x D1) + (Shaft Weight x D2) + (Handle Weight x D3)
Where the leverarm distances D1, D2, D3 are the distances from the centre of mass (centroid) of the constituent part to the fulcrum (players hand).
So generally speaking the higher the moment M, the more head heavy the racquet will feel.
(Note: This is based on our static model, in a dynamic model, moments of inertia should be considered).
As you can see, in reality adding extra weight to the handle does not make much difference to the balance at all, since the additional weight of the overgrips are near/at the fulcrum (the players hand) making the leverarm D3 essentially zero. What it does do though, is increase the overall weight of the racquet, so it’s just excess weight!
The additional grip(s) effectively just increase the overall weight of the racquet. Given that the weight classes are only 5g apart, adding a few overgrips to say a 3U racquet may turn it into a 2U racquet!
However, if we were to alter the weight of the head for instance, say by adding lead weights, this would indeed alter the balance feel of the racquet as it is at a fair distance from the fulcrum.
This is simple statics, but should help to explain the balance confusion. Though for the more enthusiastic members amongst us, calculating the moment of inertia, aerodynamic effects (racquet + string) etc would give a more accurate picture.
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Closing Remarks - BALANCE POINTS
Which balance is right for me?
A racquet’s balance is quite a personal choice, and is one that most people will gradually discover a preference for over time. But there are some indicators/rules of thumb that can help with narrowing down that search.
Generally Speaking:
•Head-Heavy Balanced – For powerful, strong players who can exploit the extra head weight for greater power. Singles players (who have more time to play shots) that rarely need to play backhands and fast exchanges.
•Head-Light Balanced – For weaker but fast players who like to dominate fast exchanges, at the net and in defence. Control players, fast doubles and mid-court players.
•Even Balanced – For all players, doubles, singles, mixed etc.
Head heavy racquets carry more inertia and so are more efficient at transferring momentum to the shuttle.
However in order to take advantage of the extra inertia, one would need to be strong enough (BH&FH) to be able to maintain good racquet head speed.
For example, in terms of smashing, weaker players using head light racquets may be able to generate the same racquet head speed as a strong player with a head heavy racquet but the resultant smash would be somewhat slower due to the reduced inertia in the head.
But this is by no means the be-all and end-all of it. Other factors such as string type, tension, racquet characteristics, technique etc will also play a part.
However the bottom line is that only you as the user will know what suits you best. Whenever I look to buy a new racquet, I always give it few swings, normally backhands flicks as this seems to give me the best feel for the balance. Although unstrung racquets are more difficult to tell.
I often get asked what balance would be good for a beginner. This is quite subjective question and is one that a lot of players/coaches would debate on.
But my personal view would be to use head heavy balance racquets.
This is because the beginner will need to train their muscles needed for badminton and also to help develop the correct technique.
Head heavy racquets are also generally more stable and will help smooth out inconsistencies in a novice’s stroke as well as to encourage the “follow-through”.
They are also generally more durable given the extra material in the frame. At beginner level, time invested in getting the correct technique and developing the right muscles is immensely valuable. As the player gets better, they may then want to try different balances.
Summary
•The conventional method of determining the balance point of a racquet is only meaningful if the racquet is not modified. If it is indeed modified, measuring or comparing the new BP against other racquets will not be very reliable/meaningful.
•Adding grips or removing grips from the handle will not make the racquet any head lighter or head heavier (respectively) but will change the original BP of the racquet.
•Only the user themselves will know what balance is most suitable for them. At the end of the day, it’s what matters to you that counts. If you feel it’s too head light, then it probably is not for you.
Hope it helps :D
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Basic Guide to Choose Racquet for Beginner
I'll add that there is no need to buy a new racquet for $200. You can easily buy the same thing used for $50-$100 (or even less). There is no point for you to buy a brand new racquet for full price unless you need to have something new. There have been no real developments in technology in the past 10-20 years. Many pros play with old models painted to look like new ones so you'll buy them, which is a case in point. Don't worry about a specific "technology". Just try some and buy one that feels good. Avoid the super light racquets.