Weight, length and balance point of a badminton racket

Jayce September 3, 2024 4 0

The weight of the badminton racket

The weight of professional full carbon badminton racket is generally between 80g and 95g, usually indicated by U, 2U, 3U, U represents the weight of the racket is more than 95g, and we commonly use the heaviest racket is generally 2U, the weight of 90-94g, lighter 3U racket’s weight is 85-89g, most of the racquets of YONEX are 2U or 3U. In recent years, however, there has been a trend towards lighter rackets, and 4U rackets have become more common, weighing between 81-84 g. Lining labels weights differently, using W1 and W2, which basically correspond to 2U and 3U, and the weight of the racket is usually marked on the shaft or on the handle cone. The weight of the racket is an important factor for the player to consider when choosing a racket. Generally speaking, heavier rackets are suitable for players who have more power and like to attack, while lighter rackets are suitable for players who like to control and defend. For the same amount of power, a heavier racket will swing slower and a lighter racket will swing faster. This is not an unchangeable situation, however, as the back and forth of the grip position will have an effect on the swing speed and the power of the shot. However, in today’s increasingly fast sports, the quest for speed has also led to the phenomenon of lighter racquets.

Length of badminton racket

The length of a standard racket is 664mm, and the length of an extended racket is usually 674mm. most of the round head rackets used to be standard length, but nowadays most of the square head rackets are extended to 674mm. The extended part is usually the shaft, there are some models with both shaft and frame extended, but the total extended length is the same. The advantage of lengthening the racket is that it raises the hitting point, and at the same time, due to the increase of swinging torque, the ball speed will also be increased, in short, the advantage is very prominent in the attack, and in the defence, it also increases the defensive area, so lengthening the racket has become the main stream nowadays. However, the speed of swinging the racket will be reduced after the racket is lengthened, and at the same time, the swinging power required will also be increased. Therefore, the longer the racket is, the better it is, the longer it is within a certain range, the more advantageous it is. This is also the reason why the maximum increase in length is only 10mm.

The balance point of a badminton racket

When we hear people commenting on racquets, we often mention head heavy or head light, what we are talking about here, is the issue of the balance point of the racquet. The balance point of a racket is the location of the centre of gravity of the racket. If the centre of gravity is relatively close to the handle, it means that the racket head is lighter, and if the centre of gravity is relatively farther away from the handle, it means that the racket head is heavier. The position of the balance point of a racket is measured from the bottom of the handle, and the larger the number, the heavier the head. According to the principle of mechanics, the weight is proportional to the feeling of swinging the racket, while the balance point is square proportional to the feeling of swinging the racket. A racket with a heavier head has more inertia in the head, and hits the ball more powerfully, but with slightly less swinging flexibility, which is more suitable for attacking. A lighter racket, although more flexible, will hit the ball with less power, and the vibration transmitted by the racket will be greater, so it is not suitable for players who hit the ball hard, and is more suitable for defensive control players.

The balance point of a racket is generally referred to as the empty racket. After stringing and glue wrapping, the balance point will generally change. So for the same racket, you can change the position of the balance point with the choice of hand rubber. If you prefer a heavier head, wrap the hand rubber thinner, if you prefer a lighter head, wrap it thicker.