Selecting a perfect racket as per individual game style and aspiration level is very important. These parameters impact the player performance up to a great extent.

Explanations of parameters are mentioned as below:

Individual Game Style:

Badminton player need to select a racket which suits player playing style. Its means if a
player is having offensive playing style then he or she needs to select the
racket which helps in placing good smashes, quick returns and shape angled
cross corner shots. Similarly, player with defensive playing style needs a
racket which helps in placing good drops shots, quick returns and cut shots. So
based on playing style player can select the Badminton Racket.

Aspiration Level of players:

Aspiration level of player needs to be check properly. If a player is serious for making
Badminton as carrier option then he needs to carefully check the playing style.
For serious player, proper guidance is also important for selecting the racket.

Anatomy of Badminton Racket:

Racket Head:

Racket head is top part of racket. It is the part where strings are placed through
grommets.

String Bed:

String Bed is string net by which actually force is applied on shuttle. Proper
stringing and string selection is important to get best performance from racket.

Shaft:

Shaft of the racket is the part which connects racket head and handle. Property,
material and diameter of shaft impact the performance of player. (We shall
discuss it in detail)

Handle:

Handle is a final part by which player make a contact with racket. Handle Diameter and
grips size impact the racket performance.

Characteristics of Racket

Balance Point:

Basically 3 types of balances are most common in racket:

Head Heavy Balance:

Head heavy balance refers to racket in which weight of the racket is more towards head side. (Player can check the balance of racket by balancing racket on finger as shown in picture. If finger is close to head then it will be head heavy racket).

Following are the key benefits of Head heavy racket:

1. Head heavy racket gives more power on shots as it’s generate more
   momentum.
2. Head Heavy racket are suitable for those player who wants more
   power in shots.
3. Head Heavy racket can show the response or swing of the racket

Head Light Balance:

Head light balance refer to those racket in which weight of the racket is more towards handle of racket.(Player can check the balance of racket by balancing racket on finger as shown in picture. If finger is close to handle then it will be head light racket)

Following are the key benefits of Head light racket:

1. Head light racket gives racket swing speed.
2. Player who wants fast racket handling will like this type of balance.

Adjusting the Racket Balance with the Help of Grips:

In order to adjust the balance of the racket to head heavy side (More Power),
player can do following changes:

1. Add lightweight grip on handle.
2. Use heavy string.

In order to adjust the balance of the racket to head Light side (More Control) ,player can do following changes:

1. Use more than two grips on handle
2. Use heavy grips on handle
3. Use lightweight string

Stiffness of Shaft:

Two types of shaft properties are commonly known:

(1)Flexible Shaft      (2) Stiff Shaft

• Flexible Shaft:

Flexible shaft are those which flexibly when try bend it. Ref Image. Different
manufacturing companies used different material to make shaft flexible. Like
Yonex used HM graphite to make shaft flexible. While, Li Ning Used Graphite
material to make shaft flexible. Flexible Shaft provides following performance
advantages to player.

(A)  Quick Repulsion :

Flexible shaft have tendency to bend opposite to shuttle hit direction. During bending
its store the impact energy developed by shuttle. Flexible shaft does not hold
the shuttle for longer time thus doesn’t provide extended strength to shuttle.
Quick repulsion is suitable for drive shots, quick return to opponents.

  (B)  Moderate level of Shuttle placement:

As shaft of the racket flexible nature of shaft, it creates vibration on frame.
Due to vibration, placement of shuttle may get deviated from target. Modern
racket comes with additional innovation to overcome this problem. For E.g.,
Yonex used T Anchor technology to minimize the vibration in flexible shaft.
These new innovation helps in better racket characteristics.

(C)  Suitable for Defensive Play or All Round type of Game:

Flexible shaft with modern technologies will be suitable for those players who want all
round type of game play. Player with defensive playing style will definitely
like to play with flexible shaft.

(2) Stiff Shaft:

Stiff shaft gives very less or stiff  bending when shuttle hits the string bed.
Due to less or stiff bending, player get more power on shots with better
directional control.

1.  Optimize Repulsion:

As shuttle repelled from racket quickly so racket offers optimized repulsion to
badminton players. With optimized repulsion, player can put more power to shots
with more stability and direction control.

1.     Accurate Shuttle Placement:

With stiff shaft player gets stable head which results into less frame vibrations.
Due to less vibration and stable head, player can effectively place the shuttle
into opponent’s court.

1.     Suitable for Attacking type of game Play:

Stiff shaft racket are suitable for attacking game style as it’s generate explosive
power. With stiff shaft player gets lighting fast racket speed which helps in
placing quick return and fast drive shots.

Shape of the Racket head:

Basically two racket head shapes are most common:

1. Isometric   (2) Oval Head Shape

(1) Isometric Shape:

Isometric or square head shape is very popular nowadays because of following points:

1.  Isometric head shape gives enlarged sweet spot area by which
   player gets more opportunities to hit off center shots.
2. Isometric head shape offers best aerodynamic to racket frame.

(2) Oval Shape:

Oval shape is conventional racket head shape in which head shape look like oval or
round.

1.    Oval shape head gives low sweet spot area which limited the opportunities
   to hits off center shots with more power.
2.     Oval head shape gives fast racket swing speed.

Weight of the Badminton racket:

Weight of the racket is very important as it impact the player performance up to a
great extent. Heavy racket considered good for powerful game but heavy racket
gives sluggish swing speed whereas lightweight racket gives fast racket speed
and quick repulsion. Yonex used U nomenclature to define the racket weight and
it is like 2U (90 to 94 gms),3U (85 to 89 gms), 4U (80 to 84 gms) and 5U (70 to
75 gms). 5U rackets are considered as feather light rackets, Yonex Arcsaber FB
is considered as feather light racket. Most common weight category is 3U. Li
Ning Used W1,W2, W3 ,W4 weight nomenclature . W1 represent 75 to 80 gms , W2
represent 80 to 85 gms ,W3 represent 85 to 90 gms. Li Ning G Force Lite 3500
and 3600 are considered as feather light rackets.

Grip and Grip Size of Badminton Racket:

Grip and Grip sizes are important as player hold the racket from grip and handle.
Following are the table of Grips sizes and its dimension:

1.      G1 = 3 in
2.      G2 = 3 1/4 in
3.      G3 = 3 1/2 in
4.      G4 = 3 3/4 in
5.      G5 = 4 in

String of Badminton Racket:

Most of the professional rackets comes without string because different string can
change the paying characteristics of the racket. Different String can change
the behavior of racket with following properties:

1.      Yonex BG 80 is a string which gives more power and better
   repulsion and suitable for attacking players.
2.      BG 66 Um gives Best repulsion power with soft feel.
3.      BG 65 gives soft feel and moderate repulsion.
4.      BG 70 Pro gives soft feel.

So according to player’s individual need, player can select the string.

Classifications of Different Brand Rackets:

Head Heavy rackets with Extreme Power:

Head Heavy rackets are considered as powerful rackets. Different brands used
different racket to explain the racket types. Yonex Voltric series represents
the head heavy series and rackets like Yonex Voltric 5 , Voltric  7 ,
Voltric Z Force 2, Voltric 8 Etunes are considered as Powerful rackets while in
Li Ning G Force Series are considered as power full series for attacking
game style.

All Round type of Game Play:

Yonex Arcsaber Series, Li Ning Super series are considered as all round type of game
play. Rackets like Yonex Arcsaber 6, Arcsaber light, Arcsaber 7, Arcsaber Fb,
Arcsaber FD, Li Ning SS 98 , SS 68 are considered best for all round type of
game.

Fast Game Play:

Yonex Nanoray Series is considered a head light series and its gives racket those are very
light and fast in nature. Yonex Nanoray 7 , Nanoray 10 , Nanoray 10F , Nanoray
900 and Nanoray Z Speed and head light rackets and suitable for fast game play.

Feather Light Rackets:

Yonex Arcsaber FB (76 gms) , Yonex Arcsaber FD (79 gms) , Li Ning G Force lite 3500/3600 (79
gms) are considered as feather light rackets.