Yonex Tennis

Racquet technology is the parent of the modern game. Watch any old footage and you will see the enormous differences in the game; play with an old wooden racquet and you will appreciate why the game was so much slower and played with such a different style.

Today’s racquets are still improving – and are the result of truly “space age” technology. You can purchase a lightweight, comfortable racquet that will deliver you power, spin and control that was unthinkable 20 years ago. Generally speaking there are three types of frame you can purchase – the key is selecting one to suit your game.

Traditional Frame

The traditional frame is characterized by:-

-A thin beam

- A small head (around 90cm²)

- Even balance

- A heavy feel (>300 grams) and

- A tight string pattern with 18 main strings

Its weight and head size make it unsuitable for most social players, but, the feeling of hitting the ball out of the sweet spot of these racquets is unmatched.

The Wilson 6.1 is the most famous of this type of racquet – made famous by Pete Sampras and Stefan Edberg, it is now the weapon of choice for Roger Federer in the modern game. The Head Prestige (Marat Safin) and Dunlop Aero Gel 200 (Thomas Berdych) are other similar racquets that are popular amongst tour players.

You will notice that many of the players who use the traditional frame will have classic techniques. No extreme grips and they can move to the net effectively. If this style sounds like you a traditional frame may be the one for you.

The traditional frame is really only suitable for players who train and play several times each week. They are very demanding racquets with small sweet spots and their weight can cause arm soreness. If you cannot commit to a full training schedule, but like the feel of the traditional frame, consider a racquet such as the Head Radical (Amelie Mauresmo). It has similar playing characteristics to the traditional frame but is a more comfortable, user friendly racquet.

Performance Enhancing Racquet

While the Traditional Frame has been the most popular type of racquet on the pro tour in the past – the performance enhancing racquet is used by a higher percentage of players in the modern game.

Compared to the traditional frame they:-

- A thicker beam

- A larger head (around 95cm²)

- A bigger sweet spot

- A lighter feel ( Power Racquets

Power racquets are the least used of the pro circuit, although Martina Hingis used the Yonex RQS 11 during her comeback in 2006 – 07 in an attempt to match the modern power players.

Power Racquets are:-

- Light weight

- Have over sized head (> 100 cm²)

- A very large sweet spot

- A lighter feel (

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The popularity of cricket in India is both a blessing and a curse. It is a blessing because cricket is a sport Indians excel in, despite the fact that the country has no perceivable sport culture.

So the popularity of the game in a country of over a billion has ensured that cricket is akin to a thriving industry. A talented young cricketer can hope to make a lucrative living from the game.

The popularity of the game also works as a curse in India, with other sports given step motherly treatment, partly due to the excessive attention cricket demands and gets from all concerned.

If any sportsperson excels in a sport other than cricket he or she does so in spite of the system, not because of any support derived from it.

When you consider this, you will begin to understand the true greatness of a champion sportsperson such as the world chess champion, Viswanathan Anand, or the Olympic gold medalist in shooting, Abhinav Bindra. These champions have shone on the strength of their own effort.

  

The latest of this breed of champion sportspersons is Saina Nehwal, a twenty year old Indian badminton player, who, on July 15, 2010, ascended to the world number two ranking as announced by the Badminton World Federation (BWF).

When Saina Nehwal beat Julia Xian Pei Wong of Malaysia in the final of the Philippine Open in 2006, she became the youngest ever, and the first Indian woman, to win a four-star tournament.

This was the defining moment of a career that was launched when Saina’s father enrolled her in a summer training camp at the Lal Bahadur Stadium, Hyderabad, in 1998. Born in March 1990, to parents who were themselves former badminton champions, from the Indian state of Haryana, Saina went from strength to strength, until five years later, she won the Czech Junior Open, announcing her arrival on the international badminton stage.

What followed thereafter was a series of achievements that served to confirm her championship potential.  The winner’s crown at the Asian Satellite Badminton Tournament the same year, followed by the national senior women’s title, and a gold medal at the National Games in 2007, the 2008 Chinese Taipei Open Grand Prix Gold, and the national championship for a second year running, all served to establish her firmly among the senior players’ circuit, even as a teenager.

She continued to sparkle at the junior level, winning Gold at the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games followed by the winner’s crown at the BWF World Junior Championships, the same year, a year in which Saina entered the world’s top ten list, for the first time.

The year 2009 was to prove even more fruitful, as she went on to win the Indonesia Super Series and the Indian Open Grand Prix.

Then came the hat-trick of titles in 2010 that was to take Saina first to the world number three spot, and then to number two: the India Open Grand Prix Gold was followed by the, Singapore Open Super Series, and the Indonesia Open Super Series.

A native of Hyderabad, India, Saina’s early training involved investment of time and money that was a drain on her parent’s limited resources, until in 2002, she attracted her first sponsor in Yonex, followed by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd, a Fortune 500 company, after her victory in the Czech Open.

She was eventually spotted in 2005 by the Mittal Champions Trust (MCT), an initiative by Laxmi Mittal, the steel magnate. The Trust has the avowed goal of putting India on the medal map of the 2012 London Olympics, by sponsoring talented sportspersons with world-class potential.

If her win at the Philippines Open justified the faith MCT had reposed in Saina, her vaulting to number two in the world rankings must surely be regarded as a giant step towards an Olympic medal in 2012.

Saina’s prodigious talent was honed first by SM Arif, and thereafter by P. Gopichand, a former All England champion and the current national coach of India. From 2008 onwards, Saina has been coached by the Indonesian badminton legend, Atik Jauhari.

Indian badminton legend, Prakash Padukone, believes Saina can become world number one. That prophesy, coming from a man who once beat Morten Frost, arguably the greatest ever player, en route to an All England Open title, must surely cause the world to sit up and pay attention.

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Shuttlecocks make badminton unique, but paradoxically also contribute to its popular image as backyard recreation rather than an energetic sport – after all, don’t real sports use balls?

In actual fact, badminton is incredibly physical – at the international level it is significantly more demanding than tennis, requiring a higher level of fitness and fast, explosive movement. The rallies tend to be long (an international match can average 13-14 shots per rally), because it is hard to score an outright winner against a skilled opponent, so players win by maneuvering each other around the court in an attempt to force a weak return and thus win an opportunity to play a finishing shot. It takes great stamina to endure such hard fought rallies.

The sheer variety of shots and tactics in badminton are made possible by the shuttlecock’s unique aerodynamic properties. Feather shuttlecocks in particular will fly straight for some distance without losing much height, and then suddenly start to descend almost vertically. This is why serious badminton players use feather shuttlecocks – although they are fragile and expensive, they add a significant degree of tactical flexibility to the game.

Examples of badminton shots made possible by the shuttlecock

With feather shuttlecocks it is possible, if you judge your shot right, to hit a hard and fast clear over your opponent’s head but still have it fall safely inside the court. This degree of control leads to furious rallies that utilize every inch of the court.

Very skilled players can use a special shot which can only be properly executed with feather shuttlecocks – the tumbling net shot. Produced by slicing the shuttle (in a similar way to putting side-spin on a tennis ball), such a shot causes the shuttlecock to literally spin and tumble over the net. It is very difficult to hit one cleanly while it is tumbling, so opponents will usually wait for the shuttle to straighten out, forcing them to lift and thus providing the opportunity to smash.

The Badminton Smash

When the shuttlecock is smashed hard, it barely slows down before it hits the ground, so the opponent only has a fraction of a second to respond. This makes badminton an incredibly fast sport, requiring superb reflexes – the fastest smash recorded, hit by Fu Haifeng of China, was a thunderous 332kph (206mph).

The fact that shuttlecocks float gently before dropping also provides the opportunity for the most impressive badminton shot of all: the jump smash! The drama of skilled players sustaining a string of high speed jump smashes against tough defenses is unique to badminton doubles, and is a truly awe-inspiring sight. And of course, this would not be the case without shuttlecocks!

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For a good tennis player, the foot is quicker than his mind. It seems as if the foot has its own intelligence to act upon the bouncing needs. As Tennis needs a lot of side to side movement and forward and backwards movements on the court, it’s very essential that the tennis shoes you wear for your game keeps your feet comfortable. There are lots of shoe brands for tennis shoes that cluster the market for being noticed like Adidas, Fila, Lotto, Prince, Yonex, Babolat, Head, New Balance, Reebok….. the list goes on.

Here are three best pairs of shoes from three famous brands:

Nike Air Zoom Mystify III

Imagine shoes being designed just for the needs of a pro, then the Mystify line of Nike is the definite answer. Many top professionals wear Mystify III, including Maria Sharapova and Daniela Hantuchova. Like those pros, this shoe brings performance, glamour and high style to the courts.

Beauty of the Mystify is not just skin deep alone. Underneath the shining cosmetics is a powerful technology to bring players’ feet closer to the ground for optimum feel and maneuverability: Nike’s Zoom Air. The Momentum Control System keeps the shoe stable and offers optimum comfort and performance. To give an added performance feel, Nike’s Contour Speed Fit allows the shoe to conform to the foot, giving each player a glove like fit.

Adidas CC Feather 2 Remix

Once again, Adidas brings back the popular CC Feather II in this exciting Remix color. CC Feather is one of the best speed oriented shoe available for clay court besides having a glamorous look. The ClimaCool Feather II is a lightweight performance shoe which combines match day performance with the comfort and durability needed for long training sessions. Advanced chassis design promotes air flow to keep your feet cool when the action gets hot. This shoe is a popular choice on the pro tour during the clay court season. Pro players who used this shoe on clay included Marat Safin, Guillermo Coria and Tim Henman.

Prince OC-1 Men’s Shoes

Prince’s M-Series had a great last and has gained a huge reputation for it. And now built on the same last as the M-Series, the OC-I provides Optimum Cushioning offering more room for a more universal fit while improving on the Precision Tube Technology. The shape of the tubes has been slightly varied by Prince to round instead of oval for more effecient cushioning. Use of lighter gauge Precision Tubes for a softer, more cushioned ride is one of the killer feature of OC-I. An AirMesh tongue and breathable synthetic upper allows feet to breathe and combines with a DriLex lining for lasting comfort during long matches. Lastly, Prince’s Goodyear Max outsole features a 6-month durability guarantee!

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Tennis bags are one of the most essential accessories for any tennis player, professional or amateur. Various bags are available in the market today to suit the needs of the player – single racket bags, bags that can hold six to nine rackets and even those that can fit in your racket along with shoes, tennis balls and water bottle.

Brands like Nike, Adidas, Dunlop, Yonex and Babolat are well known manufactures of tennis bags. However, Babolat bags stand apart from the rest because of their affordable price and trendy looks. The easy availability of Babolat tennis bags on sale at various Internet and discount stores has also made them a favourite with tennis enthusiasts.

Choosing the right tennis bag can be as tricky as selecting the appropriate tennis racket. You will have to decide on the number of rackets you wish to carry with you. The bag should also have room for balls, strings, grips and maybe even your shoes and towel. Babolat has launched bags, which take care of almost all these issues so that you can enjoy a hearty game without having to worry about carrying five different bags for all your stuff.

Babolat Team Line 12 pack bag is one among various Babolat tennis bags on sale at various outlets. The bag has 3 zipped compartments for keeping rackets and a separate shoe bag. Backpack straps, padded carry handle and a small inner zipped laundry bag make it the ideal choice for anyone turning pro. This comfortable carry bag can be bought over the Internet for $69.95.

Babolat has not ignored the beginners while launching its line of bags. Its Club Line Backpack Tennis Bag, priced at $24.95 at Internet stores, offers more than any new tennis fan could ask for. It has a single compartment with a cover for the racket handle. An additional compartment in front of the racket keeping space has been given to keep other gear. A separate accessory pocket has also been provided in front. A carry handle and adjustable and well-padded shoulder pads give this bag an edge over all others in its category.

Babolat offers bags tailor-made to suit the needs and budgets of almost all beginners and professionals. However, few things must always be kept in mind while investing in a tennis bag. You should always buy the bag that you need – a small bag may not accommodate all your accessories, while a bigger one may be cumbersome to carry around. Secondly, you should thoroughly check the bag manually if you are buying it from a retailer or check customer reviews if making an online purchase. And finally you must look for the logo, the price tag and the holograms to make sure if the bag is genuine.

So if you are a tennis player and have always dreamed of carrying a stylish and chic bag as you head off for a Sunday morning game on the court, Babolat tennis bags on sale are the perfect choice for you.

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As outdoor holidays and camping become more popular with families realizing the benefit of communing with nature and with each other, the choice of the accompanying accessories to such holidays is also important. Camping tents and other essential provisions aside, games are needed to keep the children occupied and what better than carrying a badminton set?

Badminton is a much loved game and sets can be purchased from any sports shop.

A badminton set comprising of the necessary two or four rackets, shuttlecocks, net and plus or minus other accessories is a wonderful choice to make the holiday more enjoyable.

With tennis and golf hogging all the glamour, the sport of badminton seems to have been left far behind. But, badminton is an excellent low impact and simple game which makes it possible for even the old and the young to play it together.

Though rackets and shuttlecocks can be bought separately, it is easier to get everything in a badminton set which may also come with certain extras. Children too may enjoy having their own set complete with all the accessories needed to play.

Badminton is a delightful game which can be enjoyed by the entire family anywhere.

Badminton is the old-fashioned game which needs to be brought out of the closet once again. It is such an easily-picked up game that even beginners can have tremendous fun with it and no professional training is required, unlike, say, in tennis. The game teaches coordination, balance and timing and with a good set, you can be prepared for a day of fun.

Rackets, shuttle cocks and strings are the must-have components of a badminton set and some may have extras like a net, jerseys, caps, shoes etc. The extras are not necessary and are only added to make that set stand out.

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Tennis is increasingly gaining popularity across the world and this becomes evident if one takes a look at the availability of the wide range of tennis rackets for sale today. Tennis rackets have seen many changes and advances since the game originated in Britain in the 19th century.

From being a simple accessory necessary for the game, rackets have not only become the symbol of style but have also been associated with a player’s performance and technique. Today, the sports goods’ market abounds in rackets of all types – shorter and longer rackets, those with larger heads, wooden rackets, graphite rackets and the list goes on. So how does one pick the right racket for himself/herself out of this bamboozling variety?

Tennis rackets for sale may look almost similar to a novice but a player must keep certain aspects in mind when buying a racket. The weight of a racket is a very weighty issue. Beginners prefer to use the lighter ones for the obvious reason that they are easier to handle.

A racket weighing anything between eight to ten ounces and a big head can add power to the serve and new players often favour these because they make it easier to return the ball. However, those wanting to turn professional would do well to use racquets heavier than 10.5 with small heads. These rackets offer much better control.

Another issue to consider is the head shape of the racket. A standard racket has an oval head with the sweet spot on the bottom half but new players may like to use a tear-drop shaped head which makes playing simpler. The length of a racket also affects the game of a player. Longer rackets give more power but this may cost the player his/her ability to manoeuvre.

Buying a branded racket is the best way to ensure that fake equipment is not harming your playing technique. Brands like Adidas, Avery, Dunlop, Babolat and Yonex are widely recognised for bringing out top quality rackets. Professionals like Rafael Nadal, Lleyton Hewitt and Novak Djokovic are regular users of these brands. However, amateurs may find these rackets too expensive.

A simple racket from a sports store can be used in the beginning but a better and well-strung racket is a necessity for enhancing one’s prowess in the game as one game. The good news for tennis enthusiasts is that some good rackets can be pretty affordable. A pre-strung racket can cost anything between 25dollars to 60dollars, whereas, an optimal performance frame can be had for 100-300 dollars.

Like any other game, Tennis too is not all talent and technique; the right equipment can make a huge difference in one’s game and style. All tennis rackets for sale promise a great performance but very few can actually deliver the much needed bonus point to lift the game for you. Using the best racket is surely not going to turn you into a pro in a day but improving your play with the best equipment can certainly help better your performance every time you hit the court.

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One of the hottest topics I’ll be covering in my online coaching program is increasing power to your badminton smash.

Wherever I travel to coach, there are always two major questions I’m asked

How to improve the backhand
How to get more power in the smash
There are a number of simple adjustments you can make that will help you increase power and improve your accuracy in your badminton smash, so let’s get started…

Let’s Begin With Your Feet!

Why your feet? Simple. If you haven’t the speed to get behind the badminton shuttle before you hit it, then there is no way you are going to hit a good powerful accurate smash. You need to be behind the shuttle so your bodyweight is ready to move in the direction of your smash. Adding your bodyweight to the smash provides more power.

How far behind the shuttle should you stand? Ideally, you need to be far enough that the shuttle would land slightly ahead of your non racket leg, but in alignment with your racket shoulder.

Exercise 1

You need to test whether you are moving fast enough to get behind the shuttle. Stand on the front service line and ask your feeder to lift the shuttle towards the back line. Now, with your racket in your hand, try to beat the shuttle. But, you mustn’t hit the shuttle! Instead, allow it to hit the floor and note the position it lands in relation to your body.

Where is the shuttle? Is it sufficiently in front of your body that you can hit it down, allowing your bodyweight to move forward? If not, you’ve just discovered one key element you need to improve that will add more power to your smash.

So try again, and this time move faster, going beyond where you would normally stop. Test again. Any better? If so, repeat this exercise until you are comfortable that you’ve got it right.

Finally, test again by moving back and this time hit the shuttle. Work it and it’s likely the first few shots will fall into the net!

Grip

There are so many badminton club and league players I’ve seen that seem to move and hit with excessive tension in their bodies. This tension is caused by pressure getting to the shuttle on time, frustration from wanting to hit the shuttle better or score more points and most likely a host of minor reasons that are causing a major issue.

When the body is tense, it is unable to perform anywhere near its optimum capability. A tense body cannot move as fast, hit as fast or as powerfully as one that is free from tension. Think about it. If you were to go onto court to play against a player you know you can easily beat, why is it your shots are so much better and you appear to move so much faster? Yes, you’re not under pressure and therefore playing with a sense of freedom – freedom from tension.

One of the major adjustments I ask of most players is the way in which they grip their racket. I’m not talking about correct forehand or backhand grips here, although that does feature high on my list.

In this article I’m talking about the strength of your grip. If you grip your racket too tight, then your muscles are constantly under tension. This does not allow them to flow and carry out you instructions to move in a certain way in order to hit the shuttle. They are almost fighting to move in the right sequence.

A tight grip then restricts the amount of power available to these muscles, which only leads to a poor result and disappointment for the player. If you consistently grip the shuttle too tight, then you’re running the risk of injuring your elbow. Tennis or golfers elbow is extremely painful and is frequently caused by your grip being too tight, or your racket grip being too small for the size of your hand.

Exercise 2

Go on court and hit shuttles with a very relaxed grip. Grip the racket firm enough that it won’t slip out of your hand – you don’t want to see the whites of your knuckles or you’re gripping too tight! Play a few overhead shots and the second before your racket connects with the shuttle, squeeze a little tighter.

I expect you’ll find that you’re hitting the shuttle harder as your racket can accelerate quicker towards the shuttle without the tension to apply the brakes.

Your backswing can make all the difference

Looking back over the last 30 years or so, preparation for an overhead shot has changed. This is mainly due to the significant improvements in racket technology. No longer are we playing with steel framed rackets, weighing considerably more than the average 85g in today’s rackets. The lightweight, one-piece carbon construction has meant that you can now prepare and hit in a second. There’s no need for a long backswing – an almost tennis-like serve in order to hit an overhead shot in badminton.

What I do see so often is almost a “corkscrew” action whereby the racket is moved with the shoulder turn. So why is this wrong?

Whenever you move a muscle, or series of muscles, they always want to return to a neutral position i.e. go back to where they started from.

A corkscrew action therefore usually creates a reverse action. This means that instead of the racket being thrown in a direct line at the shuttle, it’s almost moving across the path of the shuttle. Catch the shuttle at precisely the right point and you may hit a good smash.

But, this method is extremely unpredictable and inaccurate too.

Exercise 3 (A video explanation is available)

Stand in a space with sufficient clearance around you to swing your racket. From a defensive stance, place your non racket hand onto the front of your shoulder to feel the muscles move.

Now, with your non-racket hand still on your shoulder, prepare to hit an overhead and feel which way your arm and shoulder are moving. Got it? Now play the shot and pay attention to the follow through and where your racket finishes.

Do the same exercise again, but this time lift your racket straight over your shoulder as though you are scratching your back. Your elbow should be pointing virtually upright. Can you feel a difference? If you can, that suggests you’re more likely to be using a corkscrew action in your preparation.

If you didn’t feel a difference, turn your shoulders as though you are going to hit the shuttle. Your racket will move to its usual position.

When you throw the racket from here, watch the line of the racket. Is it going out in direct line to where you want to hit the shuttle, or is it falling across your body towards your non-racket leg?

If your racket is going in a straight line then you’ve got great technique and chances are you’re already hitting the shuttle pretty hard. Focus on exercises 1 and 2 to see if you can improve in these areas.

If your racket is somewhere near your non-racket foot, then you may find that you hit stronger and more consistently cross court than you do straight. If you do, then the corkscrew action is a cause. Also, you may find that you pull most of your round-the-head shots out of court.

Quick Summary

OK, we’ve covered some basic ground here, but from what I continue to see in clubs, a huge percentage of players can improve the power of their badminton smashes by improving in one, two or all three of these key areas.

Have some fun testing these exercises out, and hopefully you’ll find the one area where you quickly find a little more focus makes a huge difference in the result of your smash.

This article is not meant to be a complete checklist of ways to improve the power of your badminton smash. I’ve chosen my “big three” because they are relatively easy for you to check for yourself when you haven’t the luxury of working with a coach.

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