TIP - Simple method to determine your "hitting spot"

There is a easy and simple way (just not instant) to determine where you are hitting the shuttle on the stringbed of your racquet aka contact point between the shuttlecock and racquet stringbed.

All you need to do is to restring with a darker colour string or your choice. This is the "old fashion" way, before the availability of high speed cameras etc.

After playing with it for a short period of time, you will be able to see the most common contact points via areas of wear & tear - see the example(s) from one of my racquets below.

With this information, you can slowly adjust your "stroke timing" until you are hitting the racquet "sweet spot" regularly (REF: see video on how to determine your racquet "sweet spot") - very easily said but extremely hard to accomplish. 

That's the theory anyway ....

View from Side-A

View from Side-B

Table with summary of Yonex strings and characteristics

Came across this useful table with summary of Yonex strings and characteristics on the internet a while ago but forgotten about it.

String Tension Advice from the Yonex stringing team

 Best to let the experts clarify the details

Update - How to watch region blocked BWF live streams and recent videos of tournaments

Created this video due to quite a number of requests for a update as the Opera browser had been updated. Thus the previous procedure was not so intuitive any longer.

Enjoy!

Note - this video is for enabling Opera on a andoid device but the technique is applicable for PC, etc or where-ever Opera can be installed

Difference between string which snap due to usage vs a "mis-hit"

How do you tell the difference between a string which broke from natural wear&tear vs from a "mis-hit" eg from hitting the feather?

Here are two examples - the pix(s) are pretty much self explanatory (or "clear-cut")😄

Due to wear and tear

Due to "mis-hit"

From the pix(s) you can tell the string which snap due to wear and tear has evidence of fraying before it gave way from the stringing tension.

Likewise, the string which snap due to a "mis-hit" shows some form of a clean-cut-thru before the string tension caused failure.

Yonex string chart

 

Yonex racquet chart 2020

 

Some BWF players racquet and tensions

Information is as per obtained from post on another website.

How to watch Blocked BWF games (live streaming & recent recorded games)

Enjoy!!!

or 

Youtube instructions with sample

Difffrent type of "poker"s

A "poker" is used by stringers to clear obstructions or to rotate/remove grommets from the racquet frame.

The standard poker has a smooth metal surface whilst the grommet managing poker has a rough metal surface (provides grip to dislodge the grommets) - as per the pix below. 

LHS is the standard poker and RHS is the type used for managing grommets

String Diameter Verification (SDV) - Ashaway Zymax 62 Fire

As per expected from Ashaway, the thickness of the string is as per advertised.

Apologies as not able to straighten the pix for posting

Gosen racquet matrix

Victor racquet matrix

Yonex Badminton Racquet Chart 2018

Add-On Weight for the Racquet frame

Found this item online and bought a few of the 0.5gram model for a try. 

These racquet weights are made from silicon with adhesive backing. Thus just peel and apply to the prefer position on the racquet frame.

PRO: Seems to do the job and adds just a tad more weight to the desired position on the racquet.

CON: Can be a tad troublesome to apply onto a strung racquet

These weight for the frame does offer to help add weight to your racquet, if you prefer a racquet with just a tad more head heaviness than what you can find in the shops. The silicon has not fallen off after a few weeks usage ... yet.

Yonex string chart

Badminton racquet dampener(s)

Recently saw someone with a dampener on a badminton racquet, was wondering if anyone could share their experiences using them?

Visiting the shops, I founf these two different types of dampeners available in the market.

Button type

String type

Searching the net, there was mention of simply tying a rubber band between some strings towards the bottom of the racquet frame on BadmintonCentral.

String Diameter Verification (SDV) - Yonex BG66 Force

The results show a slightly thicker diameter, but within +/-0.01mm of the specification (1.538% deviation of the specified diameter on the packaging). Still acceptable ... 

String diameter verification (aka SDV) - Yonex BG66 Ultimax

Again, not much of a surprise here as still within 5% of the stated diameter.

String diameter for BG66UM in mm

String diameter verification (aka SDV) - Yonex AeroSonic

No surprises here, which is good news for players who like using this string