TOP 5 MISTAKES to Avoid in Badminton

PREPARATION FOR A TOURNAMENT

 

The kids may not be aware there are subtleties in preparation for a tournament that I’d instituted previously to my two boys when they were playing competitively.

The intention is to get them peak at the right time. In the final few weeks before the tournament, their training regime gradually shifted from physical and conditioning drills to game management and tactical. I do this by sitting them down to play back videos from their previous games and 2 v 1 sparring. They can see many things about themselves in the video which they cannot during their game. One of the tricks I did with them is to count the number of enforced errors (giving points) vs. winnings (making points) in games they were playing well and compared the statistics with games that they don’t do well. The findings are indeed interesting!

Pretournament checks include restring their racquets to their preferred tension at least two weeks in advance. Soles of their shoes are washed the night before the tournament. Balance their diet with food of colour variety and plenty of fluid. Avoid oily, spicy and carbonated drinks. I have tried supplementing with protein energy shakes too and most importantly get enough sleep 7 to 8 hours at night. Yes! No online games – which Is a challenge with teens nowadays.

Here is one routine I try my best to do it with the boys a few days prior to the tournament. Normally state tournaments have test court sessions. If not, I will take them there to play for an hour preferably with the tournament shuttle brand and speed. At home I sat them down with eyes closed to visualize the venue and court, the lightings, the draft, the texture and grip of the rubber court, the white tape on the net and visualizing their movement with ease on court, executing variety of good shots making points after points all in their mind’s eye. There are some psychological advantages in this familiarisation exercises to aid them peak at the right time.

Just before their game, I insist that they undergo pre-warm up muscle stretches comprehensively and light exercises to bring their body temperature up. This is especially vital at courts with strong air conditions namely KLBA stadium & Precinct 11 Putrajaya. The boys often play better in the second set when their engine is at peak temperature and flushed with adrenalin. Therefore, I often supervised them with these preparation before their game.

Last but not the least, mentor them to maintain a positive mind-set, keep communications open, supportive and encouraging tone of voice to instil confidence and desire to win. Anything that reflects fear, nervousness or mental barrier, steer them away from it with attention to their game and what they can do best. There is only so much I can do to help them off court and when they are on the court, they are on their own and my job is done!

Some Observations on Stringing Racquets

 

As I have shared in my earlier post on racquet repairs, most cracks occur at 10 o’clock or 2 o’clock on the racquet frame. I begin to realise why this problem is so predominant in racquets which is strung with two knots. The problem with two knots tie off is that it will create stress imbalance on the racquet frame geometry. Often the side with a tie off knot will suffer tension loss compared to the opposite side still holding original tension as it transition from vertical to horizontal weave.

The result of this will form a lob sided frame shape with the potential stress build up just waiting for the right time to fail structurally. Often it gives way around the two areas mentioned on the frame’s shoulders, perhaps its weakest link.

The recommended method is to do a four knots tie off with two tie offs on the main strings. Start from the middle and work your way out symmetrically with tie off at the left side and then at the right side to balance the stress symmetrically. Then, another two tie offs for the cross strings starting from the bottom all the way up ending with a tie off at the top.

I shared this with Aaron and now we will be changing our stringing method from two knots to four knots.

Aaron stringing his fav racquet

Look at the intensity and concentration

Surprisingly he does it with minimal supervision

The boss continues his work again

Finally its done!

Aaron BSU14 Tebrau JB 2016

 

... jahat tangan dia...

GRIP FIXER REVIEW

 

Here is a new product for the beginners to learn the correct grip on a badminton racquet. The Green is small and the Orange is medium size. Watch the video features below.

I've been trying out the green one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ughZmlcX3bI&feature=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2_xpg1Cu6s&feature=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1vaDmrs-VQ&feature=youtu.be

I have two sample sizes loaned from courtesy of Badmintonbay.com.  If any of you would like to try it out, give me a shout else if you like more info, kindly contact Catherine 016-322 6290 of Badmintonbay.com. Your friendly neighborhood online shop in Kinrara, Puchong. Cheers.

REPAIRING A BROKEN RACQUET

Broken badminton racquets are not an uncommon occurrence. I’m sure many have one time or the other encountered this issue before. Even pricey branded racquets are not spared from this glitch. Why is this not surprising? If you go to any badminton courts centre and make friends with the care taker, he will show you all the broken racquets that have been thrown away in the bin. I sought them out because I wanted the recycled grommets and possibly freshly strung strings. 

Quite a while back, Ryan picked up a new Yonex Duora 10 (orange/green version) with SP authentication hologram dumped by his school friend after it suffered cracks at 2 o’clock and 10 o’clock on the frame. These are common spots in the racquet to develop stress fractures. A quick check at Sunrise Click, this Yonex model formerly retailed at RM399. (Note : you can tell if it’s new from the number of grommet indentations the strings has cut through.) So what did they say in the old adage? “One man’s junk is another man’s treasure...no?”

Ok since I have more time now after getting laid off from my job about a month back, (victim of the pandemic) I decided to explore from the Youtube, how to DIY repair broken racquets. There are loads of them in Youtube. The following pictorials with captions will somehow give a bit of my thought process while going through the repairs… Enjoy!

 

                    Its made in Japan… or is it?    

              Two inch stress fracture at 10 o’clock…

     

Crack right through at 2 o’clock.

Its easier to use old graphite material from unwanted frame. Its light and sturdy.

Grind it to size so as can slip into the cavity of the racquet frame.

Original Yonex has fillings in the cavity of damping materials that needs to be removed.

Trial fit to ensure it fits snugly.

I have to cut the other end to slide in the other longer graphite material in.

See how long the other side was? Around 4 inches!

Use Epoxy resin with hardener and clamp it down to keep the frame flat.

It takes 24 hours for the Epoxy resin to cure and reach its full strength.

Next, sand down following the profile shape of the frame.

The holes needed re-drilled using 2mm dia drill bit. 

Spray paint with a fresh coat of mat black and finish with a glossy clear coat.

Fit the grommets and the racquet is ready for stringing. It’s a tad heavier but not too bad.

At the date of this report, I have completed 3 racquet repairs using this same technique and the repaired racquet can be strung at string tension of 25 – 26 Ibs no problem. So now you don’t have to throw away your favourite broken racquets anymore.

Post Covid 19 Movement Control Order

Wow, its been another year and so much has happened. As the Government began to relax the MCO after 9th June 2020, life gradually began to resume its normal cycle again although we all had to adhere to a new normal way of life now. The kids whom had been imprisoned at home for 2.5 months were raring to go out of the house. The good news was our club house has opened its courts again to its members but the bad news was, children under 12 years old were still prohibited from entering the courts.

Subsequently, I took Kiera to an external rented court for some court time training. She was rusty and unfit and needed to get into the training routine again. Its once a week training for a start. The primary schools were still not opened yet in this country. Once the Government announced schools to reopen again, we will enrol her into the school training programme.

For now, we pray the and hope the virus will be contained and not spread again like in many countries whom had seen second wave of spreading. I will update again on Kiera's development when I have the time. I will leave some pictures of Kiera on court.