Badminton Technique: Counting Four

I had a conversation with a friend over dinner about how we can minimise the effort that we spend on court to get the same performance.

This is important because when it comes to the long-drawn rallies, it'll really come down to who can do the most with the least energy.

Here's a technique that I use personally to get the most out of my time on court. It involves knowing when you can walk and when you have to run to get into position.

Before I start however, you'll need to know a bit about the defensive technique of clearing and drop shots. I've written a few articles about badminton strategies so you can browse around using the labels on the right side of your page.

Once you have a pretty good idea of how you can move an opponent around with flat clears and how you can buy time for yourself with high clears, you're ready to start bringing that knowledge to the court.

Take a few games and get familiar with the kind of strokes you like to do, and generally how long it takes for the shuttle to reach the opponent's racket. Once you've got yourself a good sense of the timing involved, you're ready to start Counting Four.

The rules are simple - badminton footwork is like dancing. I take it in counts of four and eight, allowing myself three counts to get to the shuttle, and the fourth to hit.

Once you get to four, you'll need to start moving to the centre, using the first of the next series of four to get into the general direction.

On the second count of the second set, your opponent would have hit the shuttle. That's when you adjust your movement and take out the next three steps of the second set.

You adjust the speed of the count according to how fast the game is going. Use the rhythm to keep you on your toes and get to where you want to go.

Do take note that this technique is more likely to be applied when you're on the offensive or when the game is neutral. Defensive play might involve shortening the counts to three or two, until you're able to extend the counts with a good lift.

Basically, the last counts of the set are when you're hitting the shuttle. Reset the count and establish a steady beat to keep your mind and body in the game.

Happy shuttling!

Badminton Racket First Impressions: Prince Triple Threat 2700

Prince has always produced rackets of quality, and I'm speaking from experience here. Prior to this, I've had the chance to get my hands on two other Prince badminton rackets - the OS Black and the Black Pearl XP - both of which are very well suited to the average shuttler.

But that's just it. Prince caters to serve as a very well-made racket that will fit all kinds of players. While the control and strength are excellent, I do see their rackets missing the extra push when it comes to going beyond good and into being a great piece of sport engineering.

Take the Prince Triple Threat 2700 for example. While it's performed well on all fronts in terms of control (in fact it felt great when I was taking on a slower game of singles today), there was just something missing in the hits that caused me to trade out the racket for the other one I brought.

And when I find out what that missing element is, I'll be sure to write a review for the lovely looking racket.


Badminton Racket First Look: Prince Triple Threat 2700

I think I got my eye on this one since a year back, but didn't get a chance to own it coz someone bought it before me.

But surprise, surprise, the stringer found one in his store, and here I go with another purchase.

Take a look.



 

Selamat Hari Raya and happy holidays!

Quite a bit of the readers who chance their way to this blog are from Malaysia, and I thought I'd give a shout-out since it's the festive holidays over where they are.

Selemat Hari Raya for the Muslim readers, and happy holiday to all others!

Badminton Racket Review: Mizuno Tetracross 700

I love the Mizuno brand. I've filled my closets with their shirts and bags, and for the longest time, I've looked at their rackets on the websites wishing that I could get my hands on one of them. Unfortunately, there's no distributor in Singapore for the brand's rackets, and they've been elusive.

Until one day I chanced upon someone on the Badminton Central Forums wanting to let go of a mint condition Tetracross 700. I jumped, and here it is with me ever since.

My first Mizuno! But it didn't impress when I took it to the court eagerly for a test run - the clears were weak and the weight wasn't as suited for my play as my expectations.

But time went on and I changed to using the racket for my doubles games. It's been performing well so far, and I've got a review for you guys.

This review is my opinion of the racket from using it in my games, my style. There are a lot of ways to play badminton, so take this review with a pinch of salt. I'm here to tell you, in as much accuracy as I can, how my games went with the racket. Comments welcome!

Ok here goes.

Mizuno Tetracross 700
Est. Dry Weight: 85g (3U)
Grip Size: G5
Balance: Head Light
Flex: Stiff
Strings: Yonex BG66 Ultimax 66 @ 25lbs

I use this racket for doubles play.

Defense
The Mizuno Tetracross 700 is blazing fast. The isometric head shape is very slight, and that lends quite a bit to the aerodynamics of the racket. Being a head light racket also helped it achieve a very good speed on the swings. Smashes hardly trouble me with this in my hand, and the time it gives me as a result allows me to control the return pretty well.

Something that I noticed about the Tetracross 700 was how I could drive a shuttle low with speed to the other end of the back court from a smash. A flick of the wrist and it's gone to the other side, sometimes before the attacker can land or move proper.

However, high blocks are a problem. Given the lack of power from the racket, the underarm lifts from smashes too a little beating, often not strong enough to get to the back court.

But despite that I've noticed that I don't get attacked a whole lot when I'm equipped with the TC700. And if I ever were, I'm pretty confident that I can give a good defensive fight.

Attack
I received a comment on the blog that this is a wrist racket, and that the smashes from the Mizuno Tetracross700 would be amazing for someone who's able to harness the use of the wrist.

It didn't take long for me to find out how good this racket was to smash. The sound of the shuttle came off sharp and resolute, a reflection of its path to the other side of the court.

There's a loud smash, and then the shuttle is controlled to the other end, into the tightest opening. Though the largest problem for the racket so far is its inability to clear too far, the attacking prowess of the racket somewhat makes up for it.

Control
Of the three types of rackets that I have I think head light ones give me the most problem when it comes to controlling the shuttle. The Mizuno Tetracross 700 performs quite well in this aspect, allowing me to place the shuttle rather accurately and with speed, but only if it's an offensive downward stroke.

The racket seems to have a problem generating power when you're trying to clear or lift. As mentioned earlier, you'll really need your wrist to make the long clear happen.

And one thing happens when you've concentrating too much on getting the distance on the shuttle - you lose control. Having to use more than usual strength to get the longer shots will mean you can't place it as well.

This showed when a larger than usual portion of my clears failed to get beyond the first service line.

Net control is great, with the light head of the racket allowing you more flexibility and agility to pull off the trick shots.

Not too shabby, but the long clears really lost quite a bit of appeal for me.

Looks
I don't like green, especially when I know that there's an other shade of blue to the Mizuno Tetracross 700. It's not pretty, but I won't go as far as to call it hideous.


Mizuno Tetracross 700
Defense: 9
Attack: 7
Control: 8
Looks: 5


Dovetails

When five fit so snug;
Each digit sliding perfect
Into the right place.

Badminton Racket Review: Li-Ning Woods N90

So it's time for the big one. The racket that Lin Dan uses. The one that produces as much haters as supporters. The Li-Ning Woods N90.

First impressions of the racket was good - the control was top notch, and the stiffness worker more for it than against it. The cautions on the web made sense - it is a punishing racket to use. But one with a decent technique will find the Li-Ning Woods N90 a very professional racket.

So how did it perform for me?

This review is my opinion of the racket from using it in my games, my style. There are a lot of ways to play badminton, so take this review with a pinch of salt. I'm here to tell you, in as much accuracy as I can, how my games went with the racket. Comments welcome!

Ok here goes.

Li-Ning Woods N90
Est. Dry Weight: 90g (3U)
Grip Size: S2 (eq. Yonex G5)
Balance: Head Heavy
Max String Tension: 28lbs
Flex: Very Stiff
Strings: Yonex Nanogy 99 @ 25lbs

I use this racket for singles play.

Defense
This racket is HEAD HEAVY. Holding it in your hand you could feel gravity just trying to pull it from you. It's no joke that players who do not have confidence with their skills should not try the Li-Ning Woods N90. There are 3 main reasons why.

I will start with the first - defense. If you're not able to successfully receive at least 7/10 smashes thrown at you and place them in a good enough position to deprive your opponent of the second attack, then this racket is not for you.

I found the N90 a tad slower than most of my head heavy rackets, and this is reasonably so. The very stiff shaft and the weight orientation is not forgiving to one who cannot defend well. Those going for power can opt for a lighter and less stiff racket that will no doubt increase your game play better than the Li-Ning Woods N90.

That being said, I've found the defense of the N90 to be rather substantial, though less than that of it's cousin the N90-II. Blocks can be decently placed to areas of the court, and the tight net drop blocks off a smash is brilliant.

Though I experienced a slower speed lifting the racket from a low position on the second smash, which means I'm more likely to suffer a loss from the follow up smash, the initial defense were pulled up well and satisfactorily.

Expect good things out of this racket when it comes to defense, but also expect the defense to be less than what you're used to.

Attack
This is a no brainer. A head heavy racket with a very stiff shaft can only mean that the attacks coming off the N90 can only be extreme.

On a smash, I could literally feel the shuttle trying to run away from the string bed, slicing through the air as it makes it way to the opposite site. As stiff as the racket is, it delivers in terms of shot power. This racket is a rocket launcher.

As always, there's a drawback to all this power. One who uses the wrist watch out. This racket is not really recommended for you. The stiffness of the racket runs down to the handle, and this in turn will pull your wrist down much more than the other attacking rackets will.

The Li-Ning Woods N90 will injure your wrist if you don't practice caution.

The extreme weight distribution of the racket is also not one to be disregarded. After a few long rallies you can feel the acid build up in your arms and making the next shot that little bit harder. By the end of the session, you'll notice a loss in shot power and distance.

The N90 can take down its user as fast as it can decimate its opponents.

Control
I caught myself walking around the court a few times today during my singles games. That's always a good sign that I'm in control and can dictate the pace of the game.

The N90 gives me a level of precision that is very much desirable. The stiffness of the racket gives your shots very little variation and thus offers you a high level of control along with overwhelming power and a semi-reliable defensive prowess.

Alternative clears, drop shots, pushes and drives were all very well-executed as I used all four corners of the court to my whim. The Li-Ning N90 accords me a level of control comparable to my even balanced rackets like the Yonex ArcSaber.

One thing I noticed though, the backhands were crazy hard to pull off well. The stiffness of the racket works against you here, requiring almost perfect technique to execute. As the racket leaves your body and your elbows and and wrist start to supinate, you will very much feel the racket bring your wrist down a few more degrees than you'd like.

And with the weight of the racket working against you when you throw a backhand, I would sincerely recommend those who cannot consistently perform back-to-back court backhand clears to try more overheads when wielding the N90.

From maintaining my defensive game to turning the pace and going offense with a well-made block, the Li-Ning N90 keeps up with the game that's going on in my mind, allowing me to ease up on trying to make the shuttle keep to its flight path and concentrate on pushing the opponent around the court and watching the magic happen.

Looks
This one's a little off. Plainly decorated with red, black and a hint of white on the head frame, the N90 speaks volumes with its simple design. The paint work is definitely unassuming to its potential.

It's like the fortune of having a good game is depicted with the primary red color, while the outcome is marred between the opposing clouds of white and black at the tip of the Li-Ning Woods N90.


Li-Ning Woods N90
Defense: 8
Attack: 10
Control: 9
Looks: 7

Badminton Racket First Impressions: Li-Ning N90

I've heard warnings from reviews and comments on the blog that this racket was hard to tame. It's as stiff as they come, and the head's just really heavy.

I've had experiences with overly head-heavy rackets before, and those didn't turn out well. Maybe that's why I've been staying away from the N90 for so long. That, and because the color scheme just really isn't that exciting.

So Lin Dan won the Olympics, and I thought I'd celebrate with a small racket purchase :)

And off to the courts we went this morning with the new racket in hand, ready with the restraints on the wrist hoping that the weight won't break it when I smash.

But it turned out to be a really good experience!

The Li-Ning N90 somehow managed to turn the really stiff shaft into a reasonably agile one. I was able to twist and turn the racket around to cope with defending and placement.

That trait caught me off guard as I was expecting a very hard time taming the racket.

Attacks were strong right off the bat, even the slight check smash could yield a respectable speed. Not once did the stiffness of the shaft affect the quality of my attack.

Until we got to the backhand!

One would really need a good technique to carry a good backhand from the Li-Ning N90. If you know what a panhandle grip is, you'd want to use that with a proper supination technique and adjust the angle. That will give you a better grip on the racket as the very stiff shaft will tend to wander off your palm on backhands.

Short from the minor setback of the backhand, the N90 performs superbly. I will provide a review soon.



Badminton Racket First Look: Li-Ning Woods N90

Got me a new racket. Got it strung. NBG99 - very control-based string. Saturday is the test. Is it as stiff as it seems? Looks like the Voltric Z-Force has a contender.


Badminton Shoes: Li-Ning AYZG013-2

So my Yonex 101Ltd broke on left inner-side, and I decided to give the Li-Ning shoe series a try because they look so darn sweet.

I'll say that again, "THEY LOOK SO DARN SWEET."


Badminton Legend: Lin Dan

I salute the greatest player of all time, Lin Dan. Congratulations on your legendary win and 8 years of bragging rights.

July 31, 2012 - Source: Michael Regan/Getty Images Europe

Badminton Racket First Impressions: Yonex Voltric 70

Somehow, the Yonex Voltric 70 has been sitting in my cupboard for the longest time. I've used it a few times but it's not as magical as the infamous VT80 so it kinda got left behind.

There are a few times where I've used it and kind of liked the feeling of the flexible shaft and how it lends power to the swings. But as time went on and I got better at the game, the demand of stiffer shafts relegated the Voltric 70 to the bottom of the shelf.

Today was singles day, and I decided to give the racket another go.

Off the bat the VT70 felt very head heavy, even more so than the Yonex Voltric 80. I attribute this to the flex in the shaft, which loosens the head frame and causes it to swing more than it should.

Clears to the back were great, the shaft once again lending to the ease of hitting, but the smashes were a little hard to time and often came off earlier than expected. One would have to get a really good position far behind the approaching shuttle if you wanted to pull off the perfect smash with the Yonex Voltric 70.

Because of that, I think the racket is more suitable for a doubles game, given the players usually have more time at the back of the court for the set-up and consequent heavy smash.

The issue with the heavy weight continues on defense, with the head refusing to move as fast as I wanted it to.

But, given this is the First Impressions, I'll lay off the criticism and let the racket speak for itself over the course of the next few sessions.

Review soon, hopefully.


Badminton London Olympics: Closing

Thanks to BWF for the results. It's all over, with Lin Dan staking claim to four more years of bragging rights over the hardworking Malaysian Lee.



Badminton Racket First Impressions: Toalson Ti Max Power 3000 Neo

This racket belongs to one of those that I had to get because it looked so darn good. And I share the same tastes with many others because the stringer sold out in a weekend.

On first touch the racket feels head heavy, but yet able to get itself up with a fast swing for your doubles games.

I've been looking for a nice head heavy doubles racket for awhile, and short of risking an expensive one and have it chipped or broken from a clash, I found the Toalson brand of rackets reliable and cost-effective.

The Ti Max Power 3000 Neo is no different. The racket's stiff shaft allows you a higher level of control as compared to another Toalson racket that I also purchased that day (first impressions to come soon), and that gives me a more comfortable game where I can throw out whatever shots I want.

But it's no even balanced racket, and it started to show when the smashes came down hard and fast.

Overall, the Toalson Ti Max Power 3000 Neo is a pretty decent racket that looks really, really good. If you're tight on budget and want something that gives you a little of everything you want from a game, this here brands and racket's a good starting point.