Badminton Training Rackets – Do They Cause More Harm Than Good?

Can using badminton training rackets be the answer to improved skills in badminton? Let’s find out!

To know whether training rackets can be useful or not to improve your badminton skills, one needs to know and understand what a training racket looks like and what it is.

What are badminton training rackets?

A training racket is a racket that looks exactly like any ordinary badminton racket, except for its weight. Any ordinary badminton racket is about 80-85 grams, but a training racket starts from around 120-140gms which is considerably heavier.

These badminton training rackets mimic the same functionality of an ordinary racket, but are harder to use due to the weight.

If you are using the racket to just perform off court swings and you do not have access to the special badminton training rackets, then even a squash racket can do the trick.

How can badminton training rackets help you?

When it comes to using a badminton training racket, the point isn’t to be able to play a match and win it. The point is to improve your badminton skills overall.

This racket shouldn’t be used for an entire game or for long durations, specially if you are a beginner. This is because it can cause small injuries since the weight of the racket will induce you to put in more efforts to swing your arm while hitting a short.

#1. Improved strength-

Using this racket to play basic strokes like the toss, drop and lift will help you execute these same strokes using an ordinary racket extremely well and quite easily too.

While using the training rackets, you are training your muscles and mind to be prepared to use more force and send the shuttle across.

So when it comes to using your actual racket, setting the shuttle across will be a breeze. You will notice a difference in power that you are able to generate.

This is lovely for beginners as they have to merely touch the shuttle while trying to send it across.

#2. Greater control-

While using this racket to execute shots the control will not be perfect. But it will teach you greater control while playing with your ordinary racket.

Using a heavier racket means less control will be there and an effort has to be made to control the shuttle. This comes very handy when using a normal racket as the control required will be much less and will come more naturally.

With the extra weight of the racket, you will learn to avoid tensing your muscles.

#3. Quicker reflexes-

Using a heavier racket to play a few points or knock around can help in improving the speed of your reflexes. Due to the extra weight of the racket, the hand will try to move a bit faster than usual to keep up with the pace of the shuttle.

This quick moment the hand/arm makes using the heavier racket will be even quicker while using a normal racket. This will result in better reflexes.

When/How to use the training racket:

#1. During warm-up:

During warm-up hold the heavy racquet in your hand and keep forming the number 8 with your racquet. This helps in warming up the wrist and loosening the muscles around it.

#2. Wall practice:

Wall practice is hitting the shuttle continuously on the wall. Doing it with the heavier racket will help in getting better strength, control and speed while playing with the normal racket on the court.

#3. Swings:

Swings are making shadow actions/ actions with the shuttle of all the various strokes. Doing it with training racket will help in improving the swing speed which will result in a better and more refined stroke on the court.

Conclusion:

You may at first find it difficult to use the training racket but in time you will see the difference and importance of including the training racket as part of your routine.