TYPES OF BADMINTON GRIPS | When selecting a badminton racket, most beginners miss out on one of the most important aspects of the racket – the grip. The badminton grip helps a player to maximise their performance by allowing them to hold the racket comfortably. Most grips also aid in sweat absorption, allowing you to grip the racket tightly even when you’re drenched in sweat.
However, most badminton players have next to no knowledge of the type of grip they should buy. While choosing your badminton grip, it’s important to examine your style of play and determine what kind of grip works best for you. This way, you’ll pick a grip that you’re comfortable playing with and this will help you perform optimally. So let’s take a look at the kind of grips out there.
1) Towel Grip
A towel grip consists of a layer of cotton wrapped around the original badminton grip.
Note – The original grip is what is already on the racket when you first buy it.
Towel grips are made from cotton and are ideal for players with sweaty palms as they absorb sweat very efficiently. However, towel grips tend to weigh down the racket, and need to be changed frequently as the sweat accumulates and causes bacteria to breed.
If you prefer a more aggressive playing style that requires a lot more power, you should definitely play with a towel grip.
2) Synthetic Grip
A synthetic grip is also called an overgrip as it is used as a covering over the original grip of the racket. However, towel grips are also used as an overgrip at times.
Generally, polyurethane is used to make most synthetic grips and it offers greater comfort while absorbing excess sweat.
Of course, you don’t really need another grip if you’ve already got an original grip in place. But for players looking to enhance their power, adding a thicker synthetic grip can really help.
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These are just the two main types of grips that you’ll find in badminton rackets. Synthetic grips also come in a variety of sizes according to thickness. The sizes are as follows:
- G1 – 3 inches
- G2 – 3 ¼ inches
- G3 – 3 ½ inches
- G4 – 3 ¾ inches
- G5 – 4 inches
Now, you need to choose a type of grip based on whether you prefer to play a power game or a more controlled game.
Power Game
To those of you who prefer playing smashes, drives, and other powerful shots, it’s best that you get yourself a thicker grip. This way you can hold onto the racket more tightly and generate more power.
Also, you need to ensure that the racket head is heavier than the handle in order to drive powerful shots over the net. So if you’re into powerplay, add a towel overgrip to the original grip so you can maximise the grip surface while ensuring that the racket head is still heavier.
Control Game
If you like playing drops, net shots, deceptions, and other, more technical maneuvers, you’ll need a thinner grip. This will ensure that your fingers stay flexible while you hold the racket, allowing you to practice a variety of different techniques. However, you also have to ensure that the racket handle is heavier than the head for a more controlled style of play.
For this one, you’ll need to cover your original grip with a polyurethane overgrip. You can also remove the original grip and get a towel grip in its place.
Choose Wisely
While this article may have helped you form some idea of the kind of grip you’re looking for, remember that each person’s palm as well as their playing style is unique.
So instead of selecting a grip based on these specifications, try different combinations and choose what’s best for you. Good luck!
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