Beginners’ Guide to Badminton Rackets — Part 2

If you’re new here, check out our previous post about the racket’s balance point or this guide that helps you choose a badminton racket.

Shaft flexibility

Based on the material and technologies used, rackets range from ultra-flexible, middle-flex to stiff. The most important thing you should consider when choosing a racket is your swing speed so that it matches the racket’s flexibility. The ideal stiffness is that which correlates with the racket speed you can generate.

TL;DR
Flexible — Beginners, Club and Recreational players. It offers better swing speed in your strikes.
Mid flex — Intermediate players. This is a transition racket as you proceed to learn better techniques and improve your performance.
Stiff — Intermediate to Advanced players. They make use of the wrist action for more power and better performance to master the game.

Note — Choosing a racket depends on your personal playing style & preference.

Badminton racket shaft flexibility

A flexible shaft has a longer bending moment while a stiffer shaft hardly bends.

Let’s break this down further. A longer bending moment means the shaft returns more slowly giving you more time to change the shuttle direction.

Each of these scenarios presents its own pros and cons.

Read on to know whether a stiff or flexible shaft suits your playing style.

Flexible Badminton Rackets

1. A flexible shaft gives good repulsion, aka more power in your swings.
2. Flexible rackets are thus good for beginners who are still learning techniques for power generation in their swings and can focus on mastering other skills of the game.
3. It offers good defensive play as the racket is good for smash defence, clears and drop shots without exerting too much force.
4. Hitting shots across the court or from the rear court with a flexible racket is easier for beginners and they can focus more on technique.
5. The shaft’s bending moment may cause slight vibration as the shuttle hits the string bed resulting in uncertain flight direction and inaccurate shuttle placement which is essential for pro tournament players.
6. The shaft’s flexion means a partial loss in speed (as the racket bends back and forward). This gives you more time to change direction but also means that the shuttle stays on the string bed for longer.

Stiff Badminton Rackets

1. Stiff rackets offer little to zero repulsion (based on middle stiff or hard stiff) so the shuttle bounces off as soon as it is hit.
2. With lesser repulsion, the shots are not as powerful so you have to generate force through your swing speed and arm force.
3. Stiff rackets are excellent for shuttle placement as it does not bend or vibrate. The flight direction is predictable which is how pro players precisely control the shuttlecock landing.
4. Fast attacks, deceptions, and net kills are all tactics used by pro players that use stiff rackets.
5. Stiff rackets offer quick returns that pro players can execute using small yet powerful wrist motions. The wrist power is completely transferred to the shuttle resulting in super-fast returns.
6. Fast-paced power games are achieved using stiff rackets. It puts your opponent into a constant defence stance.
7. Switching to stiff rackets will help you try out advanced-level techniques and master the game when you are familiar with most badminton techniques.

A flexible racket will suit you well if you are more focused on mastering techniques. Once you reach the stage to develop the skills to exert more power in your shots, stiff rackets will help you master your game.

Are you ready to get started with your game? Head to Li-Ning Studio to gear up for your next match!