The Right String Tension For You

String tension relating to power and control

Matching string gauge and tension 

In badminton, the direct contact of shuttlecocks when delivering a smash, a shooting loop or even a drop shot is the badminton string. Much of the power in a badminton shot comes from the string. Thus, it is very important to know a little on how the differences in badminton strings and its tension can affect your game. It is all about tension relating to power and control.

By adjusting the string tension, you can adjust the amount of power or control that you get from any string, thick or thin. There is coordination between these tension, power and control. Tension and power are related. So are power and control.

Playing with a higher tension racket

If you applied more tension on your string, you will have a stiffer string bed. With a stiffer string bed, you will get a good control feeling as the shuttlecock bounces off the string bed instantly once in contact with the string, allowing players to control his game and adjusted its placing instantly. Racket strung at high tension using thin string tends to build up speed on your drive shot and counter attack. Don’t misunderstood control as merely defense. Control is the ability to hit hard and placed the shuttle to where you want it to be. Please take note that If you strung your racket with the same high tension using a thicker string and a thinner string, you will feel that the thinner string is tighter and therefore less power when compare with the thicker string. Thinner string tends to loss its tension faster as compare with thicker string, thus thinner string is not advisable to string with tension that is too low.

In Malaysia, thinner strings like the microfilament synthetic string are normally used to string high- tension racket.  Players knew that tension would lose out certain percentage after playing for a week or two, so to get the best out of a thin string; the tension should be increased by certain percentage higher.

 With higher tension on thick string, that is stretching the string closed to its elastic limits- the shuttle would not be able to reach your opponent with high speed when you smash with normal strength, as the string bed are so stiff and lack of flexibility and elasticity to help you delivered the power. Thus, you need to use more strength on your smashes and believe me with more strength and high tension, you will be able to score points on your smashes unless you don’t have the strength to play a high tension racket. With higher tension on thinner string, you would be able to get some elasticity but not the durability.  In another word; if your racket was over tension and is beyond your physical ability to handle it, the best way is to slightly reduce the string tension. Do not reduce your string tension drastically, reduce it a pound or two at a time so that you can still maintain your control as well as increased your power.

Alternatively, you can string your racket with a higher elasticity strings that naturally has more power. Natural guts and microfilament synthetic strings would be a good choice.

Either you string it with the same tension to get more power, or slightly increased the tension to a pound to get more control at the same time, more power.

I think you would like to consider the fact before restringing your racket that high-tension string tends to snap easier than lower tension string because stretching the string beyond its elastic limits would definitely loses its durability. And even with tremendous improvements in string technology, It is inevitable to avoid the fact that a thinner string tends to snap faster than thicker string. And if you are not those serious players who would
restring your racket frequently, try a thicker string and of course it is no harm trying a thinner string once in awhile to see if it snaps like what you expected.

Playing with a lower tension string

If you applied lower tension on your string, you will have a more bouncy string bed. With a bouncy string bed, you will get a good feeling as the shuttlecock stays in the string bed for a longer period before bounces off the string bed once in contact with the string, allowing players to adjust its powerful smash instantly. Upon impact, shuttlecock would landed deeper on a thinner gauge string, thus providing better power control and thinner gauge string also helps in minimizing air resistance enabling players to speed up for more power. Racket strung at reasonably lower tension using thin string tends to build up power on smashes and baseline chopping. The term feeling means even though you hit the shuttle very softly or performing a drop shot, you are still able to place the shuttle to where you want it to be. Power would mean even if you smash using your normal strength, the shuttle were able to reach your opponent in high speed.

With lower string tension on a thinner string, that is stretching the string to reasonable elastic limits- there are more elasticity on the string and more rooms for string stretching resulting in a more bouncy feeling on the string bed upon impact. With the help of a bouncier string bed, the shuttle would be able to reach your opponent with high speed when you smash with normal strength, as the string bed have excellent flexibility and elasticity to help you delivered the power. But unfortunately, unlike thicker string that was able to hold its tension longer, thinner string, especially microfilament strings tends to loss out its tension faster.

Unfortunately, It was also because of this bouncy characteristic; player would sometime find it difficult to adjust and control its stroke when delivering shooting loop and tends to send the shuttle away from court. Thus, you need to adjust your strength on your stroke and believe me you would be able to adapt to it quite well after practicing for some time.

Alternatively, to get a better control, the best way is to slightly increase the string tension. Do not increase your string tension drastically, increased it a pound or two at a time so that you can still maintain your control as well as increased your power. Take note that lower string tension on a thicker string might not provide you the elasticity needed as thick string tends to be less elastic though more durable.

String tension	Power	Control	Durability	Feel	Vibration
Lower	Increase	Decrease	Increase	Increase	Decrease
Higher	Decrease	Increase	Decrease	Decrease	Increase

Different weather condition affected string tension

Badminton strings are sensitive to changes in temperature and very much affected by climates in different region of the world. In Malaysia and other South East Asia countries, the weather is rather warm and humid, thus the tension of strings tends loose out more rapidly though more durable comparing with strings played in cold and dry weather. Traditionally, most of the players in these regions prefer high tension stringing up to 24 lbs on thin microfilament synthetic string.

Badminton strings is rather brittle in cold and dry countries Europe, United State and Canada. Thus, rackets are sting at a very much lower tension, recommended mostly around 18lbs to get an equivalent amount of control and power while still maintain its durability

Different material in shuttlecock affected string tension

In Malaysia and other Asian Countries, feather shuttlecock is mostly used for all levels of game. The favorite speed for a shuttle used in these regions is either 76 grains (slower) for a smaller hall or 77 grains (Faster) for a larger hall. As feather shuttlecocks are more flexible and weight around 5grams to 6grams, it didn’t create any strong impact on badminton strings, resulting in more durable strings on these regions. Thus, the best resilience thin string is the favorite choice for players in these regions.

Traditionally, in Europe, United State and Canada, plastic shuttlecock had become the favorite shuttlecock used by players. Due to its plastic nature, the shuttlecock tends to be less flexible and created a hard impact on badminton string, thus causing more string to snap. A thicker string strung at lower tension would be able to solve the “snapping” problem but player should maintain at least a certain amount of tension to balance the control and power needed for a good badminton match.

Extracted from: www.prospeed.com.my