Badminton is a sport that has gained a lot of fame in recent months and we owe that to true wonders of this modality such as Carolina Marín. A young woman from Huelva who competes in the women’s individual category and has reached Olympus with her effort and her ability to overcome. Badminton has always been present in our lives, but now it is even more so, so we are going to tell you what essential accessories we need to practice this sport in our free time.
Playing badminton is fun, in fact, many children start in this sport because the racket is lighter than tennis and paddle tennis, and then they move on to other racket sports. It is also usually a sport that attracts attention for its ball, which is actually called a feather or shuttlecock. Throughout this text we are going to learn many details of badminton through its accessories.
Essential equipment
In this section we will find those objects that yes or yes we must have if we want to play badminton. We are not going to put brands, or price, or anything, we will only say that they are necessary objects to start the game in this sports modality.
badminton net
We can skip this section if we are going to play in a facility where there is already a special net for badminton or there is a net that does the trick for us. Otherwise it will be a good idea to get a network. On Amazon there are for just over 20 euros, but we have to take into account some aspects, for example, it must measure a meter and a half high, 6.10 m long and 76 cm wide.
This net is fixed in the center of the court and must have a white band that does not exceed 7.5 cm wide. The shuttlecock should never touch the net, that is part of the difficulty of this game given the height of the net, reminiscent of volleyball.
Racket
Without a racket we cannot play, it is obvious. Badminton rackets are very light, usually weighing between 80 and 100 grams . They are usually made of resistant materials such as carbon fiber, but can also be made of reinforced plastic or aluminum, among other materials.
They are usually very elongated rackets with a small head made up of a resistant and elastic string that favors the hits of the shuttlecock. The racket is held by the handle and never by the shaft, in addition, this part is very sensitive and can break with an impact.
There are badminton rackets for all types of players. If we have never played, it is best to buy a beginner or neutral one, and as we improve and change rackets to one that suits our playing technique.
Steering wheel
It has dozens of names, but it is known as a shuttlecock and it is the projectile used in badminton games, just as balls are used in tennis or paddle tennis. It has a conical shape with a wide opening and is made up of 16 feathers, which are usually synthetic, and are inserted into its cork base that forms a semicircle and is covered by a thin layer of leather that is usually synthetic in some cases. Its weight ranges between 4.70 grams and 5.50 grams ; the diameter of the cork is usually between 25 and 28 mm and the opening where the feathers are usually between 54 and 64 mm. In addition, each feather usually measures between 6 or 7 cm.
The combination between feathers and cork is what promotes those movements that make the game difficult on many occasions. That is why professional tournaments are held indoors, that is, without wind, rain, or anything that hinders the flight of the feather from side to side of the pig.
Shoes
It is a special shoe. Let’s remember that the game space is reduced and although we may not believe it, we are exposed to making many sudden movements, jerks, strides and bad postures in order to reach and hit the steering wheel. This is why the vast majority of badminton shoes have an anti-torsion ankle system , extra cushioning for jumps and strides, great lightness and great stability.
When we are practicing a specific sport such as badminton, we must use footwear adapted to the movements that are anticipated, we cannot use fitness trainers or shoes with studs such as football boots.
Clothes
Clothes for badminton can also be used for other sports. In this modality the color white is mainly used, although that is the least of it. What is usually used is comfortable clothing that does not tighten and that allows us freedom of movement.
It is also key that it is breathable, so we will avoid cotton and choose technical fabric that does not help prevent soaking in sweat and keep us fresh longer without giving extra weight, a feeling of being overwhelmed or the like.
Accessories
Among the accessories we are going to highlight the most essential, such as the racket cover, but we must also take into account others such as the towel, to dry the sweat, the plastic bag for dirty clothes, the plaster, hair bands , the water bottle, energy bars, muscle bandages, knee pads, etc. It depends on how professional we are, or whether it’s just a quick party on the beach with friends.
Grip and overgrip
The grip is the grip of the racket , that is, a tape that helps us to grip the racket more firmly and the overgrip is a tape that goes over the initial grip that serves so that the hand does not slip if it sweats. and it also helps to absorb some of the vibrations. Although it depends on the quality of the ribbons, wear and tear, and also the thickness and even the material of the badminton racket.
The grip is mandatory and the overgrip is optional, it depends on each player, type of racket, style of play, whether we sweat or not, etc. It is recommended to use both, so we thicken the grip and ensure greater firmness in each blow.
racket storage bag
It seems silly, but it is an essential accessory, since badminton rackets are very delicate, despite how resistant they are sometimes to many blows. Not only for this, but also for comfort, it is better to carry it in the cover and hang it on your shoulder, than to carry it in your hand together with the flyers, the water bottle, the towel, etc.
At this point we can choose, either just the cover or a sports bag to put our racket, another spare, several packages of shuttlecocks, string for the racket, shoes, clothes for after the shower, and a long and so on. We recommend starting with the sheath, and as we improve our techniques and perfect them, we get new accessories.
racket string
The rope is strong and very flexible. This string is different from the tennis racket string, so it’s best not to confuse them. The string for badminton rackets has two factors to take into account, one is the string and the other is the tension. The string is decisive for the type of game we have, since it can improve our techniques or worsen them.
The tension depends on the types of blows we launch, only the player knows what he feels in each blow and what he wants to feel to reach his goal. If the tension is high, you usually get more control of the shot, and if the tension is low, what you get are more powerful shots.
portable set
It is usually an all-in-one set where we have a racket with a cover, pen, net and grips. An all-in-one that is usually sold on Amazon and in specialized stores, and are perfect for beginners who want to start in badminton without spending a lot of money or breaking their heads looking for everything they need for their first matches separately.
We recommend opting for this option if we are very new or for our children, but as we progress, we will have to improve the accessories and adapt them to the style of play.
