String+Tension?

__**String tension relating to power and control**__ 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 strings. Thus, it is very important to know a little about the differences in badminton strings and how their tension can affect your game. It is all about tension relating to power and control.
 * Matching string gauge and tension**

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 the tension, power and control. Tension and power are related. So are power and control.

If you applied more tension to your strings, you'll have a stiffer string bed. With a stiffer string bed, you'll get a good control feeling as the shuttlecock bounces off the string bed instantly once in contact with the string, allowing players to control their game and adjusted placing instantly. Racket strung at high tension using thin string tend to build up speed on your drive shot and counter attack. Don’t mistake control as merely defense. Control is the ability to hit hard and place the shuttle where you want it to go. Please take note that If you string your racket with the same high tension using a thicker string compared to a thinner string, you'll feel that the thinner string is tighter, perhaps offering less power when compared to the thicker string. Thinner strings tend to lose their tension faster when compared to thicker string, thus it not advisable to use too low a tension with thinner strings.
 * Playing with a higher tension racket**

In Malaysia, thinner strings (like the microfilament synthetic string) are normally used to string high- tension rackets. Players know that tension would lose a 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 close 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. Believe me, with more strength and higher tension, you'll be able to score points on your smashes. Unless, that it, 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 words; if your racket was over tensioned and 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 have 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 one of those serious players who would restring their racket frequently, try a thicker string and of course there is no harm trying a thinner string once in awhile to see if it snaps as you'd expect.

If you applied lower tension to your strings, you'll create a more bouncy string bed. With a bouncy string bed, you'll 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 their smash power instantly. Upon impact, the shuttlecock would land deeper on a thinner gauge string, thus providing better power control. Thinner gauge strings also help to minimize air resistance enabling players to speed up for more power. Rackets strung at reasonably lower tension using thin strings tend to build up power on smashes and baseline chopping. The term //**feeling**// means even though you hit the shuttle very softly ,for example, when performing a drop shot, you're still able to place the shuttle where you want it to go. Power would mean even if you smash using your normal strength, the shuttle would be able to reach your opponent at high speed.
 * Playing with a lower tension string**

With lower string tension on a thinner string, that is stretching the string to its reasonable elastic limits- there is more elasticity on the string and more room 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 at high speed when you smash with normal strength as the string bed has excellent flexibility and elasticity to help deliver the power. Unfortunately, unlike thicker strings that are able to hold their tension longer, thinner strings, especially microfilament strings, tend to lose their tension faster.

Unfortunately, it was also because of this bouncy characteristic; player would sometime find it difficult to adjust and control their stroke when delivering shooting loops and tend 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, increase it a pound or two at a time so that you can still maintain your control as well as increase 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 ||

Badminton strings are sensitive to changes in temperature and very much affected by climates in different regions of the world. In Malaysia and other South East Asia countries, the weather is rather warm and humid, thus the strings tends to loose tension more rapidly. They are, however, more durable compared to 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.
 * Different weather condition affected string tension**

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

In Malaysia and other Asian Countries, feather shuttlecocks are 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, they don't create such 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.
 * Different material in shuttlecock affected string tension**

Traditionally, in Europe, United State and Canada, plastic shuttlecocks had become the favorite shuttlecock. Due to their nature of the plastic, these shuttles tend to be less flexible and created a harder impact on badminton strings, thus causing more strings to snap. A thicker string strung at lower tension would be able to solve the “snapping” problem but players should maintain at least a certain amount of tension to balance the control and power needed for a good badminton match. [|ProSpeed Site]