Badminton Equipment Information
Badminton is a racket sport that is enjoyed by people at a recreational and competitive level. It's an Olympic sport with a worldwide professional tour, but many people know it from backyard games with their friends and families. Like tennis, it involves hitting an object over a net and into an opponent's court; unlike tennis, the object is not a ball that bounces off the ground but a smaller projectile called a shuttlecock.
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The Court
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A badminton court includes a net that separates the two sides of the court. For a shot to be legal, it must go over the net and land in the opposing player or team's court. According to rules by the sport's sanctioning body, the Badminton World Federation (BWF), the net should be at least 6.1 meters wide and attached to two posts that are 1.66 meters high on either side of the court. The net should be 1.524 meters over the center of the court and edged with a 75-millimeter white tape running over a metal cable or doubled cord.
The Shuttlecock
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Shuttlecocks are conical projectiles with corked bases attached to either feathers or a plastic skirt. Feathered shuttlecocks are used in professional competitions, but because they are less sturdy and tend to break more easily, most amateurs use plastic versions. Shuttlecocks come in three different speeds--slow, medium and fast--that determine how fast the game play will go. The American badminton sanctioning body, USA Badminton, recommends medium-speed shuttlecocks for beginning players.
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The Racket
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Compared to tennis rackets, badminton rackets have significantly thinner handles and necks and a smaller head. Shafts are made smaller to decrease weight--a lighter racket produces more speed at the head and, therefore, more power. Because badminton shuttles are much lighter than tennis balls, the racket can be less sturdy to avoid breaking upon impact.
The Strings
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Badminton rackets typically have strings made from a synthetic material. The tension of the strings on the racket head can be adjusted to suit the personal preferences of a player. Typically, more advanced players prefer strings that are strung more tightly; their increased racket head speed combined with the stiffness of the strings creates increased power. Beginning players might prefer a more loosely strung racket to gain more power because of the "trampoline effect" of the shuttlecock rebounding from the strings.
History
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An early forerunner of badminton called battledore was a children's game that involved hitting a shuttlecock back and forth without a net or court. The goal was to see how long two people could keep the shuttlecock going without hitting the ground. The game evolved into modern-day badminton in the mid-1800s as English soldiers stationed in India learned a variation called "Poon" that introduced the idea of hitting the shuttlecock over the net.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit badminton image by Christopher Walker from Fotolia.com
