As well as altering their racket head size, players can also add weight to their rackets by increasing its overall weight. For instance, using a leather grip that weighs 10 grams more than its synthetic equivalent can improve head-light balance by one point without restricting maneuverability.
Counter-weighting can also be done quickly and simply on most rackets with trap door access through their butt caps (though this feature might not exist on all racquets). Simply take off your butt cap and pack in some tungsten putty.
Static Weight
There are various methods for adding weight to a racket, but the key to successfully adding it is making it as uniform as possible. While weighting the head or handle may cause it to feel unbalanced or “clumsy”, adding it directly onto the hoop or ring will produce the most consistent result and we advise starting small and increasing in increments until reaching your ideal balance point/swingweight – this will stop it feeling awkward while maximizing swing speed!
Lead tape is an easy and cost-effective way to add weight to a badminton racket, offering quick results on most rackets. Lead tape can be found at any sports store at very reasonable rates and we suggest adding small amounts at first before increasing it over time until reaching desired weight – too much weight could make handling hard and unwieldy!
At the same time, it’s also essential to recognize that static weight and swingweight have different impacts on racquet performance. Swingweight measures dynamic inertia and requires more energy to move it than static weight – this explains why heavier rackets require greater muscular strength for manipulation during matches.
As illustrated in Figure 11a, increasing the total weight of a racket increases stability but does not significantly change power or spin potential upon impact (as illustrated). The maximum hittingweight depends on where its location coordinates are placed as well as distance to its balance point.
Weight addition to the hoop should be undertaken carefully as adding too much can reduce maneuverability and hinder maneuverability of your racket. We advise adding weight gradually so as not to compromise its maneuverability – for instance adding four 10-centimeter lead tape strips at 10 and 2 will increase its mass by 2.8 grams, providing two less head light balance points with 7 to 8 swingweight point increases respectively.
Swing Weight
Swing weight, or rotational inertia, of a racket is modified through adding lead tape or tungsten putty. As mass is added to its hoop and more weight is added to its head of racket, swing weight increases accordingly.
Increase the swing weight and it will create more power; this is because a heavier racquet resists rotation by its moment of inertia (force required to start rotating it) more.
Location is also key when adding weight; its effects will differ on swingweight. To have maximum impact on swingweight, weight must be added near to a racquet’s center of rotation (CM).
Finding a racket’s center of mass (CM) requires taking measurements between the center of its hoop and its CC (center of curvature). From this data, an instantaneous swingweight calculation can be made; as soon as its center nears closer to CC it increases while further away it decreases.
Weight can best be added to a racket in its 12 o’clock position for maximum effect on its swingweight. An eight inch strip of tape inserted here will increase total mass by around an ounce and result in one balance point more head-lightness for your racket.
As with the addition of swing weight, increasing tailweight will often require some sort of counterbalance in the form of tail-weight. An easy and quick way to do this is to decrease grip size one full size while adding half grip size heat shrink sleeves; this will increase total weight by 17 grams and result in three points more headlight balance and two extra swingweight points higher.
One effective solution for adding swing weight is adding dampeners to the stringbed. Available at most badminton stores and available in various weights, dampeners provide another great method of increasing swing weight while only weighing a few grams each, perfect for testing different combinations of weight positioning.
Twist Weight
The twist weight of a racket depends on its head size, frame design and string type. To change this weight of a racket you can either add weight to its hoop or use weight-stacking systems such as Wilson PWS (perimeter weighing system). By increasing its twist weight a racket’s spin potential is increased, especially effective with lower tension strings producing lots of topspin.
Changes to a racket’s twist weight also alter its position-dependent short-side and bending effects, as well as rotation and friction forces from impact on strings. Furthermore, adding weight to its head increases string movement effects, and thus forces exerted by individual strings against one another.
Djokovic prefers his racquets to have higher swing weight, for this very reason. A higher swing path requires greater effort from players using such weighty racquets; hence they become less maneuverable and forgiving over time.
While it isn’t possible to reduce the twist weight of a racket, its tension may be increased by adding lead tape at 3 and 9 o’clock positions. But be mindful that changing its twist weight could also alter its balance and swingweight; so extra care must be taken.
Tail-weighting a racket can also increase its swingweight. To do this, pack tungsten putty into the butt cap voids of the frame to gradually add weight – starting off slowly will allow gradual increase. Large amounts of weight in one go can cause unstable handling on contact; typically adding 20 centimeter strip weights centered at 12 o’clock will add 2.8 grams – that equates to one balance point less head-light and 10 points increase in swingweight.
Recoil Weight
Once you have your swing weight and twist weight set up correctly, it is time to think about recoil.
Recoil weight measures the ability of a racquet to resist twisting around its long axis after hitting a ball off center, so the greater its recoil weight, the less likely it will flex when hit off-center.
Having a racquet with low recoil weight but high twist weight may make contact less stable and limit plow-through ability for players. To remedy this situation, adding small amounts of weight here and there such as lead tape at 3 and 9 will increase both recoil weight and twist weight while adding lead tape at 12 will only affect recoil weight slightly but won’t have as great an effect on twist weight.
Addition of weight at the balance point and poles can help change both plow-through and recoil weight while leaving swing weight the same, providing a consistent method to altering playing characteristics of a racquet.
When entering your specifications into a custom racquet, it is vital to include accurate information for both strung and unstrung frames. When entering details for strung frames, ensure the swing weight, balance point and static weight values are entered as strung values; similarly for unstrung frames. Furthermore, make sure both frames contain similar specifications.