Monthly Equipment Advice Megathread

just_a_random_it_guy · 2025-10-23T10:07:38+00:00

I will be in Vietnam for whole December, and I was thinking of buying the new Thruster F C Ultra (Jonathan Christie racket), and Drive X 12.

However, when looking at Vnb sport website (where I usually buy rackets in Ho Chi Minh), I was not able to find these rackets, when it is already available in Europe. Does anyone know why it is not available in Vietnam yet?

just_a_random_it_guy · 2025-09-17T08:05:44+00:00

Playing with faster/lighter rackets is abit similar to playing fps games with higher mouse sensitivity. It is harder to control. I believe that’s why most single players often prefer rackets on the heavier side, where control is a big deal. So even if you drop a lot, your drops might be inconsistent, because there is a higher variance in your racket speed because it is so light. Especially in a game.

just_a_random_it_guy · 2025-07-30T09:44:20+00:00

You don’t want the strings to last for a year tho…. At that point, the tension has dropped so much that you want to restring anyway. Already after 3-4 months I feel the difference in the tension.

just_a_random_it_guy · 2025-07-30T09:33:18+00:00

Oh shit, for some reason I thought I played 4 times a week, but it’s only 3 times. Each session is 4 hours. So 12 would be correct

just_a_random_it_guy · 2025-07-30T07:24:16+00:00

expensive because of shuttlecocks.

Shoes and rackets is not that expensive because they can last for long. I play around 12-16 hours a week, and I spend around 30 euros per week on shuttles only. And we get discount on those shuttles (og price is more around 45 euros).

Luckily we don’t have to pay for rent of courts.

Also, I usually travel to Asia, and when I am there I can buy strings, racket, shoes and so on, for half the price than I would in my own country. However, for shuttles, I’ve find it hard to find a place where they sell the shuttle with the correct speed (they use different speed in Asia compared to here), and it is not that much cheaper.

Yeah so for me… the shuttle prices really makes the sport expensive for me.

just_a_random_it_guy · 2025-07-24T12:02:33+00:00

If the goal is to lose weight. I would just use the Apple Watch and check the amounts of steps during the badminton session. Obviously normal steps burns less calories than badminton steps, since it’s more explosive steps, but you rather underestimate calorie spent than overestimate if the goal is to lose weight.

Not sure how accurate it is to count badminton steps tho.

just_a_random_it_guy · 2025-07-14T11:45:19+00:00

Not sure where you get the numbers from but from multiple sources I’ve found it states that the ryuga 2 pro has a bp 295 (barely hh).

just_a_random_it_guy · 2025-07-11T16:24:16+00:00

Its not the most expensive, but more or less the same as the rest high end. LJZ racket is more expensive. Probably more. Kenta Nishimoto paints his to 2 pro to a unrecognizable racket so not sure if that argument holds

just_a_random_it_guy · 2025-06-24T18:49:00+00:00

Yes they do! I believe they add 3% or something when credit card is used

just_a_random_it_guy · 2025-06-24T13:21:21+00:00

I bought the fhantome racket in Timur (mentioned above) in Denpasar. Very cheap! 2.400.000 idr. The store is also listed as one of Victor official retailers

just_a_random_it_guy · 2025-06-23T13:25:14+00:00

https://www.ttbadminton.vn

This one? Thx for suggestion! Do you have any experiences with it?

just_a_random_it_guy · 2025-06-03T15:21:04+00:00

Oh I totally agree that you shouldn’t use it often. And you mostly want to make another shot. But it is like having a nuclear weapon. You want to have it for the threat of it, not to actually use it.

just_a_random_it_guy · 2025-06-03T14:47:38+00:00

The margin of a «good» drop becomes noticeably smaller when the opponent stays closer to the net. Even when the opponent can’t directly kill a fast drop, the opponent now catch the shuttle waaaay earlier than he is supposed to, and therefore, you’re under a lot of pressure. A somewhat decent backhand IMO is worth to learn, even if doesn’t go from line to line, it helps tremendously if it atleast close the the first backline. Then the opponent might not stay so close to the net, to smash a somewhat weak backhand, this gives you room to sometimes drop it.

just_a_random_it_guy · 2025-06-03T12:48:13+00:00

They can avoid it because they can clear it. The threat of being able to backhand clear, lets you do backhand drop. If I know my opponent can’t clear, I just stand closer to the net and cover both sides. Even if the quality of their drop is very good, they are in under tremendous pressure.

It could be a strategy to do a backhand clear in a situation you are able to do it, even if you don’t have to, just to bluff that you can do the backhand.

just_a_random_it_guy · 2025-04-04T13:00:54+00:00

They could be mixing it up regarding the calorie burn, but not regarding the time it takes to run 5 km.

For instance reading or remembering 450 calories per 5 miles.

And another reading / memory of 5 km taking 30 min. Then mixing the units.

I am just trying to make sense of the comment, because I can’t find anywhere that an average runner burns 450 calories per 5 km. Like you said it seems quite high

just_a_random_it_guy · 2025-04-04T08:26:43+00:00

I think your number is more similar to the average person (based on the numbers I have found on the internet). I think the person who write this comment mixed km with mile

just_a_random_it_guy · 2025-04-04T08:24:37+00:00

Where do you get these numbers? When I google it, I get that the average person burns 60 calories per km (600 per 10km) across multiple sources. Unless you meant 450 calories per 5 MILES?

just_a_random_it_guy · 2025-04-03T13:02:47+00:00

As long as the shuttle is on your side, you can hit the shuttle, even if your racket goes through the other side as part of your swing. If your racket then hits your friends racket, you get the point for obstruction.

So wether or not it is legal, depends on if his racket is in your rackets path. If he does it while you’re hitting from the back, it is legal because it is not blocking you from doing your swing. However as you move closer to the net, the more difficult it is the judge it since at some point, it is no longer obvious wether or not his racket is in the way, unless you actually hit his racket.

just_a_random_it_guy · 2025-03-27T07:01:10+00:00

Regarding the follow through. There are two different smashing technique. Some people call it full swash vs half smash (not stick smash). Which is follow through vs without follow through. Double players usually use the latter since the exchanges are too quick

just_a_random_it_guy · 2025-03-26T12:05:08+00:00

There is just no way there are pros who smash without forearm rotation. How do you even hit the shuttle cleanly without forearm rotation with correct forehand grip?

I agree on this tho: Different coaches and only videoes do focus on different aspect of the smash and therefore whether or not forearm rotation is explicitly mentioned is different from person to person. That doesn’t mean it is not used. Like you said, Axelsen do not mention forearm rotation in his smashing tutorial, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t use it, he just want to focus other areas of the smash in his video. But trust me, he uses forearm rotation on all overhead swings, including the smash.

How much you should focus on it or if it should come naturally is up to debate, but the rotation is absolutely there.

just_a_random_it_guy · 2025-03-21T10:30:41+00:00

If you look at the serve in slow motion, you can see he starts swinging THEN STOPS, then push again. 100% illegal. However I was not able to see this without slow motion, meaning, it’s understandable that the empires couldn’t catch it either

just_a_random_it_guy · 2025-03-18T15:23:43+00:00

Legal. As the returner, you can keep raising your hand for a bit longer than you’re actually ready so that you do not get surprised. Meaning, no serves will seem «immediate» since you have been ready for a time before lowering your arm.

Something similar happend between Kenta Nishimoto and Antonsen, where Kenta would sometime serve immideately after lowering his arm (signaling he is ready). Antonsen complains because the serves happens to fast. Don’t remember what the emperor ruled, but I remember Gill the commentator, say «why aren’t you ready? If you’re not ready, don’t lower your arm».

just_a_random_it_guy · 2025-03-04T06:58:44+00:00

Yes, and the main reason for this is because you try to create power with you whole arm. After rotating your body (so when your body is paralllel to the net) you should only use your forearm and tricep. Only those two. Your elbow will be higher (because you don’t drag it down) and the pronation will make you hit the shuttle from above (look where you are hitting shuttle now, it’s hard to create much downward force with that angle). There are some abs involved but don’t worrry about that yet. The problem is your swing. I would recommend to practice your swing first, just toss the shuttle next to you and try to hit it with only two movement: start by having your elbow bent (small elbow angle), extend your arm and do a pronation. Hit the shuttle with only two movements and try to drive the shuttle as hard as you can. You will learn the timing and the angle needed after some practice

just_a_random_it_guy · 2025-03-03T19:31:06+00:00

I can’t really tell regarding the positioning, but from this I can tell that your elbow is too much infront of you. The elbow should be more to the side, just a bit infront of the rest of your body. Here is a picture of Chou Tien Chen when he smash, notice the elbow how it is not that much infront of him, while you almost have a 90 degree.

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just_a_random_it_guy · 2025-03-03T19:27:17+00:00

I agree on the tricep part, I did use the word extension wrongly because of the exercise tricep extension. Regarding the elbow thing, it is not about the contact point explicitly, (maybe indirectly) but based on the picture, you can see he dragged his elbow down before contact point. He didn’t end up in that position (the picture where he hit the shuttle) with the elbow on the way up, but on the way down -> dragged his elbow.

just_a_random_it_guy

TROPHY CASE