Yonex Voltric 80

Let me say right from the start this is my personal racquet, and my new favourite in the kitbag. The Voltric 80 is Yonex’s flagship in the Voltric range. It comes in a full length protective cover with the Yonex and Voltric logos adorning the sides. You can tell this is a no expenses spared racquet, with the cover feeling it’s made of quality also. 
                
The Voltric 80 comes in a striking metallic white with abundant splashes of black & gold. I really like the look of the racquet as its not too flashy but looks special. The Voltric 80 has the thinnest ever shaft created by Yonex; when I first heard about this, I thought it would make the racquet fragile. Yonex has added NEOPREME™ to the shaft, a material that is extremely strong yet light and flexible. The thin frame aids to the aerodynamics of the racquet making it easier to generate more power from faster arm swings. 

 POWER 
As I don’t have a particular muscular build, I rely on fast arm swings and getting around the court to win matches. This racquet certainly helps with the fast arm swing par; the thin frame and shaft help the aerodynamics of this racquet. I found it almost effortless to smash with the right balance of head heaviness to aid power. 

 DEFENSIVE 
For large parts of the last year, I used a Carlton Fireblade. This racquet is very headlight and great to manoeuvre  I learnt to like this racquet because I would just manage to get enough on shots. But after a while I realised I had actually become too defensive of a player, relying on opponent errors to win points as this racquet would generate absolutely no power of its own. This is probably why I like the Voltric 80 so much. 

Its also worth mentioning in this review about the Voltric Force. The Z-force is designed around the Voltric 80 but made for more aggressive players who want even more power in their shots. A full review of this racquet is coming as soon as I can get my hands on one. Yonex considers this racquet to sit above the Voltric 80, but I think it’s aimed at a different sort of player. (or it could just be a marketing stunt to make a more expensive racquet?) 

 CONCLUSION 
This racquet is expensive! I bought it after borrowing one from a friend and getting hooked to its effortless power and control. I surprised myself after making the purchase especially as I was not in the market for purchasing another racquet.

How to backhand in badminton

Having to rely on your weaker side can leave you with an overwhelming feeling. The backhand stroke applies to any backhand shot, from the serve all the way to the smash. Unfortunately, this stroke comes from the weaker side of the body.

In this guide, you’ll learn tips and tricks that you can apply while practicing or playing with your backhand. The sections are set up to become more and more challenging so you can progress through each more easily.

Backhand Grip

The standard grip for the backhand is simple and straightforward. If you hold the racket out so that the strings are facing your body, you should notice that the grip is wider on the front than it is on the sides. Place the upper half of your thumb along the wide part of the grip and wrap your remaining fingers around the handle. If you’re holding it properly, you should be able to press your thumb into the handle to flick the racket forward.

You can slightly alter this technique to generate more power. This is done by combining the force from your thumb with your gripping power. To learn this technique:

1. Place the upper half of your thumb against the wider part of the handle.
2. Pinch the handle between your thumb and pointer finger.
3. Without moving the handle, wrap your remaining fingers around it with your thumb still flush.
4. Hold the racket up and loosen the grip with your last three fingers.
5. Drive the racket forward with your thumb as you grip the racket with your last three fingers.

If your grip is correct, your palm should not be touching the handle of the racket. As you become more comfortable using this technique, you can begin to integrate it into each of your backhand shots.

Backhand Serve

Learning the backhand serve can be a rather daunting task for beginning players. Although the technique is simple, it can take a while to become comfortable with it. When practicing the backhand serve for the first time, focus solely on the short serve. With this serve, you are aiming for the short service line in the diagonal service court.

1. Position yourself at the corner of either service court, where the center line meets the short service line.
2. Put your dominant foot forward and the weak foot back. Your dominant foot should be right at the corner where the center line and short service line intersect.
3. Shift all of your weight to your front foot.
4. With your off-hand, pinch the tip of the shuttlecock’s skirt between your pointer finger and your thumb. Securing the shuttlecock in this manner will minimize the chances of hitting your fingers with the racket.
5. While using the backhand grip, bring the racket head toward the shuttlecock. Keep the shuttlecock at waist level or below to ensure that your serve is legal.
6. Make sure the shuttlecock is about a forearm’s length away from your body to allow enough room to swing.
7. Serve using your forearm and wrist only. Using your shoulder will involve too many moving parts and make your serves inconsistent.

For these short serves, your goal is to keep the shuttlecock as low to the net as possible and have it land close to the short service line in the diagonal service court. If you’re ready to try the long serve, sometimes known as the flick serve, the setup will be exactly the same. Having a consistent setup will produce reliable serves and keep your opponent guessing. The only difference is using the strength and quickness of your wrist to generate power and catch your opponent by surprise. The flick serve is a fairly advanced serve and should only be used by intermediate players and above. Trying to flick serve before you are strong enough to execute it can injure your wrist.

Backhand Drive

The drive shot is vital to master for doubles players, because the pace of the game is much quicker than singles. Fortunately, the backhand drive isn’t too difficult to adjust to, as long as you have the proper backhand grip.

The purpose of a backhand drive is no different than the forehand in that you are attempting to either make a kill shot or put pressure on your opponent to make a poor return. Like smashing, driving is purely an offensive tactic. This means that you need to stay aggressive while you’re hitting drives. To do this, keep your racket out in front of you to deflect any shots immediately and quickly. By having the racket in front of you instead of by your side, you’ll be able to return the shot earlier and stronger. If time allows, you can step into a drive with your dominant foot to produce even more power.

Backhand Drop

There are two distinct types of backhand drops that are used in badminton: The baseline drop and the net drop. Both drops will employ the backhand grip, but in drastically different manners. The baseline drop will use the overhand stroke, while the net drop will use the underhand stroke. Some tips for hitting the baseline drop are:

• Contact the shuttlecock high
• Use shuffling footwork to get back
• Use your body weight and wrist to generate more power

For the net drop you should:

• Contact the shuttlecock high
• Run toward the shuttlecock and lunge as you reach for it
• Use a soft touch to gently guide the shuttlecock just over the net

Backhand Clear

Like the drop, there are two kinds of backhand clears: The overhand clear and the underhand clear. While a clear can sometimes be an attacking shot, backhand clears are strictly a defensive shot. As such, both backhand clears should be aimed high and deep to force the opponent to exert more energy to reach the shuttlecock. For overhand and underhand clears, the setup will be identical to the baseline and net drop. Ideally, the overhand clear should be taken with the shuttlecock just ahead of you. Doing this allows you to strike the shuttlecock as you move toward the net and simultaneously use the power from your momentum. Conversely, the underhand clear will only rely on your arm strength to guide the shuttlecock high and deep.

Backhand Smash

The backhand smash is not to be taken lightly, because excellent strength and technique together don’t guarantee a great shot. With this stroke, positioning is especially important, as it is not easily compensated with power. Additionally, the amount of strain on your wrist can take a toll throughout the course of a match. Due to all the necessary factors that are essential for a solid backhand smash, this is easily the hardest shot you’ll learn. This shot should only be attempted by advanced players who have had significant experience and training.

The setup will be the same as the backhand clear, but the smash should only be attempted if the shuttlecock is in front of you or level with you. Reaching back for a shot that requires so much force could seriously injure your wrist. Even if you manage to execute a smash while reaching back, it will likely be a poor one that leaves you vulnerable to your opponent’s return shot.

Break Out the Backhand

The biggest mistake any new player can make is simply being afraid to use the backhand. It will undoubtedly feel awkward at first and it may not always be your best option. However, it’s a vital stroke to learn. Many intermediate players have played the game for years and are held back by their inadequate backhand. The harder you try using your backhand now, the easier it will be for you to improve in the future.

5 Aspects of a Complete Badminton Player

There are many factors that can make a player successful on the badminton court, but a select few things make an especially significant impact. By focusing on these five aspects of the game, you can quickly elevate your own game to the next level. This guide will explain the importance of these skills and how you can improve in each area.

Service

Serves are the single most important shot in the game. Without a decent serve you’ll be making the game significantly harder for yourself. Like most sports, badminton is a game of opportunity. Each shot is an opportunity to gain control of a rally. Since a serve is the first shot of a rally, you are presented with a unique opportunity as the server. However, unlike tennis, you are not at a significant advantage when serving and so the standard of quality serves is much higher.

Execution and decision-making are the two aspects of your service game you must focus on to improve. Improved execution will develop consistency across your short and long serves, which is absolutely crucial. Since the service court is just a small section of the whole court, the margin for error also becomes smaller. Here are some tips to improve your service game:

• Focus on hitting the four corners of the service court.
• Keep your short serves as low to the net as possible.
• Keep your flick serves just out of reach from your opponent’s racket.
• Adjust to your opponent’s tendencies to cheat towards your short or long serves.

Reflexes

Badminton is an extremely fast-paced sport. While there is controversy over which racket sport requires the fastest reaction time, badminton undoubtedly requires excellent reflexes. The speed and deception in badminton make it harder to anticipate shots, thus making you rely more on your reflexes. Reacting quickly to both finesse and power shots is crucial to being competitive in badminton. Smashes can travel over 200 miles per hour, and a similar-looking stroke can produce a sharp drop shot.

Since your reflexes are largely instinctive, you’ll need to refine your muscle memory and coordination to improve them. A great way to practice this is to allow a partner to smash or drop to you while you constantly clear the shuttlecock. This will vastly improve your reaction time since you won’t know which shot your partner will hit. Here are some things to keep in mind while you drill:

• Practice good form and technique by aiming your clears high and deep.
• For a bigger challenge, your partner can incorporate clears to give you a greater variety of shots.
• Use proper footwork to avoid sloppy play during a real match.

Technique

While strength does play a role in badminton, technique occupies a much bigger one. Admittedly, technique is a broad term, but here it refers to the fundamentals of the game. This means using the proper mechanics for your strokes so that you use your energy efficiently. Think of it this way: If a weightlifter and a badminton player were to both hit a smash, the badminton player’s would be much faster despite the weightlifter’s strength advantage — all because of his technique.

To refine your technique, isolate your drill sessions to one stationary shot at a time. For example, if you’re drilling your baseline drop shot, your partner should constantly clear so you can do minimal footwork. While you do this, focus on:

• Having correct foot rotation with the minimal footwork you do.
• Being consistent and proper with your strokes.
• Placing the shuttlecock once you’ve become fairly consistent with your shot.

Backhand

No matter how good your footwork is or how strong your around-the-head shot may be, you cannot compensate for a poor backhand. If you want to be a complete player, you’ll need to have a dependable and versatile backhand. This means you should be able to execute a variety of shots with your backhand to keep your opponents honest.

Most beginning and intermediate players can only hit a backhand drop or a weak backhand clear. This makes it very easy for opposing players to deal with any backhand shot. Knowing this, you should strive to diversify your backhand shots to become a more complete player. Here are a few simple tips to quickly improve your backhand:

• Value cross-court drops: Cross-court drops require better placement, but use the same technique. When practicing your cross-court drops, focus solely on it. This constant repetition will give you a much better feel than mixing it with straight drops.
• Avoid cross-court clears: You may have never attempted a full, cross-court clear with your backhand and that’s exactly how it should stay. To hit a decent cross-court clear with your backhand requires ideal positioning, excellent technique, and immense power. If you’re fortunate to have all of these, then a smash or drop would be a better option. There is simply never a good time to hit this kind of shot.
• Use finesse: When faced with the opportunity to hit a net drop, you can trick the opponent instead. Hold your racket out in front, as if to drop, and then at the last moment flick your racket to quickly clear the shuttlecock. Your opponent should be rushing towards the net as the shuttlecock sails overhead.

Footwork

Footwork is an integral part of any player’s game because it lays the foundation for every shot. Improper footwork will lead to poor form, and ultimately, poor shot execution. Some players may give up on footwork because they feel like they are too slow or lazy to utilize it well. The truth is, being slow or lazy is all the more reason to perfect your footwork. Good footwork is all about efficiency, so the slow and lazy stand to benefit the most!

Unfortunately, the downside to practicing footwork is actually having to move around — a lot. If your footwork is still a little shaky, you’ll want to keep the drills to the simple front-to-back or side-to-side variety. If your footwork needs a little fine-tuning, you should do full-court, four-corner footwork drills. During your footwork drills:

• Remember correct foot rotation: You should always lead and finish with your dominant foot. For example, when reaching for a net drop, make sure to finish with the foot that corresponds with your racket hand to allow you to reach farther.
• Take big steps: With the exception of running forward, your steps should be larger than normal running or walking steps. This allows you to be more effective with your footwork and helps conserve energy throughout an actual match.
• Stay low and on your toes: Keeping your knees bent and staying on your toes will immensely improve your form and reaction. Having your knees bent will lower your center of gravity, which gives you better stability as you move around the court. Also, actively putting yourself in this position gets you mentally prepared to react to whatever shot your opponent hits.

Stick with the Basics

Obviously, there are many things that go into playing great badminton, but they all link to having strong fundamentals. Whenever you’re having trouble with a certain aspect of your game, it’s smart to work out the kinks starting from the ground up. Start with stationary drills, then incorporate more footwork, and finally vary your shot selection. The sounder your fundamentals are, the easier the game will become as you continue to improve as a player.

Yonex ArcSaber Z Slash Taufik Hidayat

2004 Olympic Gold Medalist & 2005 World Champion Taufik Hidayat's ArcSaber ZSTH Limited Edition badminton racket is red signifying his fighting spirit. The black on the top and bottom of the frame demonstrates power, and the upper right and bottom left are coloured like a white flash. The Arc Saber Z Slash Taufik Hidayat is the PROFESSIONAL series of the ArcSaber line. It is stiffer to provide extra control over the regular Arc Z Slash. Designed to increase the speed of smash through technological breakthrough, the ArcSaber ZSTH racket is the latest and best improvement at the molecule level. Increase power and increase speed are the goals of Arc Saber Z Slash as Yonex smashes the Smash Barrier. YONEX did extensive research into finding the best shade of red for the main body of the racquet, using subtle gradations and checking for colour changes under different lighting conditions. The rich deep red that YONEX developed expresses the strength and pride of Taufik Hidayat. It also makes the design bold and eye catching. The logo on the racquet is an original design. It represents the fact that Taufik Hidayat’s spirit is in every detail of the racquet. YONEX has developed new designs based on each players' favourite racquet and inspired by each players' style. The three players also had hands on role advising on the designs. On the quest for the best racquet YONEX made more than 200 different designs for each model. Then they picked 30 to 40 different designs to develop into sample racquets. Finally, after exhaustive testing and retesting, YONEX created the ultimate design. Each player’s signature was engraved into their respective racquet to show that the racquet had captured the player’s spirit. The Arc Saber Z Slash is a push for Yonex to increase the speed of smash through technological breakthrough. The Arc Saber Z Slash is an upgrade from Arc Saber 10 with improvement at molecule level. Increase power and increase speed is the goal of Arc Saber Z Slash as Yonex smashes the Smash Barrier. Yonex has created a badminton racket to keep up with the ever increasing speed of the badminton game. By focusing on their flagship technologies Yonex has created the ArcSaber Z-Slash, a new model allowing players with an aggressive playing style, to smash with the fastest swing speeds possible. The Z-Slash is the first of a new generation of slim rackets that, just like professional athletes, carry no extra fat for the ultimate in performance. It is Yonex latest and greatest lean and powerful machine. The "Z-Slash" features three dimensions of technology to bring out a player’s maximum potential. In testing one of the world’s leading players achieved a smash speed of 414 km/h. Rumored as the latest ultimate weapon in the sport of badminton, the Yonex Arc Saber technology has the latest and greatest technology to help its user achieve power, speed, and control. The ArcSaber Series of rackets utilize Yonex’s exclusive Cup-Stack Carbon Nanotube technology to create a revolutionary blend of power and control. Positioned at the sides of the racket frame, this revolutionary technology absorbs and harnesses energy from the shuttle’s impact to provide the player with unparalleled feel during every shot. This energy is then transferred into a return of supreme strength and pinpoint accuracy.

	Features Level: Advance Type: Fast / Attacking / Offensive Flex: Stiff Head: Square/Isometric Weight: 85-89gm(3U-) B.Pt: 7 (Even Balance + little head heavy) =============== Head: H.M. Graphite, HT Graphite, CS Carbon Nanotube, Super HMG Shaft: H.M. Graphite, Super HMG, Ultra PEF, New Built-in T-joint Cover: Yonex ArcSaber Full Cover String: Yonex BG-65 (Custom Strung) / Upgrade Available

How to smash in badminton

Badminton Smash is the most potent of all badminton shots. There is almost no defense against a well executed smash. It can be played both on the forehand and backhand sides

The smash is a shot hit with power and speed downward to your opponent's court. The angle and the steepness of the shuttle's trajectory will make it hard for your opponent to retrieve. Contact the shuttle further in front of your body than the clear or the drop shot. The optimum hitting zone is located somewhere above the central area of your racket. You can also jump and smash the shuttle at the same time to generate more power and create a steeper angle for the shot. This will give your opponent even lesser time to react. As this is a more advance shot, master the normal badminton smash first before taking on any jumping smash. The feeling of being able to smash powerfully and kill off a point is really great. But try not to get carried away. As the badminton smash requires a lot of energy, use it only when the opportunity arises. For example, a weak clear from your opponent to your midcourt area. Do not tire yourself out unnecessarily. To learn more about the Jump Smash, please visit Essentials of Badminton Technique Video Sample: The Jump Smash Forehand Smash The forehand overhead smash is similar to the action of throwing a ball. If you can throw a ball well, you shouldn't have problem playing this stroke. You can always practice throwing with a shuttle first before stepping on to the court. Here are some pointers for playing a forehand overhead smash. - Adopt the forehand grip. - Turn your body and stand sideways to the net with your non-racket shoulder facing the net. - Shift your weight on to your rear foot. - Bend your elbow and lock your wrist preparing to swing forward. - Raise your non-racket hand and point at the shuttle to improve timing and balance. - Contact the shuttle as high as possible and in front of your body using a strong throwing action as if you are going to throw your racket high and forward through the air. - Straighten your elbow as you hit the shuttle. - Snap down your wrist at the point of impact giving the shuttle extra power and angle towards your opponent's court. - Follow through with your racket and shift your weight from your rear foot to your front foot. - Move back to your base position. Backhand Smash It is difficult to play a backhand overhead smash. Even experienced players have problem with this badminton stroke. Try to play an 'around the head' forehand smash whenever possible. However, it is important that you know how to play the backhand overhead smash. There are times when you just can't play the shuttle with your forehand. Here are some pointers for playing a backhand overhead smash. - Adopt the backhand grip. - Turn your body so that your back is facing the net. - Lead and shift your weight to your racket foot. - Lift your arm from the shoulder with the forearm parallel to the floor. - Hold the racket across your body with the racket head pointing down. - Keep the racket arm and elbow close into your body. - Hit the shuttle at a high point of contact and in front of your body. - Flick down your wrist powerfully at the shuttle. - A follow through is not needed. - Move back to your base position. Around the Head Smash This is actually a forehand overhead badminton smash played at the non-racket side of your body. Try to use it whenever play permits as a forehand stroke is always better and more powerful than a backhand. The techniques for hitting this shot are about the same as the forehand overhead stroke with only some minor adjustments. Here are some pointers for playing a forehand around the head smash. - Stand squarely to the net. - Bend your upper body sideways to your non-racket side as your arms come through. - Shift your weight to your non-racket leg. - Bend your elbow and bring the racket behind your head. - As you swing forward, your forearm will brush the top of your head before straightening. - Transfer your body weight rapidly as your non-racket leg pushes your body back to your base position. An important thing to note here is that whether you are playing a badminton smash, a drop shot or a clear, your wrist plays a key part in creating deception. The basic preparations for these badminton shots are the same, only the angle of the racket face, the speed of the racket head and the point of impact is different. Keep your opponent guessing. Practice hard on your Badminton Smash and use it wisely. Be patient and wait for the opportunity to strike.

Focus On What You Can Control

How often do you hear someone finish a match and then they begin to complain about something that caused them to lose?  Something happened during the match, or there were some conditions on the court that made it “impossible” for them to win, or say they claim.  The excuses are many, but just to list a few:

• The lighting was bad
• The ceiling was too low
• The walls are painted a colour which makes seeing the shuttle impossible
• There is wind in the hall
• The floors were slippery
• My racquet is no good
• The shuttles were too fast
• The shuttles were too slow
• My opponent was a hack, his awkward style threw me off

I’m sure you can add to that list, either from excuses you’ve heard, or from excuses you’ve come up with yourself.  There’s a funny thing about excuses though, once you deal with one another one pops up to fill it’s place.  They are never ending because the problem was not whatever excuse you were coming up with, the problem is the fact that you see the external influences around you as unbeatable obstacles.  The reality is whatever harsh conditions you might be dealing with, your opponent is likely dealing with them as well.  And even if they weren’t dealing with those circumstances, it doesn’t matter because nobody cares about your excuses.  While it might make you feel better about losing, it won’t help you to become a better badminton player.

The easy way to get past these conditions that are bothering you is to accept them as just being part of the game, and instead of worrying about them shift your focus to things that you can control.  So what do you have direct control over in your badminton game?  Let’s look at this from two perspectives, first during game play, and second during practice/training.

Game Play

During game play the first thing you have control over is the shots that you are hitting.  Pay attention to your shot selection and executing the strategy and tactics that you decided you would use.  Try not to make improvements upon your game during game play.  In other words if you are struggling to improve your cross court net shot, avoid using it too much during game play, save it for practice.  Another major thing you have control over during game play is your thought process and your self talk.  This is perhaps the most important thing you need to focus on during game play, and what makes the biggest difference between the very best players and us mere mortals.  You need to be positive during matches, and you can’t let things like fast shuttles or other issues become excuses.

However, the reality is that during game play there is not a whole lot that is within your control.  Most of the hard work has already been done well before this point while you were practicing and training your shots and your body.  Once the games begin, all you can do is stay focused on executing what you have practiced so many times before.

Practice/Training

This is the time where you have the most control over your badminton game and your ability to succeed.  During practice you can work on your shots extensively and refine them to the point that you don’t need to think about your technique when it comes time to actually play.  If you find that you make a lot of unforced errors during matches, then you should focus on drills that help you to improve your consistency.  If your opponents are killing your net shots because you don’t hit them tight enough, then practice your net shots more.  It’s really not that complicated, but it does require you to put in that effort.

Perhaps the biggest area that we neglect is our physical training.  Sure playing badminton is fun, and it’s an easier way to maintain our fitness than running or during intense training, but if you want to see better results you have to be fitter.  When you are playing a tournament or even just a match in your local club and you start feeling tired, there isn’t much you can do because it’s too late.  You should have put that effort in beforehand.  If you and I are playing each other and we have equal skills, but I’m much fitter than you, I will win most of the time.

Are you making excuses for yourself?  Well stop it!  Spend the time before your matches, before your tournaments, and focus on improving the things that you have control over.  If you find yourself making excuses the reality is that your opponent was just better on that day, pure and simple.  Now go out and kick some butt!