The Ideal Tension
As you all might know, my BG 65 just gave way and i’m looking at getting another racket (racquet). The frame is fine and all I need is some re-stringing. The thing is, there’s no badminton store or place in Atlanta that offers the required service (or even down South for that matter). The only place in the US where rackets and stringing work are available is in California. My dad cannot recall the string tension for the rackets we stringed in Singapore so i’m left in a quandary as to what tension I should string my next racket at. Since testing of tensions would be difficult because of the friction of distance, I turned to the internet once again for help. I stumbled across the only Badminton forum online plagued by enthusiastic, passionate players and there’s a whole bunch of stuff on badminton (from racket to string choices to shoes and shuttles to use). Given the serious nature of most of the threads on the forum, I was a little shocked and amused when I saw this thread:
“For anyone who doesn’t know how to use this sites’ search function, nor read any one of thousands of similar threads, or just can’t bloody help but ask this question over and over (and over) again, rejoice, because I have your final answer:
Head to the nearest massage parlor and get a massage. Even any… um… establishment in your local red light district will do. So you order a good massage, and the amount of pressure (lbs per square inch) the masseuse must apply to ease your dysfunction-oops-I-mean-tension is the perfect amount of tension for you!
The science is so simple and precise, and has been used by our badminton ancestors for a millenia (kinda like feng shui)! For instance, some people require 24-25lbs (per square inch) pressure to relieve their anal retentive tension, for others 25lbs is too hard, and will find it painful, so they require something softer like 22-23 lbs. Everyone has their personal preference, that perfect amount of tension which allows them to play optimally and happily (and stop bugging the bloody hell out of those who are sick of seeing these same questions pop up every few threads!!!).”
Reply to the thread above: Okay – took your advice. and now I am out of pocket $50, I’m butt naked on the street cause the massage parlor got raided (turns out to be a full service shop – duh who knew?) but I managed to escape out the back window… the tension has increased significantly, but i don’t think is my ideal tension.
1. any alternate ideas for the ideal tension.
2. can you swing by and pick me up… it’s getting chilly, and the locals are starting to stare. Â
Oh did I forget to mention that for best results, the massage establishment should be IBF and USRSA affiliated? I say try your luck again somewhere else, and considering the place you were at got raided, I’m sure there’s no shortage of similar establishments nearby. In your current state of (un)dress, who knows, maybe you’ll have opportunities to make your $50 back!
Dad’s Carlton Boron Classic before the strings snapped (Yonex BG-65 Neon Yellow)
The racket has had its fair share of paint damages and scratches given its history
LOL. Graphite! Â The grommets are giving way too
I don’t know what’s up with the last three pictures but the string color isn’t quite right. This is what it looks like in my world
Neon Yellow. I still prefer the orange-yellow BG 65
I totally called it; I knew it was about to give way… just give it time (you can see the nylon fibers are showing)
I’ll line up my other rackets for a shoot next week and i’ll post photos of it then!
Ross Beppler giving one of the most awesome graduation speeches of all time with his Waldo character glasses. Btw that’s not me in the background
Elva is discussing. 
Rachel Meredith Wong 
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