What Is a Badminton Training Racket and How Does It Work?

Have you been searching for training tools that can boost your badminton skills? If so, you might’ve heard about badminton training rackets.

Players who use training rackets claim they can help strengthen your smash, speed up your movement, and sharpen your swing technique. And while they do offer some benefits, there are some essential things to keep in mind before diving in and buying one.

Here’s everything you need to know about badminton training rackets — including how they work, their pros and cons, and how to get the most out of using one.

What Is a Badminton Training Racket?

Badminton training rackets look nearly identical to typical rackets, but they have one key difference: They’re much heavier, weighing around 140 to 180 grams. For context, most regular badminton rackets weigh 70 to 90 grams.

So, how do training rackets work? If you’ve ever seen a boxer training while holding weights, you might already know how these tools can strengthen your game. But for a deeper dive into how they work, here are some of their main pros and cons:

Pros and Cons of Badminton Training Rackets

When used correctly, training rackets can be beneficial for many badminton players. They challenge your wrist, forearm, and shoulder muscles, which can help increase your smash speed and strength. And since you’ll be pushing more weight through the air, they can also boost your reflex speed.

With that in mind, there are a couple of potential drawbacks that can come with using badminton training rackets. For example:

Using a training racket incorrectly — or without proper form — can leave you more vulnerable to injury
Training with a heavy racket too often can have a negative impact on your muscle memory

In other words, using one of these tools the wrong way (or too often) can actually hinder your game — either by causing injury or affecting your muscle memory. And if you ask some badminton enthusiasts, they’ll even say that training rackets should only be used by players who’ve already mastered their technique. But this doesn’t cancel out the fact that training rackets can offer many benefits, as long as they’re used correctly.

In fact, using one at the right times (and with proper form) can improve several aspects of your game. Many players find that practicing with them during warm-ups, cooldowns, or short training drills has a surprisingly positive impact on their swing speed, power, and stamina.

Best Badminton Training Rackets: 3 Options

Want to check out some training rackets, but aren’t sure where to start? Here are a few top options to consider:

The Takeaway

In general, it’s best not to use a badminton training racket every time you play or practice. But by using one strategically, you could notice a significant boost in power when switching back to your original racket.

Of course, it’s important to use proper form and stick to techniques that you know relatively well while using these heavy rackets. But overall, training with one forces you to put a lot more thought into your movement and technique. There’s less room for error, and your swing will require more effort and stamina — which can translate to some surprising benefits on the court.

Looking for more ways to level up? View more in-depth badminton gear guides or join the YouTube community for tips, tutorials, and training drills to improve your game.