Besides having good quality badminton rackets, you must ensure that they have comfortable grip material. With time, every wrap material requires replacement.
At a glance, wrapping a badminton racket seems a straightforward task. However, if you aren’t cautious, you can make several mistakes. In the end, you end up with a poorly laid wrap.
Therefore it’s critical to acquire the right skills on how to wrap a badminton racket correctly. It’s a crucial step in maintaining badminton racket[how to maintain badminton racket] to remain comfortable to the hands.
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What you Need to Know Before Wrapping the Badminton Racket
Arming yourself with the right tips will see you go successful with the task. Most players find the original factory grip on the racket thin. Therefore wrapping the racket handle again is often necessary. So here are the crucial tips.
Select a Durable Wrapping Material
There are countless wrapping materials in the market. However, not all of them are of the right quality.
So take your time and identify a reputable brand. That is a wrap that offers quality and durability. When in doubt, consult your friends who have been in the sport for a protracted period.
You aim to land the wrap material that can protect the racket handle for a long period. However, don’t compromise on the comfort of the grip.
And talking of the right wrapping material, there are mainly three types to consider. That includes the fabric, woven, and wrap replacement materials.
Follow Your Convenient Wrapping Technique
The core determining factor is whether you are right-handed or left-handed. Thus you’ll follow a clockwise or anticlockwise pattern depending on your dominant hand.
Besides, it’s advisable to begin wrapping a racket from the base as you move up the handle. As you lay each wrap, let the wrapping material overlap the preceding layer by a few millimeters.
Customize the Wrap to Your Liking
Consider the type of wrap you are using. Then customize it to give you the best hold of the badminton racket.
For instance, let the thickness of the final grip resonate with the grip of your hands. At the same time some players prefer making a slight bulge at the base of the racket.
Steps to Wrapping a Badminton Racquet
Step One: Unravel the New Wrap Material
First, remove the sticker (tape) binding up the wrap material. Then straighten it out. That will give you an easy time. The tape contains the brand name of the wrap. Keep it carefully, you’ll need it later.
Step Two: Lay the Wrap at the Base of the Racket
Begin from the base (where the butt cap is) and climb up the handle. Accordingly, hold the badminton racket with the head facing behind you. That way, you can have the handle sticking out before you.
Step Three: Remove the Plastic Seal
Usually, racket wrap comes with a plastic material sealing the sticky part. So carefully remove the plastic layer. Otherwise if you don’t remove it, the wrap won’t stick onto each other.
Step Four: Identify the Sharp End of the Wrap
In most cases, the racket cover has two different sides. One side is sharp and the other is square-like in shape. Grasp the pointed end and hold it at the base of the racket at an angle.
That way it will maintain its grip firmly. And when you are through with wrapping you’ll terminate with the tape bearing the company’s name.
But in case you don’t want to use the tape having the company’s trademark, then lay hold of the flat square edge at the foot of the racket. That way, you can finish off with the sharply pointed part.
Step Five: Let the Wrap Overlap Adequately
As lay the wrapping material on the racket, let the next layer wrap over the previous layer by a few millimeters. That is to prevent it from unraveling once you have finished.
However, ensure you maintain an even width of the overlap. By so doing, you’ll come up with a uniform look.
Step Six: Keep the Wrap Tight
As you spread out the wrap material, stretch it slightly. The slight tension reinforces its hold on the handle. Otherwise, it will soon begin to unfasten itself.
Step Seven: Cut the Wrap at An Angle
Once you have reached the far end where the handle joins the shaft, you need to terminate the wrap. So, cut the wrap at an angle such that it leaves behind a sharp end. Then continue wrapping to the pointed tip.
Step Eight: Terminate with the Sticker
Pick up the sticky tape you previously removed. Then lay it on top of the wrap you have just finished spreading. Besides providing appropriate termination, it shouts out the brand name of your wrap.
Common Mistakes in Wrapping a Badminton Racket
Here are a few common mistakes people make when wrapping a badminton racquet
Leaving Inadequate Overlap
One of the most widespread mistakes is leaving out insufficient overlap. Such an over-grip is very much likely to come off when you least expect it. Most often during an intense match.
Wrapping Over the Wooden Handle Directly
When wrapping a badminton racket, it’s advisable not to do it directly over the wooden handle. Laying the grip over the wood exposes it to sweat and thus degrading its quality with time.
Conclusion
As you have probably realized, wrapping a badminton racquet isn’t demanding. It’s easy to master once you try it a couple of times. And when you pair it with the proper badminton racquet string tension, you are a step towards winning that match!