Racquet sports are a great way to build cardiovascular stamina and practice hand-eye coordination. Squash and tennis involve a lot of running and are very high-impact sports. Badminton is a quick sport as well, but it is easier to keep a rally going and more fun for beginners.
The thing that makes badminton easier than tennis or squash is the speed at which the game piece moves. Tennis and squash balls return over the net or off the wall at intensely high speeds, but the badminton birdie – officially called a shuttlecock – floats through the air. The birdie is easier to get to and hit back to your competitor.
The birdie is made of a cork hemisphere with plastic lace netting that comes out from the base. The cork is the striking surface and the lace acts as a sail, which lets the birdie float through the air (much like a bird). The lace also centers the cork allowing it to fall first; this makes it easier to return the shuttlecock over the net.
Arguably the most important piece of badminton equipment is the racquet. There are different shapes of heads, weights of racquets, tensions of strings and styles of grips. The traditional egg-shaped head is the most common, with a high-output sweet spot in the center of the fatter end of the racquet. The isometric design, which has a more squared shape, has a larger sweet spot but with less response than the oval shape.
The strings are important too; a higher tension racquet is better for harder hitters. Beginners should use a lower tension because of the trampoline effect the shuttlecock has against the strings. More tension gives more control for experienced players, but gives an unforgiving return for beginners if the birdie is not hit right.
Badminton is a fun racquet sport that is fast and quick, but not as unforgiving as tennis or squash. The birdie flutters and makes it easier to hit than a whistling ball. Choosing a good racquet is the key to success. You can find an online badminton equipment store, that specializes in this sport, however most sporting good stores also have a variety of badminton equipment. Cheap badminton sets can often be picked up for around $50 at most department stores.