Well not exactly;

Hi from Belgium. Although living here for eight years, I’m English and ‘jumped ship’ for a woman, and not a job.

I have played on-and-off for most of my adult life, more ‘socially’ than as a hardened badminton addict.

My local club, here in Flanders Fields has about 100 members and has two club evenings a week. I’m a decent player and sit in or around the Top 10% of the male members.

Took two years off to breed (my wife did the breeding actually), and have just returned to the court.

The primary objective now is to improve, if at all possible: I’m 48, 81kg 185cm and physically in good order with very good upper-body strength (due to my physical job).

help: don’t know whether to add a new post, or continue here.?

My six year old racket is a nanospeed 600. It needs replacing as I feel it’s restricting my development. Was a gift and just stuck with it. Having said that, playing only doubles, I recognize its’ benefits in helping my net play and it’s delicate touch for my drop shots that form 80% of my play. I’m not into smashing everything, although I can if needs be! Clearing with the 6000 seems harder than it needs to be, with my weaker members achieving more due to their racket spec.

So I play technical, accurate badminton and love to tease the opposition with drop shots etc. I just feel that the 6000 is not helping the 20% of my game where I need to utilize my obvious upper body power.

Q. having become used to my racket, I could say ‘If it’s not broken….’ I didn’t choose the racket.

Now I’ve become much more into the game, need to move on and upwards. Do I take a huge step and get a racket that will utilize my power, or take a smallish step away from the 6000, and see how it goes..?
My style of play is derived from ‘me’, and doesn’t come from the racket. IF I go for a stiff, head-heavy racket, would my style change, or is it in my DNA.

Here in Flanders Fields, demo rackets aren’t available, so I will just have too buy one outright.

If anyone has a suggestion on how to move on from the 6000, I’d love to hear your views.

I’d love to keep the 6000 as I know no better, but seeing my fellow players play a far more aggressive style of game, I’d like to add some of that to my game, but without losing my touch. My accuracy around the net, and deftness of touch are equally as good at earning points.

long winded, for which I’m sorry.

cheers for now.