Badminton Racket Grip Size

For a long time, I was a little unsure as to what grip size I should use for badminton. I've seen a lot of top players use pretty thick grips. Initially I thought these players were much more taller/bigger than I am, and hence, required their grips to be bigger as well. However, as I went in and researched it a bit more, I've realized that wasn't really the reason.

After many years, I finally realized what a lot of people have tried telling me along the way before. The best grip size really REALLY depends on what is most comfortable to you. I never believed that. I always thought there's a best way to doing everything, and it is I who have to adjust to it.

So in short, it comes down to what your style of play is, and what is more comfortable to you. Here is what I think what difference it makes when you go larger/smaller on badminton grip sizes:

Having a Larger Grip:
To me, the larger I go from the default grip size, the more comfortable it is with me. And I tend to have more power. This is generally true. You can hold on more tightly to the racket grip as you smash/clear. However, this is only true if you tend to use a lot of your biceps/shoulders to generate your power. Unless your wrists are miraculously strong, you will be using the biceps/shoulders to some extent. If all your power's generated from your wrists, then the grip size doesn't really matter, since your racket swing is not affected by the grip size as you rotate your wrists. So having a larger grip allows you to:
- generate more power
- provide a feeling of 'balance' in your shots, and add some control (a racket with a larger grip will move less in your hands than a racket with a smaller grip)

The main disadvantage is that you can't change grips as easily as you can if the grips were smaller. This doesn't affect you that much in singles, but can make a big difference in doubles play.


Having a Smaller Grip:
The advantage of a smaller grip is that the racket becomes more maneuverable, meaning that it is easier to change the grip of your racket(which is essential in the doubles form of the game). You can change grips a lot faster in between shots, and this gives you a huge advantage in doubles, especially if you tend to be aggressive.

The downside is that of course, you tend to generate less power than with a larger grip, but if your technique is proper, power usually isn't too much of a concern for you. I think a more annoying problem with smaller grips is the development of callous on your palms. To see why this is so, lets say, while using a thinner grip, you just smashed/cleared when you were a little out of position(or the racket grip is a little wet due to sweat), the racket may move slightly in your hand as you hit the shuttlecock, and over time, it rubs against the points of contact of your palms and racket. This is why callouses form on your palms, and sometimes, it can be quite painful. If you keep doing it continuously, the callouses become hard and you get used to it, and it will not bother you again. However, if you take a small break from badminton(maybe a week), the callous tends to heal, and it will form again if you start playing again.