The Sweet Spot in Racket or Bat Sports

Understanding the effects of impact location (sweet spot) in racket or bat sports. What does research say about the badminton smash, cricket power hitting, and historical racket development in tennis?

This video presents an overview of the scientific research (including my own) on the relationships between impact location and performance outcomes (speed, direction, and margin for error) or injury risk factors in racket and bat sports. This includes theoretical definitions of the sweet spot such as the geometric center, vibration node, center of percussion, and maximum apparent coefficient of restitution. Likewise, studies including realistic performances by elite badminton or cricket players are used to show the interactions between athletes and their equipment. Novel methods are applied to track the ball or shuttle and calculate impact location / sweetspot on the bat face or racket face. #ScienceOfCricket

00:00 Understanding the effects of impact location in racket or bat sports
01:16 Tracking the shuttlecock in badminton
08:41 Theoretical definitions of the sweet spot in racket or bat sports
14:53 The effect of racket-shuttlecock impact location on performance outcomes in badminton
30:49 Calculating impact location in cricket batting
33:55 The effect of bat-ball impact location on performance outcomes in cricket
40:39 Historical racket development in tennis

Other videos mentioned (name order):

Thanks to Badminton Insight:

Studies mentioned (ordered by name then year):

[grahammorris]

Very interesting video! Loved the addition of Badminton Insight 😀