Two rackets: two styles

[Boricua]

I am currently using a Yonex VCORE 97 (330) racket. Been using it for only a week. I tend to hit with good precision, "driving" the ball with topspin and with good pace when I hit the ball cleanly. My serves are very good and consistent and my backhand slice and topspin are very good also. My forehand, which is my best shot, has been inconsistent as my timing is a bit off due to the fact that it is a new racket that I am getting used to.

Before the VCORE I used the Aeropro (both Gt and the Cortex). With this racket I could be more creative and hit with more topspin, sometimes a bit loopy but with good angles. The Aeropro is maneuvarable as its lighter but feels less solid than the VCORE. Its also stiffer and less arm friendly than the VCORE. (I have yet to use the 2013 APD which is supposedly more arm friendly.) With the Aeropro, my game was good but a bit inconsistent. One day I could play great, the other average. My arm suffered a bit also when using full copoly.

So, I have a more precise game with the heavier VCORE and a more topspin oriented game with the lighter APD. I enjoy both styles of play and using both rackets.

But, is it a mistake to play with two different rackets if one is trying to improve his game and develop a style of play?I

I think recreational tennis should be fun but I take my tennis pretty serious. My main goal is to be a better player.

[treblings]

i think, the smart way would be to find out what your favourite style is, than find a racquet that is well suited for it and stay with that racquet or at least the same specs.
unfortunately there is no one racquet that works best for everything.

[Boricua]

Originally Posted by treblings

i think, the smart way would be to find out what your favourite style is, than find a racquet that is well suited for it and stay with that racquet or at least the same specs.
unfortunately there is no one racquet that works best for everything.

I like to attack and both rackets are good for that. The thing is which is more effective againt opponents. Also, which racket adjusts better to your body in terms of your body mechanics when playing or not injuring your arm and shoulder (stiffness).

[treblings]

Originally Posted by Boricua

I like to attack and both rackets are good for that. The thing is which is more effective againt opponents. Also, which racket adjusts better to your body in terms of your body mechanics when playing or not injuring your arm and shoulder (stiffness).

i understand. i do that kind of ´customizing´myself within limits. on clay courts or against opponents, where i want more topspin, i use a prestige mp instead of a mid. in doubles i might string with a hybrid instead of a poly and maybe put some lead on the grip to make it more headlight.
favourite prestige version against hardhitters is the iprestige as it seems to have the most plowthrough
i like the flexible frames for injury prevention and string polys very low
as a general rule, i still believe that you should play with the same specs as it helps to groove your strokes.

[Kam2010]

I think I posted a thread on this..

It went something like your thread should you really keep switching racket when playing tennis if you want to actually improve your playing stadard..
This wasn't changing from 2 rackets as what you said but I change from about 7+ rackets
These can be like, PS85, APD, APGT, K90, PS90, Tec 320, K95, Max150g, Pure Storm etc..

I would say it's more fun changing and still you can improve..
I've noticed with the APD leaded to about 330g I am more consistent and can keep balls in and serve better where as with the other rackets like K90 I like it for the control and feeling..

My advice would be just change if you want, your not going to get to the standard of like a county level or really high standard unless your still young and have the passion for it which I doubt only because you posted this thread..

Otherwise just enjoy the tennis and change rackets, I like to use the APD for top spin pwnage and the 85 for hammer time ask /finalfantasy7 he's experienced the beatdowns I give him from time to time..

[fuzz nation]

Some of our pals here recommend using only one racquet model so that you can groove your game to that same piece of gear. While I suppose that there's some wisdom to that, I also think that we're allowed to enjoy ourselves, since we're not playing for our lunch money like the pros, right? Yes, swapping racquets will introduce some variables into our games, but sometimes that change can be a good thing. I know that I've benefited several times from having a different racquet in my bag on an "off day". Bottom line - if it's more fun, we're likely to spend more time at it. Just avoid a perpetual gear distraction and you should be okay.

You're making a jump to a significantly different frame with that Yonex, but if you stay patient, you'll eventually find out how much better or worse off you are with the heavier racquet. It will probably take a little time and dedication (maybe a couple months) to really dial in your timing and accommodate that heavier frame, but you may find a greater potential to work the ball with that extra beef. I'm an all-courter and crave a heavy, stable racquet, especially for when I go to the net. If my gear is too light, I just can't volley with authority or trade heavy ground strokes too well.

Hefty racquets seem to be more stable and also less harsh on my elbow, even if that heavier frame has more stiffness. Some flex in a racquet is usually helpful toward getting a more "arm-friendly" ride, but I think it's at least as important to avoid the harsh poly or kevlar strings, even in a hybrid, if you need to protect yourself. Try multifiber or synthetic gut at comfortable tensions to try for the feel and performance you want. If that Babolat routinely hurts your arm, either soften up with different strings or stop hurting yourself with it.

Yes, there's also such a thing as "too heavy". If your technique won't eventually dial in with a heavier frame, you won't get the racquet head speed that you need for the shots you're trying to hit and that hefty frame may wear on your shoulder when you serve. You haven't gone overboard with a super-heavy new racquet, but once you put some more weeks in on the courts, you should start to see what sort of a fit you get with it.

[TimothyO]

"But, is it a mistake to play with two different rackets if one is trying to improve his game and develop a style of play?"

Yes, it's a very big mistake.

With frames of different balance, weight, and SW your stroke timing will be different with each one.

With different power levels and/or string your swing speed will give you different shot depth.

With different string patterns and string you'll get different levels of spin given the same stroke.

In every case you'll be forced to use different strokes based on different frames which defeats the core objective in tennis skill: consistency. You'll never be able to develop confidence in your strokes.

[Mick3391]

Originally Posted by Boricua

I am currently using a Yonex VCORE 97 (330) racket. Been using it for only a week. I tend to hit with good precision, "driving" the ball with topspin and with good pace when I hit the ball cleanly. My serves are very good and consistent and my backhand slice and topspin are very good also. My forehand, which is my best shot, has been inconsistent as my timing is a bit off due to the fact that it is a new racket that I am getting used to.

Before the VCORE I used the Aeropro (both Gt and the Cortex). With this racket I could be more creative and hit with more topspin, sometimes a bit loopy but with good angles. The Aeropro is maneuvarable as its lighter but feels less solid than the VCORE. Its also stiffer and less arm friendly than the VCORE. (I have yet to use the 2013 APD which is supposedly more arm friendly.) With the Aeropro, my game was good but a bit inconsistent. One day I could play great, the other average. My arm suffered a bit also when using full copoly.

So, I have a more precise game with the heavier VCORE and a more topspin oriented game with the lighter APD. I enjoy both styles of play and using both rackets.

But, is it a mistake to play with two different rackets if one is trying to improve his game and develop a style of play?I

I think recreational tennis should be fun but I take my tennis pretty serious. My main goal is to be a better player.

Go online and get a old 70 inch head wood racquet. Play it often. Then test larger racquets, just demo a bunch. One thing about demo's, you have to do them over a long period, some of the racquets I hated I like now because I play under different circumstances.

But yea that 70 will make you cut to the chase, then if you move to say a 6.1 90 you'll think it's huge!

Anyone can get a 110 inch head and just hit topspin all day, but when they go up against a shot maker they will be in trouble, I'm not saying you should stay away from big head/baselining, but it's becomming a bit predictable and easy to pick apart as everyone does it, you can see their patterns a mile away, no become a shot maker.

I almost fell into that trap when I switched to a K-95, wider head, easier to hit, but not the precise shots, I did that because of my arm, I played my 6.1 90 today and like that guy on TW reviews says "It's like an extention of your arm", how true!

[UCSF2012]

I have several models of rackets in my bag. There comes a point in time when you can adjust back and forth fairly easily. Different frames excell in different shots. After a while, you'll realize you'll have different strengths/weaknesses, based on the rack you use.

To me, balance and overall weight means little. Swingweight is most the game. Keep the swingweight similar or you'll be framing balls.