All problems solved with racket

[Power Player]

It matters what stock is. Some racquets that come stock are perfect. the real key is to buy a stock racquet that you can hit with out of the box. then after about 2-3 months of play, start leading up the stick. Have the string setup dialed in for at least 1 month.

If you do it right, you will find your ideal specs. It worked out perfectly for me.

[anubis]

Make sure you're adding the weight in a polarized fashion too. You don't want a 350 SW if it makes the stick 10 points HH. That's a freakin' shovel. counterbalance with lead (fishing weights) and silicone in the handle so you can maintain the same balance as stock.

[Relinquis]

all of this hype about design and new materials, yet we end up playing with sticks that are 20% lead tape!

i don't get it. manufacturers are making racquets lighter and lighter, so we end up leading them up more and more to make them heavier so we can play properly. why don't they have a line of heavier racquets for grown ups?

[luvforty]

20 yrs ago Prostaff 6.1 was the go-to racket for the good players... i think if you do a blind test today, 6.1 vs whatever supernanocarbon frame today, very small percentage of people will notice a difference.

[FrisbeeFool]

Originally Posted by isilra

What kind of forehand do you have ? I mean you are using the ATP style pronation-supination-pronation route or just go for the oldschool lay the wrist back and go for it style ? I'm asking because i'm still wondering what kind of racquet specs would be suitable for my game.

Oh god, are you serious??? Nobody hits a forehand and thinks time to pronate, time to supinate, time to pronate again. That's just a tennis warehouse message board thing. It has nothing to do with choosing a racket.

[FrisbeeFool]

No racket is going to magically fix your tennis game. Best to worry about technique. I'm shocked by the consumerist approach some people have to sports. As if it's possible to buy your way to a better game. They've been making graphite rackets for decades. Whatever upgrades they're touting are just selling points in order to move new rackets.

[sureshs]

Originally Posted by nyc

how are your volleys?

Good...........

[sureshs]

Originally Posted by luvforty

step 1 - peel the sticky off
step 2 - apply lead tape to racket
step 3 - weigh racket
step 4 - become a real tennis player

Not that simple. I need the SW. To do it easily, I have to take it to my pro shop and use his Prince machine. Then I have to sit there and add lead and take measurements over and over again. Not feasible.

[Mick3391]

Originally Posted by FrisbeeFool

No racket is going to magically fix your tennis game. Best to worry about technique. I'm shocked by the consumerist approach some people have to sports. As if it's possible to buy your way to a better game. They've been making graphite rackets for decades. Whatever upgrades they're touting are just selling points in order to move new rackets.

I don't think anyone is saying a racquet will "Magically" fix their game, not sure where you saw that.

There is a tremendous difference in high end play with these different racquets, I mean I can hit anything, play with anything, even wood, but sometimes these little details can make a big difference.

For example, I have a PS 90 and a K-95, almost identical weight and size, but they play totally different. The 95's head is more round, and while I love the 90, in play I pick the 95, incredible racquet and huge difference.

[sureshs]

Originally Posted by Relinquis

I'm pretty surprised that there are so few heavy (SW) stock racquets.

Maybe I should get the dunlop* before they stop making them, just to have the option.


* Wasn't the previous model even a bit heavier?

No, the Aerogel version was lighter I think. But I think they are basically the same. It did not show up in the TW list - but if I go through the racket finder, I see it there and it was cheaper. But I think it means it was a mistake and they don't have it.

Even the Bio 200 Tour is out of stock and coming in this week. Better buy them before they are replaced.

[sureshs]

Originally Posted by Power Player

Great racquet and probably not tough to use coming from a Ps85.

No, no problem at all. The guy in the club who uses it occasionally asked me to start lifting weights. I told him I have been lifting the PS 85 all this time.

[sureshs]

Originally Posted by anubis

Make sure you're adding the weight in a polarized fashion too. You don't want a 350 SW if it makes the stick 10 points HH. That's a freakin' shovel. counterbalance with lead (fishing weights) and silicone in the handle so you can maintain the same balance as stock.

That is why I did not get the PK PSE. It is 9 points HL and a SW of 345.

I really don't know what I will do if the Dunlop 200 Tour is discontinued.

Edit: I see you said HH. What do you think of a high SW and very HL? It is kind of strange, as the very HL versions were used by S&V players of yore. Doesn't sound right with high SW.

[Avles]

Originally Posted by FrisbeeFool

Oh god, are you serious??? Nobody hits a forehand and thinks time to pronate, time to supinate, time to pronate again. That's just a tennis warehouse message board thing. It has nothing to do with choosing a racket.

Errr, what does consciously deciding when to pronate and supinate while hitting have to do with the question? Did isilra ever say he did that while swinging? The point is that some players actually do this and some don't, and the swing types end up being a bit different as a result.

I'm not well-versed in these matters, but it doesn't seem outside the realm of possibility that different swing types would benefit more or less from different racquet specs. So I'm not sure why you're so scandalized by the question...

[sureshs]

Originally Posted by FrisbeeFool

No racket is going to magically fix your tennis game. Best to worry about technique. I'm shocked by the consumerist approach some people have to sports. As if it's possible to buy your way to a better game. They've been making graphite rackets for decades. Whatever upgrades they're touting are just selling points in order to move new rackets.

Technique is not going to improve by keeping the same racket, just as it is not going to improve with a new toy. In the same way, number of playing hours will not increase either way to increase the practice. Those things make a difference for those people who are willing to make a greater commitment, namely juniors, college players, pros, and retired people. For me, it is what it is.

I could not play with lighter rackets than the PS 85 because they hurt my arm and just did not feel right. The materials seemed to become more tinny and hollow with newer models, as they brought the weight down to appeal to the average consumer, but tried to increase the stability by nano this or that. They did achieve a lot of comfort, but in the end, when I struck a ball, it did not feel right.

Now I have outlived the PS 85. I wanted more free depth and I was noticing that top spin balls to the BH were getting more and more difficult to handle. I found people blocking the ball back with depth with a 1 hander and I could not do it. Now with the Dunlop, it is happening with ease. I don't have to worry about being very precise with the swing to catch the tiny sweetzone, or to fear discomfort if I hit slightly off-center. Instead of trying to achieve perfection and stoke my ego, I decided that a 95 with a high SW is the way to go - even Fed abandoned the 85.

[sureshs]

Originally Posted by isilra

What kind of forehand do you have ? I mean you are using the ATP style pronation-supination-pronation route or just go for the oldschool lay the wrist back and go for it style ? I'm asking because i'm still wondering what kind of racquet specs would be suitable for my game.

I do some pat the dog and Nike swoosh thing. I don't do the stretch your arm and just loop thing. But definitely not as sophisticated like Federer.

What racket specs are you using now? If you feel the frame is comfortable and that you don't seem to be working harder than players of your level yet not getting the results, then just stick with it.

Regarding the suitability of the frame to the style: if you want the fast swing of the juniors, do NOT use a heavy/high SW frame. They are not using it. Filip will probably scoff at my choice of SW 350 and 12.3 oz weight when he has won 2 Slams with a much lighter frame. The juniors use lighter frames and really hit the skin out of the ball. I don't know what the toll to the arm is, but that is what I see.

From the college to the pro level, frames become heavier, but I think most WTA players are not going very high either.

Then you have players like Fed, Djoker, Murray and Nadal who use high SWs AND swing very fast.

[Cheetah]

Originally Posted by sureshs

Not that simple. I need the SW. To do it easily, I have to take it to my pro shop and use his Prince machine. Then I have to sit there and add lead and take measurements over and over again. Not feasible.

no you don't. use the tw online customization tool. it works.

[Power Player]

Originally Posted by sureshs

Not that simple. I need the SW. To do it easily, I have to take it to my pro shop and use his Prince machine. Then I have to sit there and add lead and take measurements over and over again. Not feasible.

No, what you do is grab your stick with the overgrip on and strung. Get the SW measured. From there, you will be fine. You just need to know that original SW.

[TheCheese]

Sureshs, could you film some clips of yourself playing?

[sureshs]

Originally Posted by Cheetah

no you don't. use the tw online customization tool. it works.

I saw it now. But it needs the original SW. I guess one can use the pendulum method.

[Cheetah]

Originally Posted by sureshs

I saw it now. But it needs the original SW. I guess one can use the pendulum method.

tw lists sw for all racquets.