Racquet Optimization

What should be done first in optimizing your racquet?

I have been experimenting with adding Lead to adjust my Swingweight and Racquet Balance, while varying my string tension to enhance my depth and control. My goal is to get more plow through with some additional weight and gain some control on miss hit shots. I would also like to find a tension that I can use that would be more Arm Friendly.

Should one be done before moving on to the other? Or, is it a back and forth process?

Hi Smac1221,

I see this is your 2nd post. Welcome to the neighborhood. Great questions you have there. I think it's always a bit of back and forth. I hate to speak for what other folks do first, but my observation is that there are two camps here.

Camp A : Looks as a racquet as a platform customization, and will most likely purchase frames that are lighter than the intended playing weight. These are the peeps that will get the mass and balance tuned in first, then will work on getting the strings in there as frosting on the cake.

Camp B: These players buy frames that are very close to the intended playing weight and balance already. These peeps are most likely to experiment with the string first, not wanting to fiddle with a SW and balance they know they like.

Camp A and Camp B argue a lot. Then there are the true nutballs such as myself who have come full circle and have concurrent experiments going with both approaches.

Your Case: I think it really depends (in your case) how much room you have to play in terms of SW and overall mass in your current set ups. If you are comfortable dialing up to a much higher weight, I'd work on that first. If you want to keep pretty close to your current weight and balance then I would dial the string in first.

Hope this helps, and once again welcome to TW.

-Jack

Thanks for your thoughts on this matter Jack and thanks for the Welcome.

In discovering this Forum I have gotten valuable insight and enough confidence to start tweaking the equipment I own. It all started with reading a thread and taking the posters computations and applying them, to arrive at the optimum Balance/Swingweight.

The first Racquet I did this to was my older Radical Microgel and after adding some weight on the hoop at 3/9 o’clock and a few grams in the handle for a total of 18 grams, it felt better than my newer Youteks. I hit like a new man. At the same time I was trying to dial in my string tension, as I got a stringing machine for myself at Christmas (sometimes the best kind of gifts come from yourself). So I guess now it’s time to concentrate on the Racquet and take tiny steps in the stringing.

I would like to try to duplicate that feeling in the Youteks by adjusting the SW and Balance. That has been a bit more challenging because the SW’s are not the same as the Microgel. I have been using the App Racquet Tune to assist. Not really sure how precise that is.

They say part of the fun is the journey…we’ll see!

I hope to get more input from others and additional information on the subject matter, as I continue this project toward Racquet Optimization.

Thanks again,
-Smac1221

Smac1221 said:

I would like to try to duplicate that feeling in the Youteks by adjusting the SW and Balance. That has been a bit more challenging because the SW’s are not the same as the Microgel. I have been using the App Racquet Tune to assist. Not really sure how precise that is.
-Smac1221

Click to expand...

Aha, I see. To get your Youteks up to the spec you desire you can use this tool.
http://twu.tennis-warehouse.com/learning_center/customizationReverse.php