Aluminium racquets?
- Thread starter Crisstti
- Start date
phishbiscuits
Rookie
6000+ posts and "trying to learn," eh?
time_fly
Hall of Fame
LOL, he spends so much time on the TW Forums that he never actually plays.
Anyway, to answer your question, yes aluminium frames can hurt your arm. I would recommend purchasing an aluminum frame instead from an American retailer. They are very similar but the extra refining to remove the I results in a less stiff material.
Algo
Hall of Fame
He knows a lot, and it's not just the salesman that wants to make the big sale, so I'd take his advise. (We're talking about 'the' Prince store in Providencia, right? lol)
If your options are an aluminum racquet and the cheapest graphite racquet in the market, take the latter anyway.
Lots of good players used aluminum racket's for years, and few hurt their arms any more than graphite or wood rackets.
I used the Head Pro (red head) for two years. Used the OPS Green Yonex for one year, no arm problems at all.
Even had the green plastic, aluminum Prince for a few years of part time tennis, just fine for the arm.
I used the Head Pro (red head) for two years. Used the OPS Green Yonex for one year, no arm problems at all.
Even had the green plastic, aluminum Prince for a few years of part time tennis, just fine for the arm.
movdqa
Talk Tennis Guru
I saw some people that used the Aluminum Prince with the green plastic that had arm injuries but the injuries were due to poor form made possible by the very generous amount of power from the racquet. Prince tamed the power with the Prince Pro which was the follow-on model - the one with the black throat.
Crisstti
Legend
That's the store, yeah lol.
Thanks for the answers. Not much agreement though :-|
PS: phishbiscuits you can take your snobbism somewhere else.
movdqa
Talk Tennis Guru
The vibration isn't really a problem as the soft frame and higher mass absorb it and there's far less stress on your arm from stiffness. It may force you to watch the ball more closely as the sweetspot is so small too.
I'm pretty sure that the stiffest aluminum frames are still softer than the softest of graphite frames.
I'm pretty sure that the stiffest aluminum frames are still softer than the softest of graphite frames.
I would agree that removing the I makes the frame more forgiving, but it also provides less torsional stability making it less suitable for vollies and net play.
BlueB
Legend
Not necessarily. I had an alu OS modified to players spec. The thing vibrated in an ugly low frequency fashion that threatened to shake my tooth fillings loose...
OP, just buy a good cheaper graphite, you'd be way better of. There are good reasons why no one plays alu or wood any more.
if you like the feel of some of the old aluminums bet the vibration throws you off you can get rid of it by putting two snake dampeners on each side of the stringbed at 3 and 9 and useing another or standard round dampener at the normal 6 oclock position. the dampeners on the side not only kill the vibration but will also add a little weight (similar to lead tape) on the sides for aiding torshional stability and giving a little more plow though.
if thats not enough vibration killing then use something like a gamma hitech for your base grip instead of leather. some of the aluminum frames will give you access to the hollow aluminum under the buttcap as well and you can fill it with some caulk.
If you do this and get the weight up to player specs aluminum frames play quite nicely. if your having problems finding a sweet spot you can play with lowering the tension a little bit. its not going to cause you arm problems any more than other racquets. i have a bunch of aluminum favorites and they all play really well. My favorites are actually the different spaldings made through the years. wilson has some good ones as well. For larger headsizes princes are the best IMO.
The major reason aluminums didnt stick around was because graphite took over. Jay Burger got to the semis of the US Open useing an aluminum prince oversize frame beating a young booming sampras along the way so anyone who doesnt think they cant play well are a bit looney.
if thats not enough vibration killing then use something like a gamma hitech for your base grip instead of leather. some of the aluminum frames will give you access to the hollow aluminum under the buttcap as well and you can fill it with some caulk.
If you do this and get the weight up to player specs aluminum frames play quite nicely. if your having problems finding a sweet spot you can play with lowering the tension a little bit. its not going to cause you arm problems any more than other racquets. i have a bunch of aluminum favorites and they all play really well. My favorites are actually the different spaldings made through the years. wilson has some good ones as well. For larger headsizes princes are the best IMO.
The major reason aluminums didnt stick around was because graphite took over. Jay Burger got to the semis of the US Open useing an aluminum prince oversize frame beating a young booming sampras along the way so anyone who doesnt think they cant play well are a bit looney.
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movdqa
Talk Tennis Guru
There have been a lot of aluminum players sticks too in the 14-15 ounce range. I have three of them in my closet. These are all very stable racquets but you have to be able to hit the center of the strings or you get no power.
Graphite gives you a lot more power at a cost to your arm.
Graphite gives you a lot more power at a cost to your arm.
movdqa
Talk Tennis Guru
I grew up on 14-15 ounce frames. My sacrifice to modern technology is a 13.25 ounce frame.
You get used to what you play with.
What graphite frame, currently sold, is softer than a Head Pro?
Crisstti
Legend
Thanks for the advice (you and everyone
)TBH, not sure I could tell I like the feel of a racquet or not, I'm really only learning to play and have used only one racquet thus far...
A quastion though, are base grips usually made of leather?.
Crisstti
Legend
So probably not on cheaper commercial ones?. I'm kind of a vegan so it'd be a problem!
prjacobs
Hall of Fame
Yes, I grew up with wood and a continental grip on grass. I know the drill
. But respectfully, there's absolutely no reason to build your game on outdated technology, with outdated grips and strokes.Sorry, but it makes no sense. The game has evolved, frames and strings are totally different...
Yes, it's also really fun to ride a horse, but that age is over
....You and I grew up in a different generation...
There are plenty of frames with flex in the 50s to chose from. Right now, I'm using a 12.2ounce Head MG radical pro, and I'm going to ditch it for something lighter. I now play better at around the 11.5 ounce weight....
Why make the game harder with old stuff?
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prjacobs
Hall of Fame
Frames in your spec range won't come with leather, but you can easily check. As a musician, I can't use leather. It's way too harsh upon impact for my hand.
I guess that means no gut strings for you either
....
movdqa
Talk Tennis Guru
I think that you said that there were plenty of graphite frames softer than Aluminum frames. My Head Pros feel like a noodle compared to the PK Redondo Mid which is 56 flex. Any racquets in the 40s made out of graphite?
prjacobs
Hall of Fame
Weren't some of the Vantage basalt frames in the 40s, before they had company troubles? Be that as it may, this is far from helping a beginner learn the game. The modern game. With modern stances, grips, strokes, strategy.
Yes, your Head Pro is really soft. I grant you that I said there were "graphite"frames that were softer than aluminum frames. Sorry, I guess I was wrong.
movdqa
Talk Tennis Guru
Using an old-school frame for a while provides a nice foundation and appreciation for a modern frame.
max
Legend
I don't know if people are creating a dispute here or not. . .
I played for a number of years with the red Head, a very solid aluminum frame. I felt virtually no vibration. In fact, I've had the opposite result with some graphites!
OP: I think you take whatever you want to buy on a test drive. But it IS weird the salesman has that opinion, bizarre, about aluminum frames. They work fine.
I played for a number of years with the red Head, a very solid aluminum frame. I felt virtually no vibration. In fact, I've had the opposite result with some graphites!
OP: I think you take whatever you want to buy on a test drive. But it IS weird the salesman has that opinion, bizarre, about aluminum frames. They work fine.
BHud
Hall of Fame
What is this...a post from the 70's? I haven't seen aluminum racquets in decades?
prjacobs
Hall of Fame
I certainly hope there's no dispute here, just a friendly discussion. If you Google aluminum tennis racquets, the first thing you see is a $16.95 frame from Amazon.
And if you look at racquet history you see that aluminum is now used on inexpensive beginner's frames and found on old used frames.
Again - I grew up with wood and continental grips. I get heavy old school frames.
My opinion is that you should learn the game with frames, strings and strokes that are modern. I understand the opinion of starting with a heavy frame but I wouldn't go that way... No big deal... Hey - this is the tennis forum. We can get geeky about this stuff here
.... Hope we're cool...
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sixone90
Hall of Fame
Aluminium racquets these days are much lighter than graphite racquets
