Anyone string at 70 lbs???

[sunmin77]

I am currently using several racquets (rotating them). Among them I have a Head LM Radical Tour, Wilson ROK, Fischer M Speed, etc.

I string all of the racquets at 69-72 pounds with poly/syngut hybrids and I am loving it. I used to string in the low 60s at first and it felt fine. However, I strung higher just to see how it would feel and I think it just kicks it into another gear. As you can probably guess, control is great. What I was surprised about, however, was the fact that I was able to generate more power(at least in my opinion). It could come from the fact that the stringbed, being so tight, solely responds to the amount of power I put into the racquet. When the stringbed was looser, it would absorb my power and therefore take away some of it.

Anyway, I don't understand it scientifically. All I know is that I am loving my racquets strung at high tension and am wondering if there is anyone else who feels this way.

 

[Gaines Hillix]

Well, my 2 cents worth is that you feel more comfortable with the higher tension in that you have better control and can take a bigger cut at the ball and still keep it in. It lets you hit out on the ball where as with the looser tension you feel like you're trying to control your swing by holding back to maintain control. A stiffer string bed will actually rob more of the energy from the ball while compressing it, so that there is less power/energy to return to the shot.

 

[brucie]

Other than Roddick I doubt it Roddick strings at 72 but his racket recommends 50-55 I have 58 and sometimes go lower with wrist pains don't you ever get injured?

 

[sunmin77]

Injuries have not been a problem for me with this setup (thank GOD). I think that one drawback may be that the sweet spot size is reduced. However, so far, I have not had any problems with that either. I guess the thing I love about this is that I feel like I am in total control over what the racquet is going to do.

Another thing that is very surprising is that even though the stringbed is tight, this does not rob the racquet of its feel or touch.

 

[cruzersi99]

I use to string my racquets anywhere from 66-72 lbs, however that was using syn gut (15 to 17 guage).

It does feel as if you may be producing more power, although I'm not quite sure if it actually does. I believe the stiffness of the stringbed produces a different type of feel, and action on the ball. Dependent on your stroke, it may feel like more power, it may not.

Stringing that high with hybrid may be overkill though. I would start to lower tension at the slightest twinge in my forearm, elbow, or shoulder. Professionals can sometimes get away with higher string tensions because they have already built up the necessary strength to cope with the stress.

 

[vkartikv]

I too have been going at higher ranges (63-66 lbs) and finding greener pastures from it. My questions - do the tension ranges imprinted on the racquet have no meaning at all? what are the consequences of high tension on the racquet?

 

[Cruzer]

I string all of the racquets at 69-72 pounds with poly/syngut hybrids and I am loving it.

Wow! Poly at 69-72 lbs. I'll bet that must be one comfy racquet to play with. Not only do you risk damaging your frames by stringing at such high tensions but you get to hurt your arm at the same time.

 

[Kevo]

I wonder if you've strung the poly so high that it is deforming and actually changing it's properties. Kind of like when you stretch a garbage sack too much and it thins out a lot.

 

[Midlife crisis]

I wonder if you've strung the poly so high that it is deforming and actually changing it's properties. Kind of like when you stretch a garbage sack too much and it thins out a lot.

Just for grins and ha-ha's, I'm doing some experiments with strings, mostly to see if strings lose elasticity with time, but also in trying to find the point at which strings plastically deform. Because I had earlier heard reports of SPPP being pretty brittle, I put a sample of the 1.28 mm string in my stringer, put on several layers of clothes, gloves, and goggles, and pulled it to 80 lbs. I let it sit for a few minutes, then relaxed the tension. A 12" marked section elongated to just under 12 1/4 inches. As it sat there, it slowly started to curl back into a rounder shape. I had to run off so I let the string sit there for a few days. When I looked at it again, the string had shrunk back down to just barely more than 12 inches long.

So, it appears there are residual stresses in the string that come as a result of the tensioning, and that these residual stresses can relieve themselves in a way that results in shortening of the string back to near its original length. This indicates that the elongation is mostly elastic, but that the recovery is dampened somehow. It's interesting and I don't understand the mechanism behind this well. I'm going to redo this test again with a fresh piece of string, as the original piece was one that was already partly pulled as the last cross in my current racquet.

 

[Jonnyf]

Other than Roddick I doubt it Roddick strings at 72 but his racket recommends 50-55 I have 58 and sometimes go lower with wrist pains don't you ever get injured?

Hey the PD+ recommends 55 to 62 i think, i have Polystar Energy at 62 in my PD+

 

[ask1ed]

Roddick and Sampras both string at 73. I strung at 73 for years with the pure drive team +. Depends on how long you leave em in there. All string, even lux, will begin to trampoline. First few hrs. at 73 feels stiff and powerless. Then it begins to settle in and elongate. Power and control are possible at this tension, but tough on the arm, esp. with stiff frames (73 on pure drive). Roddick will get injured at this tension, with lead tape, on that frame. The exact combination of tension/string/frame will feel different to every player. How long to leave it in will feel different, and frame to frame will differ due to racquet differences. Mark your frames. Keep records. Ping out the frames after stringing to see which are naturally higher pitched. The perfect combo doesn't last long, and the sweet spot will move due to elongation.
http://www.sasonline.net/Players_Log.htm

 

[vinky]

I used to string polys around the 65 lbs. range and 18x20 string pattern, and I injured my shoulder pretty badly. Now recovered, I like the tensions to be around 52-57 lbs, and I haven't had any problems since

 

[Jonnyf]

Roddick does not string at 73 speak o Grant Morgan he strings for him

 

[H-town hero]

when i used to play with a cts approach 110 i strung it at 70
now that i siwtched to and o3 tour i string at 66

 

[NoBadMojo]

you are using the smaller headed ROK?

 

[sunmin77]

Yeah, I am using the smaller headed ROK. I have it strung with Topspin Cyber Flash 17 in the mains and synthetic gut in the crosses, both at 69 pounds. I also have a Pro Staff 6.0 85 strung around the same tension. I guess, so far I have been very lucky with no injuries. I don't even feel any discomfort. It could be that because I hit a very flat shot, I don't use my wrist as much and therefore am saving my arm. Who knows!!! All I know is that so far, I am loving this setup and will probably keep doing it, unless I hurt my arm.

 

[cruise30166]

I'm with you, the higher the tension (65+) the better I played last year. More control more spin great match results. And then my wrist and elbow took too much of the extra shock and started showing up in nagging injuries that never seemed to go away. Be very careful. Health is more important especially as you get older. This year I'm going to play with a racket that is designed for more control and has flex rating under 60. I'm going for a racket designed for control instead of stringing at a higher string tension this year. I'm going to string my "control/59 flex" racket at 50 tension and see what happens. I'm looking for similar results and no injuries.....

 

[Zverev]

So, it appears there are residual stresses in the string that come as a result of the tensioning, and that these residual stresses can relieve themselves in a way that results in shortening of the string back to near its original length. This indicates that the elongation is mostly elastic, but that the recovery is dampened somehow. It's interesting and I don't understand the mechanism behind this well. I'm going to redo this test again with a fresh piece of string, as the original piece was one that was already partly pulled as the last cross in my current racquet.

interesting experiment, MC
I am trying to relate it somehow to that old discussion of softness/stiffness and resiliency.
Like how come seemingly soft string is low powered?
or seemingly stiff string has got lots of power?
maybe it does relate to the fact that they return to original speed at different rate?

 

[arnz]

I'm with you, the higher the tension (65+) the better I played last year. More control more spin great match results. And then my wrist and elbow took too much of the extra shock and started showing up in nagging injuries that never seemed to go away. Be very careful. Health is more important especially as you get older. This year I'm going to play with a racket that is designed for more control and has flex rating under 60. I'm going for a racket designed for control instead of stringing at a higher string tension this year. I'm going to string my "control/59 flex" racket at 50 tension and see what happens. I'm looking for similar results and no injuries.....

And what racquet would that be?

 

[Midlife crisis]

interesting experiment, MC
I am trying to relate it somehow to that old discussion of softness/stiffness and resiliency.
Like how come seemingly soft string is low powered?
or seemingly stiff string has got lots of power?
maybe it does relate to the fact that they return to original speed at different rate?

I think soft strings feel low powered because the impact forces are lower since the strings stretch.

There apparently are two different kinds of elastic response - the one where the string immediately returns to the original shape, and this slower response which I don't understand well. It's almost like those foam mattresses that dent when you press them, then they slowly regain their shape. I didn't know that strings could do this, but it has my curiousity up so I'll do some digging around.

I'm actually doing a number of pretty simple experiments to try and figure out if some of the things I believe are true, are actually true. I don't have the equipment to measure dynamic changes, but for things like testing if older strings lose their static elasticity - that stuff I can easily test for and measure.

 

[Zverev]

I think soft strings feel low powered because the impact forces are lower since the strings stretch.

There apparently are two different kinds of elastic response - the one where the string immediately returns to the original shape, and this slower response which I don't understand well. It's almost like those foam mattresses that dent when you press them, then they slowly regain their shape. I didn't know that strings could do this, but it has my curiousity up so I'll do some digging around.

I'm actually doing a number of pretty simple experiments to try and figure out if some of the things I believe are true, are actually true. I don't have the equipment to measure dynamic changes, but for things like testing if older strings lose their static elasticity - that stuff I can easily test for and measure.

funny thing - my little daughter has bought a new toy at the supermarket, which just a piece of material in the plastic egg shell.
The material is quite interesting - it feels exactly like clay (playdough) at first, it's soft, you can tear it into many part, shape any way you want.
But if you make a ball with it and drop it in the hard surface (floor) it bounces almost like golf ball.
Which means that it's dynamic properties are very different from what they seem. It's reaction to force depends not only on amount of that force but also speed with which it applies.
Now, what if soft low powered strings are exactly opposite?
They feel soft on touch, but they are stiff (and thus low powered) when dynamic force is applied?
But that is what matters to us, it's dynamic.

 

[cruise30166]

hey arnz,
check out Tennis Warehouse website for selling rackets and use their "racket finder". Excellent tool. Just put in flex range 57 - 59 and 15 rackets will pop up that will fit. Take a look at specs, do some homework, find one that matches you and demo.....

 

[Midlife crisis]

funny thing - my little daughter has bought a new toy at the supermarket, which just a piece of material in the plastic egg shell.
The material is quite interesting - it feels exactly like clay (playdough) at first, it's soft, you can tear it into many part, shape any way you want.
But if you make a ball with it and drop it in the hard surface (floor) it bounces almost like golf ball.
Which means that it's dynamic properties are very different from what they seem. It's reaction to force depends not only on amount of that force but also speed with which it applies.
Now, what if soft low powered strings are exactly opposite?
They feel soft on touch, but they are stiff (and thus low powered) when dynamic force is applied?
But that is what matters to us, it's dynamic.

That is cool stuff. Was it in one of those vending machines that sell those trinkets for a quarter or was it somewhere on the toy shelf? I'd like to get a hold of some of this.

I've googled around a bit for some technical papers, and there's actually an older Scientific American article that addresses something which I think is pretty similar, but SA charges for viewing their old articles (as they should). I'm going to order the couple of books that address tennis tech specifically, but I'm not sure they would cover this stuff in there either.

 

[milo]

does high tension damaged your racket? the grommet or even the frame itself

 

[tennisadict]

yes it will damage your raket, unless you are sponsored

 

[Zverev]

That is cool stuff. Was it in one of those vending machines that sell those trinkets for a quarter or was it somewhere on the toy shelf? I'd like to get a hold of some of this.

I don't know. When I first saw it, there was only bare shell with all labels stripped and lost - it doesn't take long for these 4 yo.
Yes, material science is a cool stuff, I wish I didn't hate chemistry at school.
Still remember those pictures though, carbon based molecules with complex space structure ..i might be talking rubbish here...bailing out