Arm Friendly Racquet With Some Oomph

[slewisoh]

Hi all. I have followed the advice of Marius and others regarding arm friendly racquets. Today I playtested the Dunlop M-Fil 200 and the ProKennex Ionic Ki5.

These racquets are both much heavier than my Hyper Hammer (that's the point). With the Dunlop, I could not generate enough power to send my groundstrokes keep. I was trying hard to prepare early and shift my weight into the shot, but I felt I was overhitting in my attempt to get the ball deeper - not good for the old wrist and shoulder.

The Ki 5 was much easier for me to manage. Good topspin groundstrokes with depth and accurate volleys. This may well be the racqet for me, but I would also like to try something in the Volkl and Head lines. Can anyone recommend a racquet in those lines that plays more like the Ki 5 and less like the M-Fil 200?

Very appreciative of everyone's comments and suggestions!

Shelly

 

[louis netman]

Try the VEMP with gut on the lower end....now that's some ooomph! Gen 2 swings lighter, thus sacrificing oomph...Gen 2 also gets funky at lower tensions, IMHO.

 

[HappyLefty]

I recommend you DNX8.
Take a look at recent posts and you´ll find very helpful information about this stick.

 

[counterpuncher]

Good topspin groundstrokes with depth and accurate volleys. This may well be the racqet for me, but I would also like to try something in the Volkl and Head lines. Can anyone recommend a racquet in those lines that plays more like the Ki 5 and less like the M-Fil 200?

Shelly

In the Head line I would recommend the Instinct - LM or Flexpoint as it definitely has more oomph than the Ki 5 but I found to be very arm and shoulder friendly. If you can handle the extra weight, length and swingweight I would also recommend my favourite which was the the Instinct Tour XL. All of these frames because of their softness require you to swing out to achieve oomph, but duly reward you with pace and reasonable control, when you do.

 

[Mugatu]

buff up and swing harder

then fire up!!! do it

 

[slewisoh]

Well unfortunately this 40'ish mother of two is only going to get but so buff...

 

[Kevo]

If you don't break strings often, pretty much any medium weight racquet that feels good to you with some gut strung at the lower end of the range ought to work quite nicely. Gut absorbs an enormous amount of shock compared to what else is out there. It also allows you to get plenty of power for the effort you put in to a swing, so you can expend less effort on your shots.

 

[Newberry]

I enjoy my Dunlop Abzorber (made to be arm friendly), although its a bit powerful for me. Its since been in use by my daughter.
I have the 98" version, but the 108 would be more powerful.
Available on the cheap on the big auction site.

Order from tenniswarehouse if you can though, to support this site!

Its just over 10oz stock and even balance.

 

[bluegrasser]

Shelly -the Instinct like the above poster suggested is a good choice, also string comes into the equation, try the LM Prestige with Gosen sheep micro 17 at say - 55 lbs.

 

[netman]

I use the PK 5g a lot and consider it one of the best all around frames on the market. Just did a comparative playtest on the Volkl DNX-8 and was very impressed. They should have it posted shortly, but in a nutshell the DNX-8 plays heavier that its static weight in terms of comfort and control. Very plush ride. You can really generate racquet head speed and there is very good control on flat, topspin and slice strokes.

You might find it a better transition from the Hyper Hammer than the ones you have tried to date. If I was going to move to a lighter racquet from the 5g, the DNX-8 would be a top contender.

-k-

 

[louis netman]

I'd like to comment on the 5g and say that it does well with gut or gut-hybrid at mid to low tension. There's also alot of margin for modding as you become stronger from pumping those weights...

 

[slewisoh]

I use the PK 5g a lot and consider it one of the best all around frames on the market. Just did a comparative playtest on the Volkl DNX-8 and was very impressed. They should have it posted shortly, but in a nutshell the DNX-8 plays heavier that its static weight in terms of comfort and control. Very plush ride. You can really generate racquet head speed and there is very good control on flat, topspin and slice strokes.

You might find it a better transition from the Hyper Hammer than the ones you have tried to date. If I was going to move to a lighter racquet from the 5g, the DNX-8 would be a top contender.

-k-

I have to admit that I was intrigued by the reviews for the DNX-8 but am very nervous about it's relatively light weight and stiffness. I can't recall the exact #'s...I hope my memory serves me well, otherwise I am going to look like an idot here! Oh well.

My wrist pain is pretty significant and I started rehab for my shoulder today. Shoulder is not torn and I have good strength and range of motion. I just have to get to that good range of motion WITHOUT pain thing.

Are you saying that the DNX-8 plays at least as comfortably as the Ki-5? I'm really trying to make a good choice for my body here, as I want to play for a long time!

Shelly

 

[louis netman]

Just FYI, I'm an arm/ wrist sufferer with a previous rotator cuff tear, rehabbed. I demoed a heavily weighted DNX8 (350g 8pts HL) and I got some real funky pain/sensations on the outside of my elbow I've never felt before. However, I played the DNX 10 and similarly weighted Bab Storm (all strung with junk demo strings) in the same session...

 

[netman]

Shelly, I have not used the Ki 5, just the 5g. I can not honestly say the DNX-8 play as comfortably as the Kinetic frames. Nothing does. However, for an 11 oz frame it is very comfortable and transmits very little shock to the arm. I have a surgically repaired shoulder and old joints myself and tend to be sensitive to high shock frames. I played a a lot of tennis with the DNX-8 and had no discomfort, which surprised me. It is a very solid and comfortable frame.

Given your current situation though, I think you will be hard pressed to find a better solution than a PK Kinetic frame. The 5 series in particular is about as good as it gets in arm protection. So it might be best to start there, then you can experiment with something like the DNX-8 when you have healed.

-k-

 

[slewisoh]

Just FYI, I'm an arm/ wrist sufferer with a previous rotator cuff tear, rehabbed. I demoed a heavily weighted DNX8 (350g 8pts HL) and I got some real funky pain/sensations on the outside of my elbow I've never felt before. However, I played the DNX 10 and similarly weighted Bab Storm (all strung with junk demo strings) in the same session...

I should probably know this, but I don't so I will ask. Given your wrist/arm difficulties, what racquet do you play with and what is your preference for strings? I've never broken a string in my life, so I thinking about trying gut...playing now with the TNT2 Rx I think.

It's silly that my pro paired my Hyper Hammer with this string to alleviate my arm issues...NOT SUCCESSFUL

 

[rich s]

.................... I would also like to try something in the Volkl and Head lines. Can anyone recommend a racquet in those lines that plays more like the Ki 5 and less like the M-Fil 200?

Shelly, I think the racquets that have been recommended to you are too heavy and too low powered...

I would suggest taking the Head LM Rad O/S or the Flexpoint Rad O/S for a demo.....a few of the 40'ish ladies on the USTA ladies team in my neighborhood use the LM Rad O/S quite well and get good pace from it(they are 3.5-4.0ish)


I would also consider the Volkl DNX V1 (102 sq in).....it is somewhat stiffer than you would expect an arm friendly racquet to be but its predecessor (V1) was a great racquet that was pretty popular and you didn't hear very much if any complaint about arm problems from it....I recall it (the original/classic V1) too was popular with ladies around where I play.

maybe too look at the Volkl Catapult V1 (102 sq in), it is a little on the light side (10.8oz) but it has a lower flex (63or64) and the Catapult technology may give you the extra oomph you are looking for.

In the Ionic series give the Ionic Ki10 a look...it should provide a little more oomph than the Ki5

A lot of the racquets that have been recommended to you as arm friendly (dunlop M200, ionic 5, prestige, dnx 10, etc) work well for guys but IMHO they are a little too heavy for a lady.



for a comfortable string that will add to your oomph factore give Technifiber X-1 Biphase 16 a try. It is super comfortable and will give you a little oomph...the only downside is it is pricey.

 

[dkt]

Give the ProKennex 15g light a try at 9.6 ounces it will meet your weight requirement. It also incorporates the Kinetic technology. The 105sq in frame will also give you alittle more power.

 

[heycal]

If you don't break strings often, pretty much any medium weight racquet that feels good to you with some gut strung at the lower end of the range ought to work quite nicely. Gut absorbs an enormous amount of shock compared to what else is out there. It also allows you to get plenty of power for the effort you put in to a swing, so you can expend less effort on your shots.

Are you saying that pretty much any ole racket of medium weight will do for arm problems as long as you string with gut at low tensions? What about stiffness and balance and all that jazz? Also, what do you consider medium weight?

And Shelly, if you want some oomph from a supposedly arm friendly racket, don't forget to check out the mighty Ki 15 PSE.That racket can hit the ball deep for you without you even taking it out of the bag. And It's 105" head size is a nice transition for those of us used to 110" Hammers. Louis Netman did say he felt some twinges from this racket, but it seemed okay to me.

 

[louis netman]

I should probably know this, but I don't so I will ask. Given your wrist/arm difficulties, what racquet do you play with and what is your preference for strings? I've never broken a string in my life, so I thinking about trying gut...playing now with the TNT2 Rx I think.

It's silly that my pro paired my Hyper Hammer with this string to alleviate my arm issues...NOT SUCCESSFUL

After my bout with a torn rotator cuff, my frame progression went as follows (keep in mind that shoulder injuries are irritated by weighty frames): Volkl C8, then added weight, Volkl C9 Pro, then added weight, now Volkl C10 Pro and Pro Tour. My arm seems recovered in terms of shoulder strength, but in the last two years, my wrist and forearm have become more sensitive. If I don't string with gut or a gut hybrid at mid to below mid tension, I'm done...toast...sayonara!!! Strings are equally as important in the mix!!!

 

[misterg]

I play with the 5g, but I found that the Prince 03 tour is also very flexible, easy to swing, soft to the arm and has a lot of pop...

 

[kenyee]

Give the ProKennex 15g light a try

I'm not sure I'd recommend the PK15G to someone that has arm problems. I tried it a while back from TW's demo program, and while it felt great on volleys, I found it to be quite stiff and buzzy...

 

[bee]

The LM Prestige Mid with Klip natural gut 16 or 17, 55#, Babolat string savers for a little more bite. Swing it hard and swing through the ball. Flexibe, heavy, powerful and easy on the arm.

 

[rich s]

The LM Prestige Mid with Klip natural gut 16 or 17, 55#, Babolat string savers for a little more bite. Swing it hard and swing through the ball. Flexibe, heavy, powerful and easy on the arm.

the request is made by a female who is in her 40's......I don't think the LM Pres Mid is what she is looking for.

 

[joe1987]

Lm prestige mp. Its arm friendly and has loads of power when strung at the right tension.

 

[Craig Carter]

Agree with the LM Prestige MP. It is great for the arm with a good flex yet has excellent power, especially when strung at mid or below recommended. Sweet stick IMO

 

[bcaz]

Shelly, it's a real dilemma. You want to protect your arm, you want more power and less weight. Hmm ... The Volkls (I use a couple of V1s) are pretty arm-friendly, mostly because of the cushioned handle systems, so don't worry so much about their stiffness ratings. The PK racquets pretty much are all arm-friendly, kinetic or otherwise. I highly recommend the Heritage Type R. No kinetics, but foam-injected, very flexible, not too heavy, and very comfortable. Plenty of spin but not much power. Whatever you use, I would recommend natural gut string to help protect your arm and provide power. If you use another string, then string you racquet at low tensions for power and comfort. You'll get accustomed to the different hit and adjust your swing mechanics accordingly.

 

[rfprse]

Today I playtested the Dunlop M-Fil 200 and the ProKennex Ionic Ki5.

Imho, you're trying to make a too drastic change at once. Even if you want to try 12 oz or higher eventually, it might be better to try first the racquets like warrior mp or radical mp with natural gut at medium or low tension first and see how they work for you.

 

[goober]

Try a Prokennex kinetic 15G PSE. Arm friendly with the kinetic technology and all the fire power you will ever need- probably close to your hammer in power.

Oh looky here I have one in mint condition 4 1/4 grip available

 

[Kevo]

Are you saying that pretty much any ole racket of medium weight will do for arm problems as long as you string with gut at low tensions? What about stiffness and balance and all that jazz? Also, what do you consider medium weight?

By medium weight I mean medium weight for the OP. Maybe up to half an ounce heavier than what's she's using now. Something around 10 oz. or slightly more with a more headlight balance. Jumping from a very light racquet to a frame that is an ounce heavier is probably a bad idea. The adjustment period can end up causing problems immediately if there are mechanics issues in the stroke brought on by the extra weight.

As far as stiffness and balance and all that jazz. Balance is a matter of personal taste usually. Obviously a light racquet feels better with a head heavy balance, and the other way round for a heavy frame. How much head heavy or head light you like is really personal preference. As far as arm problems go, most of those are caused by mechanics, mishits, and poor fitness. A racquet won't fix mechanics at all. Mishits can be helped by using a bigger racquet. Fitness is of course up to each person. The small bit of trouble that is left is caused by shock and vibration. Gut strings can do more than any other single thing to reduce vibration and shock. It's truly amazing. I have experimented some with this myself. What I've found is that on my frame, which is only a 90" frame, I can give myself some wrist, elbow, or shoulder tenderness with a soft multi strung at 62lbs. in just an hour or so of hitting. With gut at 65 lbs. I can pound the ball tenaciously for several hours and feel very little fatigue even, in my wrist and elbow. Its not scientific data by any means, but I hit the ball quite hard, and gut is just softer at any tension, and the difference is even wider at higher tensions. So to me, the two most important things you can do is use a frame that is the right weight for you, not too light, not too heavy, and string it with gut. Especially if you are a lady. Most ladies break string very infrequently, so gut works very well. My wife uses about a 10oz. racquet, and she only breaks a string maybe twice or three times a year, and she hits with me more than anyone else. I don't patty cake the ball around with her either, and she hits pretty hard. Sometimes she hits harder than about half the guys on my 4.0 team. The only time she has any soreness is if she catches a ball late and bends her wrist funny. It never has anything to do with the weight of the frame or the strings, it's always a technique breakdown. Anyway, that's just my experience.

 

[slewisoh]

Thank you everyone for the helpful comments - much appreciated.

Tried 3 racquets yesterday, with the following results:

Head LM Instinct - not a great hitting experience, although it was quite comfortable to use. Could not find my topspin (wherefore art thou, my topsin, topsin...) basically spewed balls about for about 20 minutes. Volleys felt very unstable for me. Looked good on paper, but...

Pro Kennex Ki 5 - 2nd outing with this racquet. Again, solid deep groundies and controlled volleys. No pain, whatsoever. Plan to play a match on Tuesday to see if I can wield this racquet for several sets.

Prince 03 White - I admit I was very wary of this racquet as it's stiffness rating is 65. I'm trying hard to get into the low 60's. Had one twinge in my wrist when I hit a ball late, but otherwise found the racquet to have a nicely dampened feel. The feel was dampened, yet my shots were driven well with nice topspin. Effortless swing. Perhaps if strung properly this could work.

The arm friendly Volkl's I have looked at online (VEMP primarily) seem to have low power ratings. Perhaps the TW info is misleading? Based on the hitting I've done this week, I think I need something in the low-med range for power, otherwise I tend to overhit.

The good news is that the day after I have no wrist pain - whooppeeee!

 

[snoflewis]

try the 03 tour MP...huge sweetspot, flexible, and powerful

 

[brucie]

wilson n pro, n tour n 6-1 team
babolat aero, strike pure storm
head instunct, radicial
yonex rdx 500 mp

 

[slewisoh]

try the 03 tour MP...huge sweetspot, flexible, and powerful

Ironically, I tried to demo this racquet yesterday but the STRINGS WERE BROKEN. I seem to recall another thread where the poster was complaining about constantly breaking strings on the 03 Tour.

I took it to be a sign from the tennis gods!

 

[snoflewis]

Ironically, I tried to demo this racquet yesterday but the STRINGS WERE BROKEN. I seem to recall another thread where the poster was complaining about constantly breaking strings on the 03 Tour.

I took it to be a sign from the tennis gods!

haha...yeah, actually, it's pretty idealistic that the 03 tour would have a serious string breakge issue. the strings move further back (more dwell time) than a traditional racket, thus stretching the strings more...not to mention that open string pattern.

 

[louis netman]

haha...yeah, actually, it's pretty idealistic that the 03 tour would have a serious string breakge issue. the strings move further back (more dwell time) than a traditional racket, thus stretching the strings more...not to mention that open string pattern.

In addition, the "O" ports may become worn/damaged in the longer term, due to excessive stringings. Most importantly, they can't be replaced like traditional grommet strips... you'll have to dish out another 200 bucks for another racket. Those Prince people are indeed, masterminds!!!