Best advice for anyone playing tennis more than 1 hour per month

[WilPro]

If you play tennis at least 1 hour per week.

Buy the string you can cut the most often. Buy a stringing machine and cut strings as often as possible. Your arm will love it.

For example Pro's Pro Blackout is a great string and very cheap.

You should cut any poly or co-poly after 30 min and no one should play any poly or co-poly for more than 1 hour.

If you use Natural gut/poly hybrid, cut it after 1 hour. No one should play any string for more than 2 hours, even natural gut should be cut after 2 hours of play.

If you think you like old strings, you need a psychiatrist. Then you come back home, check the tension you like, go low because that is what you love in old strings.
And then string after every 30 mins of play.

 

[Garet Jax]

Are you serious? You would restring that often?

 

[aaron_h27]

Yeah no, I use gut/poly and play with it until it breaks UNLESS i have a match then i string-up.

 

[jim e]

@WilPro
Most of the time I hit with full bed of a quality natural Gut. The string hits well until it breaks.For me it's a good number of hours.
I know I don't need a psychiatrist, but maybe you do.

 

[WilPro]

I made an experiment and used natural gut in the mains with poly in the crosses.

First hour, even second hour it felt great. After a while it started to feel stiff.

So I put the racquet in the stringing machine and cut out the poly. Felt like the natural gut was kinda loose. So went lower with the poly, 2kg lower.
When I took the racquet out of the stringing machine I noticed the frame got longer because the head of the racquet was slightly elongated. And that was visible when I took the frame out of the stringing machine. My machine has a 6 point support. And when I took it out those posts, that come on the inside of the head of the racquet, they were loose.

I did the operation again later. Same result, same situation. So, it means the natural gut lost a lot of tension, 7 or 10 kg at least. And all those guys telling you: "natural gut is not losing tension", "it keeps tension forever", "you should use it until it breaks", don't have a clue what they are talking.

You should cut it out way faster than all the people are saying. All the magics of the natural gut will be gone in less than 2 hours of intense play. Then you end up playing with the poly you have in the crosses, the natural gut is no longer active. It only helps the crosses which are now what is doing all the job.

Before this I felt this issue with poly an co-polys. I used to hit with Babolat RPM Blast 1.25 25/25 kg. And very often in the middle of training or in the middle of a match felt like I had to adjust shots. Had to do things different. Not nice. Then I realized it's the string. For me RPM Blast should be used for 15 mins or maximum 30 mins. Same with Luxilon Alu Power. Then cut it out.

As a tennis player you should make sure you always hit with the same tension, same moves and improve. Old tennis balls and old strings should be out of question.

I am a rational being that makes decisions based on measurements, numbers and arguments. So, people who need a psychiatrist need measured. I made my measurements already. I am in very condition.

 

[WilPro]

Are you serious? You would restring that often?

Yeah, I restring that often, sometimes even more often than that.

 

[lucieisland]

 

[BenC]

My experience has been that it's the crosses losing their slipperiness that causes the string bed to change its playing characteristics, i.e. become stiffer, less forgiving on off-center hits, less powerful, often after just 30-60 minutes of hitting. I've found that as long as the mains still hold tension and aren't heavily notched, restringing the crosses is enough to restore most of the string bed's original playing characteristics.

For casual rallying or practice I keep a racket strung with full bed synthetic gut - the characteristics stay consistent through its lifespan and they break before they go bad in other ways that would affect playability.

 

[WilPro]

My experience has been that it's the crosses losing their slipperiness that causes the string bed to change its playing characteristics, i.e. become stiffer, less forgiving on off-center hits, less powerful, often after just 30-60 minutes of hitting. I've found that as long as the mains still hold tension and aren't heavily notched, restringing the crosses is enough to restore most of the string bed's original playing characteristics.

My personal opinion here is you are playing your crosses not the mains, that's why restringing the crosses does the trick. But maybe it depends on how hard you hit.

I have not been there to see and measure your string, can't talk about it, I just make some assumptions.

Just think that even guitar strings ,that are made of steel, lose tension. What a bout some plastic or natural intestines string? I change guitar strings quite often as well. Their properties fade away really fast too.

 

[Booger]

I used to get free strings and would play with a fresh set for every session. Absolutely loathe dead strings.

I'd rather play with fresh $2 syn gut than old $20 luxilon.

 

[WilPro]

I'd rather play with fresh $2 syn gut than old $20 luxilon.

My point entirely. Couldn't agree more, bro.

 

[silentkman]

If you play tennis at least 1 hour per week.

Buy the string you can cut the most often. Buy a stringing machine and cut strings as often as possible. Your arm will love it.

For example Pro's Pro Blackout is a great string and very cheap.

You should cut any poly or co-poly after 30 min and no one should play any poly or co-poly for more than 1 hour.

If you use Natural gut/poly hybrid, cut it after 1 hour. No one should play any string for more than 2 hours, even natural gut should be cut after 2 hours of play.

If you think you like old strings, you need a psychiatrist. Then you come back home, check the tension you like, go low because that is what you love in old strings.
And then string after every 30 mins of play.

unrealistic expectations. we are not pros. I'll be curious to know what the former pros would say about your statement. You are almost saying, three freshly strung racquets should be played with in every match. C'mon man

 

[Ronaldo]

Strings? Balls? forgetaboutit!

 

[mctennis]

Once the gut settles in, you mentioned losing tension, then the gut plays great until it actually breaks. The crosses ( poly) loses tension and needs to be replaced. I am not sure what tension(s) you have your racquet strung at. Why do you said the natural gut plays "stiff"? Not sure that is actually the case.
I've been using hybrid string setup for 30+ years with gut in the mains. The gut never had played stiff for me, especially after such a short time. Normally the gut settles in after about 15 minutes. There are gut brands that have taken longer to break in but I do not use those brands now, those would take upwards to a 30 minute break in period.
It may be the poly is cause of it playing stiff. What brand(s) of poly are you using? Brand(s) of gut?

 

[lucieisland]

of course, I agree with you. if you can afford nat gut every hour, because your father is a billionaire, so much the better for you, I even encourage you to change and replace your rackets after 30 minutes, and choose prince phantom, in round L2, and to send them to me after 2 hours of tennis, it will make 4. it will be enough for me.
I have a job, I work, tennis is not my profession, I have to play (training and match and leisure) between 16 and 20h per month. if I were to listen to you, that would cost me around 320 to 400 $ per month, that for the stringing (currently, in nat gut -poly, I am at around 45 $ per month ..) if you want to sponsor me, I want to send you my address, in order to send me my checks.
more seriously, at least for nat gut, it is well known that on such a montage, it is the poly that dies first. and the lifespan (playability) is only dependent on the poly. I use a poly that dies after 2pm, so I can easily play 1pm with my hybrid. Besides, I have never heard of such a thing. (my brother was a pro stringer at major at the time, now tecnifibre), and I've never heard of such a thing. but if you can afford it, so much the better for you .. so much the better for the shops, which must get rich thanks to you.

 

[lucieisland]

if you don't want to or can't send me a big check, you can just as well send me twenty or so nat gut sets, I would manage to find poly. I like the babolat vs 1.35mm quite well.

 

[brownbearfalling]

I’m sorry but strings are not as disposable as you are making them out to be.

Want some fuel to your fire? What do you say about over grips, base grips, grommets, hey what about your shoes, shirt and your socks? Maybe I should change my over grip every change over? Base grip every set? The perspiration might deteriorate the traction. Change out my grommets every time I string? All the scratches and wear throws off the balance. New pair of shoes every set? Shoes can become uneven from moving around the court and loose their traction. Sweaty socks and shirt isn’t optimal either right?

 

[Wacos]

First of all: Gut need prestretch when u string it: u can do it maunally or use the proper function of your stringing machine.
The purpose of Prestretch is to prevent the initial tension loss; if u are not doing it, it's your fault.

Second: the change u experience in your stringbed after 1 hour of play Is not due to the tension loss, it's about resiliency and elasticity.
All string lose resiliency and elasticity on every hit, some more than others, poly more than gut.
In fat a 50lbs fresh stringbed feels quite different than a 55lbs that have lost 5 lbs after 2 hour of hitting, event if the same tension.

Anyway, Cutting only the crosses is VERY BAD for the lifespan of your racquets, and can cause cracks on the frame.

 

[WilPro]

Well, you don't have to be a billionaire. There are cheap strings out there such as the Pro's Pro Blackout, one reel 200m is like 35$, you can restring every hour at least. It's really cheap.

And from my experience natural gut is not worthy the reputation it has. It's not that extraordinary. So, I stopped using it. Also there are cheap options if you want to get some quality natural gut that does not have the big logo of the big companies out there. In our modern world there is too much package and advertising, and the product inside is too little of the price.

 

[lucieisland]

thank you very much, you managed to make me pee on it.
my two brothers, one of whom played at the top 30 French level, and had a very small ATP classification, and I myself have been playing with nat gut for at least 30 years. practically all stringers in the world all sellers, all players with a certain level recognize that the nat gut is the best absolute string. and you say it's not the case, great !.

when unbranded nat gut, I know, my brother had a full box (naturalgutwholesale, global or other exotic references) .. yes, it's cheaper, I agree with you but. even strung at 22kg, even at very low traction, it breaks like glass (I remember my other brother was a major stringer, for those who know, and has strung on ATP Mulhouse for quite a long time), so knows a little, and he managed to break this nat gut at least 4 times. and of the 12 he gave me (used in hybrid), 4 broke during the pose, three fell into the bag without playing, and 2 broke during the first 15 minutes, while with klip legend babolat tonic longevity or vs I never had any problem. so, yes, at $ 10 a nat gut cheap, which breaks in 30 minutes is very expensive next to tonic longevity which lasts 14-15 hours !.

of course, if you consider a full bed blackout, I completely agree with you, I myself played for a time with white cyberpower, from the same company, and I cut after 3 hours, but there, you talk about natural gut. to cut after 1 hour. this is madness. now, if you don't have the level to understand how to play with nat gut, and you can't tell the difference between a nat gut and a pro's pro polyesther ... I can't help you. (I do not criticize pro's pro, on the contrary, I have a few coils always in a corner. with PP concept, PP cyberpower and PP cyclone power ... very very good in their fields, but I would not compare them with natural gut, it would be like comparing ... a mini austin from 1980 with a porsche 911 .. in terms of performance, just based on the consumption of the mini, excluding the pure performance of the porsche! ..

if you want to buying cheaper string, poly.. i can buy PP concept for 25$ a reel!.. but, prefer a tonic longevity and a yonex poly tour air (for similar price).. playing with my two hybrid nat gut/yonex air for 30 hours.. with comfort, pleasure, power and control, and arm protection.. than buying a poly reel like concept, blackout, cyberpower on pro's pro.. and have arm injuries.

and comfort, power with poly… hum… you can't compare hybrid nat gut/poly and.. full poly!..

i have two frame (radical S), with very soft full bed poly. when playing with friend just for the fun.. they are strung with kirschbaum proline evolution or isospeed cream ;. with 16kg!... and, i can't compare nat gut hybrid to full bed poly!..

be serious!...

 

[weelie]

My Crossfire ZX works well from me until it breaks. After like like 50h. Prestretched, but still loses some tension from the 1st hit to the 2nd. After that, nothing that really affected my play.

I don't string myself, so having rackets strung is a nuisance and a cost.

 

[lucieisland]

My Crossfire ZX works well from me until it breaks. After like like 50h. Prestretched, but still loses some tension from the 1st hit to the 2nd. After that, nothing that really affected my play.

you're wrong!.. you must cut it after 1 hour!...

 

[SeeItHitIt]

I’m not sure why I just read this entire thread.

 

[Ronaldo]

I’m not sure why I just read this entire thread.

Shoulda left after an hour

 

[lucieisland]

my advice to have better sensations.
on your racket, just to gain flex, and control, take a hammer, and slightly crush the graphite of the frame at 11 and 9h, as well as for those looking for exceptional comfort a few shots at 6h. (you can do it too at 12 for more power) it will make your racket more flexible and pleasant. I advise you to change the racket (so throw it away) every 45 minutes. you can buy Chinese rackets without brands, they are just as good in this configuration of use. everyone knows that wilson, head , yonex and other premium expensives racquet brand are not as extraordinary, and that their reputation is greatly exaggerated.

 

[WilPro]

Well, you should consider those Chinese factories are most probably making your Yonex and Head and Wilson and so on.

Everything is the same as it is on the guitar forums. The natural gut is the equivalent of the tube in the guitar amp. That's the best thing since the fish got wings. Except there is nothing special or great about it.

I expected the answers from you guys but it's OK.

And I am not using some unknown natural gut. I used Babolat VS. The problem is you end up playing your crosses really soon. You should hit hard enough and with proper technique to fry them in 20 minutes to be worth using natural gut. I am only capable to start frying and get some fibers out of it. It's not cut out even in one hour which is a ton of time.

 

[lucieisland]

And I am not using some unknown natural gut. I used Babolat VS. The problem is you end up playing your crosses really soon. You should hit hard enough and with proper technique to fry them in 20 minutes to be worth using natural gut. I am only capable to start frying and get some fibers out of it. It's not cut out even in one hour which is a ton of time.

you are probably and probably too right ..
I'm going to cut my vs / scorpion right away .. which has 3 hours of play .. my god, how could I have imagined it would be only a second to continue playing with it? when I manage to play as well, and even beat boys with this string which would have lasted me at least 12 hours more ... quickly, spend another $ 20 and quickly throw it in the trash ..

ha, I have to replay Saturday morning, therefore, I will spend another $ 20 ... and Monday again .. $ 20 .. Wednesday training .. $ 20, Thursday I play a double in leisure, $ 20, training next Thursday after leisure, $ 20 .... what does that do? $ 20 .. hum .. I'm fine. Friday not tennis, Saturday, I play tournaments ... I need at least two rackets .... 40 $ .. what does it do? $ 180 per week .. yay ... if I win my match on Saturday, I play again on Sunday, $ 40, and probably Tuesday, another $ 40 .. it will make me a small budget of $ 550-700 for the month. .

while keeping my gut / poly, what would it cost me? $ 40 maximum .. thank you for saving my life by helping me spend the money I don't have ... thanks to you .. I'm just going to be ruined ...

ha, no, if I win the tournament in my category, I would maybe win .. a string ?.

 

[JBH]

https://imgur.com/muquiWL

 

[WilPro]

 

[Muppet]

About the loose gut, are you aware that when you remove the crosses the gut mains only appear loose? When you re-string the crosses the gut mains are set back into the weave with bends and deflections. This brings it back up to a decent tension. If you string a racquet and immediately remove the crosses, the mains will be loose even without play.

 

[WilPro]

To sum this up: You have to know when your things are trash and throw away your trash. This is essential in life.

If your tennis balls turned into trash, throw away your trash, don't play with dead balls. If your string is trash, throw away your string.

 

[Sudacafan]

If you play tennis at least 1 hour per week.

Buy the string you can cut the most often. Buy a stringing machine and cut strings as often as possible. Your arm will love it.

For example Pro's Pro Blackout is a great string and very cheap.

You should cut any poly or co-poly after 30 min and no one should play any poly or co-poly for more than 1 hour.

If you use Natural gut/poly hybrid, cut it after 1 hour. No one should play any string for more than 2 hours, even natural gut should be cut after 2 hours of play.

If you think you like old strings, you need a psychiatrist. Then you come back home, check the tension you like, go low because that is what you love in old strings.
And then string after every 30 mins of play.

My arm will love it and my pockets will dread it.

 

[WilPro]

About the loose gut, are you aware that when you remove the crosses the gut mains only appear loose? When you re-string the crosses the gut mains are set back into the weave with bends and deflections. This brings it back up to a decent tension. If you string a racquet and immediately remove the crosses, the mains will be loose even without play.

Did you measure that or are you talking by impression or opinions of others?

Do yourself a favor and measure things to make sure they are as you are told they are.

 

[Rabbit]

@WilPro - I've seen a lot of extreme posts here, but this one may take the cake.

 

[Doubles]

This thread is up there with the guy who kept posting about how the two handed forehand was superior. Great read, OP.

 

[WilPro]

You should see me cutting the strings and stringing.

 

[Ronaldo]

@WilPro - I've seen a lot of extreme posts here, but this one may take the cake.

Ever wonder why pros get a racquet with fresh strings with every ball change? So what really is extreme?

 

[lucieisland]

Ever wonder why pros get a racquet with fresh strings with every ball change? So what really is extreme?

because maybe a professional needs 100% of the capacity of hisstring from the first point, maybe as it is so often said, that the poly does not last for years. and that it loses its playability very quickly, maybe also that the pro do not pay their string. or that they have the means to be able to change it so quickly, but we are neither these pros, we surely do not need 100% of the capacities of the string from the first seconds. and then. for a full poly bed, I don't say no. it happened to me, even to me, a girl, to feel manu copy (alu ace was part of it) to be much less efficient at the end of 2:30, therefore, if me, a girl I manage to feel the decrease in performances at the after 2:30, being a girl, regiona level, , a pro atp, or wta, or it is the job, must feel much faster, because the strings used much more intensely. but OK. I remember my brother when he was 13 years old, had seen on TV a report speaking of the soccer player who removed the padding from their soccer shoes, he wanted to do the same thing, to better feel the ball. his feet were scratched. because he is not a professional. now, it's been over 30 years that I play, more than 12 years that I use nat gut, more than 8 years that I hybridize with poly soft. and, with some poly I have to change after 6h, with others, I can play without problem more than 12h. why cutting it after just 1 hour?..

 

[Rabbit]

Ever wonder why pros get a racquet with fresh strings with every ball change? So what really is extreme?

Do you really think you impart the same impact on strings as a world class professional? I certainly know I don't. I also don't hit the ball with the same force as a female world class pro. WTA players don't swap frames out every ball change....

And remember, not all pros change rackets every ball change. The vast majority do not. I will say that most all pros I've strung for and those I've talked to do restring for every match.

For for club players, yes, this is the definition of extreme. This is ludicrous.

 

[WilPro]

I didn't ask anyone to do as I say. I just say it helps anyone a lot, it is a very good practice and very healthy for arm and everything.

You can keep your strings until they break. I cannot come to your door and force you to do as I say. But that is the best thing to do if you care about your tennis and your health.

 

[E46luver]

he is correct gut loses tension after a few hours this is why pros bring 6 rackets for match after one set gut has lost the tension if u are bunter you won't notice

 

[Rabbit]

@E46luver we’re all bunters compared to the pros

restringing after 30 minutes to 1 hour of play? Ludicrous!

 

[Ronaldo]

@E46luver we’re all bunters compared to the pros

restringing after 30 minutes to 1 hour of play? Ludicrous!

Obviously you never had the pleasure of using Alpha Gut 2000

 

[esm]

To be fair - I think it is easy to understand why one would/wanting to restring about every 30 mins. But unless you are a pro/tennis is your bread and butter, then I think everyone should do it (ie restring) to the beat of their “abilities”, cos at the end of the day, no one pays me to play tennis

 

[Muppet]

Did you measure that or are you talking by impression or opinions of others?

Do yourself a favor and measure things to make sure they are as you are told they are.

It's my own experience of stringing that way. I didn't try to measure the loose mains. It was obvious that they were quite loose, probably beyond where a meter would be effective. It sounds like you just want to disagree with me. If you proceeded with stringing the new cross string, I'm sure your mains would have re-gained their tension more or less. Try not to be so dependent on measurements. Not understanding the circumstances of what you're measuring will give you garbage results.

 

[soundofatrain]

Now you know why pros change their rackets every couple of games.

 

[Ronaldo]

Now you know why pros change their rackets every couple of games.

And every game on Sundays

 

[WilPro]

It's my own experience of stringing that way. I didn't try to measure the loose mains. It was obvious that they were quite loose, probably beyond where a meter would be effective. It sounds like you just want to disagree with me. If you proceeded with stringing the new cross string, I'm sure your mains would have re-gained their tension more or less. Try not to be so dependent on measurements. Not understanding the circumstances of what you're measuring will give you garbage results.

If you really are positive and willing to find out something, not just trying to validate your point. You can measure the mains when you freshly strung them. You measure just the mains alone when you first strung them. Then measure them again, the mains alone, when restring only the crosses. For me that is valuable information.

 

[WilPro]

After playing 15 mins with RPM Blast or Alu Power, the trajectories need adjustment. Also the amount of power that goes in every shot need adjustment.
After just 15 mins, it's only minor adjustments, it's OK, it's still usable. You go for a bit larger targets and it's fine. But after 30 mins it's unusable unless I hit really slow, soft and low powered shots.

If you don't have problems after hours of play, good for you. You can save a lot of money.

In all honesty, I wish I could be able to do that. And I have a great respect for you guys.

If someone will invent one day the string that is not losing tension and it's properties I'll go for it all the way. That would be the most amazing thing ever made.

 

[Ronaldo]

After playing 15 mins with RPM Blast or Alu Power, the trajectories need adjustment. Also the amount of power that goes in every shot need adjustment.
After just 15 mins, it's only minor adjustments, it's OK, it's still usable. You go for a bit larger targets and it's fine. But after 30 mins it's unusable unless I hit really slow, soft and low powered shots.

If you don't have problems after hours of play, good for you. You can save a lot of money.

In all honesty, I wish I could be able to do that. And I have a great respect for you guys.

If someone will invent one day the string that is not losing tension and it's properties I'll go for it all the way. That would be the most amazing thing ever made.

Full bed of Kevlar?