Hardcourt v clay (mod) .. best for your body?

[looseleftie]

Hello all,

Last week I played at a club, where I usually never play.. Main reason is they have plexipave (hard court).. My initial fear was that my knees couldn't handle this... However, I found that it is way better than any entoucre/mod clay surface..(I grew up on slippery surfaces and now hate this feeling as a 45yr old with a dodgy knee!!)
On hardcourt, I felt solid on every shot, and found after a few hours very little problems with knees.. Just had to make sure I get to the ball nice and early, and make those micro movements when needed..

Anyone else have any thoughts on whether hard court may actually be better, as your not slipping from shot to shot??

 

[Gazelle]

Hard courts can be really tough on the body, much more so than clay.

This year I played a few times on a very high quality hard court, and had no problems at all. So I think it also depends on the quality of the court. A bad maintained hardcourt is horrendous for the body.

 

[looseleftie]

Cheers Gazelle for your input mate..

I guess for the first time I have felt so secure in my movement around the court, it has made me wonder why I didn't look for hard court clubs to play years earlier.
In terms of wear and tear, well, is there really such a diff between the clay and the hardcourt??, perhaps mod grass where it actually feels softer under foot, but with hard courts surfaces there is no slipping, and that has got to reduce the change of slipping which is the one thing that could easily blow out my knee!! Just my thoughts here...

Love others thought here also.

 

[moonballs]

I think the Clay surface is easier on the joints precisely because the slippage softens the impact. Momentum •f x t. The good traction on hard court enables you to change same amount of momentum during shorter period of time, so the force on the legs is higher. Of course if the slippage results in a fall or pulled groin that is a different story.

 

[Slash007]

Hardcourts are not that bad, but you must adjust the technic, if you try to slide you will be putting to much stress on your body, But if you simply step firmly to prepare it is not that strenuous.
For myself, I prefer hardcourts. I did learn how to slide, but the change of direction kill me. To the point that I rolled in my last hard fought clay match.
Also, as the match progressed I formed several small trenches for me to trip, which did happen. Bottom line: clay is a different game.