Heavy racquets causing arm discomfort?

[Ronaldo]

Used various Wilson Six-Ones and felt discomfort the next day. Used a Head Prestige mid and Wilson PS 7.5, both weighing nearly 13 oz without a twinge. May be the overall flex. And the string. And the tension. And how long you play. And the balls. And the grip material. And the string pattern. And the temperature. And the time of day.

 

[kabrac]

If you serve for 2 hours at a time, your arm will likely be sore the next day.

That's true, but even when I play a good match and swing out freely, if I play the next day, even if it's the same guy and I won, the next day I could play him and get creamed. Everything will be late. It's like the day before I'm Rocky, then the day after I'm like a slow computer with basic internet connection. "Windows Internet Explorer Is (Not Responding)" LOL.

I try and eat really good and get a good nights sleep after a hard day, don't know.

 

[fuzz nation]

wanted to open up this thread again.

if my current racquet is at 11.5 ounces and i wanted to increase the static weight (handle) to alleviate arm pain, would making it 11.8 / 11.9 even make a difference?

the racquet is rated at 68 / stiffness.

i know that everyone will say demo a more flexible racquet but i would like to continue to use my current sticks. i have not given up on them just yet.

i am already using soft strings (NRG2) / lower tension (54).

is it a waste of time to increase the static weight since the racquet is so stiff or can it only help? if it can help would the slight increase to 11.8 make a significant difference?

thanks

Considering the modest expense of putting a little lead tape under your grip (or overgrip - that's what I do) compared with the cost of new racquets, I say try it. If the difference in balance makes it easier for you to put the sweet-spot of your string bed on the ball, you just might end up with a happy arm. It's impossible to know for sure without conducting the experiment, but I doubt that you'd make things a lot worse for yourself.

It could also be a good idea to measure your frame's balance both before and after adding weight to the handle. You can simply balance it on the edge of a counter top. Knowledge is power and that could bring a bit of a revelation for you if you find your comfort zone.

I've leaded up the handles on a couple of different models of racquets, including the frames I've used regularly for a couple of years, and it's only made them easier players for me. Without a comfortable measure of head-light balance, even a frame that a player might consider to be relatively lightweight could seem rather slow and sluggish.

 

[deco0028]

I agree completely. I have seen many more shoulder/arm problems with users of light, stiff, wide beam (especially with tightly strung poly's) - than with a flexy 12 ounce stick. The only time I had shoulder pain was when I dropped to an 11 oz frame with a swingweight under 310. The torque on the arm, added vibration, more work for the shoulder, and less mass caused me a couple of months of PT. Obviously to each their own and each player has different issues and playing styles.....but based on my experiences I believe most decent players with good technique and in shape can (or should be able to) easily handle frames in the 11.5-12.5 range with swingweights in the 320-335 range. Most of the high level players in my region use these types of frames and they hit heavy balls and have good arm health. There are no hard & fast general rules other than people's own experiences. What I see out on the courts or experience myself can be completely different from the next guy. That's what makes the game interesting!!

As a related point, at what age would you put a junior(say 10-11 year old) on to a racquet in the 318-330 gram weight category? Or are they better off in a lighter frame?
I have a 12 yr old son who plays with the Prince Graphite Mid(346 g) who loves it, and does not complain about the weight. He sometimes hits with his elder brother's Babolat PDRGT , but is not keen on the high power level of that frame.
Thanks

 

[Power Player]

Why don't you learn from pros?
They are all using very heavy racquets. There is reason to do that. heavier racquet is better for arm.

Thats not the reason they do it man.

A Heavy racquet is not better for the arm. If that was the case, the Wilson 6.1 would not give anyone arm problems.

What is better for the arm is hitting the ball out in front and not being late.

Ever been late with a heavy racquet? Its REALLY bad for the arm after a while.

 

[netguy]

No, heavy racquets don't cause arm problems.
Wrong technique does.

 

[BobFL]

Heavy racquets are GOOD for arm. Physics doesn't lie. Now, this is true only if one can swing heavy racquet properly. Plus, their racquets are typically made of some very nice materials.

The equation would be: sound technique + heavy racquet + comfy layups = awesome If you are late with heavy racquet that is one of the worst scenarios.

 

[LeeD]

Should we factor in physique and practice time? Conditioning?
Say a strong 6'1" 175 lbs conditioned athlete. He hits 6 days a week, he hits against hard hitters, he's under 35 years of age, he's not really injured.
Then take a ..... 5'11" 150 lbs old fart, who plays tennis once every other week, who has rotator cuff and shoulder problems, not to mention ankle and knee problems.
Should they both use the same 12 oz racket? Maybe 12.5 oz with lead weights at the tip?
Think about it. Most of you haven't.

 

[Harry_Wild]

Should we factor in physique and practice time? Conditioning?
Say a strong 6'1" 175 lbs conditioned athlete. He hits 6 days a week, he hits against hard hitters, he's under 35 years of age, he's not really injured.
Then take a ..... 5'11" 150 lbs old fart, who plays tennis once every other week, who has rotator cuff and shoulder problems, not to mention ankle and knee problems.
Should they both use the same 12 oz racket? Maybe 12.5 oz with lead weights at the tip?
Think about it. Most of you haven't.

Well, it depends on what level you are playing at; and how your technique is in your swing. But playing at like a 3.0-4.0 level; you could just pretty much block it back with a half swing and you be doing fine with a heavy racket strung at low tension like in the low 40s. Serving would be a blast too since you are not using much of your own body to generate pace; you should not suffer any discomforts unless you have bad technique!

 

[Funbun]

Should we factor in physique and practice time? Conditioning?
Say a strong 6'1" 175 lbs conditioned athlete. He hits 6 days a week, he hits against hard hitters, he's under 35 years of age, he's not really injured.
Then take a ..... 5'11" 150 lbs old fart, who plays tennis once every other week, who has rotator cuff and shoulder problems, not to mention ankle and knee problems.
Should they both use the same 12 oz racket? Maybe 12.5 oz with lead weights at the tip?
Think about it. Most of you haven't.

Practice time, more so. Physique, not so much a problem.

I was relatively scrawny and I've dealt with pretty heavy racquets, including the KPS88. They have never been that hard to handle.

To be honest, the most you really need for tennis is strong legs, strong core, and a relatively well-conditioned shoulder. Take a look at Federer; he looks a regular dude, but all he really needs is the core and legs. He doesn't need or have the shoulders like Nadal does.

 

[LeeD]

Please, think before you type.
Federer is 6'1 and listed at 175, plays tennis 6 days a week, is physically fit, and still young at 31.
Now compare that to a 63 year old with shoulder problems, sprained ankles, bad knees, bad rotator cuffs, and plays once every other week. Am I stronger than Federer? Am I in better shape?
Now as for the first post. Do you play tennis? A heavy racket does NOT serve itself. You have to swing it. And blocking groundies. That's ridiculous, I have a fast swing speed, SW grip, and hit modern forehands, 1hbh backhands.

 

[Ronaldo]

You all may not remember but we had TE with wood racquets BITD. A heavy racquet does not cure all ills.

 

[LeeD]

Yeah, first racket a StanSmith, the heaviest Wilson.
Next a Kramer, still too heavy for me.
Next a ProStaffLight, pretty good, but very air draggy on serves.
Next a HeadPro, the Red Head. Nice, but really rough on the arm.
Next the YonexOPSGreen. Unreal first flat serves, great dampening of mishits, the best racket ever for hitting full out every stroke.
Except for the Head to Yonex, each racket got lighter.

 

[Ronaldo]

Yeah, first racket a StanSmith, the heaviest Wilson.
Next a Kramer, still too heavy for me.
Next a ProStaffLight, pretty good, but very air draggy on serves.
Next a HeadPro, the Red Head. Nice, but really rough on the arm.
Next the YonexOPSGreen. Unreal first flat serves, great dampening of mishits, the best racket ever for hitting full out every stroke.
Except for the Head to Yonex, each racket got lighter.

Used the gold Yonex YY 7500, awesome power. Head Redhead, sick volleys. Best racquet, Bancroft Executive with a bamboo throat. Y'all do not know flexible racquets. Could bend and re-shape that racquet.

 

[LeeD]

Wait a minute.
You mean the Bancroft with the red checks on the throat? Looks like a wood racket, but had pretty good snap for a flexy frame? That was somewhere between the two aluminum rackets, an overreaction to save my shoulders, used with BlueStar, the softest, easiest racket ever with great power.
But then the serve contest came up.

 

[TaihtDuhShaat]

I'll tell you what the problem is.

A 12oz racquet is not heavy enough to protect the arm. Not even a 12.5 oz.

The reason is even a 12.5 oz. racquet doesn't have a recoil weight high enough to stop the ball from overcoming the racquet head in the collision.

You need to get into the wood territory of 380g+ before you can't feel the impact and the racquet plows through the ball unaffected by its incoming momentum.

 

[Ronaldo]

Wait a minute.
You mean the Bancroft with the red checks on the throat? Looks like a wood racket, but had pretty good snap for a flexy frame? That was somewhere between the two aluminum rackets, an overreaction to save my shoulders, used with BlueStar, the softest, easiest racket ever with great power.
But then the serve contest came up.

Too many racquets, too many years. Discovered graphites, forgetaboutit

 

[Ronaldo]

I'll tell you what the problem is.

A 12oz racquet is not heavy enough to protect the arm. Not even a 12.5 oz.

The reason is even a 12.5 oz. racquet doesn't have a recoil weight high enough to stop the ball from overcoming the racquet head in the collision.

You need to get into the wood territory of 380g+ before you can't feel the impact and the racquet plows through the ball unaffected by its incoming momentum.

Have a Max 200G, medium weight that weighs over 13.5 oz that really plows well, solid. M-fil 200G can do that too. Need it against real pace and spin.

 

[LeeD]

I use a different strategy for dealing with players who outhit me with power and topspin. Well, I lose to them, first of all, but....
I try to offset their ballspeed with heavy spin, either top or under. For that, I don't need plowthrough, I need a quick light racket that I can swing with violent rackethead speed with little effort.
Ok, hasn't worked so far, with the 3 players who can hit harder and more consistent than me. Of course, they're one to one and a half higher levels than me.

 

[Ronaldo]

I use a different strategy for dealing with players who outhit me with power and topspin. Well, I lose to them, first of all, but....
I try to offset their ballspeed with heavy spin, either top or under. For that, I don't need plowthrough, I need a quick light racket that I can swing with violent rackethead speed with little effort.
Ok, hasn't worked so far, with the 3 players who can hit harder and more consistent than me. Of course, they're one to one and a half higher levels than me.

They are also 30 to 40 yrs younger too.

 

[LeeD]

True dat....
But, the subject is whether, or does, heavy rackets cause arm discomfort? Discomfort is different for different players. Some suffer from actual ligament and arm injuries. Some suffer from fatique. Some suffer from being late on the ball. All suffer.
And this ridiculous thought ( ridiculous to me, it might be valid for you) that the pros use heavy rackets, so should we.
We don't face fast moving incoming balls. At least not at my 4.0 level up to the top 5.5 of IvyLeague. And if we do face that ball, we will lose no matter what weight our racket is.
We are trying to win tennis matches. We are NOT trying to hit hard fast balls in rally practice. Well, hitting hard fast balls in rally practice is fun as heck, but not the cureall, winning and playing well IS.
I hit much better with 12 oz rackets, no doubt.
I play better with 10 oz rackets, I'm pretty sure, as is most of the guys I play with and against.

 

[Ronaldo]

Choose to use both and found I make fewer errors with lighter racquets but still use Pro Staffs and Dunlops that weigh 12-13oz for fun. Or singles

 

[LeeD]

I choose to play with 10 oz racket because I can beat all the lesser players with it, and of course, lose to all the better players.
At my own level, about the same.

 

[Ronaldo]

I choose to play with 10 oz racket because I can beat all the lesser players with it, and of course, lose to all the better players.
At my own level, about the same.

May want to flip the script and totally challenge yourself every match.

 

[LeeD]

Whenever I use my 12 oz Dunlop200's, I seem to struggle to consistently beat good 3.5's and bad 4.0's. I do seem to rally quite evenly with strong 5.0's or 4.5's.
When I use my 10oz 500 Dunlops, I easily throttle any strong 3.5 or mid range 4.0, but can't hit with 4.5's or better, because my balls sit up and they pound them.
Kinda like, what's better? More effective or looks better?
That's been the question in almost every sport I've done.

 

[Ronaldo]

Whenever I use my 12 oz Dunlop200's, I seem to struggle to consistently beat good 3.5's and bad 4.0's. I do seem to rally quite evenly with strong 5.0's or 4.5's.
When I use my 10oz 500 Dunlops, I easily throttle any strong 3.5 or mid range 4.0, but can't hit with 4.5's or better, because my balls sit up and they pound them.
Kinda like, what's better? More effective or looks better?
That's been the question in almost every sport I've done.

Sometimes when you lose you really win, eh?

 

[LeeD]

Of course. There is little black or white. It's mostly shades of gray. And your perceptions can change, changing your notion of darker or lighter gray.

 

[Ronaldo]

Of course. There is little black or white. It's mostly shades of gray. And your perceptions can change, changing your notion of darker or lighter gray.

Another reason to carry a PS 6.0 85 or Prestige mid. For the grey in all of us, eh?

 

[LeeD]

No, I had some of those 6.0 black rackets with the orange and yellow (green? ) stripes. Never clicked, felt like a Dunlop200G to me, which I didn't care for. Hated the 6.1 ProStaff, that felt duller and deader.

 

[Harry_Wild]

Have a Max 200G, medium weight that weighs over 13.5 oz that really plows well, solid. M-fil 200G can do that too. Need it against real pace and spin.

Steffi Graf used this racket! I know so did John MacEnroe. I used this racket too when I was younger. It was a club that for sure!

 

[sansaephanh]

if weight cured crappy technique, obese people would rule all sports.

Why should this rule be any different for rackets?

 

[Power Player]

LeeD I agree with you and have been saying the same thing in other threads. A lot of people do not like to swing easy..we like to to attack the ball more with spin and SW grip. For this style, you want racquet head speed.

The racquet I used tonight was 315 grams total. I could swing at 70% power and hit consistent shots that were heavy due to spin. On serve I can generate more spin so the ball drops in with pace.

Like you said, huge difference between matchplay and hitting.

 

[jk816]

LeeD I agree with you and have been saying the same thing in other threads. A lot of people do not like to swing easy..we like to to attack the ball more with spin and SW grip. For this style, you want racquet head speed.

The racquet I used tonight was 315 grams total. I could swing at 70% power and hit consistent shots that were heavy due to spin. On serve I can generate more spin so the ball drops in with pace.

Like you said, huge difference between matchplay and hitting.

I do think style of play vs racquet type and weight is a player, for sure. I've played with lighter weight sub 11 oz racquets that whipped easily, but I ended up with lateral epicondylitis; switched to my current flexy heavier racquet 2 years back (currently weighs 358g); found it didn't like being "whipped" but if you just put it in motion and let it do the work all was well.
Started to add in more of the modern forehand (I'd used previously) stuff last summer (comes in handy sometimes!) which requires more whippiness and heavy pronation and wound up with medial epicondylapthy (I'll take TE over GE any day!, GE is tough to get rid of...).

Moral of the story for me is heavy is great for stability and plowthough; let the racquet do the work. If you try to work the racquet (whip it too much) you're in for trouble, of which mishits will be the least...

If I was going to use the more modern stroke as my bread and butter, I'd go back down in weight below 12 oz. For me, classic based strokes with slight mods toward the modern will work well with the heavier flexy stick.

 

[Power Player]

Agree. I never was a player to let the racquet do the work. It just doesnt fit my swing and I end up hitting long or making UEs after a while. But if I was, I would be using a heavier stick,

The key to all of this is hitting the ball out in front. If you can do that consistently then you will avoid arm problems.

Transitioning from classic to modern style I could see being a challenge in terms of staying healthy. It is a much faster stroke and it takes a long time to develop how to hit with that much spin and not shank or have poor timing and form.

 

[TennisCJC]

If you want to play with a light racket, then play with a light racket.

My opinion is any adult male can play a racket between 11.5 and 12.5 and comfort, power, control and stability are optimized with "heavier" frames. French Tennis Federation said these are good specs to avoid tennis elbow:
SW of 320 grams or more, balance of 4 pts HL or more HL, and soft to med flex (approx 58-64). I agree with those guidelines.

I am not saying this to anger anyone but I just don't believe you get more tired swing a 11.7 oz racket for 2 hours opposed to an 11.0 oz racket. I just don't think the difference is significant.

Also, if you want to analyze it; you can take nice comfortable accelerating swings with a SW of 335 and get plenty of power and stability. To get the same power and stability from a racket with a SW of 310, you are going to have to swing harder. Swinging the lighter racket faster is more likely to tire you out than comfortable swings with the higher SW.

 

[LeeD]

Respectfully, I totally disagree with your post.
YOU are not 63. You are not injured. You play more often than I do. You're probably bigger and stronger too, and you might like to rally with good players.
You say there is little difference between 11.7 and 11 oz. I agree. But there is a huge difference between 12 oz and 10 oz.
You say that comparison between power of a 12 vs 10. Here, you are dead WRONG. A lighter racket is inherently MORE powerful if it's stiffer than the heavier racket. The incoming ball is not coming in at pro level. It's relatively slow. I play 4.0. You don't have to swing faster with a light racket (10oz) than you would with a 12. You only need to compensate a little for it's slightly slower ball speed, by aiming higher over the net, giving you higher percentage of hitting the ball IN.
And with a light racket, you can sometimes get away with hitting very short, for short angles, and if you add the topspin, still is not attackable. More angle is a huge advantage of the lighter, easier to swing racket that doesn't have the same power as the heavier racket.

 

[Power Player]

CJC you just post the same thing over and over gain man. Just put it in your sig that we should all use a SW of 320 or higher and be done with it. How many times do you need to post this?

also you are wrong about being tired by swinging light sticks as LeeD just illustrated. But I will take it further..the reason you are wrong is because you probably are not initializing your swing with your hip and core, when you do this, you get so much free power that if you are using a modern racquet that is lighter you can pound the ball with minimal effort.

Heavy sticks are nice for players that swing slower and don't use heavy spin. I use heavy spin, swing fast and use my body to hit the ball instead of muscling it around with my arm. It sounds like that is how you hit because that is what happens when you use a light stick and muscle the ball.

I hate how people make rules about a game like tennis. We all hit different and that is what makes the game so cool. Verdascos Sw was 315 on the pro tour.

THERE ARE NO RULES TO WHAT WORKS FOR YOU!!!

 

[kaiser]

Respectfully, I totally disagree with your post.
YOU are not 63. You are not injured. You play more often than I do. You're probably bigger and stronger too, and you might like to rally with good players.
You say there is little difference between 11.7 and 11 oz. I agree. But there is a huge difference between 12 oz and 10 oz.
You say that comparison between power of a 12 vs 10. Here, you are dead WRONG. A lighter racket is inherently MORE powerful if it's stiffer than the heavier racket. The incoming ball is not coming in at pro level. It's relatively slow. I play 4.0. You don't have to swing faster with a light racket (10oz) than you would with a 12. You only need to compensate a little for it's slightly slower ball speed, by aiming higher over the net, giving you higher percentage of hitting the ball IN.
And with a light racket, you can sometimes get away with hitting very short, for short angles, and if you add the topspin, still is not attackable. More angle is a huge advantage of the lighter, easier to swing racket that doesn't have the same power as the heavier racket.

This is nonsense. Look up the physics and you'll find that effective hitting mass (weight in the head ~ swingweight) is many times more important for the inherent power of a racket than its stiffness.

 

[LeeD]

I see your problem here.
You do play tennis don't you?
You think about the THEORY of why. I think about the practice of why.
In this case, you go back to mathmatics, and your desk, and it says ....blah blah.
I take my 10oz stiff racket to the courts with my 12.4 oz softer racket and hit tennis balls. I hit for 10 minutes with one, then 10 minutes with the other. Then I play a few games with one, switch to the other.
I've been doing this for about a year, just not convinced my 10 oz racket is worth keeping.
I find my 10 oz racket hits like crap. I hit better with the 12.
But I play points, games, sets, and matches better with the 10ozer. So I'm using it. That's all I'm saying.
I don't need a calculator, a logic machine, and years of mathmatics to tell me which racket I should use.
YOU, OTOH, are free to decide with whatever method you would like.

 

[kaiser]

CJC you just post the same thing over and over gain man. Just put it in your sig that we should all use a SW of 320 or higher and be done with it. How many times do you need to post this?

also you are wrong about being tired by swinging light sticks as LeeD just illustrated. But I will take it further..the reason you are wrong is because you probably are not initializing your swing with your hip and core, when you do this, you get so much free power that if you are using a modern racquet that is lighter you can pound the ball with minimal effort.

Heavy sticks are nice for players that swing slower and don't use heavy spin. I use heavy spin, swing fast and use my body to hit the ball instead of muscling it around with my arm. It sounds like that is how you hit because that is what happens when you use a light stick and muscle the ball.

I hate how people make rules about a game like tennis. We all hit different and that is what makes the game so cool. Verdascos Sw was 315 on the pro tour.

THERE ARE NO RULES TO WHAT WORKS FOR YOU!!!

You sound exactly like my coach when she tells me how to swing my heavy racket: swing from your hip and core with a relaxed arm and let the racket do the work...

 

[Ronaldo]

I see your problem here.
You do play tennis don't you?
You think about the THEORY of why. I think about the practice of why.
In this case, you go back to mathmatics, and your desk, and it says ....blah blah.
I take my 10oz stiff racket to the courts with my 12.4 oz softer racket and hit tennis balls. I hit for 10 minutes with one, then 10 minutes with the other. Then I play a few games with one, switch to the other.
I've been doing this for about a year, just not convinced my 10 oz racket is worth keeping.
I find my 10 oz racket hits like crap. I hit better with the 12.
But I play points, games, sets, and matches better with the 10ozer. So I'm using it. That's all I'm saying.
I don't need a calculator, a logic machine, and years of mathmatics to tell me which racket I should use.
YOU, OTOH, are free to decide with whatever method you would like.

Just Win, Baby

 

[LeeD]

Just to clarify.
YOUR coach is a woman? And she tells you how to swing a heavy racket?
And you apply this advice for every other player?
And regardless of age, physical condition, personal preferences, and style?
Just to clarify.

 

[Power Player]

You sound exactly like my coach when she tells me how to swing my heavy racket: swing from your hip and core with a relaxed arm and let the racket do the work...

Yes it works with any weight. Boils down to your preference. Also keeps you from tiring yourself too fast.

 

[TennisCJC]

CJC you just post the same thing over and over gain man. Just put it in your sig that we should all use a SW of 320 or higher and be done with it. How many times do you need to post this?

also you are wrong about being tired by swinging light sticks as LeeD just illustrated. But I will take it further..the reason you are wrong is because you probably are not initializing your swing with your hip and core, when you do this, you get so much free power that if you are using a modern racquet that is lighter you can pound the ball with minimal effort.

Heavy sticks are nice for players that swing slower and don't use heavy spin. I use heavy spin, swing fast and use my body to hit the ball instead of muscling it around with my arm. It sounds like that is how you hit because that is what happens when you use a light stick and muscle the ball.

I hate how people make rules about a game like tennis. We all hit different and that is what makes the game so cool. Verdascos Sw was 315 on the pro tour.

THERE ARE NO RULES TO WHAT WORKS FOR YOU!!!

I should be able to express an opinion without these childish assaults from you. By the way, I think you use a SW over 320 now and did I see you post that you used over 330 awhile back.

MY OPINION is SW is critical to racket performance and 320+ is quite easy to handle without getting tired.

You use Verdasco as an example but if you look at a bell curve of pro specs anything with a swing weight below 330 on the ATP is at the extreme low end of the curve. Just like anything over 400 grams is at the other extreme high end of the curve. I do not think recreational players should play pro level specs unless they are very fit and strong but there are more pros with SW over 350 than under 320 by a very, very wide margin.

How the hell can you tell how I initialize my swing from this post? Let's see, you can tell how I swing based on what I wrote. Maybe the fact that I say taking a relaxed accelerating swing with a decent swing weight is the best way to generate power allows you to make your assumptions about how I play. I understand swing mechanics at least reasonably well and practice and strive to use good modern technique. Taking a relaxed smooth swing leads to improved swing speed and not muscling the ball as you again assumed I do.

By the way, your signature Power Player is a bit presumptuous. Are you a self rated PowerPlayer or are you a certified rated PowerPlayer? Is your power generated from your hips and core, or your rather inflated ego, or are you compensating for your lack of real ego? Maybe you should change your signature to Know It All Ass-umer of Everything Power Player.

By the way, sometimes you write things that I don't agree with but I don't attack your ideas. Here's something to ponder - MY OPINION IS AS VALID AS YOURS.

I apologize to other members for my rant but the PP guy is a bit much sometimes.

 

[Power Player]

Nothing I said was childish, but this last post of yours leaned towards that a little. Seems like you took it real personal because I am saying there are not rules while you are insisting everyone should follow certain ones. Not worth getting that mad over dude.

 

[TennisCJC]

Respectfully, I totally disagree with your post.
YOU are not 63. You are not injured. You play more often than I do. You're probably bigger and stronger too, and you might like to rally with good players.
You say there is little difference between 11.7 and 11 oz. I agree. But there is a huge difference between 12 oz and 10 oz.
You say that comparison between power of a 12 vs 10. Here, you are dead WRONG. A lighter racket is inherently MORE powerful if it's stiffer than the heavier racket. The incoming ball is not coming in at pro level. It's relatively slow. I play 4.0. You don't have to swing faster with a light racket (10oz) than you would with a 12. You only need to compensate a little for it's slightly slower ball speed, by aiming higher over the net, giving you higher percentage of hitting the ball IN.
And with a light racket, you can sometimes get away with hitting very short, for short angles, and if you add the topspin, still is not attackable. More angle is a huge advantage of the lighter, easier to swing racket that doesn't have the same power as the heavier racket.

Thank you for respectfully disagreeing. I am not on a mission to convince everyone to play with SW 320+. If you really like a lighter racket, than go for it.

One point where I respectfully disagree with you is the statement "A lighter racket is inherently MORE powerful if it's stiffer than the heavier racket." I am not sure if that is true. Stiffness can only make up for mass to a certain degree. FORCE = Mass * Acceleration is generally accepted as true. Stiffness can help make up for a lack of mass but I am not convinced lighter and stiffer is inherently more powerful. And, I personally don't like the feel of stiff frames (66+ rating) because I don't feel I have as much control and they are a bit harder on my wrist and elbow.

I am 55 but in reasonably good shape thankfully. Ankles hurt like hell the day after a match and occasionally lower back pain - left side only which is kind of weird. I am sorry you are injured and hope you can continue playing. I have a friend who played D1 college in the 1950's. He is 78 and still playing well - plays loads of tourneys and wins a few. Fun to practice with if you hit every ball down the middle as he will never ever miss. He can not move though so you have to hit it down the middle.

I have tried lighter rackets but they break down for me when returning hard hit balls or heavy spin balls. I just can handle pace better with some mass behind my swings. Also, I think I slice and volley better with mass behind the ball.

My SW is about 335 which for me and my level of 4.0+ is fine. So, it is all relative. At 5.5 my 335 gram SW racket would likely get pushed around.

 

[TennisCJC]

Nothing I said was childish, but this last post of yours leaned towards that a little. Seems like you took it real personal because I am saying there are not rules while you are insisting everyone should follow certain ones. Not worth getting that mad over dude.

I started my first post in this thread with "If you want to play with a light racket, then play with a light racket." I am not insisting anyone follow my advice rather I just expressed a differing opinion. I believe my advice is good for the majority of players but you are welcome to disagree. I respectfully agree to disagree.

I understand that players should play with a racket they like. Tennis is a mental game and if you are convinced a certain racket helps you, it probably does. If you like light rackets, then by all means enjoy them.

 

[kaiser]

I see your problem here.
You do play tennis don't you?
You think about the THEORY of why. I think about the practice of why.
In this case, you go back to mathmatics, and your desk, and it says ....blah blah.
I take my 10oz stiff racket to the courts with my 12.4 oz softer racket and hit tennis balls. I hit for 10 minutes with one, then 10 minutes with the other. Then I play a few games with one, switch to the other.
I've been doing this for about a year, just not convinced my 10 oz racket is worth keeping.
I find my 10 oz racket hits like crap. I hit better with the 12.
But I play points, games, sets, and matches better with the 10ozer. So I'm using it. That's all I'm saying.
I don't need a calculator, a logic machine, and years of mathmatics to tell me which racket I should use.
YOU, OTOH, are free to decide with whatever method you would like.

You're beating around the bush. YOU declared someone as being "dead WRONG" because "A lighter racket is inherently MORE powerful if it's stiffer than the heavier racket". That is a blanket assertion of purported fact. Unfortunately, however, whatever your subjective interpretations of your personal experience are, it is demonstrably and objectively 'dead wrong'. Sorry.

 

[netguy]

.....and another thread turning into our more classic and sadly fruitless debate between

The kings of the answers
(I playtested it, and I'm right and you are wrong)

v/s

Playtesting tennis gear is a subjective experience. (Nobody else is the expert of my own experience but myself)

I believe tennis is a total subjective experience...(watch the videos and see how TW staff racquet reviews don't report the same experience on the same gear they playtest) Hopefully because otherwise it would be quite boring

 

[bad_call]

.....and another thread turning into our more classic and sadly fruitless debate between

The kings of the answers
(I playtested it, and I'm right and you are wrong)

v/s

Playtesting tennis gear is a subjective experience. (Nobody else is the expert of my own experience but myself)

I believe tennis is a total subjective experience...(watch the videos and see how TW staff racquet reviews don't report the same experience on the same gear they playtest) Hopefully because otherwise it would be quite boring

well posted!!! and allow me to post that this near 60 yr old hits well enough with a ~350g leaded 4D 100 to be cast into 4.5 ntrp land. legs don't move so fast and easily winded but shot making keeps me in the point or winning the point.

netguy - good racquet choice in your sig.