My experience with flexy vs stiff racquets

Kevo

Legend
So why a racquet that stiff with a poly strung that high bothers my arm less than a softer racquet at a lower tension is beyond me.

Some polys when strung high enough lose their resiliency and will continue to deform as you hit. Sort of like TCS polys at pretty much any tension. I have no idea if Black Widow would work like that or at what tension it would need to be strung to reach it's limit, but it's a possible explanation. When I played with the PDR I found it pretty comfortable with most of the strings I used, polys included, but I was stringing around 55lbs IIRC.
 
Just to push the envelope a bit, I strung up a Pure Drive Roddick 2009 @ 63 with Black Widow, and I’ve never had such great control with such a powerful racquet. It was stiff as a board, but no arm pain thankfully. Honestly, off centered hits felt less jarring than the Textreme Tour 95 I was hitting with recently strung @ 48. And again, I have had arms issues in the past that caused me to give up the game for a few years after high school. So why a racquet that stiff with a poly strung that high bothers my arm less than a softer racquet at a lower tension is beyond me.
UPDATE: PDR w/ Black Widow @ 63 definitely felt harsh on day 2. So there definitely is a limit to where something is too stiff, just like I’m not a fan of too flexy. 65-68 RA w/ tension in the 54-58 range seems to be my sweet spot.
 

Garro

Rookie
Well, after hitting with a lot of racquets over the past year, I'm starting to wonder if I have the same issue as the OP.

The following flexible racquets were less comfortable for me than stiffer racquets such as the Ultra 100, Warrior 100, and Speedport Black:
Prince Tour 98 ESP, Tour 100T ESP, Phantom Pro 100P, Tour 98, Clash 100, Clash 108, and the Wilson Blade 104 v7.

Although I still think it could have something to do with the weight/balance of the racquets, and not the actual RA.
Very stiff racquets such as the Pure Drive/107 or Wilson Blade Team 99 do hurt my arm. And the regular Phantom 100 is actually one of the more arm friendly frames I've hit with.
 

Xero

New User
I thought I was alone! I have been using a Pure Aero Lite with silicone in it and full Hyper G for a couple years with no problems. I did an extended demo with a Yonex VCore Pro 97 and Phantom 100P with the same string setup, and right now I am dealing with my first tennis elbow issue ever. I don’t understand it, and it’s very frustrating. Is it possible that the more flexible racquets are actually worse on my arm? That makes no logical sense!
It could be the Phantom 100P! I experienced forearm pain when I was playing with TxT 100P.
 

Shroud

Talk Tennis Guru
Ha! @Shroud likes his racquets stiff and strung with kevlar at like 70lbs. Guys like him and OP are just the exception that proves the rule.
70? Always string kevlar mains at 86lbs. Crosses are 4g and was at 86. New racquet is super light at 320g so i strung the 4g at 60.

The racquet is stiff. If you trust wilson the hammer 5.3 has an ra of 70. I am using the 2.3. That has to be at least a 75 ra.

Fwiw i think my big a s s handle and high sw save the arm.

Here is some bh practice

 

Shroud

Talk Tennis Guru
Well, after hitting with a lot of racquets over the past year, I'm starting to wonder if I have the same issue as the OP.

The following flexible racquets were less comfortable for me than stiffer racquets such as the Ultra 100, Warrior 100, and Speedport Black:
Prince Tour 98 ESP, Tour 100T ESP, Phantom Pro 100P, Tour 98, Clash 100, Clash 108, and the Wilson Blade 104 v7.

Although I still think it could have something to do with the weight/balance of the racquets, and not the actual RA.
Very stiff racquets such as the Pure Drive/107 or Wilson Blade Team 99 do hurt my arm. And the regular Phantom 100 is actually one of the more arm friendly frames I've hit with.
Blade team? Check out my sig!!
 

mental midget

Hall of Fame
From my personal experience, it's not the racket itself causing you elbow pain. It's the fact you're required to swing harder/faster in order to get the same depth of the ball. The same thing happened to me after switching from a Pure Drive to a Phantom. My elbow was hurting because my swing has changed. The racket was forcing me to swing harder than I was used to.

I ended up going back to the Pure Drive and am sticking with high-powered rackets. Player's rackets do feel nice, but they aren't for everybody.

was going to say the same thing. if you swing smoothly and make relatively clean contact you shouldn't get any serious pain regardless of what racket or string you use. most good players use stiff rackets and full poly, no issues. but no question, if you're used to a light racket and pick up a heavier one, and you start to force the acceleration to catch up, you'll definitely put some strain on your arm. alternately if you're used to a heavy racket, a lighter one might have you whipping through with shaky swing mechanics, and same problem.

i wonder if a lot of the arm pain associated w stiffer rackets/strings is too tight a grip at impact, sending the shock up the arm. if you let the racket do the work you should be pretty much ok to hit with anything.
 

WestboroChe

Hall of Fame
70? Always string kevlar mains at 86lbs. Crosses are 4g and was at 86. New racquet is super light at 320g so i strung the 4g at 60.

The racquet is stiff. If you trust wilson the hammer 5.3 has an ra of 70. I am using the 2.3. That has to be at least a 75 ra.

Fwiw i think my big a s s handle and high sw save the arm.

Here is some bh practice

I think you are correct. SW and handle size are both a major factor in how your arm gets shock. First time I got tennis elbow was from playing racquetball with a racquet with a tiny little broomstick handle. Second time time was from poly strings. Was it the strings or was it that I was hitting with too much wrist to loop the ball? We’ll never know because I won’t use poly again. I do know that switching to a hybrid set up did nothing to improve comfort for me and gave me none of the spin or control that poly is supposed to give you.

I have found that Prince Premier Control is a great string for me.

unfortunately the club is closed (Covid) and I have no idea when I will play again.

:mad:
 

Shroud

Talk Tennis Guru
I think you are correct. SW and handle size are both a major factor in how your arm gets shock. First time I got tennis elbow was from playing racquetball with a racquet with a tiny little broomstick handle. Second time time was from poly strings. Was it the strings or was it that I was hitting with too much wrist to loop the ball? We’ll never know because I won’t use poly again. I do know that switching to a hybrid set up did nothing to improve comfort for me and gave me none of the spin or control that poly is supposed to give you.

I have found that Prince Premier Control is a great string for me.

unfortunately the club is closed (Covid) and I have no idea when I will play again.

:mad:
Hang in there bro. It will get back to normal eventually. Time to get some workouts in and get stronger for the summer
 
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