Power Level vs Power Potential

[epicondylitis]

Can someone explain the difference between the POWER LEVEL listed in the specifications for each racquet and the POWER POTENTIAL given in the TW university comparisons?

For example, four racquets, with their TW listed POWER LEVEL
Head Graphene Speed S - Low-Medium
Wilson Blade 104 (2015) - Low-Medium
Volkl Super G1 OS - High
Volkl Super G1 MP - Medium

If you do a comparison of the Power Potential numbers given for each in TWU, both the Speed S and the Blade have higher numbers than the Volkl Midplus, and even higher than the "HIGH" powered Volkl OS.

Comparison Here

I am confused.

 

[Alien]

I believe the Low Medium is a subjective idea from the reviewers, the potential is scientifically measured.

 

[epicondylitis]

I believe the Low Medium is a subjective idea from the reviewers, the potential is scientifically measured.

That being the case, the possible subjective power levels being

Low
Low-Medium
Medium
Medium-High
High

It seems odd to me that a racquet could "feel" 3 levels lower in power yet actually have more power. Comparing racquets that are one level apart, I could see some scatter in subjective reviews, but a Low-Medium vs a High???

 

[epicondylitis]

OK, they must be opposites!

I added the "LOW" power level Wilson Pro Staff 97 RF Autograph to the comparison and it trumps them all, with higher power potential in all areas of the stringbed.

Comparison here

 

[The_Racketeer]

My guess: Some racquets are high powered, like beginner racquets such as Head Ti.S6. No matter what, they're designed to supply the novice player with tons of power so their short strokes still get the ball back. On the other hand, player racquets like the Wilson RF97A have less free power than the Ti.S6, but its mass and design, coupled with good technique, can generate a lot of power.

 

[SpinToWin]

Power level is how easy it seems to hit hard. An APD produces a lot of easy power for instance.

Power potential is a scientific measure for how hard a ball is hit by a racquet at a given swing speed. A racquet with a higher real swingweight will always have a higher power potential (physics at work) when contact is made in the sweetspot. Power potential does not measure how easy it is to accelerate the racquet to that speed and hence how "easy" the power comes.

That's where the power level comes in and the playtesters assign the power level based on how easily the power comes and how controllable it is.

Additionally, if you just bunt the ball with a player's racquet, you will get no result whatsoever, whereas the ball may still go deep with a stiff and powerful tweener.

 

[anubis]

Can someone explain the difference between the POWER LEVEL listed in the specifications for each racquet and the POWER POTENTIAL given in the TW university comparisons?

For example, four racquets, with their TW listed POWER LEVEL
Head Graphene Speed S - Low-Medium
Wilson Blade 104 (2015) - Low-Medium
Volkl Super G1 OS - High
Volkl Super G1 MP - Medium

If you do a comparison of the Power Potential numbers given for each in TWU, both the Speed S and the Blade have higher numbers than the Volkl Midplus, and even higher than the "HIGH" powered Volkl OS.

Comparison Here

I am confused.

TWU's power level has to do with the amount of returned energy from a stationary racquet. A ball that bounces off of a stationary racquet will bounce a certain distance.

Low powered racquets, the ball doesn't bounce very high. High powered racquets, the frame returns a lot of energy and the ball bounces higher.

 

[dman72]

I guess it's about power relative to swing speed. Sure an RF97 has the most power potential when stationary, but can you exploit that power on the court against a ball that's moving and that you have to move to, set up, and connect with cleanly.

 

[Lukhas]

Additionally, if you just bunt the ball with a player's racquet, you will get no result whatsoever, whereas the ball may still go deep with a stiff and powerful tweener.

There is a lesson here. The faster the racquet speed compared to the incoming ball, the less influence the innate properties of the racquet have on the ball. And contrariwise, the slower the racquet speed compared to the incoming ball speed, the more contribution the racquet has to ball speed. So, bunters, pokers, and patty-cakers rejoice! You get more out of your racquet than do the swing-for-the-fence animals using the same racquet. You get much more for your money! The racquet is worth more to you.

http://twu.tennis-warehouse.com/learning_center/racquetcontribution.php

Seems logical. Momentum: Mass times Velocity. Now can everyone bunt with a heavy racquet is the true question... :lol:

 

[PBODY99]

http://twu.tennis-warehouse.com/learning_center/racquetcontribution.php

Seems logical. Momentum: Mass times Velocity. Now can everyone bunt with a heavy racquet is the true question... :lol:

In my circle the Sr men bunters use the high swingweight frame to "bunt" the ball. The best of them are 4.5 age group league players.
The women tend to use light weight frames with lower SW.
The players who use the ~11.5 + oz rackets tend to be 4.5 younger players with fast swing speeds.