Question regarding Racquet Selection for NoBadMojo

[Ash Doyle]

NoBadMojo,

You've talked a lot about racquet selection on these boards. I've enjoyed reading those posts, and agree with most of what you have to say. I just have a couple of questions about racquet selection especially regarding beginners.

Racquets that are head heavy are mainly aimed at beginners, but light and head heavy racquets still have a high swingweight. I know you base a lot of your selection decisions on swingweight, so I was wondering: do you think these head heavy and light static weight racquets are actually good for beginners? If not, what is an example of a racquet you feel is appropriate for a completely new tennis player?

Do you think the racquet needs to change as the player moves up in level? Is a racquet that is good for a 2.5 also good for a 3.0? a 3.5? a 4.0? Is a "good" racquet good for most any sub-5.0 player, or are a player's needs as they progress through levels more specific? Is a racquet with a swingweight of 300-315 good for any of these players?

I'm just just curious about your opinions on this, and I thank you for your time if you can answer these questions.

 

[NoBadMojo]

Sure.....see below pls

<snip>
Racquets that are head heavy are mainly aimed at beginners, but light and head heavy racquets still have a high swingweight. I know you base a lot of your selection decisions on swingweight, so I was wondering: do you think these head heavy and light static weight racquets are actually good for beginners? If not, what is an example of a racquet you feel is appropriate for a completely new tennis player?

I'm not a believer in head heavy frames as far as being seriously headheavy like some of the Hammer weighted frames. You can indeed end up with an 11oz frame with a large swingweight that even better players cant swing fast. Anything up to a couple points head heavy can be ok depending.
One frame that I've recommended to <many/some> beginners, and the closest frame I know of to the universal racquet is the Volkl V1Classic. A good example is a young guy and girl who I started out with this frame years ago..they both ended up loving tennis and the girl was a really good athlete and she ended up playing D1 ball <cant rem where>..fast forward to a few months ago and they show up where I was teaching then <now married> and still playing their V1's. The lady (no longer a girl) playing hers stock and the guy with a bit of lead down low. So theV1 is a good example of a frame that can be used by a beginner provided he/she can swing it fast enough and all the way up to advanced levels. It's got a large sweetspot but you are reminded you need to make good contact and you cant just slap away at the ball, it's easy on the arm, it's not real powerful, and it's got a weight and balance that can suit many along with being easily customized. if you've followed some of my posts you might know about the two basic guidelines I have for choosing a racquet
Do you think the racquet needs to change as the player moves up in level? Is a racquet that is good for a 2.5 also good for a 3.0? a 3.5? a 4.0? Is a "good" racquet good for most any sub-5.0 player, or are a player's needs as they progress through levels more specific? Is a racquet with a swingweight of 300-315 good for any of these players?

See above. It's all about their ability to swing a racquet fast enough for long enough and it's really not so much a function of someone's physical size or strength.
I've found that players as they develop often seem to not pay much attention to their gear at all or tend to pay far too much atention to it. I think somewhere in between would be more right for many, and many a player is impeded by constantly screwing around w. ther gear. I realize that is a fun part of the sport for some and that's cool beans, but I think the fun part of the sport is playing great and hitting a variety of good shots with a racquet you enjoy the feel of...I think far too many people try and rely on the racquet/strings to make them a better player and should instead pick a reasnable weapon and go out and learn how to use it

I'm just just curious about your opinions on this, and I thank you for your time if you can answer these questions.

My pleasure
<end>

 

[anirut]

Hi Mojo:

Do you think the Head Ti Radical MP will fine for a beginner? Although my son likes my mids and has the strokes for them, I think he should find it easier to "move forward" playing with my Ti Rad instead of the heavier ones that I play with. He's 5'5", 13 y-o, 63 kgs.

Or should I look for something even easier or more forgiving than the Ti Rad?

May be once his mechanics (and aha! footwork) have really gotten better, then I'll let him play what he wants.

Your comments very much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[NoBadMojo]

Hi there. I dont know the specs of that frame but i think that frame is hard to spin as it has a dense 18mains pattern, so would suggest something easier to spin

 

[anirut]

Hi Mojo: Thanks a lot for your suggestion.

The thing is should he learn to spin straight away, or should I make surethat his basic ground strokes on both wings become instinctive first, before proceeding to advance techniques?

He lost about a year of basic tennis due to heavy studies and troublesome knee. I'll sure have to start it all over again.

The fact is I have the Ti Radical, brand new, lying in my collection. OK, its 295 gram unstrung and about 4 pts HL, Mid Plus head size. If my memory serves me correct, the flex is 64.

Thanks again.

 

[NoBadMojo]

Hi Mojo: Thanks a lot for your suggestion.

The thing is should he learn to spin straight away, or should I make surethat his basic ground strokes on both wings become instinctive first, before proceeding to advance techniques?

He lost about a year of basic tennis due to heavy studies and troublesome knee. I'll sure have to start it all over again.

The fact is I have the Ti Radical, brand new, lying in my collection. OK, its 295 gram unstrung and about 4 pts HL, Mid Plus head size. If my memory serves me correct, the flex is 64.

Thanks again.

I'm just guessng here..dont know the swingweight of this frame and dont know how many pounds your boy is <sorry dont know kg's> If your kiddo is pretty athletic, at that age he *should* be able to handle this frame..Personally, I think it is one of Heads' all time best frames and it will supoort him as his game expands. well yea..topspin is a function of a lower to higher swingpath, so it's part of hitting basic groundstrokes..spin control and varying the spn is quite another thing and for much later on.

 

[Bolt]

1kg ~ 2.2lbs

63kgs ~ 138.6lbs

 

[anirut]

Thanks a lot Mojo. Your advice is very much appreciated.

So I guess I'll go ahead and let him have the stick. Don't know the Ti Radical's SW, but the LM Radical's SW's around 325. I think they should be close

BTW, he's now 66 kg (just checked). That's about 145 lbs.

Thanks again. Have a nice weekend.

 

[milo]

what do you suggest for a beginner woman since volkl is not available. wide variety of prince, wilson and head can be chosen?

 

[NoBadMojo]

what do you suggest for a beginner woman since volkl is not available. wide variety of prince, wilson and head can be chosen?

Hi there..no help here. I really dont know beginners' frames from those companies

 

[Final_Match_Point]

Try out the TT-line Bandit, scream or even warrior. There all relativly cheap, easy on the arm, powerful begginer/tweeners.


Btw Nobad, any volk that has an extremly open stringbed, and can produce some heavy spin?

 

[NoBadMojo]

Try out the TT-line Bandit, scream or even warrior. There all relativly cheap, easy on the arm, powerful begginer/tweeners.


Btw Nobad, any volk that has an extremly open stringbed, and can produce some heavy spin?

Typically the 8 series frames from Volkl have the most open stringbed..but I believe spin is 95% about the operator unless for a very dense strngbed

 

[Steve Huff]

Volkl makes some good frames, but they also make some that I don't think are appropriate for beginners. The V1 Classic is a well-recommended frame. Another frame I recommend to a lot of players was the iRadical OS. The TiRadical OS is similar. The Flexpoint Radical is noticably heavier. The iRadical is around 11 oz strung and is slightly headlight. It's also flexible enough as to be easy on the arm. The OS gives it enough power. AND, I think most importantly, it is standard length (27"). I think the TiRadical MP would be a nice frame to if you keep the string tension on the lower side (low 50's). Like NBMJ mentioned, it has a dense string pattern, which will make it feel stiffer,and may inhibit spin. It also isn't very powerful. Lower string tension will help both those limitations.

 

[Donnie Darko]

if you've followed some of my posts you might know about the two basic guidelines I have for choosing a racquet.

I thought your only guideline is that it has to be made by Volkl?

 

[NoBadMojo]

I thought your only guideline is that it has to be made by Volkl?

What a wad.

 

[Bolt]

I thought your only guideline is that it has to be made by Volkl?

That's his third precept.

 

[NoBadMojo]

That's his third precept.

another useless post..good job there....must feel good for you to post worthless crap.