Larrysümmers
Hall of Fame
ive wanted to try this but i just suck at putting the grips back on. haha
Thoughts on light vs. heavy.
- Thread starter pyrokid
- Start date
ive wanted to try this but i just suck at putting the grips back on. haha
pyrokid
Hall of Fame
Oh, I read this wrong... I thought you meant the buttcap, not the handle.
Yeah, I can't take the buttcaps off just because I don't have a stapler to reattach it, and my local pro shop isn't so local... like a 30 minute drive away. And my parents don't enjoy the idea of driving an hour to get something stapled.
God, I hate being 15. I want my license already.
Outlined
Rookie
My input for this discussion:
If two objects in motion make a collision then the weight of both objects will partly decide the result of that collision. So if you hit a ball with a heavy stick (320 gram or more) the ball will have a greater change to fly out compared hitting that ball with a light (290 gram or less) stick. This is just basic physics.
So if your technique is poor then I would not use a heavy stick but go for something below 295 gram.
If two objects in motion make a collision then the weight of both objects will partly decide the result of that collision. So if you hit a ball with a heavy stick (320 gram or more) the ball will have a greater change to fly out compared hitting that ball with a light (290 gram or less) stick. This is just basic physics.
So if your technique is poor then I would not use a heavy stick but go for something below 295 gram.
pyrokid
Hall of Fame
Another thing to consider is that it's very unlikely you'll be able to get a heavy stick moving as quickly as a light one.
And if you don't naturally impart heavy topspin with your stroke, a heavy racquet makes much more sense because then you can swing slower and still hit the ball just as hard, but because you swing slower you'll have more control.
Outlined
Rookie
A while ago I played with a Dunlop (255 gram - 100 sq in) stick. I played for free and played agressive from the baseline making full technically correct swings and movements. I just saw and felt my balls were less 'heavy' compared to doing the same with a prestige. Balls had the same 'kind of curves' but with dunlop the balls landed behind the service line, with the prestige just before the bassline.
In a a real match with stress playing with the prestige this would imply balls going out, making you uncertain about your shots, more stress, etcetera.
I would not recommend a prestige for beginners who want to play for points. Take something below 295 gram, or better, below 285 gram.
In a a real match with stress playing with the prestige this would imply balls going out, making you uncertain about your shots, more stress, etcetera.
I would not recommend a prestige for beginners who want to play for points. Take something below 295 gram, or better, below 285 gram.
prjacobs
Hall of Fame
Yes, if your technique is poor, don't use a heavy stick... and No
.... Baseball players cork their bats to speed up their swing and hit the balls further. So, light = more speed = more power and distance. That's why corked bats are illegal. Granted it feels great to hit tennis balls with a heavier frame, (I played with a 13 oz. frame for years), but the additional speed seems to mean more than the additional weight in terms of how it effects a ball. In a certain sense, it's harder to feel good using a lighter frame against heavy hitter, because if you miss the sweet spot, the frame gets pushed around more, but for me, I give my opponents much more trouble with a lighter, more powerful frame....
Last edited:
Hi, Sorry to disagree, but I think anyone playing 4.0+ level tennis should have a racket at least 11 oz static weight and a SW of at least 320 grams. Anything lighter can not offer the stability and power need to play advanced level tennis. The WTA pros seem to be using lighter rackets but they still have a SW of at least 320 grams. I actually suggest a SW around 330 grams. My wife if 5' 4"" tall, weighs 120 lbs, is 52 years old and uses a racket with a SW of 330 with no problems generating swing speed.
I don't think you have to use a 12+ oz racket or a huge SW to play 3.5 to 4.5 level tennis but you do need around 11 oz racket with a SW of 320+ grams in my opinion.
I have tried several rackets with a SW around 320 and every one played better with 6 to 9 grams of lead tape in the loop (usually 4 G at 3 o'clock and 4 G at 9 o'clock).
If you can not handle and generate sufficient swing speed with a SW of 330 grams, hit the gym and your game will improve enourmously.
I don't think you have to use a 12+ oz racket or a huge SW to play 3.5 to 4.5 level tennis but you do need around 11 oz racket with a SW of 320+ grams in my opinion.
I have tried several rackets with a SW around 320 and every one played better with 6 to 9 grams of lead tape in the loop (usually 4 G at 3 o'clock and 4 G at 9 o'clock).
If you can not handle and generate sufficient swing speed with a SW of 330 grams, hit the gym and your game will improve enourmously.
One more thing, I don't think it is an issue of manliness but rather physics. Force = mass*speed: the force you deliver to the ball is a function of the mass (weight) of your racket times how fast you swing. Granted, you don't want to swing a super heavy racket that slows down you speed, but it is far easier to take a smooth fast swing with as heavy a racket as you feel comfortable with than to attempt a faster swing with a racket that is too light. Also, weight helps enourmously on all defensive shots where you don't swing big including volleys, returns a big serve with a block, or scampering around the baseline to return balls in the corner with the new "squash" shot. Also, you are in full control on the serve and have all the time you need. A heavy racket that you can still generate a good swing speed will generate more speed and spin on the serve.
Don't go "too" heavy, but go heavy. Not mucho - just smart.
Don't go "too" heavy, but go heavy. Not mucho - just smart.
prjacobs
Hall of Fame
I basically agree and was sort of playing devil's advocate in my previous post. However, I absolutely hit my serve much harder with my dunlop 4D 500 tour than my volkl PB10 mid. And defensively, I get back much more as well. But as you say, you have to find the right weight that gives you solidity and still allows racquet head speed
.... I love hitting with the PB10, but play matches far better with the dunlop.
pyrokid
Hall of Fame
Sorry, when I was referring to light frames, I meant the ones around 11 oz with SW around 320.
Anything lighter than that in my opinion is really hard to use because to keep the racquet stable on heavy ball impacts you have to swing it nearly as fast as you possibly can.
SplitStepper
Rookie
Yes, if your technique is poor, don't use a heavy stick... and No
Baseball bats are not corked to decrease weight.
prjacobs
Hall of Fame
Please explain. While the jury may be out in terms of whether a baseball goes further with a corked bat, the consensus is that the lighter bat weight allows the hitter to hit the ball on the sweet spot more consistently. As this article states, the trend is towards lighter bats.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=do-corked-bats-allow-base
Last edited:
SplitStepper
Rookie
[edit] Mythbusters test
According to the MythBusters August 8, 2007 baseball special, the ball hit by a corked bat travels at only half the speed of a ball hit by an unmodified bat, causing it to go a shorter distance. The cork inside the bat actually absorbs the kinetic energy like a sponge, hindering the batter's performance. In addition, because corked bats are lighter, they have less mass to transfer force into the ball, bringing them to the conclusion that the use of a corked bat had fewer benefits over a regular bat. The show also notes that while filling a bat with cork makes it lighter, there is nothing in the rule book that prevents a player from simply using a lighter uncorked bat.[5]
[edit] Notes
So maybe they do cork bats to make them lighter. I always assumed it was kind of like spring loading. All in all, a lighter bat (a lighter racket) can't perform like a heavier one. Considering you've got the skills to handle it.
According to the MythBusters August 8, 2007 baseball special, the ball hit by a corked bat travels at only half the speed of a ball hit by an unmodified bat, causing it to go a shorter distance. The cork inside the bat actually absorbs the kinetic energy like a sponge, hindering the batter's performance. In addition, because corked bats are lighter, they have less mass to transfer force into the ball, bringing them to the conclusion that the use of a corked bat had fewer benefits over a regular bat. The show also notes that while filling a bat with cork makes it lighter, there is nothing in the rule book that prevents a player from simply using a lighter uncorked bat.[5]
[edit] Notes
So maybe they do cork bats to make them lighter. I always assumed it was kind of like spring loading. All in all, a lighter bat (a lighter racket) can't perform like a heavier one. Considering you've got the skills to handle it.
W
Winky
Guest
I agree with OP vis-a-vis my own game. I've recently gotten back into the sport. Was playing as a kid with a heavy 12.1 oz racquet. Then got a cheap 11.5 oz racquet. Both oversize. Then the last few days I started playing with a friend's 10.5 oz 100in racquet. Love it! I no longer feel like I'm swinging a heavy big sail. I don't need power because I take big swipes at the ball, I like the control that a lighter racquet allows me. And since I'm a 3.0-3.5 I'm not playing big hitters and having to return 120mph serves. And when I want to make it heavier, there's lead tape.
Or, F=M*A and yes, that's it.
