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Should I play with a lighter tennis racket as I get older?

Lighter racquets are more manoeuvrable and are easier to swing. Lighter racquets tend to be stiffer which means more shock is transferred to the joints so they're less arm friendly. Heavier racquets, in general, are harder to swing and will cause you to fatigue quicker.

Should I use a lighter tennis racquet?

Some basic concepts - a heavy racket is more powerful, more stable and transmits less shock than a lighter racket (all other things being equal). A lighter racket is more maneuverable and thus, a player is able to swing it faster.

Do I need a heavier tennis racquet?

Weight and balance

Weight: A heavy racquet is more powerful, more stable and transmits less shock than a lighter racquet (all other things being equal). The extra weight of a heavy racquet helps it win the battle at contact when the stringbed collides with the ball.

Is a 20 year old tennis racket still good?

Some are, some are not. There are 20-30-year-old racquets that work well today. And there are modern racquets that play better than most old-school racquets. A good racquet is a good racquet.

What weight should your tennis racket be?

Generally speaking, a light racquet will be more maneuverable; a heavy racquet will be more stable. Beginners should choose a racquet that weighs somewhere between 9.5 and 11 ounces – on the heavier end if you're strong or relatively athletic.

23 related questions found

How do I know if my tennis racket is too heavy?

If it's very hard to swing it after a set, CHANGE YOUR TECHNIQUE or do a new racquet. If you use your arm too much and don't utilize full shoulder rotation and get your legs/body/entire weight into it, it will probably be too heavy. To use a heavier racquet sometimes you need to adjust the technique.

What is considered a light tennis racket?

However, as a general rule: 300 grams (or 10.6 ounces) is an average weight for a racket. Less than 285 grams (10 ounces) is considered light.

How often should I change my tennis racket?

But assuming you don't intentionally splinter it, a new racquet should last at least two years before you have to start worrying about performance-affecting fatigue. This two-year rule applies to club players who play two or more times a week.

Do tennis strings expire?

Final Thoughts. The bottom line is tennis strings do go bad over time. They become dead and lose their pop, so it is important to know when it's time to replace them.

What brand of tennis racket does Djokovic use?

Novak Djokovic endorses the Head Graphene 360 Speed Pro. This may be his official racket, but it's not actually the one he has used to win his 20 Grand Slam titles.

Why do pros play with heavy rackets?

The heavier the racket is, the more power it has and the more stable it is through contact. Yes the ball will come off comparative harder, but there is also less distortion, displacement etc of the frame at contact so the shot is in fact easier to control.

Why do pros use heavier racquets?

Higher swingweight is one of the reasons that pros can hit the ball so hard without swinging their racquets at absurdly fast speeds (which, granted, in many instances they do). Skill and training obviously account for a lot, but the additional mass on their frames helps to propel their balls at much higher velocities.

Is a heavier or lighter racket better for tennis elbow?

Generally, a heavier tennis racquet will absorb more shock, so if you're suffering from tennis elbow or golfer's elbow, it can be beneficial to use a racquet with more weight.

Do any pro tennis players use oversize racquets?

Yes, some oversize frames may be more beneficial for older or weaker players, but not every single one. In the '90s we even started seeing some pro players using oversize frames and these weren't your typical sold-in-store racquets either. These were hefty frames that were customized to the pro player's specific specs.

Is a lighter badminton racket better?

Racket weight is a personal preference, but a head heavier racket does add more power if you have enough strength to control the racket. Head heavier rackets are not suited for all players. Lighter rackets are easier to control, but you give up some power if they are too light.

Why do so many pros use Wilson blade?

So what makes the Wilson Blade such a great racket for competitive players? It's all about feel. The combination of flexibility and stability found in Blade is designed to give competitive players a more connected-to-the-ball feel.

How long does an unopened tennis string last?

IMO, natural gut can be stored for about 1 yr in correct conditions. any longer than that and you are risking something happening to the gut and when it's so expensive why take the chance? a multi (like nxt ot nrg) can be kept longer but i have seen instances where these type of strings become more brittle over time.

When should I replace my racquet strings?

Considering the amount of money you plan to spend on tennis, you can safely adopt the following rule of thumb: racket strings should be replaced as many times a year as you play tennis per week. Unless, of course, they break sooner than that.

How often do you break tennis strings?

When it comes to racquet restringing, there's a general rule of thumb that most players are familiar with which is: Over a year, you should restring your racquet the number of times you play in a week. So if you play four times a week, then restring you racquet four times a year.

Why do tennis players change rackets with new balls?

The reason behind the frequent racket changes made during matches by top professionals is primarily to ensure that the racket performs exactly as they wish, with no variation and little chance of string breakage.

Do I need 2 tennis rackets?

All tennis players should have two tennis rackets minimum. This is because you never know when you will break a string, and if it happens during a match, you can conveniently and quickly change rackets without any problems whatsoever.

What should I string my racquet at tension?

When it comes to the actual tension, most manufacturers recommend stringing elastic materials like nylon or natural gut around 50-60 lbs. If using a stiffer string like polyester, drop the tension to avoid arm injuries.

How do I know if my tennis racket is too light?

How to tell if your racket is too light for you? If the racquet feels like it's deflecting or shocking your arm regularly especially when your contact isn't perfect, it's probably too light. In my case, I can also feel my swing get "too fast" like a slap instead of a smooth stroke unless I focus on slowing down.

What does 4 pts head light mean?

4 pts HL is simply a measurement for the balance of a racquet or, more specifically, how heavy a racquet feels when you swing the racquet to hit a ball. Ultimately this means that the racquet contains more weight towards the handle of the racquet and less weight towards the head of the racquet. Hopefully that helps.