String tension basically helps optimize the "feel" you get. And "feel" in turn will help you with more consistent footwork. And more consistent foot work will create more consistent swing paths. This will in turn help with an overall better game. When you have a very stiff string bed and a slow swing speed, meaning if you naturally cannot generate a high swing speed, you tend to overswing, or muscle, or "fall" on the ball, which leads to a breakdown in technique, and ultimately a game below your own potential. If you have a very loose string bed, you tend to slow down and become deliberate, which doesn't produce your optimum game. I found this out after much experimentation - I now play my racquets at a specific tension (for a specific string, which I have stuck to), and it has dramatically elevated the effectiveness of my game. My experience with almost all sports has been like that - I am very sensitive to the stiffness of my golf clubs, to the stack and reach of my road bike, and of course, the tension/balance/grip size of my tennis racquets.
Funny fact: lowering the tension made me hit with more spin and harder, also freely. But I do remember struggling with technique to do it at the beginning. IMO: Don’t be afraid with lowering your tensions by 3-7lbs, just don’t compensate hitting slower/badly or with a shorter swing… change the swing path and it will work fine :) go crush the ball and hit with confidence after this
Same here. I strung my vcore 98 with polytour pro at 48 and felt good. I did a hybrid with polytour and head velocity mlt at 46 and balls were flying at the fence. I started getting balls in the court again when I relaxed and did foul swings
@@steinanderson9849 i believe that when Ive lower my tensions the ball started flying out of the court. So I started hitting with more spin to control them, changing the swing path, not the power of the stroke what made me more confident to hit even harder. Try it by yourself, might find the same results :)
Grateful for the insight. Using 45 lbs in a 18x20 microgel prestige atm. Used to be in the mid 50s but realized i always like how the tension felt right before the strings broke. Will def try closer to 40 next and see how that feels.
I very much agree with what was said about launch angles and depth, it really makes a difference. I used to string my AeroPro at 45 and it just zoomed off the string bed higher than I expected. I’ve tried the full spectrum, even cracking a racquet by stringing 6 lbs over the recommended tension. I would recommend taking 25 very aggressive cuts and seeing how the ball responds compared to what you expect. If it’s going higher and deeper than expected go up 2-3 lbs, or do the opposite if it’s going lower or shorter. I’m currently at 57 with a full bed of Dunlop Black Widow with very aggressive western forehand and one handed backhand. I’m close, may try 59. I’ve also modified the handle with Tungsten puddy to deaden the racquet a bit. Only bad thing is I only get about 2 hours out of a 16 gauge poly.
Tension is such a wild variable. It is funny to me that these suggestions on racquets come with no mention of what gauge. Because 18g at 50 will feel very different from 16g at the same. Maybe Mid tension, 17g, would be a satisfactory starting point. But with no mention of gauge, then you just leave another variable to be discovered the hard way or never at all.
Too many variables present. I can just see heads exploding as racquet and string technicians at racquet companies try to convince marketing departments to list tension ranges by string type and gauge on the inside of their frames. 🤯
I FINALLY stopped using the old adage, tighter tension equals more control. It might have meant something before modern rackets but is meaningless to a mid level old dude who is still working to improve. Playing the pre-Auxetic version of the Head Gravity Pro with Triax 17 (not a string breaker, flat ball hitter) and moved from mid 50's (55, 56, 57) tensions to 51 mains, 48 crosses two string jobs ago without any loss of control on groundstrokes, more spin/bounce and a bit bigger serve. I have always hit it deep in the court anyways but definitely more clearance over the net and would swear that I'm hitting fewer balls long and when I take shorter balls and apply a better stroke (more brushing) have added more angle shots that pull opponents off the court (do hit more wide balls sometimes but working on it). Love Triax, love the Gravity Pro and working on loving my game. Going to try the Solinco Whiteout 305 and newer Auxetic versions of the Head line soon too. I liked the feel of Auxetic in the pre-2024 Speed Pro, it was just a little light but they've upped the swingweight and lowered the RA so wanna give it and the Prestige's a shot.
I love how you have articulated the thoughts that have rattled around my head for years. 🤔 Some days/weeks/years, tension "felt" like it was giving me more whatever. Other times, it's been the string and other times, the racquet. Of course, most of the time, it was "mostly" me, not the equipment. As I've gained experience playing tennis for 30+ yrs, I've noticed that very few technologies have "altered" the results of the ball on the other side of the net for me to where my opponent would notice the difference. Most of the time, it's just how I adjust myself to playing that makes the biggest difference. That's the biggest and most salient variable to consider.
I go high tension (58) so that I can swing freely, create more rhs and feel confident the ball will land in. I don’t have problem with power, I have a problem with over hitting
I’m an “older” player used to string 62 lbs with syngut in my wood Kramer ProStaff. After 40 years took up the game again and adopted semi western forehand, 2 handed backhand, poly strings and 100 sq in racquet. So much easier but still can’t get used to low string tensions. I usually string at 57 lbs with Solinco Confidential or Polytour Pro in my Ezone 100. Tried so many times in the 40’s playing around different strings, fortunate to tinker cause I string my own, just play terrible, no confidence, especially backhand. I need different string or tension for forehand or backhand I think. Higher tensions is only way I can hit with any consistency and fortunate no arm issues. Maybe 57 on a lock out stringer is closer to 52 on a constant pull? I guess I’ll need an ERT 300 someday. Btw I also prefer thinner gauge strings too, 1.2 or 1.15 mm probably allows higher tensions too. Thanks Beckett! Keep up the great videos.
Yeah I think 57lbs on a lockout is pretty reasonable in a 100 square inch racquet with thinner strings. Dynamic tension would probably be close to 52lbs on a constant pull with a thicker strings, as you said.
When I use a synthetic gut, mid tension of the frame. When I use a polyester string, 45 to 48 lbs. Using syn gut/poly hybrid, syn gut mains at 55 lbs and poly cross at 51 lbs.
Always great content! I would add, that different strings play different with the same tension, also different jauge(diameter)of string plays different at the same tension. I play at 20kg, have enough control, nice launch angle et not so harsh for my elbow. Balls and temperature take a role in subjective tension feeling, so as you said, there is a room to adapt.
Very interesting. do you mind to explain a bit more about the influence of temperature on the strings? I strung my head gravity tour with 56 lb poly string, it actually felt alright while I was playing in very humid and hot places (90%+ humidity with constant 33 C + temp). But when I move back to Vancouver, even with 52 lb string tension, my elbow hurt sometimes. Do you think it has something to do with the temperature?
I was beating an opponent easily at 24/23 when my butt cap came off and switched to my 23/22, and I was mentally afraid to hit out it seemed and my balls weren’t working as well. It was mental that I had more control with the higher tension but after more time on the court, I realised that the higher tension gave me the confidence to hit out and it was that small adjustment that made me happy to know my best string tension, one kilo made a big mental difference
Starting the drop the cross tensions to try to get a more forgiving string bed and a bit more pocketing. Ive got an rf97 with lynx tour at 48/44lbs and an old iprestige 18x20 at 46/42lbs with poly tour strike
I personally don't know that it matters other than slight bumps in 1 direction or another.. string type I feel like has more effect than sting tension.. I personally have always felt more controlled with higher tensions... When I was playing competitively I was playing on a Prostaff 6.1 Stretch and kept my stringbed at about 70lbs tension(I know... really high..) but atleast psychologically I felt more controlled and the tighter tension felt like I could Feel the ball better.. I was a bigger player so I felt like I could generate plenty of power just off my body(and the fact that I kept my racket heavy) But the tighter strings also felt like it gave me better touch for drop shots because I was producing the power and not having to worry too much about string movement... I ran a nylon/Kevlar mix for my string bed(Prince Problend) the place I probably noticed the most difference is I could eat through strings at an amazing rate.. lol I had access to my own stringing machine so I was normally putting new strings on my main atleast once a week(I could snap a string in a day of tournament play so I always kept a 2nd racket at the ready with fresh strings) I was by no means an amazing player... I had tourny wins but far from an overall winning record... Modern day I finally got a new racket(after putting that 6.1 through 20+ years) and have upgraded to an RF97 because it has the closest feel to my 6.1 out of all the rackets I demo'd cause I figured 20+ years was long enough for a racket. I now run my tension alittle looser and use softer strings(Currently have TruPro Firewire formerly Tier 1) strung at 60lbs. at 40 I don't have the athleticism to be as serious about tennis anymore like I used to be so I mostly just play non seriously nowadays.... have wanted to get more serious but everyone in my area is playing pickleball nowadays so it's hard to find consistent playing partners.
Great video! I usually string wilson blade v9 18x20 at about 53lbs, with full bed of hyper G. Great feedback, love the control, and being able to use more angles, bought a roll of luxilon alu rough, suggestion for stringing it from your side?
Great video. I’ve never seen anyone compare different setups that have the same stringbed stiffness but different gauge or stiffness of the string. For example same string at 16G lower tension vs. 17G higher so that the SBS is equal. Also I wonder if when players switch strings they should be targeting the SBS rather than the tension (move to stiffer x% stiffer string, decrease tension by some multiple of x). Keep up the great work
Thanks! I think targeting SBS makes a lot of sense, but its tricky since you don't know the SBS until after its strung. Two different stringers can also generate two different SBS's holding all else equal (usually better stringers get higher numbers because there's less tension loss)
Looser string tension objectively gives you more power. Much like a trampoline the further back the strings move upon contact the more the strings will rebound the ball, thus launching the ball back in the other direction at a higher velocity.
my main tension is 22/21kg. But once in a while I freak out and go 28kg full bed, its just something absolutely crisp in that brick feel, I enjoy it, its not effective at all, but very fun. and yeah I only use 1.25mm
Awesome video: well argued and really useful to debunk some of the myths (or at least question some of the "conventional wisdom"). I wonder whether you have any related thoughts on what really happens when a string (especially a poly) loses tension. Does it really become objectively uncontrolled and unplayable, or is this just psychology also?
Good question! There's some good research by the TW University on this topic. 10-15 years ago, players didn't care about the tension, they would just say the string went "dead," thinking that the poly lost its resiliency. TWU found that this does NOT happen, instead, the strings notch, stopping snapback and spin, thereby losing control. So it may not always be the tension that's the problem. I find that I personally notice the tension loss, but I know many players better than me who aren't bothered by it. Maybe it's because I'm more aware of the age of the string and it is psychological.
@@TennCom I find on my 3, old aluminum and stiff plastic for bridge, Pro Kennex Ace Pro Power Contour Red and blue model nearly as is works great for me as is becuse string tension is very stiff probably close to max an a really stiff racquet which I like for feeling ball more. When original okay vinyl grip was failing on all 3 racquets including 2 spare I got in 2023 used on e-Bay, I used a single layer of black fabric sports/Hokey tape and some Loctite Ultragel Control superglue on very end for holding tape on, going tight in a more open spiral using a single layer wrap over old stock grip so I could still have good feel on corners and have grip stiff, again for feel. I got 2 more of racquet for spare in 2023 in red and blue as black and yellow is less stiff Having used/barrowed one in same model for a full match before I bought mine which was also strung as is from factory, the black and yellow racquet felt off and softer becuse strings on yellow and black model are probably done up in less tension. I have no clue tension max and min for model I own so I use stock strings as said strings on a cheap racquet are rather stiff. I need a Jr 4 & 1/4 sized grip as I am a kids/boys XL/XXL, women's small, or men's/unisex XS in gloves.
@@TennCom Reason old people like high tension is they used small head wood or early metal racquets in 1970''s with long handles where nylon/gut maybe even wire inside nylon was used like on some early metal frames so when even using a mid sized head as smallest made for full Adult 27--28 inch racquets they want to feel like old racquets they used in 1970's so only way of having a similar feel is by going high tension. If player is old and started later but no later then in 1990's chances are they used older nylon or reinforced fiberglass nylon strings so are probably going based on how nylon being tight gave more spin, less volley but more spin and spin was king in 1990's. Some old players may even ask for nylon string or nylon reinforced fiberglass string becuse is what they are used to and yes you can find nylon string sill mainly on lower level to higher qualiy nylon for intermediate end.
Hey Beckett, great video. Been following a lot of your content. IMO the best on TH-cam for tennis nerds like myself. I need your advice: should you wait an entire day or more after stringing a brand new racquet, before hitting some balls? Or is this a myth?
What's the point? To let the strings settle? I have not noticed much difference from what I play after the strings are fresh. I'd imagine that if there is tension drop, that it would vary depending on the string so you'd need to measure the DT like every hour for 24h or something to see when it settles. Probably not worth worrying about.
I’ve got 2 identical Angell lime XLs (18x20). One is 45# and the other is 55#. I can’t tell the difference. I’m a 4.0 player with pretty flat to minimal topspin strokes. Why can’t I tell the difference?
cool shirt, for me its about the threshold where the bed is tight enough that it's not a trampoline. you're right it depends on strings as well for eg rpm blast feel lose tension quickly as well so going low on it from the beginning wouldn't be good.
Thanks! I like the idea behind stringing as loose as you can control and I agree that become more complicated when you are dealing with significant tension loss. I'd much rather string with something that'll hold tension very well at a lower tension than be forced to string higher to compensate for tension loss.
I have been thinking a lot about that phenomenon, as its quite common for players at a variety of levels. Can I ask what strings you use and what your playing experience is?
Love the Channel and all the videos! Keep up the great work! ❓QUESTION about launch angle... what influences launch angle the most? The string pattern, the strings themselves, the tension, or the gauge of string?? I'm assuming it's the string pattern? But I'm curious to what degree or percentage you think it is for all four of those factors? Is it 50% string pattern, 30% particular string, 10% tension, and 10% gauge? Or what do you think the ratio is? I'm starting to think the gauge may play a bigger part but I am not sure. (I string all my racquets at 50lbs so I am only judging by the other 3 factors myself.) Also, you mentioned that you thought Solinco Tour Bite had one of the highest launch angles, could you list a few other strings with high launch angles? Thanks so much!!
great video with great explaining. I personally have a TF305 and the string recommendation is pretty low compared to other raquets. I live in a 9350 ft city so the ball tends to be higher. What recommendation you can give me?
Hi Beckett, I used Wilson Juice 100 with Gosen G spin at 57lb. I hate it within the 1st 2 hours and love it after that as I feel the stringnis pretty dead at 1st. I use my strings for about 6 months, playing 2 to 3 hours a week. I feel it's out of control after 4 months, but the tension is kept and no grooves to be seen. Now I am moving to babolat pure aero 2019 version 100 sqinch. Can u pls recommend me a string tension when using babolat RPM blast. Thanks in advance, and I absolutely love ur content.
Thanks for watching! I highly recommend trying a much lower tension than you have now. 57lbs is pretty tight by current standards and since you aren't putting much wear on the strings, I'm thinking that you could probably benefit from a little extra power, forgiveness and comfort in your setup. Start with 50lbs and give yourself time to adjust to the change. The ball will fly, but don't let that stop you from swinging through the ball. Just aim a little lower, trust the string to lift the ball and keep your swingspeed high to ensure you get enough spin to bring the ball back into court.
Question for my racquet Guru: i bought an Ezone 100 with Babolat natural gut - do you think is a good idea to string it higher to balance the power of the racquet ? im about 3.2 level, how high in tension do you think i can go considering my arm (sometimes i can feel my elbow but not frequently) and the easy power of the ezone 100 ? i like power but i also love if i can be precise with angles . Or tell me what makes sense to you for an Ezone100 with Natural gut -Trow me a number ill try it up.
This vid is really useful to understand the racket-tension relationship. I'd like to know your take on what's happening here: I haven't playing for too long. I have been comparing a Yonex Ezone 100 with HyperG soft at 46lbs (strung a month ago) and a Gravity Pro at 55lbs with normal HyperG that was strung 3 months ago. I'm quite fit and strong. I thought Gravity Pro would be impossible for me to play with because it requires good control and I'm not at intermediate. But Ezone with HyperG soft became unplayable after a few sessions. All my balls sail long, and I'm very scared to swing at my normal speed&power. And I play probably 2x better with Gravity Pro. I really have no idea why... I think it's exactly what you are saying at 9:00, but I'm not a monster, so why Ezone with HyperG soft at 46 is unplayable?? Do the strings start to shoot the balls high after losing their elasticity at lower tensions? Or is it just my racket control skills? ;O I learnt so much about tennis from your channel. Thanks :)
I would expect the EZONE to feel way more powerful. 2 months is not enough time for 55lbs to feel much looser than 46lbs, especially in such a tight pattern. I'm sure you could control the EZONE if you applied enough spin, but that could take you a few hours to get the hang of. Nothing wrong with stick to the Gravity Pro for now, as you feel more confident with it. Who is anyone to say you aren't good enough for the Gravity when you play better with it?
Thank you very much. I have always enjoyed your videos and the way you articulate the issues in a simplified clear manner. My question may not be directly relevant to this particular video, but can you recommend a reliable tension calibrator for electronic string machines?
I have no idea. Wise (tension head I use) recommends you sent the unit in for service if you think the calibration is off, but they do offer their own calibrator as well
The difference is more about a constant pull machine and a lockout machine. Both drop weights and electronic machines are constant pulls. Crank machines use a lock out mechanism so they aren't constantly pulling the string until you clamp it. They pull the string once to the reference tension and then hold. This usually leads the constant pulling machines to string about 10% higher than a lockout.
I have a headlight racket that is 11.8oz strung and 70 stiffness and struggle with hitting the ball long. I assumed this was due to my high swing speed and the power coming from the racket, so I’ve always strung my racket at high tension (60-62lbs). Is it possible that lower launch angle from tight strings is actually causing me to hit the ball flatter, resulting in balls going long?
In general, the spin will mostly come from your technique. If you aren't getting enough vertical action through contact (either from your legs or wrist), then you won't get enough spin. Also, if you are using a racquet with a very open string pattern (2019 Pure Aero, 2018 and newer Pure Drives) then you'll have a relatively high launch angle regardless of the tension. It could also be related to your targeting. Are you aiming for the service line and hitting long? If yes, that could be a serious problem. If you are aiming at the baseline and hitting long, well that's normal. I know that I personally struggle a lot with aiming too close to the lines.
@@TennCom thank for the response! I think part of it is probably related to technique (I was a 4.5 player, but just getting back into the game after 5 years, so probably not using my legs as much as I used to). The other part of it is probably equipment related - I’m using a head youtek speed pro (from like 2010 lol) that is really powerful and also has a natural gut / ploy hybrid string setup. Going to try full poly as a last-ditch effort to save the racket or just look at buying new rackets since I’m well overdue…
Lowering the string tension does help relieve arm pain in my experience, but I think there's a lower limit. For example, if you have pain at 40lbs, going to 30lbs seems unlikely to help. Whereas sometimes going from 58lbs to 52lbs is enough to make a difference.
Its quite a fun experience, but I only tried it when I was using the VCORE 95. I'm guessing it would be a lot more viable in something like a Pure Drive. I actually like the general feel a lot. Surprisingly connected.
@@TennCom Perfect description, connected. It's been said it was more prevalent in the 80s or 90s with even Agassi using it. There must be a reason it's unheard of in the pro game today and even the recreational.
@@ad-rock603imho its marketing. The market moved to strings that bag out in a few hours. Kevlar lasts a long long time so its not a money maker. I use kev/4g myself at 86lbs.
You might consider deleting the comment about “old people” and string tightness. I don’t know if you would consider me old at 51 but I play with many people in the 50-70 year old range and we are all 4.0 - 4.5 players and we all use modern rackets with modern strings and string them at many different tensions. I string at 52 lbs on my Wilson pro staff 95s. I’ve never strung over 60lbs on any racket I’ve owned.
I guess he meant people who played before polys became a thing (mid to end of 1990s). Syn gut needs way higher tensions, especially on the typical granny sticks.
Do I need 104-110 racquet size? Intermediate silver years . I can hit a 98.. sometimes I could not reach balls anyway if on others corner and fast. Not competition just fun and want to get a little better. Thanks.
@@Frank020 I'm not sure I can answer that. But I recently decided to get newer rackets (mine are 9 years old and showing signs of their age) so I took my 95s into my local tennis store and compared it to 98's and 100's and there wasn't much difference in the size I could see. My frame literally touched or overlapped both frames. I suggest you try this before getting a larger racket.
@@adamcravets5408 Thanks. I use to play a 105 but once the sting lost tension the ball trampolined off it a total loss of control. I guess I will stick to 102-98 . I liked a 98 blade, but I've been reading a lot of hype about oversized racquets for seniors..lol 😁
Do you think there is such a thing as too much snapback? ReString Zero has made me contemplate if that might be one of the reasons for its launchy nature.
@@TennCom well I'm a 3.5 hitter so discount my opinion as needed, but sometimes I've done a full bed of poly at mid 40s lbs tension and I get great dwell/pocketing but it is kinda launchy. My kick serves are effortless. But usually poly dies in 2 weeks for me, mains get notched and stop sliding and the tension is gone. That's when I cut it. Too much snapback? Not sure, the spin is addictive. I hit hybrid now for more comfort and little power at the cost of some less spin
@@TennComI noticed with restring that the faster swing speed I give zero gives me different speeds and spin. I think when I’m in the gas I don’t notice it but when I’m not I get shocked by how far the ball goes off the string bed.
What’s string can you recommend for the radical mp? I been trying different but haven’t settled. I been having to string lower since the launch angle is so low if I’m not ready for I’ll bank the net on normal rallies.
yea the radical is an odd 16x19. i have the 2021 version and found out the launch angle is a lot lower than the many prince rackets i used. Currently using yonex multi atg850 (soft multi) at 55 i would say maybe try 50-52 or lower with stiffer multi
I found Head Lynx to be the best strong for the 2021 Radical MP. If you are a strong fast swinging person, go for ~53 lbs. If you are like me, ~60 kg, go for ~50 lbs. Luxilon @ 48 lbs is also good, but offers a much smaller sweetspot.
I was stringing my MP at 52lbs, but in retrospect, I think 45-48lbs would have been better. ReString Zero has a pretty high launch angle and a softer feel in general which would do a good job muting the loud hitting sound of the frame. Other softer power poly's like Cyclone Tour or Hypger-G Soft should work too. I personally liked Grapplesnake Alpha the most of the setups I tried, though I haven't tried a huge amount.
@@TennCom I currently play with Luxilon Natural Gut at around 55 lbs (25kg) (basically to improve my technique, body rotation and focus on swinging through) without balls flying like drunk birds. I'm a bit worried though its only been one week and they've already started to break a part bit, kind of like the fibers falling apart.. What would you recommend for a newbie in the game, who's only played 1.5 season? I currently actually like my setup, although a bit more power would help me not work so hard as I need to now. Also my primary reason for natural gut is feel and arm friendliness.
@@Gabriel-MagicMusic I still recommend seeing how it goes first and adjusting after your first series of hits with the new racquet. Isolate the variables. th-cam.com/video/AhsKNKc5IZU/w-d-xo.html
if you can generate your own power and play with a poly string but need control i suggest anywhere from 55-60 lbs. if u need a little help with power but play with a poly string i suggest 50-52 pounds. if u got elbow problems play with multifilament or natty guy at 25 lbs. but you will not have any control from the baseline.
Worst Player in the World here to confirm what BC says about tensions. I can definitely tell the difference: at 55lbs my hits are all in the net; at 45lbs the balls sail over the fence. But 50lbs with my syn gut and mutlifil trash strings is absolute Sex Panther.
I am not so sure that tension has nothing to do with ball speed. Think of Mannarino and Dustin Brown swapping racquets. Mannarino barely touches the ball aand it goes. Brown tries to pop it with every shot he makes. Mannarino strings at approx. 35 lbs, Brown at almost 80. Both operate at similar net clearance. So there must be a difference, it is too ovious.
I think his point was with with practical changes of 5-10lbs, at most. You’re taking two extremes. I think most would agree there’s going to be a difference at +/- 45lbs lol. I think it’s obvious with Mannarino and his swing style. He swings as effortlessly as anyone on tour imo.
I'm open to new evidence, as we all should be, but comparing two completely different players using different racquets doesn't tell us very much about how tension affects ball speed. We would have to test Mannarino's speed at 35lbs and then at 80lbs, or Brown's at 80lbs, then again at 35lbs. Also, Mannarino has one of the slowest ball speeds on tour. I believe he also used to string normally, but I don't think his ball speed looks that different year over year.
@@TennCom Maybe you are right. I tested this yesterday on two occasions. 1. I strung my racquets at different tensions. Did this anyway, because in hot weather my string becomes more lively than I need. Racquet has a tad too much power as well. So I am about to increase the tension anyway, so the newer string bed is stiffer. On the ground strokes I notices exactly what you described: launch angle is steeper at low tension, but at the same angle (when I was able to achieve this) the ball flies (give and take) as far as with the stiffer racquet. Not sure about the spin though, could have been different and spoiled my test. But flat serves (the only neutral judge i.m.o.) were a bit faster with the lower tension, the ball marks on the court (red clay) were longer with the lower tension. Balls were not new btw, I played them once before. 2. We have two self-trainig devices in our club: a classic wall and a suspended net (coils in a metal frame), not to mention our ball machine. Both were roughly in the same ballpark when it comes to energy return. And according to what I felt while playtesting my two string setups: with lower tension it feels like the string does most of the job of returning the ball. With higher tensions (such as the wall) the ball returns to where it came from on its own bouncing. Now I would guess that new balls have benefits on tighter string beds, while older (flat) balls depend on a soft string bed to jump off. But I did not test that, I only had one set of balls with me. And maybe it even leads to a conclusion why pros change their racquets whenever new balls are added to the match. And why they maybe prefer strings that lose tension fast without losing elasticity to compensate for less bounce off their strings. All just quoted from what I felt and watched when testing this, not scientific at all. My conclusion is: the myth of more power at lower tension would be correct if the ball didn´t compensate it by its own elasticity. But with dead balls, the myth is right. With new balls it is not.
doesn't take an expert to know if you string lower you will get more than 5% power from 40lb and 60lb. no math needs to be done, you can literally feel the difference is way more than half a mph
Lets not mix apples with pears. its a rubber ball. its a bouncy thing on its own. you can hit it with a wodden board and it will go over the net. when everything is equal: Lower tension opens up and thus means bigger sweetspot in racket. Softer strings (at same tension as stiff string) means also bigger sweetspot and bigger dwell time and more trampoline effect. = more power at more trampoline real estate on the racket and thus more trampolin launch by the strings and not by the ball by it self(and not just 1 %). So you have to observe what makes the ball fly. the pure impact of the rubber only and the balls compressing/decompression due to hit and moving object (tight stringjob).... or also because of the strings trampoline effect.....The softer the tension and softer the string then the softer landing of the ball in the stringbed.....but the more trampoline. and this is why someone with low to medium swing can get the ball fast over the net....not because of the balls own decompression meeting a bus in motion but because of trampoline. So I guess this TW professor only has tested in the center of the sweetest sweet spot in every racket. Higher tension means more control as the racket becomes more and more like a board....and makes you strike less and softer as you get more jarring vibrations into your arms. Theres definately more factors that just the energy return of the same stroke in the middle of the sweetest sweetspot. I dont psychology has much to do with it. its mostly physics. So ofcourse higher skilled players with simular rackets and strings gets to a place where somethings equals out regardless...and slight changes has little effect due to: less decompression of ball at impact but yet more trampoline or more compression of ball at impact but less trampoline.
You lost me trying to sound smart when dismissing the age old fact that the "trampoline effect" is a real thing. 1/2 mph? You think that's accurate or valid? I think you are sidestepping to make the video much longer than it needs to be. Suddenly the looser power and tighter control is an old wives tale myth huh? This very questionable info you present could be quite misleading.
Can you be more specific with your concerns so I can make sure to be more precise in the future? I'm trying to provide content that's honest and helpful to the tennis community. The purpose of this video is more about questioning what people actually mean when they say "more control" or "more power." Next week I'll using Swing Vision to test the ball speeds I get from high vs low tensions as a follow up to this video.
@@TennCom I said I felt like you tried to dismiss the trampoline effect. A little looser has more trampoline effect which produces generally easier "power" with generally less effort. A tighter stiffer string provides a little more general control with a bit less movement of the strings. I think there's a reason that we've always simplified the concept with that basic understanding for many decades. Your video seems to complicate the point with a lot of extra explanation that doesn't really help, but actually confuses the viewer. Some people may come at me and say Idk what I'm talking about, but I believe that there will be several factors going into ball speed, and the number you come up with won't negate the trampoline effect being greater on looser strings. Hence the old concept should not be dismissed as false or insignificant.
@@arthurevans2029 I’m not dismissing the trampoline effect. I talked about that when I broke down launch angle. I think the definition of “power” is important. Is it depth? Ball speed? Both? It could be mean different things to different people. I don’t want to be the guy who says, “lower tension = more power” and have a player expect to be hitting harder shots because that won’t always be the case. I’m not trying to overcomplicate things. Read the comments, lots of people found it helpful to respect the nuances of how tension affects play.
@@TennCom I think depth would be a control and feel issue. Speed could also be a control issue. Are you hitting flat or trying to spin? Are you aiming long or short? That is going to depend on your swing, not string tension. Let's say you were not on a court, and you just tried to hit a ball as far as possible like a baseball homerun. Then you could guage the distance achieved at different tensions with the same racket and strings. That's a simple description of power, and illustrate trampoline effect. So yes, I think you did kind of complicated it more than necessary. Your 1/2 mph claim was odd and confusing and misleading. Btw, I'm not trying to be disrespectful if it sounds that way. I can appreciate what you do. I just felt like this particular video articulation while trying to help people choose tension for their game was lacking clarity and a little contradictory.
@@arthurevans2029 I understand what you are saying. I also really appreciate the time you took to share your honest thoughts. You didn't have to do that and its helpful for future scripts.
At the end of the day, when You just starting to play tennis..... Go through 10 strings at all different possible tensions....... High tension "more control oriented".......I don't know about that at all. It all depends on yoir swing
@@Antondepadua I read the conclusions of this study and it doesn’t contradict anything that I said. In fact, it reinforces the arguments about rebound angle and ball speed. Another thing to note about this study, is that they used a ball machine, which again, doesn’t really replicate the conditions you’ll find in a match or in practise against another human. Am I missing something here?
Your main point was that changing string tension does not affect a player's game objectively (because as per TW study, only 1% difference in speed) and the effects are only "subjective" because the player adjusts to the effects of tension to depth. (But I thought string tension didn't have an objective effect?) However, string tension does infact have an objective effect on both rebound speed and accuracy, so I would say that it is important to consider those effects when tuning your tension to your game. So really, string tension does indeed matter.
My audience is mostly North American. Usually I do prefer metric but for tension 99% of my experience with previous customers and local players is in pounds.
I bought a used yonex vcore 100 for $100 that had a copoly on it with 48lbs and my shots and serves were going out, so I changed it to MLT at 55lbs and I can now hit consistently.
Ageism is a thing.. but here we are.. age 75 play competitive.. I have one 105 racket strung at 47 it’s great for deadly slice backhand and drop shots .. my other racked also 105 is at 52 .. really hot serves and top spin forehand and flat backhand.. is amazing.. depends on who I am playing against . No sore arm with slightly larger rackets.. but hate 110 si rackets 😊
Is 46lb for the polytour pro at 17 gauge in the main and 43lb for the luxilon ALU Power Rough at 16L in the cross is good on the 2023 babolat pure aero?
I went from using flying clamps on a drop weight machine to using rail clamps on a crank machine and the latter feels tighter. I calibrated the machine and compared the tension to the drop weight machine and they are the same. Is it possible that the rail clamps are more efficient and keep the strings tighter? Should I reduce the reference tension to get the same ending tension and if so, how much? I appreciate any help, I don’t know who to ask.
I don't have a full answer for you. Best suggestion is just drop tension by 2-3lbs until you settle on a tension you are happy with. I highly doubt it would be more than 10%, but it could also be because you are stringing faster with the new setup. I believe a crank should string looser than a drop weight holding all else equal, because the drop weight is constant pull and the crank is lockout.
@@TennCom Thank you for your feedback! It is definitely faster but I always tension it a second time just before tensioning the next string. I will try dropping it a couple pounds. Love your content by the way.
hey Beckett considering getting blue strings for new gravity pro, options are polytour pro, polytour spin, razor code and rpm power. anything suggestions you think would suit the racquet well, currently find it hard to get spin.
If you can get it, ReString Zero is one of the best spin strings around and its also blue. RPM Power is terrible for spin. I find Polytour Spin to be quite dead, though it has nice ball bite. It might work but I would recommend stringing 10% looser than normal. PTP is a good all arounder and I like it a lot in the Gravity Pro, but spin is mediocre. I haven't tried Razor Code yet but it seems quite excellent based on the reviews.
String tension basically helps optimize the "feel" you get. And "feel" in turn will help you with more consistent footwork. And more consistent foot work will create more consistent swing paths. This will in turn help with an overall better game. When you have a very stiff string bed and a slow swing speed, meaning if you naturally cannot generate a high swing speed, you tend to overswing, or muscle, or "fall" on the ball, which leads to a breakdown in technique, and ultimately a game below your own potential. If you have a very loose string bed, you tend to slow down and become deliberate, which doesn't produce your optimum game. I found this out after much experimentation - I now play my racquets at a specific tension (for a specific string, which I have stuck to), and it has dramatically elevated the effectiveness of my game.
My experience with almost all sports has been like that - I am very sensitive to the stiffness of my golf clubs, to the stack and reach of my road bike, and of course, the tension/balance/grip size of my tennis racquets.
what tension u playing now?
What’s your ideal tension? 52?
Funny fact: lowering the tension made me hit with more spin and harder, also freely. But I do remember struggling with technique to do it at the beginning. IMO: Don’t be afraid with lowering your tensions by 3-7lbs, just don’t compensate hitting slower/badly or with a shorter swing… change the swing path and it will work fine :) go crush the ball and hit with confidence after this
Same here. I strung my vcore 98 with polytour pro at 48 and felt good. I did a hybrid with polytour and head velocity mlt at 46 and balls were flying at the fence. I started getting balls in the court again when I relaxed and did foul swings
lol thats the exact opposite of the science
@@steinanderson9849 i believe that when Ive lower my tensions the ball started flying out of the court. So I started hitting with more spin to control them, changing the swing path, not the power of the stroke what made me more confident to hit even harder. Try it by yourself, might find the same results :)
Grateful for the insight. Using 45 lbs in a 18x20 microgel prestige atm.
Used to be in the mid 50s but realized i always like how the tension felt right before the strings broke.
Will def try closer to 40 next and see how that feels.
I very much agree with what was said about launch angles and depth, it really makes a difference. I used to string my AeroPro at 45 and it just zoomed off the string bed higher than I expected. I’ve tried the full spectrum, even cracking a racquet by stringing 6 lbs over the recommended tension. I would recommend taking 25 very aggressive cuts and seeing how the ball responds compared to what you expect. If it’s going higher and deeper than expected go up 2-3 lbs, or do the opposite if it’s going lower or shorter. I’m currently at 57 with a full bed of Dunlop Black Widow with very aggressive western forehand and one handed backhand. I’m close, may try 59. I’ve also modified the handle with Tungsten puddy to deaden the racquet a bit. Only bad thing is I only get about 2 hours out of a 16 gauge poly.
Summary of this video : nobody knows what the hell they are talking about when it comes to string tension
Tension is such a wild variable. It is funny to me that these suggestions on racquets come with no mention of what gauge. Because 18g at 50 will feel very different from 16g at the same. Maybe Mid tension, 17g, would be a satisfactory starting point. But with no mention of gauge, then you just leave another variable to be discovered the hard way or never at all.
Too many variables present. I can just see heads exploding as racquet and string technicians at racquet companies try to convince marketing departments to list tension ranges by string type and gauge on the inside of their frames. 🤯
I FINALLY stopped using the old adage, tighter tension equals more control. It might have meant something before modern rackets but is meaningless to a mid level old dude who is still working to improve. Playing the pre-Auxetic version of the Head Gravity Pro with Triax 17 (not a string breaker, flat ball hitter) and moved from mid 50's (55, 56, 57) tensions to 51 mains, 48 crosses two string jobs ago without any loss of control on groundstrokes, more spin/bounce and a bit bigger serve. I have always hit it deep in the court anyways but definitely more clearance over the net and would swear that I'm hitting fewer balls long and when I take shorter balls and apply a better stroke (more brushing) have added more angle shots that pull opponents off the court (do hit more wide balls sometimes but working on it). Love Triax, love the Gravity Pro and working on loving my game. Going to try the Solinco Whiteout 305 and newer Auxetic versions of the Head line soon too. I liked the feel of Auxetic in the pre-2024 Speed Pro, it was just a little light but they've upped the swingweight and lowered the RA so wanna give it and the Prestige's a shot.
The pre-Auxetic Gravity Pro is an absolute gem. I think it might go down in the books as an all-time great.
I love how you have articulated the thoughts that have rattled around my head for years. 🤔
Some days/weeks/years, tension "felt" like it was giving me more whatever. Other times, it's been the string and other times, the racquet. Of course, most of the time, it was "mostly" me, not the equipment. As I've gained experience playing tennis for 30+ yrs, I've noticed that very few technologies have "altered" the results of the ball on the other side of the net for me to where my opponent would notice the difference. Most of the time, it's just how I adjust myself to playing that makes the biggest difference. That's the biggest and most salient variable to consider.
I go high tension (58) so that I can swing freely, create more rhs and feel confident the ball will land in. I don’t have problem with power, I have a problem with over hitting
Research backs up this video: changing string tension changes your launch angle more than anything else, like power or control. Nice.
I’m an “older” player used to string 62 lbs with syngut in my wood Kramer ProStaff. After 40 years took up the game again and adopted semi western forehand, 2 handed backhand, poly strings and 100 sq in racquet. So much easier but still can’t get used to low string tensions. I usually string at 57 lbs with Solinco Confidential or Polytour Pro in my Ezone 100. Tried so many times in the 40’s playing around different strings, fortunate to tinker cause I string my own, just play terrible, no confidence, especially backhand. I need different string or tension for forehand or backhand I think. Higher tensions is only way I can hit with any consistency and fortunate no arm issues. Maybe 57 on a lock out stringer is closer to 52 on a constant pull? I guess I’ll need an ERT 300 someday. Btw I also prefer thinner gauge strings too, 1.2 or 1.15 mm probably allows higher tensions too. Thanks Beckett! Keep up the great videos.
Yeah I think 57lbs on a lockout is pretty reasonable in a 100 square inch racquet with thinner strings. Dynamic tension would probably be close to 52lbs on a constant pull with a thicker strings, as you said.
When I use a synthetic gut, mid tension of the frame. When I use a polyester string, 45 to 48 lbs. Using syn gut/poly hybrid, syn gut mains at 55 lbs and poly cross at 51 lbs.
Always great content! I would add, that different strings play different with the same tension, also different jauge(diameter)of string plays different at the same tension. I play at 20kg, have enough control, nice launch angle et not so harsh for my elbow. Balls and temperature take a role in subjective tension feeling, so as you said, there is a room to adapt.
Very interesting. do you mind to explain a bit more about the influence of temperature on the strings? I strung my head gravity tour with 56 lb poly string, it actually felt alright while I was playing in very humid and hot places (90%+ humidity with constant 33 C + temp). But when I move back to Vancouver, even with 52 lb string tension, my elbow hurt sometimes.
Do you think it has something to do with the temperature?
I was beating an opponent easily at 24/23 when my butt cap came off and switched to my 23/22, and I was mentally afraid to hit out it seemed and my balls weren’t working as well. It was mental that I had more control with the higher tension but after more time on the court, I realised that the higher tension gave me the confidence to hit out and it was that small adjustment that made me happy to know my best string tension, one kilo made a big mental difference
Starting the drop the cross tensions to try to get a more forgiving string bed and a bit more pocketing. Ive got an rf97 with lynx tour at 48/44lbs and an old iprestige 18x20 at 46/42lbs with poly tour strike
Eubanks 45 pounds, makes me chuckle when people say online "I need 55 pounds" on the message boards
Eubanks is my hero
I use 52 lbs on my gravity MP it’s strung up with RPM blast perfect fit of power/control for me! (I’m a junior Player) Aggressive All court player
I’m a 3.5 and I string at 57lbs
I personally don't know that it matters other than slight bumps in 1 direction or another.. string type I feel like has more effect than sting tension.. I personally have always felt more controlled with higher tensions... When I was playing competitively I was playing on a Prostaff 6.1 Stretch and kept my stringbed at about 70lbs tension(I know... really high..) but atleast psychologically I felt more controlled and the tighter tension felt like I could Feel the ball better.. I was a bigger player so I felt like I could generate plenty of power just off my body(and the fact that I kept my racket heavy) But the tighter strings also felt like it gave me better touch for drop shots because I was producing the power and not having to worry too much about string movement... I ran a nylon/Kevlar mix for my string bed(Prince Problend) the place I probably noticed the most difference is I could eat through strings at an amazing rate.. lol I had access to my own stringing machine so I was normally putting new strings on my main atleast once a week(I could snap a string in a day of tournament play so I always kept a 2nd racket at the ready with fresh strings) I was by no means an amazing player... I had tourny wins but far from an overall winning record... Modern day I finally got a new racket(after putting that 6.1 through 20+ years) and have upgraded to an RF97 because it has the closest feel to my 6.1 out of all the rackets I demo'd cause I figured 20+ years was long enough for a racket. I now run my tension alittle looser and use softer strings(Currently have TruPro Firewire formerly Tier 1) strung at 60lbs. at 40 I don't have the athleticism to be as serious about tennis anymore like I used to be so I mostly just play non seriously nowadays.... have wanted to get more serious but everyone in my area is playing pickleball nowadays so it's hard to find consistent playing partners.
Great video! I usually string wilson blade v9 18x20 at about 53lbs, with full bed of hyper G. Great feedback, love the control, and being able to use more angles, bought a roll of luxilon alu rough, suggestion for stringing it from your side?
Awesome video. Thanks
I usually play with a multifilament and string anywhere between 48 and 54... (PS~nearing 73 yoa)
Great video. I’ve never seen anyone compare different setups that have the same stringbed stiffness but different gauge or stiffness of the string. For example same string at 16G lower tension vs. 17G higher so that the SBS is equal. Also I wonder if when players switch strings they should be targeting the SBS rather than the tension (move to stiffer x% stiffer string, decrease tension by some multiple of x). Keep up the great work
Thanks! I think targeting SBS makes a lot of sense, but its tricky since you don't know the SBS until after its strung. Two different stringers can also generate two different SBS's holding all else equal (usually better stringers get higher numbers because there's less tension loss)
Looser string tension objectively gives you more power. Much like a trampoline the further back the strings move upon contact the more the strings will rebound the ball, thus launching the ball back in the other direction at a higher velocity.
Well, I do play with tension between 25-27kg range and fell great there! Cannot imagine playing below this range.
I cannot imagine playing that high anymore hahaha
my main tension is 22/21kg. But once in a while I freak out and go 28kg full bed, its just something absolutely crisp in that brick feel, I enjoy it, its not effective at all, but very fun. and yeah I only use 1.25mm
No joke, you should try kevlar just for fun if you like the ultra boardy feel
Thanks. I have a new vcore and was thinking I need to adjust tension
I prefer the feel
Awesome video: well argued and really useful to debunk some of the myths (or at least question some of the "conventional wisdom"). I wonder whether you have any related thoughts on what really happens when a string (especially a poly) loses tension. Does it really become objectively uncontrolled and unplayable, or is this just psychology also?
Good question! There's some good research by the TW University on this topic. 10-15 years ago, players didn't care about the tension, they would just say the string went "dead," thinking that the poly lost its resiliency. TWU found that this does NOT happen, instead, the strings notch, stopping snapback and spin, thereby losing control. So it may not always be the tension that's the problem. I find that I personally notice the tension loss, but I know many players better than me who aren't bothered by it. Maybe it's because I'm more aware of the age of the string and it is psychological.
Nice retro TV
Well thought and articulated
thanks!
@@TennCom I find on my 3, old aluminum and stiff plastic for bridge, Pro Kennex Ace Pro Power Contour Red and blue model nearly as is works great for me as is becuse string tension is very stiff probably close to max an a really stiff racquet which I like for feeling ball more. When original okay vinyl grip was failing on all 3 racquets including 2 spare I got in 2023 used on e-Bay, I used a single layer of black fabric sports/Hokey tape and some Loctite Ultragel Control superglue on very end for holding tape on, going tight in a more open spiral using a single layer wrap over old stock grip so I could still have good feel on corners and have grip stiff, again for feel.
I got 2 more of racquet for spare in 2023 in red and blue as black and yellow is less stiff Having used/barrowed one in same model for a full match before I bought mine which was also strung as is from factory, the black and yellow racquet felt off and softer becuse strings on yellow and black model are probably done up in less tension. I have no clue tension max and min for model I own so I use stock strings as said strings on a cheap racquet are rather stiff.
I need a Jr 4 & 1/4 sized grip as I am a kids/boys XL/XXL, women's small, or men's/unisex XS in gloves.
@@TennCom Reason old people like high tension is they used small head wood or early metal racquets in 1970''s with long handles where nylon/gut maybe even wire inside nylon was used like on some early metal frames so when even using a mid sized head as smallest made for full Adult 27--28 inch racquets they want to feel like old racquets they used in 1970's so only way of having a similar feel is by going high tension. If player is old and started later but no later then in 1990's chances are they used older nylon or reinforced fiberglass nylon strings so are probably going based on how nylon being tight gave more spin, less volley but more spin and spin was king in 1990's. Some old players may even ask for nylon string or nylon reinforced fiberglass string becuse is what they are used to and yes you can find nylon string sill mainly on lower level to higher qualiy nylon for intermediate end.
Hey Beckett, great video. Been following a lot of your content. IMO the best on TH-cam for tennis nerds like myself.
I need your advice: should you wait an entire day or more after stringing a brand new racquet, before hitting some balls? Or is this a myth?
What's the point? To let the strings settle? I have not noticed much difference from what I play after the strings are fresh. I'd imagine that if there is tension drop, that it would vary depending on the string so you'd need to measure the DT like every hour for 24h or something to see when it settles. Probably not worth worrying about.
I’ve got 2 identical Angell lime XLs (18x20). One is 45# and the other is 55#. I can’t tell the difference. I’m a 4.0 player with pretty flat to minimal topspin strokes. Why can’t I tell the difference?
Great video 🙌
thanks andrew!
Do you think that racquet manufacturers should have different tension recommendations for the different types of string (poly, syngut, multifilament)?
No I think they are largely pointless.
Gostei da sinceridade do Beckett.
Background intro music was too loud
cool shirt, for me its about the threshold where the bed is tight enough that it's not a trampoline. you're right it depends on strings as well for eg rpm blast feel lose tension quickly as well so going low on it from the beginning wouldn't be good.
Thanks! I like the idea behind stringing as loose as you can control and I agree that become more complicated when you are dealing with significant tension loss. I'd much rather string with something that'll hold tension very well at a lower tension than be forced to string higher to compensate for tension loss.
Tecnifibre 4s at 48 pounds in Yonex Pro97 310g
I find that I end up playing better as the strings age or lose tension. Ie I string at 52lbs and my shots are perfect even after 2 months
I have been thinking a lot about that phenomenon, as its quite common for players at a variety of levels. Can I ask what strings you use and what your playing experience is?
@TennCom I use Pro String Nemesis and been playing for 20 years at just County level division 2
I string my racquets at 42 pounds because 42 is the answer to everything. I'm not kidding (about the tension) 🙃
You have to experiment with tension and remember that strings lose tension after while
great info
Love the Channel and all the videos! Keep up the great work! ❓QUESTION about launch angle... what influences launch angle the most? The string pattern, the strings themselves, the tension, or the gauge of string?? I'm assuming it's the string pattern? But I'm curious to what degree or percentage you think it is for all four of those factors? Is it 50% string pattern, 30% particular string, 10% tension, and 10% gauge? Or what do you think the ratio is? I'm starting to think the gauge may play a bigger part but I am not sure. (I string all my racquets at 50lbs so I am only judging by the other 3 factors myself.) Also, you mentioned that you thought Solinco Tour Bite had one of the highest launch angles, could you list a few other strings with high launch angles? Thanks so much!!
Thanks Mike! I replied to your comment on my website!
great video with great explaining. I personally have a TF305 and the string recommendation is pretty low compared to other raquets. I live in a 9350 ft city so the ball tends to be higher. What recommendation you can give me?
I would probably be string around 55lbs, but it depend on what you are currently using.
Hi Beckett, I used Wilson Juice 100 with Gosen G spin at 57lb. I hate it within the 1st 2 hours and love it after that as I feel the stringnis pretty dead at 1st. I use my strings for about 6 months, playing 2 to 3 hours a week. I feel it's out of control after 4 months, but the tension is kept and no grooves to be seen. Now I am moving to babolat pure aero 2019 version 100 sqinch. Can u pls recommend me a string tension when using babolat RPM blast. Thanks in advance, and I absolutely love ur content.
Thanks for watching! I highly recommend trying a much lower tension than you have now. 57lbs is pretty tight by current standards and since you aren't putting much wear on the strings, I'm thinking that you could probably benefit from a little extra power, forgiveness and comfort in your setup. Start with 50lbs and give yourself time to adjust to the change. The ball will fly, but don't let that stop you from swinging through the ball. Just aim a little lower, trust the string to lift the ball and keep your swingspeed high to ensure you get enough spin to bring the ball back into court.
@TennCom Thanks a lot for the suggestion, Beckett
What's the reason so many people string mains slightly higher tension than crosses?
the mains are longer, helps a bit with frame deformation and might open up a bit more string movement
Have u ever tried luxilon 4g soft
Question for my racquet Guru: i bought an Ezone 100 with Babolat natural gut - do you think is a good idea to string it higher to balance the power of the racquet ? im about 3.2 level, how high in tension do you think i can go considering my arm (sometimes i can feel my elbow but not frequently) and the easy power of the ezone 100 ? i like power but i also love if i can be precise with angles . Or tell me what makes sense to you for an Ezone100 with Natural gut -Trow me a number ill try it up.
I'd do 54lbs with gut in the EZONE 100.
@@TennCom you're the best and i wish you millions of subscribers !!!
Doesn't the string tension diminish through play. Do you know how much string tension is lost through play?
it depends on the string. Usually, in terms of tension maintenance Natural Gut > Multifilament Nylon > Single core nylon > poly
This vid is really useful to understand the racket-tension relationship. I'd like to know your take on what's happening here: I haven't playing for too long. I have been comparing a Yonex Ezone 100 with HyperG soft at 46lbs (strung a month ago) and a Gravity Pro at 55lbs with normal HyperG that was strung 3 months ago. I'm quite fit and strong. I thought Gravity Pro would be impossible for me to play with because it requires good control and I'm not at intermediate. But Ezone with HyperG soft became unplayable after a few sessions. All my balls sail long, and I'm very scared to swing at my normal speed&power. And I play probably 2x better with Gravity Pro. I really have no idea why... I think it's exactly what you are saying at 9:00, but I'm not a monster, so why Ezone with HyperG soft at 46 is unplayable?? Do the strings start to shoot the balls high after losing their elasticity at lower tensions? Or is it just my racket control skills? ;O
I learnt so much about tennis from your channel. Thanks :)
I would expect the EZONE to feel way more powerful. 2 months is not enough time for 55lbs to feel much looser than 46lbs, especially in such a tight pattern. I'm sure you could control the EZONE if you applied enough spin, but that could take you a few hours to get the hang of. Nothing wrong with stick to the Gravity Pro for now, as you feel more confident with it. Who is anyone to say you aren't good enough for the Gravity when you play better with it?
@@TennCom
Thank you very much. I have always enjoyed your videos and the way you articulate the issues in a simplified clear manner. My question may not be directly relevant to this particular video, but can you recommend a reliable tension calibrator for electronic string machines?
I have no idea. Wise (tension head I use) recommends you sent the unit in for service if you think the calibration is off, but they do offer their own calibrator as well
hey i want to get restring zeros on my main but im not sure what i should have on the crosses. Ill have the strings in the vcore 98
Polytour Fire
can u tell me about te difference in manual and eletronic machine stringing? electric 48 lbs is higgher thhan manual 48 lbs right?
The difference is more about a constant pull machine and a lockout machine. Both drop weights and electronic machines are constant pulls. Crank machines use a lock out mechanism so they aren't constantly pulling the string until you clamp it. They pull the string once to the reference tension and then hold. This usually leads the constant pulling machines to string about 10% higher than a lockout.
If you can guess my tension I’ll send you all my cut out strings at no charge except for shipping.
hahahaha
When are you gonna do your review on the Yonex Vcore 95D?
potentially sometime next month
My perfect tension is full poly at 30 lbs
I have a headlight racket that is 11.8oz strung and 70 stiffness and struggle with hitting the ball long. I assumed this was due to my high swing speed and the power coming from the racket, so I’ve always strung my racket at high tension (60-62lbs). Is it possible that lower launch angle from tight strings is actually causing me to hit the ball flatter, resulting in balls going long?
In general, the spin will mostly come from your technique. If you aren't getting enough vertical action through contact (either from your legs or wrist), then you won't get enough spin. Also, if you are using a racquet with a very open string pattern (2019 Pure Aero, 2018 and newer Pure Drives) then you'll have a relatively high launch angle regardless of the tension. It could also be related to your targeting. Are you aiming for the service line and hitting long? If yes, that could be a serious problem. If you are aiming at the baseline and hitting long, well that's normal. I know that I personally struggle a lot with aiming too close to the lines.
@@TennCom thank for the response! I think part of it is probably related to technique (I was a 4.5 player, but just getting back into the game after 5 years, so probably not using my legs as much as I used to). The other part of it is probably equipment related - I’m using a head youtek speed pro (from like 2010 lol) that is really powerful and also has a natural gut / ploy hybrid string setup. Going to try full poly as a last-ditch effort to save the racket or just look at buying new rackets since I’m well overdue…
Yes
RPM Blast @ 52lbs
does lowering/highering tension help with arm issues or thats related to stiffness, weight, strings used etc..
Lowering the string tension does help relieve arm pain in my experience, but I think there's a lower limit. For example, if you have pain at 40lbs, going to 30lbs seems unlikely to help. Whereas sometimes going from 58lbs to 52lbs is enough to make a difference.
@@TennCom thanks 😊
Any thoughts on Kevlar? I used to love it in doubles to get the groundstrokes to dip down at their feet, but struggled with depth in singles
Its quite a fun experience, but I only tried it when I was using the VCORE 95. I'm guessing it would be a lot more viable in something like a Pure Drive. I actually like the general feel a lot. Surprisingly connected.
@@TennCom Perfect description, connected. It's been said it was more prevalent in the 80s or 90s with even Agassi using it. There must be a reason it's unheard of in the pro game today and even the recreational.
@@ad-rock603imho its marketing. The market moved to strings that bag out in a few hours. Kevlar lasts a long long time so its not a money maker. I use kev/4g myself at 86lbs.
what recommendation for poly string on speed mp
I think Head Hawk Power would be a very fun play test for the MP
Can we see the BTS for the thumbnail please
You might consider deleting the comment about “old people” and string tightness. I don’t know if you would consider me old at 51 but I play with many people in the 50-70 year old range and we are all 4.0 - 4.5 players and we all use modern rackets with modern strings and string them at many different tensions. I string at 52 lbs on my Wilson pro staff 95s. I’ve never strung over 60lbs on any racket I’ve owned.
I guess he meant people who played before polys became a thing (mid to end of 1990s).
Syn gut needs way higher tensions, especially on the typical granny sticks.
Oh calm down snowflake
Do I need 104-110 racquet size? Intermediate silver years . I can hit a 98.. sometimes I could not reach balls anyway if on others corner and fast. Not competition just fun and want to get a little better. Thanks.
@@Frank020 I'm not sure I can answer that. But I recently decided to get newer rackets (mine are 9 years old and showing signs of their age) so I took my 95s into my local tennis store and compared it to 98's and 100's and there wasn't much difference in the size I could see. My frame literally touched or overlapped both frames. I suggest you try this before getting a larger racket.
@@adamcravets5408 Thanks. I use to play a 105 but once the sting lost tension the ball trampolined off it a total loss of control. I guess I will stick to 102-98 . I liked a 98 blade, but I've been reading a lot of hype about oversized racquets for seniors..lol 😁
No string movement (snapback) feels really boardy to me, less spin
Do you think there is such a thing as too much snapback? ReString Zero has made me contemplate if that might be one of the reasons for its launchy nature.
@@TennCom well I'm a 3.5 hitter so discount my opinion as needed, but sometimes I've done a full bed of poly at mid 40s lbs tension and I get great dwell/pocketing but it is kinda launchy. My kick serves are effortless. But usually poly dies in 2 weeks for me, mains get notched and stop sliding and the tension is gone. That's when I cut it. Too much snapback? Not sure, the spin is addictive. I hit hybrid now for more comfort and little power at the cost of some less spin
@@TennComI noticed with restring that the faster swing speed I give zero gives me different speeds and spin. I think when I’m in the gas I don’t notice it but when I’m not I get shocked by how far the ball goes off the string bed.
What’s string can you recommend for the radical mp? I been trying different but haven’t settled. I been having to string lower since the launch angle is so low if I’m not ready for I’ll bank the net on normal rallies.
yea the radical is an odd 16x19. i have the 2021 version and found out the launch angle is a lot lower than the many prince rackets i used. Currently using yonex multi atg850 (soft multi) at 55 i would say maybe try 50-52 or lower with stiffer multi
I found Head Lynx to be the best strong for the 2021 Radical MP. If you are a strong fast swinging person, go for ~53 lbs. If you are like me, ~60 kg, go for ~50 lbs. Luxilon @ 48 lbs is also good, but offers a much smaller sweetspot.
I was stringing my MP at 52lbs, but in retrospect, I think 45-48lbs would have been better. ReString Zero has a pretty high launch angle and a softer feel in general which would do a good job muting the loud hitting sound of the frame. Other softer power poly's like Cyclone Tour or Hypger-G Soft should work too. I personally liked Grapplesnake Alpha the most of the setups I tried, though I haven't tried a huge amount.
@@TennCom I currently play with Luxilon Natural Gut at around 55 lbs (25kg) (basically to improve my technique, body rotation and focus on swinging through) without balls flying like drunk birds. I'm a bit worried though its only been one week and they've already started to break a part bit, kind of like the fibers falling apart.. What would you recommend for a newbie in the game, who's only played 1.5 season? I currently actually like my setup, although a bit more power would help me not work so hard as I need to now. Also my primary reason for natural gut is feel and arm friendliness.
It's a radical 2023 MP
What tension do you recomend to use for a Yonex Percept 100 D, if I use Tecnifibre 4s strings ?
Whatever you usually use and go from there. I havent tried the new Percepts yet.
@TennCom I used before a Yonex 97 Pro ( 310) with a tension of 48lbs ( same Tecnifibre 4s)
@TennCom so it is a different style racquet and diferent head size
@@Gabriel-MagicMusic I still recommend seeing how it goes first and adjusting after your first series of hits with the new racquet. Isolate the variables. th-cam.com/video/AhsKNKc5IZU/w-d-xo.html
BELOW! 😂
if you can generate your own power and play with a poly string but need control i suggest anywhere from 55-60 lbs. if u need a little help with power but play with a poly string i suggest 50-52 pounds. if u got elbow problems play with multifilament or natty guy at 25 lbs. but you will not have any control from the baseline.
multi or natural gut at 25 is ridiculous, even at 50 lbs the multi or gut will still be much softer and arm friendly than a poly.
25lbs?? 🤣 Also you don’t need to be at 60lbs to have control with a poly. If you do, I’m afraid it’s not the string that needs adjustment.
Worst Player in the World here to confirm what BC says about tensions. I can definitely tell the difference: at 55lbs my hits are all in the net; at 45lbs the balls sail over the fence. But 50lbs with my syn gut and mutlifil trash strings is absolute Sex Panther.
You said starting in the middle is bad advice, and then right after you said if you are a beginner start at 50 which is in the middle LOL
I am not so sure that tension has nothing to do with ball speed.
Think of Mannarino and Dustin Brown swapping racquets. Mannarino barely touches the ball aand it goes. Brown tries to pop it with every shot he makes.
Mannarino strings at approx. 35 lbs, Brown at almost 80.
Both operate at similar net clearance. So there must be a difference, it is too ovious.
I think his point was with with practical changes of 5-10lbs, at most. You’re taking two extremes. I think most would agree there’s going to be a difference at +/- 45lbs lol. I think it’s obvious with Mannarino and his swing style. He swings as effortlessly as anyone on tour imo.
@@jodi3694 But when the extremes are so much different, then 10 lbs should make a significant difference as well.
I'm open to new evidence, as we all should be, but comparing two completely different players using different racquets doesn't tell us very much about how tension affects ball speed. We would have to test Mannarino's speed at 35lbs and then at 80lbs, or Brown's at 80lbs, then again at 35lbs. Also, Mannarino has one of the slowest ball speeds on tour. I believe he also used to string normally, but I don't think his ball speed looks that different year over year.
@@TennCom Maybe you are right. I tested this yesterday on two occasions.
1. I strung my racquets at different tensions. Did this anyway, because in hot weather my string becomes more lively than I need. Racquet has a tad too much power as well. So I am about to increase the tension anyway, so the newer string bed is stiffer.
On the ground strokes I notices exactly what you described: launch angle is steeper at low tension, but at the same angle (when I was able to achieve this) the ball flies (give and take) as far as with the stiffer racquet. Not sure about the spin though, could have been different and spoiled my test.
But flat serves (the only neutral judge i.m.o.) were a bit faster with the lower tension, the ball marks on the court (red clay) were longer with the lower tension. Balls were not new btw, I played them once before.
2. We have two self-trainig devices in our club: a classic wall and a suspended net (coils in a metal frame), not to mention our ball machine. Both were roughly in the same ballpark when it comes to energy return.
And according to what I felt while playtesting my two string setups: with lower tension it feels like the string does most of the job of returning the ball. With higher tensions (such as the wall) the ball returns to where it came from on its own bouncing.
Now I would guess that new balls have benefits on tighter string beds, while older (flat) balls depend on a soft string bed to jump off. But I did not test that, I only had one set of balls with me.
And maybe it even leads to a conclusion why pros change their racquets whenever new balls are added to the match. And why they maybe prefer strings that lose tension fast without losing elasticity to compensate for less bounce off their strings.
All just quoted from what I felt and watched when testing this, not scientific at all.
My conclusion is: the myth of more power at lower tension would be correct if the ball didn´t compensate it by its own elasticity. But with dead balls, the myth is right. With new balls it is not.
@@sebastiandomagala9233 I agree!
What's your level
I play men's open tournaments (5.0). I would probably play 4.5 if I lived in a tennis hotbed like Atlanta or California though.
doesn't take an expert to know if you string lower you will get more than 5% power from 40lb and 60lb. no math needs to be done, you can literally feel the difference is way more than half a mph
I guess angry birds will teach you nothing about spin
This is clear as mud 🤦🏽♀️
Lets not mix apples with pears. its a rubber ball. its a bouncy thing on its own. you can hit it with a wodden board and it will go over the net.
when everything is equal:
Lower tension opens up and thus means bigger sweetspot in racket.
Softer strings (at same tension as stiff string) means also bigger sweetspot and bigger dwell time and more trampoline effect.
= more power at more trampoline real estate on the racket and thus more trampolin launch by the strings and not by the ball by it self(and not just 1 %). So you have to observe what makes the ball fly. the pure impact of the rubber only and the balls compressing/decompression due to hit and moving object (tight stringjob).... or also because of the strings trampoline effect.....The softer the tension and softer the string then the softer landing of the ball in the stringbed.....but the more trampoline. and this is why someone with low to medium swing can get the ball fast over the net....not because of the balls own decompression meeting a bus in motion but because of trampoline.
So I guess this TW professor only has tested in the center of the sweetest sweet spot in every racket. Higher tension means more control as the racket becomes more and more like a board....and makes you strike less and softer as you get more jarring vibrations into your arms.
Theres definately more factors that just the energy return of the same stroke in the middle of the sweetest sweetspot. I dont psychology has much to do with it. its mostly physics.
So ofcourse higher skilled players with simular rackets and strings gets to a place where somethings equals out regardless...and slight changes has little effect due to:
less decompression of ball at impact but yet more trampoline or more compression of ball at impact but less trampoline.
Thank GOD YOU ARE NOT MY COACH.
Thank GOD YOU ARE NOT MY STUDENT.
You lost me trying to sound smart when dismissing the age old fact that the "trampoline effect" is a real thing. 1/2 mph? You think that's accurate or valid?
I think you are sidestepping to make the video much longer than it needs to be.
Suddenly the looser power and tighter control is an old wives tale myth huh?
This very questionable info you present could be quite misleading.
Can you be more specific with your concerns so I can make sure to be more precise in the future? I'm trying to provide content that's honest and helpful to the tennis community. The purpose of this video is more about questioning what people actually mean when they say "more control" or "more power." Next week I'll using Swing Vision to test the ball speeds I get from high vs low tensions as a follow up to this video.
@@TennCom I said I felt like you tried to dismiss the trampoline effect. A little looser has more trampoline effect which produces generally easier "power" with generally less effort.
A tighter stiffer string provides a little more general control with a bit less movement of the strings.
I think there's a reason that we've always simplified the concept with that basic understanding for many decades.
Your video seems to complicate the point with a lot of extra explanation that doesn't really help, but actually confuses the viewer.
Some people may come at me and say Idk what I'm talking about, but I believe that there will be several factors going into ball speed, and the number you come up with won't negate the trampoline effect being greater on looser strings. Hence the old concept should not be dismissed as false or insignificant.
@@arthurevans2029 I’m not dismissing the trampoline effect. I talked about that when I broke down launch angle. I think the definition of “power” is important. Is it depth? Ball speed? Both? It could be mean different things to different people. I don’t want to be the guy who says, “lower tension = more power” and have a player expect to be hitting harder shots because that won’t always be the case. I’m not trying to overcomplicate things. Read the comments, lots of people found it helpful to respect the nuances of how tension affects play.
@@TennCom I think depth would be a control and feel issue.
Speed could also be a control issue.
Are you hitting flat or trying to spin? Are you aiming long or short?
That is going to depend on your swing, not string tension.
Let's say you were not on a court, and you just tried to hit a ball as far as possible like a baseball homerun.
Then you could guage the distance achieved at different tensions with the same racket and strings.
That's a simple description of power, and illustrate trampoline effect.
So yes, I think you did kind of complicated it more than necessary.
Your 1/2 mph claim was odd and confusing and misleading.
Btw, I'm not trying to be disrespectful if it sounds that way.
I can appreciate what you do.
I just felt like this particular video articulation while trying to help people choose tension for their game was lacking clarity and a little contradictory.
@@arthurevans2029 I understand what you are saying. I also really appreciate the time you took to share your honest thoughts. You didn't have to do that and its helpful for future scripts.
At the end of the day, when You just starting to play tennis.....
Go through 10 strings at all different possible tensions.......
High tension "more control oriented".......I don't know about that at all. It all depends on yoir swing
Useless
Is that a rainbow flag🏳️🌈 outside? I can see a blurred flag with multiple colors through the right window(your left shoulder)
Meh, I don't really buy the info and recommendations from this vid.
I'm open to hearing the evidence you have that suggests otherwise.
@@TennCom not much evidence here as well though
but here's one to start: www.physics.usyd.edu.au/~cross/PUBLICATIONS/28.%20StringTEffects.PDF
@@Antondepadua I read the conclusions of this study and it doesn’t contradict anything that I said. In fact, it reinforces the arguments about rebound angle and ball speed. Another thing to note about this study, is that they used a ball machine, which again, doesn’t really replicate the conditions you’ll find in a match or in practise against another human.
Am I missing something here?
Your main point was that changing string tension does not affect a player's game objectively (because as per TW study, only 1% difference in speed) and the effects are only "subjective" because the player adjusts to the effects of tension to depth. (But I thought string tension didn't have an objective effect?)
However, string tension does infact have an objective effect on both rebound speed and accuracy, so I would say that it is important to consider those effects when tuning your tension to your game. So really, string tension does indeed matter.
Lux 4G @52 in my pro staff X…unfortunately breaks in about 10 hours 😢
Why only pounds?
My audience is mostly North American. Usually I do prefer metric but for tension 99% of my experience with previous customers and local players is in pounds.
I bought a used yonex vcore 100 for $100 that had a copoly on it with 48lbs and my shots and serves were going out, so I changed it to MLT at 55lbs and I can now hit consistently.
Ageism is a thing.. but here we are.. age 75 play competitive.. I have one 105 racket strung at 47 it’s great for deadly slice backhand and drop shots .. my other racked also 105 is at 52 .. really hot serves and top spin forehand and flat backhand.. is amazing.. depends on who I am playing against . No sore arm with slightly larger rackets.. but hate 110 si rackets 😊
Love your channel, bro!
Thanks. Great analysis without the endless bs.
Depending on strings I am usually 45 to 48 with full bed of poly
Is 46lb for the polytour pro at 17 gauge in the main and 43lb for the luxilon ALU Power Rough at 16L in the cross is good on the 2023 babolat pure aero?
Gauge is a huge factor. 1.10mm at 58lbs is like 1.30mm at 53lbs
do you know the tension of a pre strung racket?
Very good analysis.
I went from using flying clamps on a drop weight machine to using rail clamps on a crank machine and the latter feels tighter. I calibrated the machine and compared the tension to the drop weight machine and they are the same. Is it possible that the rail clamps are more efficient and keep the strings tighter? Should I reduce the reference tension to get the same ending tension and if so, how much? I appreciate any help, I don’t know who to ask.
I don't have a full answer for you. Best suggestion is just drop tension by 2-3lbs until you settle on a tension you are happy with. I highly doubt it would be more than 10%, but it could also be because you are stringing faster with the new setup. I believe a crank should string looser than a drop weight holding all else equal, because the drop weight is constant pull and the crank is lockout.
@@TennCom Thank you for your feedback! It is definitely faster but I always tension it a second time just before tensioning the next string. I will try dropping it a couple pounds. Love your content by the way.
That was a fun journey, appreciate the humor too
hey Beckett considering getting blue strings for new gravity pro, options are polytour pro, polytour spin, razor code and rpm power. anything suggestions you think would suit the racquet well, currently find it hard to get spin.
If you can get it, ReString Zero is one of the best spin strings around and its also blue. RPM Power is terrible for spin. I find Polytour Spin to be quite dead, though it has nice ball bite. It might work but I would recommend stringing 10% looser than normal. PTP is a good all arounder and I like it a lot in the Gravity Pro, but spin is mediocre. I haven't tried Razor Code yet but it seems quite excellent based on the reviews.
@@TennCom goat
Pounds? They make special raquests for the US because you can't convert from real weight? I did not know that 😮