In case you have ever appeared on the specs of a tennis racquet, be it in tablature kind on a web site, or printed on the throat of the racquet in a retailer, you’ll have seen specs corresponding to “8 PTS Head Mild”, “2 PTS Head Heavy” or “320mm stability”.
These numbers relate to the stability of a tennis racquet, and a body can fall into one of many following classes:
Head Mild
Head Heavy
Even Balanced
However what distinction does the stability make? Is head heavy higher than head mild, or vice versa? What do the professionals use? Let’s have a look.
What’s the Steadiness of a Tennis Racquet?
The stability of a racquet pertains to how weight is distributed all through the body and the place that weight is situated.
The stability level itself is the purpose on the racquet the place if it was resting on a skinny piece of half-inch dowel on a desk, neither the top of the racquet or the deal with can be touching the floor of the desk. In case you have ever tried to stability a pen horizontally on the tip of your finger, this the identical idea.
Going again to racquets, when you have a regular 27″ tennis racquet, and relaxation it on a bit of dowel at 13.5″ and it balances, then the racquet is claimed to have a fair stability.
If you happen to wanted to maneuver the dowel nearer to the top of the racquet to get it to stability, this is able to be a head heavy racquet. If you happen to wanted the to maneuver it nearer to the deal with, this is able to be a head mild body.
Though the names make it sound just like the deal with can be heavier than the ring, this doesn’t truly imply one finish is lighter or heavier than the opposite.
It simply implies that mass of the supplies is distributed in a approach that the shorter half of the racquet (in relation to the dowel or no matter pivot you’re utilizing) behaves heavier. Decrease weight at a fantastic distance from the stability level will counter stability a heavier mass at a lesser distance from the stability level.
The Three Racquet Steadiness Varieties Defined
If a lot of the weight is concentrated within the deal with of the racquet, then the racquet might be described as head-light. Whereas, if extra weight is concentrated within the head, it’s known as head-heavy.
If the distribution is within the center it’s known as even balanced. However let’s break down every one and have a look at the benefits and downsides.
Head Mild Tennis Racquets
With head mild racquets, the burden of the racquet is larger towards the deal with and this helps make the racquet extra manoeuvrable.
Usually talking they are typically heavier in static weight than head heavy frames to make sure they’re able to produce sufficient energy.
You’ll find that 99.99% of ATP execs use a head mild racquet and to my data, there isn’t a single participant within the high 100 that isn’t utilizing a head mild (or on the very least evenly balanced) body.
The rationale right here is 2 fold, most experts are taking part in with quick, quick swings and want their racquet to be straightforward to swing in quick paced rallies and up on the internet.
Their method and racquet head velocity imply they don’t have any challenge producing energy so it makes little sense to wield one thing that’s head heavy and produces extra energy than wanted.
The opposite key component right here is harm prevention. When extra mass is positioned within the head of the racquet, you’re making use of extra torque on the joints of the physique. This could result in wrist and elbow issues.
Think about swinging a racquet that has extra weight within the head like an axe for 3 hours each day of the week, and also you’ll quickly realise why they aren’t good on the arm.
Head Heavy Racquets
Head heavy racquets see extra of the burden distributed within the head of the racquet. This offers a racquet extra energy potential as there’s extra mass straight behind the ball at contact.
On the whole, head heavy racquets have a decrease static weight than a head mild body. At first look, this usually feels like a very good factor, you will get a lighter racquet that gives extra energy than a heavier, head mild body.
Nevertheless there are some massive commerce offs. Firstly, a head heavy racquet is way much less manouverable than a head mild body.
They’re more durable to swing and more durable to regulate. If you happen to play with one which’s extraordinarily biased in the direction of the top, it feels just like the racquet is controlling you.
For an excessive instance, swing an axe within the regular approach, then flip it round and swing it by holding it from the blade finish, you’ll shortly see how rather more manouverable it’s.
The second is the explanation I discussed above – accidents. Head heavy racquets put way more pressure on the wrist, elbow and shoulder. This is the reason you see few (if any) high gamers utilizing them.
Actually, Carlos Moya is the one participant I do know of who’s specs got here in head heavy. If you already know any others, let me know within the feedback.
So if no execs are utilizing them who’re head heavy racquets for? For my part, not many gamers are going to be nicely suited to go heavy frames.
They’re usually bought as newbie racquets as they offer easy accessibility to energy, however why give a newbie a bit of kit that forestalls them from creating correct strokes and will increase their possibilities of struggling tennis-related accidents. It doesn’t actually make sense.
To that finish, they’re solely actually appropriate for gamers who’re struggling to generate their very own energy. That’s why some older gamers with slower swings are likely to go for head heavy to make sure they will hit the ball with sufficient tempo to get it over the web persistently.
Even Balanced Racquets
A balanced, or equal stability racquet, is one the place the burden of the tennis racquet is distributed equally all through the body. It might stability at 13.5″ assuming it was a regular 27″ racquet and be 0 factors head mild.
So does this deliver the most effective of each worlds? A racquet that gives loads of energy within the head, however remains to be straightforward sufficient to swing?
To some gamers, this can be the case. However it boils down to private choice. I personally discover even balanced racquets to sit down in no man’s land. They’re nonetheless fairly troublesome to swing after taking part in for prolonged durations and in some methods it’s such as you nullified the advantages of head mild or head heavy. So for me the sweetspot has at all times been a minimum of 4 PTS HL.
Whereas there are some execs which can be utilizing near even stability frames, the overwhelming majority use head mild balances and I believe that has to inform you one thing.
There’s a little bit of a minsconception round sure gamers too, many followers for instance assume Sampras used a fair stability racquet becaus he added lead at 3 and 9 on the racquet.
Nevertheless his body was was 6 factors head mild and I don’t assume you possibly can volley like Sampras with a fair or head heavy racquet.
Info like this often stems for little tidbits shared in commentary like “Rafa has added weight to the top of his racquet” which immediately makes you assume he’s utilizing a head heavy body. This isn’t the case as the burden is commonly counterbalanced with a tailweight.
How To Measure the Steadiness of a Tennis Racquet
There are 3 ways you’ll be able to measure the stability of level of a tennis racquet:
Utilizing an RDC Machine or comparable
Utilizing a stability board (pictured above)
Utilizing a DIY technique (defined right here)
If you happen to’re simply on the lookout for a fast take a look at, with out getting a measurment in centimetres after which changing to factors, simply attempt to stability the racquet in your finger, you’ll shortly have the ability to see the place the bias is.
Nevertheless, if you would like a extra precise technique then can use one of many three strategies above. Watch the video under to see the stability board technique:
This offers you a measurement in inches or centimetres. You possibly can then examine that to the chart under get a ‘factors’ head mild or head heavy quantity.
How Does the Head Mild Factors System Work?
Every ‘level’ of stability is 1/8″ both towards the top or towards the deal with from the racquet’s measured midway level.
An ordinary 27″ racquet’s mid level is at 13.5″, so if that body is 8 factors HL, the stability level might be 12.5″ from the tip of the grip. If the identical 27″ racquet is 4 factors head-heavy, its stability level might be 14.0″ from the underside of the grip.
The next desk applies to a regular 27″ racquet:
Factors
Inches
Centimeters
10 Factors HH
14.75
37.47
9 Factors HH
14.625
37.15
8 Factors HH
14.5
36.83
7 Factors HH
14.375
36.51
6 Factors HH
14.25
36.20
5 Factors HH
14.125
35.88
4 Factors HH
14
35.56
3 Factors HH
13.875
35.24
2 Factors HH
13.75
34.93
1 Level HH
13.625
34.61
0 Factors HL
13.5
34.29
1 Level HL
13.375
33.97
2 Factors HL
13.25
33.66
3 Factors HL
13.125
33.34
4 Factors HL
13
33.02
5 Factors HL
12.875
32.70
6 Factors HL
12.75
32.39
7 Factors HL
12.625
32.07
8 Factors HL
12.5
31.75
9 Factors HL
12.375
31.43
10 Factors HL
12.25
31.12
11 Factors HL
12.125
30.80
12 Factors HL
12
30.48
13 Factors HL
11.875
30.16
How Steadiness Impacts Swingweight
Two racquets that weigh the identical (have the identical static weight on a scale) might have very completely different swingweights due to the way in which the mass is distributed. Extra mass to the top of the racquet, corresponding to by including lead tape, will enhance the swingweight.
Check out the 2 racquets under of equivalent specs except for their stability. There’s an 11g distinction in swingweight:
Head Gravity MP Graphene 360+
Wilson Conflict 100
Head Dimension
100 sq. in
100 sq. in
Size
27 in
27 in
Strung Weight
312g
312g
Steadiness
3 PTS HL
7 PTS HL
Swing Weight
323
312
Examples of Head Mild Racquets
Listed here are a number of the most head mild frames you should buy in inventory kind:
Examples of Head Heavy Racquets
And a number of the extra excessive head heavy racquets you should buy.
Racquet
Steadiness
Head Titanium TI.S6
8 PTS HH
Wilson Triad XP3
6 PTS HH
Head Graphene 360 Intuition PWR
10 PTS HH
Gamma RZR Bubba Racquets
7 PTS HH
Prince Textreme Warrior 100L
5 PTS HH
Examples of Even Steadiness Racquets
Lastly, even stability. Something underneath 4 PTS HL matches into the extra even stability class of body.
Racquet
Steadiness
Babolat Pure Aero Lite
0pts EB
ProKennex Ki 15 (260)
0pts EB
Prince Textreme Premier 105
1pts HL
Wilson Burn 100S
1pts HL
Babolat Pure Drive 110 (2018)
1pts HL
How To Alter The Steadiness of a Tennis Racquet
The stability of the racquet will be altered in quite a few methods corresponding to by including lead tape to the top, or by injecting silicone into the deal with.
Some gamers select to do that themselves or as an alternative use a specialist racquet customisation agency like Priority1 who take care of a number of high execs together with Federer. We’ll be the right way to customise a tennis racquet in an upcoming submit.
What’s Higher: Head Mild or Head Heavy?
In the case of the stability of a racquet, there isn’t any doubt about it: head mild is healthier.
A head-light racquet has considerably decrease forces from influence. Torque and shock on the shoulder, elbow and wrist are all lowered. All whereas the racquet can nonetheless possess a excessive mass and excessive swing weight. Head-heavy racquets, alternatively, enhance the chance of tennis elbow due to their excessive Second and excessive torque.
Another excuse head mild wins the day is manoeuvrability, the racquet is extra snug to place for volleys and returns, and isn’t heavy to swing all afternoon.
Whereas there’s little doubt some gamers on the market will want to go heavy frames; I don’t see them as a viable possibility for the overwhelming majority of gamers.
What stability of racquet do you utilize? Does it play a giant half once you purchase a racquet? Let me know within the feedback.
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