Hey Albert, at 2:39, can you clarify this a little? Later, at 9:55, you say balance doesn't help manoeuvrability, but earlier, you state it'll indirectly help this.
Aloha, No problem. Since "FEEL" and "MANEUVERABLE" were the keywords in the two statements, I was careful not to say "maneuverable" in that sentence. Instead, I said, "indirectly affects how the racquet feels when you swing it. When I used the word "indirectly," it's as if the head-light balance is tricking your hand into thinking it feels easier to swing. I hope this clarifies things. 🤙
To clarify: The pivot point for measuring swing weight in the middle of the handle. however, in a normal tennis stroke you don’t play with your hands/wrist in isolation (unless you’re slapping your shots or doing a wristy shot with no arm movement). In a normal tennis shot there are several pivots - starting from your core to shoulder to elbow to wrist. The lever is much longer, slight differences in the balance point has a great effect. Balance point will have an effect on all parts of the kinetic chain, while swing weight only comes into effect at the end of your kinetic chain: the wrist. Therefore balance will have more effect on overall maneuverability and power. While SW can be used as indicator for techniques/shots that involve a lot of wrist action (although balance will still play a part in this too). 1. Given two rackets with the same weight and SW but a different balance. the more head heavy one will be more powerful and harder to wield. 2. Given two rackets with the same weight and balance but a different SW. the higher SW one will only be slightly more powerful and slightly harder to wield.
@@wc3415 Aloha, Thank you for your reply. I wanted to offer my comments. You are correct regarding the pivot points and lever since the mechanics of a tennis stroke involve multiple moving parts. However, to measure the swingweight of a racquet, there has to be a standardized method. This standard way of specifying the swingweight, even though the actual axis of rotation in typical hitting is beyond the end of the handle. A distance of 4 inches is the standard in all swingweight machines, making it possible to compare one racquet to another (apples to apples). Regarding #1 - Two racquets cannot have the same static weight and swingweight with a different balance. Instead, two racquets can have the same static weight and balance with a different swingweight. Therefore, the racquet with the higher swingweight will be more powerful (assuming it travels at the same speed as a racquet with a lower swingweight) and require more strength to maneuver. Regarding #2 - This is partly true. Let's say you have an even-balanced racquet; then, you add 20 grams to match the balance using these two methods. A) All 20 grams are placed at the balance point (center of the racquet). In this scenario, the swingweight will increase slightly, as you mentioned. B) 10 grams are placed at the handle and 10 grams at the head (12:00). In this scenario, the swingweight will increase more since the added weight is polarized on the two ends of the racquet. I hope this helps! 🤙
@@AMstringingin the second scenario, only the 10 grams at top will make a difference to the swing weight right? The other 10 grams added at the handle doesn’t really contribute, your video also shows this, am I right?
hi albert. thank you for your informative video. old stringers like you and i have always been familiar with balance, head-light vs head-heavy or even. since then, racquet mfgs have been providing swingweight specs which is important for a player to know when choosing a frame. i knew there was a corelationship between balance and swingweight. you compared a light racquet with your own racquet so overall weight doesnt affect swingweight. i think physics laws apply: head heavy frames get power with mass, head light frames get power with velocity. i think a racquets overall weight, balance, swingweight and stiffness racquet stiffness are all important things to consider: the power/comfort square.
Aloha Coach Dudley, IMHO. The best approach regarding static weight and swingweight is to use the heaviest racquet (stability) and the highest swingweight (power) a player can handle. 🤙
Great video! Very instructive. Oddly enough when I have measured my racquets I have always seen that 1 gram usually correlates to 1mm on the balance point. Meaning 4g would change balance by 4mm.
It depends on where you attach the weight. The formula is additional weight * distance from original balance point / racket weight. For a 300g racket with an original balance point at 300mm, adding 1g at the 550mm mark this gives 1g * 250mm / 300g = 0.75mm.
It's a myth that balance point determines power or how easy it is to maneuver a racket. A racket's power is determined primarily by string tension and swingweight. Maneuverability is primarily determined by swingweight and total weight (both of which decrease maneuverability). The easiest way to understand this is to note that a head-light racket is basically the same as a head-heavy racket of the same swingweight, but with extra weight added to the handle. A head-light racket should really be called a handle-heavy racket. Adding weight to the handle has very little effect on how a racket performs, since the handle is held in the hand and can't move independently. Additionally it's too far away from the contact point to have any affect at all on the racket-ball collision.
Aloha Karl, Well said, you are 💯spot on! The only way to increase maneuverability is to remove weight from the racquet's head, which is usually not practical. However, for some, it can be practical in this case. ruclips.net/video/tdq2gPUGs9Q/видео.html Adding weight to a racquet's handle does provide more stability, which is why most people say it makes a racquet feel more solid. As I mentioned briefly, the added weight reduces recoil, especially on off-center hits near the top of the stringbed. In short, when weight is added to the head and handle, it's called polarization. Polarization reduces recoil, increases stability, and provides more comfort. 🤙
Science aside, if I was volleying a screamer passing shot I’d much rather have your headlight/heavier racket in my hand than that head heavy/ 9.5 ounce racket regardless of their swing weight similarities. In the real world the inertia and stiffness of the head of a racket is not independent of the handle on impact with the ball. If that wasn’t true then “Hammer” style rackets would rule the world. I’d say that from a real world standpoint swing weight machines are seriously flawed. The pivot point being only a few inches from the racket butt replicates a swing that only a complete beginner would ever employ. I know it’s primarily a tool to allow a comparison between different rackets but it’s real world value is not actually as definitive as many seem to think. There is nothing wrong with Tennis Nerd culture, but it often overshadows skill/fitness development. The reality is that a rackets maneuverability and power depends more than anything on the technique of the person using it. This should always be emphasized.
@@AMstringing Thanks. In 'Physics & Technology of Tennis', which you reference, chapter 4 supports the idea of polarization, but near the end of chapter 7 it argues that the handle has no effect at all on the ball-racket collision. I believe that chapter 7 is correct and their later articles at Tennis Warehouse University state that it's just swingweight (and twistweight for off-center shots) that matter for power. That being said, the handle's weight will change the way that the collision feels in the hand, but since that happens after the ball has already left, then the benefit is comfort and a psychological feeling that the racket is more stable. Best.
Regarding Prince Racket handle , I used to play with Tour 100p black green, the one that Iga used when she won RG, I loved the playability, but ended up sold the racket since grip was too small & short. Later I discovered that newer prince tour 100p has longer handle , better for 2hbh , I immediately bought it again. Yes the handle was longer. Maybe slightly normal (bigger, - yet not sure). I kept it as double racket. is it the case for all prince racket after 2022?
Aloha, Iga was playing with the Tour 100(290) racquet, which has a pallet that is 7.5" in length. The 2022 ATS Tour 100(290) has the same exact measurements since they're made from the same mold. Also, all of the 2022 ATS Tours have the same pallet length. What is the length of your pallet? 🤙
Aloha, Oh no, by no means is a head-light racquet not beneficial. Most "tweener" and "player" frames are balanced head-light. The main thing to remember is how much static weight and swingweight suits your game style and technique. For example, my Prince Phantom 100P was stock (strung) at 323 grams / 6 points HL / 324 swingweight. As mentioned, I added 6 grams to the head and 7 grams to the handle. So, although I increased the weight to 336 grams and 339 swingweight, the balance remained at 6 points HL. I hope that makes sense. 🤙
@ what does a HL racket benefit you? You had me convinced that swing weight is the most important thing. If two rackets with same swing weight, one HL and the other head heavy, what to expect when playing with them?
@@bournejason66 Stay focused on the static weight and swingweight, not the balance. The balance point of a racquet is secondary once you find the proper static weight and swingweight. Fact #1 - Two racquets cannot have the same static weight and swingweight with a different balance. However, two racquets can have the same static weight and balance with a different swingweight. Fact #2 - A racquet with a higher swingweight will be more powerful (assuming it travels at the same speed as a racquet with a lower swingweight) and require more strength to maneuver. 🤙
@@AMstringing thanks for your reply. Fact #2 is easy to understand. #1 is not so intuitive. How do you come to make that conclusion and interpret it? Did you mention it in this video or other video? I’ll need to watch that. 🙏🎾
@@bournejason66I will give you an example of what he’s not really saying. Let’s take a racket like the Babolat Pure Storm Tour. The racket’s out of production, but it’s a fantastic example. The racket weighs about 347-350 grams with strings and an overgrip. It has a swing weight in the mid 330s. Its balance point is 315mm from the buttcap. In spite of it being a very heavy racket, it’s one of the easiest and most stable rackets to swing because of the low balance point and its head lightness. Its stability and power is pretty good because of the high swing weight. Hope this helps “draw” some understanding of how head heaviness and SW are not always relative. Typically, in the racket industry, a racket with more static weight will have a lower balance point than a lighter racket with a higher balance point. Also, the swing weight of a racket can be increased by adding weight throughout different areas of the frame above the pivot point(4 inches from the bottom of the handle), not just in the tip of the frame.
JUST SO EVERYONE HERE KNOWS: A racquet that is head heavy will not always have a higher swing weight. It’ll be more head heavy, but this doesn’t have anything to do with SW necessarily. Conversely, a racquet with a higher SW, if it is head light, may actually be easier to swing than a racquet that is head heavy which has a lower SW.
Aloha Chuck, If two racquets have the same swing weight but different balances: • A head-light racquet will generally feel easier to maneuver, as the weight is closer to your hand. • A head-heavy racquet with the same swing weight may feel more sluggish in quick movements. The key takeaway is that swing weight is the most critical factor in determining how a racquet feels during play. Balance plays a secondary role and should complement your swing style and game strategy. I hope this clarifies things. 🤙
Wow your video has several misinformations or at least unclear definitions. Swing weight is an inertia measurement which is a measure of the resistance of the racket against change of speed. So the resistance to acceleration or deceleration of the racket in that direction. As a result a higher swing weight requires more effort to accelerate the swing. A lighter racket with a low swing weight and a high balance point and everything else the same is less powerful. The power from that racket comes from the stiff thick beam the bigger head size, the more open string bed and the o3 ports also contribute more trampoline effect. Sorry to say but your video has too many errors and generalisations that are only true in 75% of the cases to explain in a response.
Aloha, Thanks for your comment. I just wanted to clarify some information that you shared. A racquet's swingweight (dynamic inertia) measures how much torque you must apply to the racquet handle to get the racquet to swing. Swingweight can only be measured when a racquet is moving. Therefore, a racquet with a high swingweight will be harder to swing, and a racquet with a low swingweight will be easier to swing. Generally, a head-heavy racquet will have a higher swingweight than a head-light racquet for a given weight. For a given swing speed, a racquet with a higher swingweight will give you more power than a racquet with a lower swingweight. Although frame stiffness, beam width, head size, string pattern, etc. was not addressed in this video, these are factors to consider when looking for a racquet that provides more power, control, comfort, and spin potential. 🤙
@@AMstringing your generalization of a racket with a higher balance and similar static weight (which you didn't mention on the video) has a higher swing weight than a similar static weight racket with a lower balance. This generalisation has some correlation, but i know enough cases where this isn't true. This all has to do with the mass distribution on the racket. A racket with a static unsung weight of 300gr and a balance point of 325cm strung can have swing weights (strung) variating from 300 to 350, all depending on the polarisation of the racket ergo the mass distribution. Similarly a 300gr static weight racket with a swing weight of 330 strung can have wildly different balance points for the same reason: mass distribution. So your generalisations are very loose. Power is a combination of things and also interacties interacts with the player's ability to swing a certain weight and his her technique to accelerate effectively with their kinetic chain. Generally players should swing the highest swing weight racket they can accelerate fast without being too late on their shots and have the endurance to do so over a 3 set match. All the other specs do other things to enhance or match to the player style. What i have tested is that people are able to notice a minimum variation of swing weight of about 5 points. Below that you really have to go back and forth between 2 rackets to notice the difference of say 3 points with all other specs and setup being the same
@@AMstringingA racquet that is head heavy will not always have a higher swing weight. It’ll be more head heavy, but this doesn’t have anything to do with SW necessarily. Conversely, a racquet with a higher SW, if it is head light, may actually be easier to swing than a racquet that is head heavy which has a lower SW.
@@LarzB Thank you for your detailed follow-up and the opportunity to continue the discussion. I appreciate your perspective on mass distribution and the nuances it brings to swing weight and balance point calculations. You’re absolutely right that polarizing the weight distribution can create variations that challenge generalizations about swing weight and balance point correlations. In the video, I aimed to provide a foundational understanding of these concepts for players who may not be familiar with the technical details. While the video touches on general principles, I agree that individual setups and specific cases can vary significantly based on factors like weight placement and player technique. Your point about a player's ability to swing the highest manageable swing weight effectively over a match is critical and aligns with the advice I give to my clients. The balance between equipment specs and player-specific factors such as technique and endurance is always key. Mahalo for contributing to the conversation and helping to highlight the complexity of these topics. These kinds of discussions are invaluable for building a better understanding within the tennis community.
@@chuckfriebe843 Thank you for your comment and for contributing to the discussion. You’re correct that a racquet’s balance point and swing weight don’t always correlate directly. A head-heavy racquet can have a lower swing weight, depending on how the mass is distributed throughout the frame. Similarly, a head-light racquet with a higher swing weight can feel easier to swing for some players due to its overall inertia. In the video, I aimed to simplify the concepts for players who might be new to swing weight and balance point dynamics. I appreciate your insight, as it highlights the complexity and the importance of understanding these factors in greater depth. This feedback will help me refine how I explain these topics in the future. Mahalo for sharing your comments and helping us build a better understanding of tennis racquets. 🤙
Seeing as you can never reduce the swing weight of a racket but you can add tail weight without adding to the swing weight - I’d argue that for most players lowering the balance point is the only way to increase manoeuvrability. Just as a practical takeaway for anyone who wants a more manoeuvrable feeling stick. 🤙
Aloha, Here's an impractical solution (but sometimes practical) for making the head lighter, therefore making a racquet more maneuverable. 🤙ruclips.net/video/tdq2gPUGs9Q/видео.html
@@AMstringing I'm just about to watch your video above^^ so let's see if I did the right thing when I wanted to lower my SW; I removed just under 2g of weight by drilling 2 rows of holes all the way across my bumper guard (removed it first, of course!), bringing my swingweight down about 7 points, which is exactly what I wanted.
@@rich.e Drilling holes in your bumper guard was a great idea! I hope you had a new bumper guard to work with. Reinstalling an old bumper guard is challenging. Ironically, as your bumper guard naturally wears from playing, your racquet's swingweight will get even lower. LOL 🤣ruclips.net/video/n9dfjXTd4i4/видео.html
@@AMstringing Yes, it was a new bumper guard. I think I drilled 6mm holes about 4mm apart... was a bit surprised that not even 2g was removed but it did what I intended.
![Racquet Customization [Racquet Wear Occurrence | Loss of Swingweight]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n9dfjXTd4i4/mqdefault.jpg)
![Racquet Customization [Racquet Wear Occurrence | Loss of Swingweight]](/img/tr.png)
![Racquet Customization [Shaving Down a Grip]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/4wRm6HLcmTQ/mqdefault.jpg)
![Racquet Stringing [How To String a Tennis Racquet | 22 Bonus Tips]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/_KV-Kud3Z2s/mqdefault.jpg)
![Racquet Stringing [Tying Off the Last String | Techniques & Tips]](/img/1.gif)
Hey Albert, at 2:39, can you clarify this a little? Later, at 9:55, you say balance doesn't help manoeuvrability, but earlier, you state it'll indirectly help this.
Aloha,
No problem.
Since "FEEL" and "MANEUVERABLE" were the keywords in the two statements, I was careful not to say "maneuverable" in that sentence. Instead, I said, "indirectly affects how the racquet feels when you swing it.
When I used the word "indirectly," it's as if the head-light balance is tricking your hand into thinking it feels easier to swing.
I hope this clarifies things. 🤙
To clarify: The pivot point for measuring swing weight in the middle of the handle. however, in a normal tennis stroke you don’t play with your hands/wrist in isolation (unless you’re slapping your shots or doing a wristy shot with no arm movement).
In a normal tennis shot there are several pivots - starting from your core to shoulder to elbow to wrist. The lever is much longer, slight differences in the balance point has a great effect.
Balance point will have an effect on all parts of the kinetic chain, while swing weight only comes into effect at the end of your kinetic chain: the wrist.
Therefore balance will have more effect on overall maneuverability and power. While SW can be used as indicator for techniques/shots that involve a lot of wrist action (although balance will still play a part in this too).
1. Given two rackets with the same weight and SW but a different balance. the more head heavy one will be more powerful and harder to wield.
2. Given two rackets with the same weight and balance but a different SW. the higher SW one will only be slightly more powerful and slightly harder to wield.
@@wc3415 Aloha, Thank you for your reply. I wanted to offer my comments.
You are correct regarding the pivot points and lever since the mechanics of a tennis stroke involve multiple moving parts. However, to measure the swingweight of a racquet, there has to be a standardized method. This standard way of specifying the swingweight, even though the actual axis of rotation in typical hitting is beyond the end of the handle. A distance of 4 inches is the standard in all swingweight machines, making it possible to compare one racquet to another (apples to apples).
Regarding #1 - Two racquets cannot have the same static weight and swingweight with a different balance. Instead, two racquets can have the same static weight and balance with a different swingweight. Therefore, the racquet with the higher swingweight will be more powerful (assuming it travels at the same speed as a racquet with a lower swingweight) and require more strength to maneuver.
Regarding #2 - This is partly true. Let's say you have an even-balanced racquet; then, you add 20 grams to match the balance using these two methods.
A) All 20 grams are placed at the balance point (center of the racquet). In this scenario, the swingweight will increase slightly, as you mentioned.
B) 10 grams are placed at the handle and 10 grams at the head (12:00). In this scenario, the swingweight will increase more since the added weight is polarized on the two ends of the racquet.
I hope this helps! 🤙
@@AMstringingin the second scenario, only the 10 grams at top will make a difference to the swing weight right? The other 10 grams added at the handle doesn’t really contribute, your video also shows this, am I right?
@@bournejason66 Yes, that is correct! 👍
hi albert. thank you for your informative video. old stringers like you and i have always been familiar with balance, head-light vs head-heavy or even. since then, racquet mfgs have been providing swingweight specs which is important for a player to know when choosing a frame. i knew there was a corelationship between balance and swingweight. you compared a light racquet with your own racquet so overall weight doesnt affect swingweight. i think physics laws apply: head heavy frames get power with mass, head light frames get power with velocity. i think a racquets overall weight, balance, swingweight and stiffness racquet stiffness are all important things to consider: the power/comfort square.
Aloha Coach Dudley,
IMHO. The best approach regarding static weight and swingweight is to use the heaviest racquet (stability) and the highest swingweight (power) a player can handle. 🤙
Great video! Very instructive. Oddly enough when I have measured my racquets I have always seen that 1 gram usually correlates to 1mm on the balance point. Meaning 4g would change balance by 4mm.
Aloha, Thanks for watching. Your calculations are correct and it matched up perfectly with my measurements when I added the 4 grams at 12:00. 🤙
It depends on where you attach the weight. The formula is additional weight * distance from original balance point / racket weight.
For a 300g racket with an original balance point at 300mm, adding 1g at the 550mm mark this gives 1g * 250mm / 300g = 0.75mm.
It's a myth that balance point determines power or how easy it is to maneuver a racket. A racket's power is determined primarily by string tension and swingweight. Maneuverability is primarily determined by swingweight and total weight (both of which decrease maneuverability).
The easiest way to understand this is to note that a head-light racket is basically the same as a head-heavy racket of the same swingweight, but with extra weight added to the handle. A head-light racket should really be called a handle-heavy racket. Adding weight to the handle has very little effect on how a racket performs, since the handle is held in the hand and can't move independently. Additionally it's too far away from the contact point to have any affect at all on the racket-ball collision.
Aloha Karl,
Well said, you are 💯spot on!
The only way to increase maneuverability is to remove weight from the racquet's head, which is usually not practical. However, for some, it can be practical in this case. ruclips.net/video/tdq2gPUGs9Q/видео.html
Adding weight to a racquet's handle does provide more stability, which is why most people say it makes a racquet feel more solid. As I mentioned briefly, the added weight reduces recoil, especially on off-center hits near the top of the stringbed.
In short, when weight is added to the head and handle, it's called polarization. Polarization reduces recoil, increases stability, and provides more comfort. 🤙
@@AMstringing I thought the better place to add weight to increase stability was around 3 and 9?
So by your logic given the same SW, the head heavy racket will hit harder. therefore balance plays a bigger role.
Science aside, if I was volleying a screamer passing shot I’d much rather have your headlight/heavier racket in my hand than that head heavy/ 9.5 ounce racket regardless of their swing weight similarities. In the real world the inertia and stiffness of the head of a racket is not independent of the handle on impact with the ball. If that wasn’t true then “Hammer” style rackets would rule the world. I’d say that from a real world standpoint swing weight machines are seriously flawed. The pivot point being only a few inches from the racket butt replicates a swing that only a complete beginner would ever employ. I know it’s primarily a tool to allow a comparison between different rackets but it’s real world value is not actually as definitive as many seem to think.
There is nothing wrong with Tennis Nerd culture, but it often overshadows skill/fitness development. The reality is that a rackets maneuverability and power depends more than anything on the technique of the person using it. This should always be emphasized.
@@AMstringing Thanks.
In 'Physics & Technology of Tennis', which you reference, chapter 4 supports the idea of polarization, but near the end of chapter 7 it argues that the handle has no effect at all on the ball-racket collision. I believe that chapter 7 is correct and their later articles at Tennis Warehouse University state that it's just swingweight (and twistweight for off-center shots) that matter for power.
That being said, the handle's weight will change the way that the collision feels in the hand, but since that happens after the ball has already left, then the benefit is comfort and a psychological feeling that the racket is more stable.
Best.
Regarding Prince Racket handle , I used to play with Tour 100p black green, the one that Iga used when she won RG, I loved the playability, but ended up sold the racket since grip was too small & short. Later I discovered that newer prince tour 100p has longer handle , better for 2hbh , I immediately bought it again.
Yes the handle was longer. Maybe slightly normal (bigger, - yet not sure). I kept it as double racket.
is it the case for all prince racket after 2022?
Aloha,
Iga was playing with the Tour 100(290) racquet, which has a pallet that is 7.5" in length. The 2022 ATS Tour 100(290) has the same exact measurements since they're made from the same mold. Also, all of the 2022 ATS Tours have the same pallet length. What is the length of your pallet? 🤙
It seem no benefit for buying or customizing to a head light racket? What am I missing here?
Aloha,
Oh no, by no means is a head-light racquet not beneficial.
Most "tweener" and "player" frames are balanced head-light. The main thing to remember is how much static weight and swingweight suits your game style and technique.
For example, my Prince Phantom 100P was stock (strung) at 323 grams / 6 points HL / 324 swingweight.
As mentioned, I added 6 grams to the head and 7 grams to the handle. So, although I increased the weight to 336 grams and 339 swingweight, the balance remained at 6 points HL.
I hope that makes sense. 🤙
@ what does a HL racket benefit you? You had me convinced that swing weight is the most important thing. If two rackets with same swing weight, one HL and the other head heavy, what to expect when playing with them?
@@bournejason66 Stay focused on the static weight and swingweight, not the balance. The balance point of a racquet is secondary once you find the proper static weight and swingweight.
Fact #1 - Two racquets cannot have the same static weight and swingweight with a different balance. However, two racquets can have the same static weight and balance with a different swingweight.
Fact #2 - A racquet with a higher swingweight will be more powerful (assuming it travels at the same speed as a racquet with a lower swingweight) and require more strength to maneuver. 🤙
@@AMstringing thanks for your reply. Fact #2 is easy to understand. #1 is not so intuitive. How do you come to make that conclusion and interpret it? Did you mention it in this video or other video? I’ll need to watch that. 🙏🎾
@@bournejason66I will give you an example of what he’s not really saying. Let’s take a racket like the Babolat Pure Storm Tour. The racket’s out of production, but it’s a fantastic example. The racket weighs about 347-350 grams with strings and an overgrip. It has a swing weight in the mid 330s. Its balance point is 315mm from the buttcap. In spite of it being a very heavy racket, it’s one of the easiest and most stable rackets to swing because of the low balance point and its head lightness. Its stability and power is pretty good because of the high swing weight. Hope this helps “draw” some understanding of how head heaviness and SW are not always relative. Typically, in the racket industry, a racket with more static weight will have a lower balance point than a lighter racket with a higher balance point. Also, the swing weight of a racket can be increased by adding weight throughout different areas of the frame above the pivot point(4 inches from the bottom of the handle), not just in the tip of the frame.
JUST SO EVERYONE HERE KNOWS: A racquet that is head heavy will not always have a higher swing weight. It’ll be more head heavy, but this doesn’t have anything to do with SW necessarily. Conversely, a racquet with a higher SW, if it is head light, may actually be easier to swing than a racquet that is head heavy which has a lower SW.
Aloha Chuck,
If two racquets have the same swing weight but different balances:
• A head-light racquet will generally feel easier to maneuver, as the weight is closer to your hand.
• A head-heavy racquet with the same swing weight may feel more sluggish in quick movements.
The key takeaway is that swing weight is the most critical factor in determining how a racquet feels during play. Balance plays a secondary role and should complement your swing style and game strategy. I hope this clarifies things. 🤙
Wow your video has several misinformations or at least unclear definitions. Swing weight is an inertia measurement which is a measure of the resistance of the racket against change of speed. So the resistance to acceleration or deceleration of the racket in that direction. As a result a higher swing weight requires more effort to accelerate the swing. A lighter racket with a low swing weight and a high balance point and everything else the same is less powerful. The power from that racket comes from the stiff thick beam the bigger head size, the more open string bed and the o3 ports also contribute more trampoline effect. Sorry to say but your video has too many errors and generalisations that are only true in 75% of the cases to explain in a response.
Aloha,
Thanks for your comment. I just wanted to clarify some information that you shared.
A racquet's swingweight (dynamic inertia) measures how much torque you must apply to the racquet handle to get the racquet to swing. Swingweight can only be measured when a racquet is moving.
Therefore, a racquet with a high swingweight will be harder to swing, and a racquet with a low swingweight will be easier to swing. Generally, a head-heavy racquet will have a higher swingweight than a head-light racquet for a given weight.
For a given swing speed, a racquet with a higher swingweight will give you more power than a racquet with a lower swingweight.
Although frame stiffness, beam width, head size, string pattern, etc. was not addressed in this video, these are factors to consider when looking for a racquet that provides more power, control, comfort, and spin potential. 🤙
@@AMstringing your generalization of a racket with a higher balance and similar static weight (which you didn't mention on the video) has a higher swing weight than a similar static weight racket with a lower balance. This generalisation has some correlation, but i know enough cases where this isn't true. This all has to do with the mass distribution on the racket. A racket with a static unsung weight of 300gr and a balance point of 325cm strung can have swing weights (strung) variating from 300 to 350, all depending on the polarisation of the racket ergo the mass distribution. Similarly a 300gr static weight racket with a swing weight of 330 strung can have wildly different balance points for the same reason: mass distribution.
So your generalisations are very loose.
Power is a combination of things and also interacties interacts with the player's ability to swing a certain weight and his her technique to accelerate effectively with their kinetic chain.
Generally players should swing the highest swing weight racket they can accelerate fast without being too late on their shots and have the endurance to do so over a 3 set match. All the other specs do other things to enhance or match to the player style.
What i have tested is that people are able to notice a minimum variation of swing weight of about 5 points. Below that you really have to go back and forth between 2 rackets to notice the difference of say 3 points with all other specs and setup being the same
@@AMstringingA racquet that is head heavy will not always have a higher swing weight. It’ll be more head heavy, but this doesn’t have anything to do with SW necessarily. Conversely, a racquet with a higher SW, if it is head light, may actually be easier to swing than a racquet that is head heavy which has a lower SW.
@@LarzB Thank you for your detailed follow-up and the opportunity to continue the discussion. I appreciate your perspective on mass distribution and the nuances it brings to swing weight and balance point calculations. You’re absolutely right that polarizing the weight distribution can create variations that challenge generalizations about swing weight and balance point correlations.
In the video, I aimed to provide a foundational understanding of these concepts for players who may not be familiar with the technical details. While the video touches on general principles, I agree that individual setups and specific cases can vary significantly based on factors like weight placement and player technique.
Your point about a player's ability to swing the highest manageable swing weight effectively over a match is critical and aligns with the advice I give to my clients. The balance between equipment specs and player-specific factors such as technique and endurance is always key.
Mahalo for contributing to the conversation and helping to highlight the complexity of these topics. These kinds of discussions are invaluable for building a better understanding within the tennis community.
@@chuckfriebe843 Thank you for your comment and for contributing to the discussion. You’re correct that a racquet’s balance point and swing weight don’t always correlate directly. A head-heavy racquet can have a lower swing weight, depending on how the mass is distributed throughout the frame. Similarly, a head-light racquet with a higher swing weight can feel easier to swing for some players due to its overall inertia.
In the video, I aimed to simplify the concepts for players who might be new to swing weight and balance point dynamics. I appreciate your insight, as it highlights the complexity and the importance of understanding these factors in greater depth.
This feedback will help me refine how I explain these topics in the future. Mahalo for sharing your comments and helping us build a better understanding of tennis racquets. 🤙
Seeing as you can never reduce the swing weight of a racket but you can add tail weight without adding to the swing weight - I’d argue that for most players lowering the balance point is the only way to increase manoeuvrability.
Just as a practical takeaway for anyone who wants a more manoeuvrable feeling stick.
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Aloha, Here's an impractical solution (but sometimes practical) for making the head lighter, therefore making a racquet more maneuverable. 🤙ruclips.net/video/tdq2gPUGs9Q/видео.html
@@AMstringing I'm just about to watch your video above^^ so let's see if I did the right thing when I wanted to lower my SW;
I removed just under 2g of weight by drilling 2 rows of holes all the way across my bumper guard (removed it first, of course!), bringing my swingweight down about 7 points, which is exactly what I wanted.
@@rich.e Drilling holes in your bumper guard was a great idea! I hope you had a new bumper guard to work with. Reinstalling an old bumper guard is challenging.
Ironically, as your bumper guard naturally wears from playing, your racquet's swingweight will get even lower. LOL 🤣ruclips.net/video/n9dfjXTd4i4/видео.html
@@AMstringing Yes, it was a new bumper guard. I think I drilled 6mm holes about 4mm apart... was a bit surprised that not even 2g was removed but it did what I intended.