Tennis & Racquet Sports

Tennis is a wonderful sport and knowing a little bit about the equipment it requires makes it even more rewarding. It would be great if most people who took up a sport would first read about it and the necessary gear before actually proceeding with buying what they think is needed and suitable for them. For the sheer technicality of the game, the tennis racquets are the most important. Today’s racquets diversity in terms of length, size, materials and weight is incredible. In fact only a strong player can rely on a long racquet for instance. Hence, kid’s models should have a length range of around 21 inches. The longest racquets are twenty-five inches in size but they are designed for very strong and tall players.

The weight is also important. Usually the weight is determined without taking into accounts the strings, this means that the weighing takes place before the stringing process. The regular weight varies between 8 and 12.5 ounces. Another element that allows for the classification of tennis racquets is the head size. A racquet with a large head requires more power in execution on the part of the player. Then, the smaller the head, the higher the precision of the hit. The largest tennis racquets produced for average use were 137 square inches but the model is no longer produced; presently the standard head size is around 90 square inches.

History has left quite a unique imprint on the aspect and build of the tennis racquets. Initially the heads had about 65 square inches and wood was the favorite material used in the manufacturing. Later another model appeared which had its wooden frame reeled with wire and carried the name of steel racquet. The wire was necessary to make string loops and helped in the process of building the racquets. In the last quarter of the 20th century aluminum became the most reliable material for the design of tennis gear particularly since it allowed for serious racquet head size variations. This aspect made possible the introduction of non-standard size tennis racquets.

Customizing has lately become a very important aspect in the manufacture of tennis racquets especially for professional players. For the masses, more and more advanced technologies are available so that the newer tennis racquets would satisfy and make tennis a better appreciated and enjoyable sport. Yet, the more advanced the technology, the higher the cost of producing these tennis racquets, and as a result, the bigger the price.

Choosing a new tennis racquet among the hundreds that are available on the market can be a daunting task for any tennis player, regardless of their degree of racquet knowledge. Racquets from dozens of manufacturers range in price from $50 to over $400. Some popular racquets remain inline for a few years, but for the most part, racquet manufacturers will release new products every year. How do you select a new racquet? This article will help you sort out some of the issues relevant to finding that perfect racquet by breaking down racquet shopping into three segments; beginners and recreational players (NTRP 1.0 to 3.0), intermediate and club level players (NTRP 3.5 to 4.5), and advanced and competitive players (NTRP 5.0 to 7.0).

The beginner or recreational player should primarily be looking for a racquet that makes the game easier for them and hence more fun. Moderation in all attributes of the racquet will most likely apply here. A racquet that is too heavy will be difficult to maneuver; a racquet that is too light will be unstable and vibrate when the novice player hits the ball off-centre (this happens frequently when learning). Racquets range in weight from about 8 to 13 ounces. The average recreational player will benefit most from a racquet in the middle (approx. 10 ounces) of this weight range. This will allow them the mobility they need in a lightweight frame, but still provide them with enough weight for stability. Racquets range in head size from midsize (85 to 95 square inches), to midplus (96 to 105 square inches), to oversize (106 to 115 square inches), to superoversize (115 to 135 square inches). Again, the novice player will benefit most from a moderate midplus or oversize racquet. Racquets of this size will offer the player a good balance of power and control with a sweetspot large enough to centre the ball easily. If the novice player sticks to shopping for a recognized brand (Wilson, Head & Prince are the top 3 brands, Dunlop, Yonex, Babolat, Volkl and Slazenger also make good quality tennis racquets), they can expect to pay $80 to $150 CDN for a graphite composite racquet that meets these requirements. Spending more will likely provide them with a racquet made of higher- grade materials, which often results in a lighter racquet (less than 10 ounces), or a stiffer racquet (equals more power). Spending less will provide a heavier racquet, or perhaps one made of aluminum instead of graphite. Racquets typically come in five different grip sizes. To summarize, these are my recommendations for beginners and recreational players (NTRP 1.0 to 3.0):

• Moderate weight (10 to 11 ounces)
• Midplus or Oversize head
• Stick to quality brand names in the $80 to $150 price range

Intermediate and club level players (NTRP 3.5 to 4.5) should have an idea of what characteristics they are looking for in their equipment. Are they looking for a racquet that will add more power to their game? Do they generate enough (or more than enough) power already and will therefore be looking for a more control-oriented racquet. At this level of play we can break players into three major categories and look at equipment specific to those categories. The first player type is someone who has well-developed technique (they are 3.5 to 4.5 after all), but doesn’t hit the ball that hard. They probably have a short, compact swing and or a counterpunching style. Perhaps they serve and volley a lot, or play a lot of doubles, but the bottom line is they don’t generate a lot of their own power, so will rely on the racquet to provide that for them. These types of players will look bigger (oversize and superoversize) head sizes, lighter racquets (for faster swinging) and a frame that is quite stiff (this also results in more power). Power oriented racquets (sometimes referred to as game improvement racquets) are usually more expensive due to the high tech materials used to make them lightweight and powerful. Expect to pay $200 to $400 CDN for this type of racquets. At the other end of the spectrum is the second type of player. This player generates a lot of power through a long, fast swing, is often quite athletic but mostly just likes to hit the ball hard. An aggressive player like this can generate as much power as they require, so they need a racquet that will help them harness their power and add control to their game. A control-oriented racquet is usually more traditional. It will have a smaller headsize (midplus or smaller), less stiffness (due to either softer materials or a slim profile) and typically be a little heavier in weight. Control oriented racquet don’t require the technology found in power racquets and this is reflected in their prices tags. Look to pay $150 to $250 CDN for one of these. The third type of player is one that has a good balance of power and control in their game already. This player will look for a moderate, versatile racquet that also offers a good blend of power and control. This type of racquet will should provide sufficient power when the player wants to be aggressive and put the ball away, as well as supply adequate power when the player is on the run, or trying to dig out a tough ball in the corners. These types of racquets, sometimes referred to as “tweeners” will set you back $150 to $250 CDN. In summary, the 3.5 to 4.5 player should be aware of the following when shopping for new equipment:

• Power vs. Control ratio. These two are always relative. Does the racquet provide both for the way you play?
• Demo before you buy. Looking again to find that perfect balance of power vs. control. Never evaluate racquets based upon which one you won or lost with or which one other’s said you played better with. Look for the racquet that feels best to you, the rest will come.

Advanced and competitive players with NTRP ratings of 5.0 to 7.0 are usually well educated about their equipment. They are also highly skilled and mostly very athletic. For these reasons the majority of players in this category will require a control-oriented racquet as described in the previous section. The power vs. control ration explained above is also very important to the advanced player. It is important that the racquet matches the player style rather than the player adapting to the racquet. Once an advanced player finds the type of racquet they like, they will also need to pay more attention to some subtle issues such as the density of the string pattern, handle shape and matching the weight and balance of multiple racquets as they will likely have two or more of the same model. Racquets will have a variety of string patterns, the closer or denser the strings are the more control a racquet will have. This also deadens the feel of the racquet and prevents the strings from moving, which results in less frequent string breakage. More open string patterns will offer slightly more power and will “bite” the ball better, allowing the player to impart more spin on the ball. More open string patterns are much harder on strings and players will find the need to restring much more often depending on how hard the hit, how much spin they hit and what type of string they like to use. Many players are conscious of grip sizes, but few pay much attention to the actual shape of the handle, despite the dramatic effect this can have on the playability of the racquet. All handles will have eight sides, but some will feel squarer, rectangular, or round depending usually on what brand they are. For example, Wilson and Prince as with most North American manufacturers have a fairly symmetrical, square handle, Head and Volkl as with most European brands tend to have a more rectangular handle shape. Other brands like Yonex, will offer a more round handle shape. Some players will adapt to various different shapes with ease, others will not. This is an important aspect, often overlooked, by competitive players when selecting new equipment. Advanced players will require more than one identical racquet due to frequent wear and tear and regular re-stringing. Manufacturers due their best to maintain tight quality control standards, but many as with most mass-produced products “identical” racquets due have slight manufacturing tolerances. These tolerances can be +/- 3 to 5 grams of weight and +/- 0.5cm of balance. Players will vary dramatically in how tuned in to these tolerances they are, but it is not uncommon for an advanced player to require his or her racquets to be match and possibly customized beyond that. Some players will have a favorite racquet, despite have four or five racquets that are supposed to be identical. This is not a good thing! A competitive player needs to be able to go to the bag at any point during a match and pull out a racquet they can play with confidently. Advanced players need to learn how to tune their own equipment (stay tuned to future articles) or find a racquet technician that can make all their equipment perform the same. Here is my summary for advanced players looking for new equipment:

• Pay attention to the power vs. control ratio.
• Demo intelligently. Look for racquets with attributes that meet you profile, narrow it down to two or three and spend lots of time with those. Consider purchasing one with your ideal grip size, string and tension for an extended demo before you invest in a whole batch.
• Don’t have favourite racquets. This will only damage you in the long run as racquets are always fatiguing and changing. The more you use your favourite, the less you use the other, the more different they will become. What happens when the favourite breaks?

There are more models of tennis racquets available now than ever before. Technology is constantly changing and bringing us newer products. The most important thing for any player of any level to remember is to find the racquet that feels most comfortable when you play. Hopefully my guidelines will help narrow the field for you to accomplish that.

Tennis – 10 Benefits to Having a Life Long Passion

Many benefits come from having a life-long activity outside of your daily career and work routine. You should seek out something you are passionate about and yet having no direct ties (though many benefits) to your chosen profession. As a “Million Miler” on Delta Air Lines (and inching toward two million), I have found that having a diversion outside of the workplace is a surefire way to help bring balance into your life. Whether you love to swing a racket, golf club, or hit the gym, having an activity that you are passionate about outside of your professional career can be truly uplifting, providing you that extra energy to propel you through the work week. Here are 10 benefits I have found from the life time sport of tennis which can be applied to many areas of your life including improving your work capabilities in the process.

1. Tennis can be a stress reliever. When you are out on the court and a nice lingering short ball is in front of you, hitting a solid overhead can really be satisfying and take some of the tension from the past week out of your system. According to researchers at the Mayo Clinic, exercise in general has some direct stress-busting benefits including pumping up your endorphins. Endorphins are the production of your brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters (which is often referred to as a runner’s high), a rousing game of tennis can also contribute to this same feeling. Tennis also provides meditation in movement, by allowing you to forget the day’s dilemmas and irritations focusing on the pure movement of your body. By focusing on a single task such as tennis and the resulting energy and optimism it brings, this can help you remain calm and clear in everything you do. Finally, the exercise improves your overall mood by increasing your self-confidence and lowering the symptoms associated with mild depression and anxiety giving you a sense of command over your body and your life.

2. Tennis can be a calorie burner. Sitting in front of the computer each day for hours on end or on the phone with hundreds of conference calls are not strenuous calorie burning exercises. Having a sport like tennis where you are running around continuously after a little yellow ball can really help you burn those pent up calories. Tennis provides a solid cardiovascular workout which including running, balance, and muscle control. According to many calorie counters, playing tennis can burn over 350 calories per hour while sitting at your computer/work desk only burns about 100 calories per hour (depending on your weight).

3. Tennis can be a health outlet. Drinking gallons of water and sweating while running after that yellow ball can add to a more healthful you rather than drinking endless diet cokes and snacking while at your computer or desk. I sometimes wonder, how how many extra pounds I would have gained if I had not taken up the lifelong sport of tennis? I would hate to contemplate that.

4. Tennis can be a real social networking avenue, meeting other pent up professionals like you who enjoy playing off some steam each weekend on the courts. Also watching your teammates play and allowing you the time to interact with others in ‘real time’ rather than texting or via conference calls all week can really be beneficial to your relationship building and networking skills. This activity can be a real lost art these days with all the technology we have in place in the workforce and at home. Having to meet real people on a real concrete or clay court is not a virtual experience.

5. Tennis teaches you the art of sportsmanship and mediation strategies. These techniques can greatly benefit your professional career allowing you to deal with missed line calls and cranky pent up professionals unwinding for the week. Where else can you learn to smile and realize the good in life when your opponents are making obviously bad line calls when the score is tight? Remember the saying, “What challenges us can make us stronger.” Ever have to hold back a partner who is ready to jump the net and clobber the guys on the other side or better yet ‘not shake their hand’ at the end of the match (where hand shaking is customary)? This practice improves your strengthening skills as well as your mediation and sportsmanship skills.

6. Tennis creates lasting friendships. If you have to play with a partner each week and work through who takes the ball and when, helping them to remain calm (as in #5 above) as well as enjoying their company away from work (e.g. the social networking benefits), you are bound to create lasting friendships through the weeks and years to come. Many of my teammates, I have known for over twenty years and seen them through many life long situations. I can truly say, they are friends for life.

7. Tennis can be a mind reliever. Focusing on that little yellow ball rather than the raise you did not get, sale you lost, or co-worker who did not get their work done, can be a great mind reliever. Simply focusing on that ball rather than multitasking the myriad of emails, text messages and conference calls you have to worry about on a daily basis can certainly be a mind release. As #1 above already stated, by focusing on a single task like tennis, this approach can help you remain calm and clear in everything you do.

8. Tennis can improve your strategic thinking. Having to outwit the opponents through strategic thinking, analyzing their strengths and weaknesses, to win a match can be very uplifting as well as really work your brain. I can not tell you how many times I have lost a match to a weaker opponent who ‘out thought my partner and I’ or won matches to better, stronger players. We tell ourselves to concentrate on each point and no kidding that is what you need to do to win. Focusing on a return of serve, sequence of shots, or getting in your first serve can all require strategic thinking skills. Taking these simple lessons to your work place such as focusing on a task rather than multitasking or concentrating on a few key areas of work for the week can really help your game (both on and off the court).

9. Tennis can improve your flexibility. Ever stretch for a high overhead or reach for an angle shot? Have you seen Kim Clijsters do the splits on the court to reach a ball and make a return? Tennis can put you in some strange but flexible positions, improving your flexibility as well as stamina. Having to move both up the court, back through the court as well as side to side can teach you the art of flexibility of motion. Being flexible can come in handy as well in the office. Flexibility of tasks and of your mind can allow for some great ideas. What office has that kind of reach?

10. Most of all, tennis is fun. Laughing also reduces stress as well as having fun spending time with others. Do not forget to laugh when you miss that overhead! Enjoy the moment. With my tennis teams, we can be found getting together to share a good cold beer or tasty Margarita and nachos after a hard fought match. No matter what food you like, there is something to say about sharing in the camaraderie and fun.

Whatever activity you choose, please just choose one and make it something other than the everyday tasks of your job/professional career. There really are so many possibilities. As the mayo clinic/health reports show, exercise can help you clear your mind, focus your efforts, and allow you to live longer, healthier lives. What better way to accomplish so much in such a short period of time! Who wouldn’t want to improve your mood, burn calories, combat chronic diseases, sleep better, and boost your energy level? Go out and try something now.

Now that you have taken the time to read this post, why not take the time to browse  and read many of my other posts, am sure you will find what you need.