Just another WordPress site

Tag: string

  • String Durability and Serving in Squash

    Very few squash players think about this, but it’s a fact. How you serve determines, to a very large degree, how often your strings break. Even more importantly, though, how you serve affects the number of grommets you break.

    Why does this matter? Once a grommet breaks, there is nothing to protect the string from the sharp edge of the graphite. A few strokes later, the graphite will cut through the string and you will have to bring the racquet in for restringing.

    Take five minutes right now to watch the videos below. If you serve like the guy in the first video, you will win more points on the serve at the beginner and low-intermediate levels, but it will come at a cost because you will break grommets and have to restring a lot more often.

    If, however, you learn to serve like the professional squash player in the second video, you will win more at higher levels and save a ton of money on restringing costs.

    Power serving, like the guy in the top video puts incredible stresses on the racquet’s grommet system. If you are playing with a Head squash racquet, most of your grommets will be busted out in just a few dozen matches. Even a quality Tecnifibre racquet with top-of-the-line grommets, can be damaged the first time you use it if you serve like this.

    Our advice is to learn to serve like the pro in the second video. If that’s not something you are prepared to do, then suck it up, Buttercup. You will have no choice but to restring your squash racquet every few weeks — or sooner.

    The only options you have to increase string life when you serve like the guy in the top video are to A) play with thick string and B) replace broken grommets every time you restring your racquet.

    TEST PREPARATION

    The following questions may appear on tests related to this article. Use them to test your reading comprehension and prepare for the CERTIFIED EXPERTS TEST – RACQUET SERVICE.

  • How Long Should Badminton Strings Last?

    Badminton Strings Break
    Badminton Strings Break
    One of the frustrating truths about badminton string is that it breaks. Even the best string in the best racquet strung by the best stringer on the best machine in the world can break the first time you use it.

    It sucks, but it’s true. Strings are strings. They are not steel beams. They are not indestructible. Strings are made of string and strings break.

    The other unfortunate truth about string is that when it breaks customers usually want to blame somebody. If a string breaks the first time they use it, most will blame the stringer.

    It doesn’t matter that the string was installed correctly. It doesn’t matter that the stringer was not even present when the string broke, many customers will assume that the stringer must have done something wrong.

    As stringers, we can tell you that this is enormously frustrating for everyone involved.

    There are many reasons that string will break. Very few of these reasons have anything to do with the guy (or gal) who strings your racquet.

    Nicks Caused by Smashes

    With badminton string, one of the leading culprits of breakage comes from nicks caused by hitting the skirt of the shuttle on smashes. It only takes one smash to put a near fatal nick in your string. A few shots later, the nick becomes a break. As a result, the string will appear to break on a clear, a lift or even a drop shot, when in fact most of the damage was done on an earlier smash.

    Nicks During Storage

    Another common cause of string damage occurs when players store their racquets in their racquet bags. While players should keep their racquets separate from everything else in their bags, some players have bags that are too small. So their racquet strings end up being accidentally damaged by keys, phones, shoes and other items crammed into in their racquet bags.

    Choosing the Wrong String

    Another culprit often responsible for early string breakage has to do with poor consumer choices. Contrary to popular belief, not all strings are designed to work with nylon shuttles. In fact, most high end strings are too thin to use with nylon shuttles. They are designed for use with feather shuttles and customers who choose to use them with nylon shuttles do so at their own risk.

    Power vs. Durability

    Far and away the biggest cause of early badminton string breakage, however, is greed. Some players can never have enough power. They might be six feet tall and have incredibly powerful smashes, but they still want more. So while they should be choosing strings that are thick and durable enough to withstand their power, they instead opt for thinner strings that offer even more power. The result, not surprisingly, is broken string and disappointed customers.

    Stinger Errors

    Before you blame the stringer and question his/her professionalism, please consider everything we have said above. Stringers can and do make mistakes. Equipment sometimes fails. However, a well-trained stringer knows what to watch for and rarely does anything that will decrease string life. Indeed, our policy when these uncommon mistakes are made is to stop, cut the strings out and start again. We would rather do a racquet twice than risk being blamed for causing early breakage.


    TEST PREPARATION


    The following questions may appear on tests related to this article. Use them to test your reading comprehension and prepare for the CERTIFIED EXPERTS TEST – RACQUET SERVICE.

  • Badminton Racquet Tension Trade-Offs

    tensionChoosing the best string tension for your badminton frame is often a case of choosing between trade offs.

    For example, stringing at a racquet’s maximum tension will increase your ability to control the power of the string bed, but it will also decrease string life. On the other hand, stringing the same racquet at minimum recommended tension will increase its power and extend the life of the string, but it will reduce your ability to control drop shots.

    Printed somewhere on the frame of every badminton racquet is a recommended tension range. For example, a typical range for a Yonex badminton racquet is 17-24 lbs. So the lowest recommended tension on this racquet is 17 lbs while the maximum recommended range is 24 lbs. Stringing below 17 lbs will result in a string bed that is so loose that it will loose its effectiveness. Stringing above 24 lbs will put the frame under enormous pressure and may may result in frame collapse.

    Benefits and Trade-Offs of High Tension

    Here is a list of the benefits and trade offs of stinging at high tension.

    \r\n

    BENEFITS TRADE OFFS
    – more control on drop shots – less power on drives
    – more control on net shots – less power on clears and smashes
    – makes a cool sound on hard contact – increased chances of frame breakage
    – strings do not move around – increased chances of string breakage

    Benefits and Trade-Offs of Low Tension

    Here is a list of the benefits and trade offs of stinging at low tension.

    BENEFITS TRADE OFFS
    – more power on drives – less control on drop shots
    – more power on clears and smashes – less control on net shots
    – decreased chances of frame breakage – does not make a cool sound on hard contact
    – decreased chances of string breakage – strings move around

    Choosing Factory Tension

    In general, staff at Racquet Network advise customers to string their racquets at factory recommended tension unless they have a good reason do otherwise. For example, a customer who is having trouble getting the shuttle to the back of the court on clears, may be advised to string at a lower tension to increase power. Meanwhile, another customer who is regularly hitting the shuttle out the back of the court on clearing attempts may be advised to decrease the power of their racquet by stringing at a higher tension.

    TEST PREPARATION


    The following questions may appear on tests related to this article. Use them to test your reading comprehension and prepare for the CERTIFIED EXPERTS TEST – RACQUET SERVICE.

  • Benefits of Natural Gut Tennis String

    Legendary racquet stringer Lucien Nogues describes the main benefits of natural gut string.

    Benefit 1 – Elasticity. Elasticity increases power and spin.

    Benefit 2 – Comfort. Natural gut is the most comfortable string that money can buy.

    Benefit 3 – Vibration absorbing. Players with tennis elbow issues can benefit from using natural gut exclusively.

    Benefit 4 – Tension holding. Unlike plastic strings, natural gut holds its tension and releases energy efficiently without stretching.

    The only downside to natural gut is durability. However, this can be improved by using a hybrid blend of natural gut and multifilament.

  • Tennis Stringing Myths Busted

    Legendary racquet stringer Lucien Nogues busts some common myths about tennis racquets and strings.

    Myth 1 – The thickness of the frame has an impact on the ball. In fact, if the ball is hit properly, the ball never touches the frame. The only point of contact is the string bed.

    Myth 2 – More tension equals more power. In fact, more tension results in less power. If you want more power, you have to decrease the tension.

    Myth 3 – Multifilament string is not durable. In fact, it is durable. It may not be as freakishly durable as polyester string, but it is durable and — because it is elastic — it is also playable.

    Myth 4 – Monofilament (polyester) is suitable for everyone. In fact, it is made for professional tennis players with extremely high racquet head speeds. Most players do not swing hard enough to bend it. Therefore they get no benefit from polyester.

    Myth 5 – Natural gut is for old people. In fact, 40% of pros at Roland Garros used hybrids with natural gut and nearly all of them are under 30 years old.

  • When and Why You Should Change Your Tennis Strings

    Legendary racquet stringer Lucien Nogues gives his advice on when and why you should change your tennis strings.

    Option 1 – Scheduled Changes

    If you play three times a week, you may choose to schedule your string changes along the lines of three times per season. This is especially effective for players who are concerned about the cost of re-stringing.

    Option 2 – Emerging Needs

    While scheduled changes are preferred by players on a budget, better players tend to replace their strings as needed.

    Examples of emerging needs:

    1. Power/Control issues – A player may want more power or control than the current configuration of his racquet can offer. Alternatively, a player may choose to string his racquet looser for more forgiveness at the beginning of the season and tighter for more control at the end of the season.

    2. Sensation issues – A player may want softer strings in his racquet at the beginning of the season when it is cool and stiffer strings during the middle of the season when it is hot. Alternatively, a player may be going on vacation in a different climate and may want to choose a better string for that climate. Or another example, a player may develop elbow pain and may want to move to a softer configuration.

    3. String tiring – Due to static and/or dynamic tension loss, a player may notice degrading power or control as the strings in his racquets age. Alternatively, he may want fresh strings for an important tournament or match.

    Lucien’s Tips

    1. Pay attention to the sounds your strings make. When they sound dead, they are dead.

    2. Never leave synthetic string in the sun. Heat kills the tension.

    3. Never get natural gut strings wet. Humidity kills the tension.

  • Best Tennis String for Calgary’s Climate

    BABOLAT VSTOUCH TENNIS STRINGOutdoor tennis players often follow the pros with their string choices. However, this only makes sense if the pros are playing in same climate. For players in Calgary where it is often cool, it makes no sense to use the same string as a pro appearing in 40+ degree heat at the Australian Open.

    As we have discussed in previous articles, polyester tennis string (use by many pros) is probably the worst possible choice for outdoor tennis players in Calgary. Given our climate, there are really only about six weeks during which it is warm enough outside for poly strings to make any sense at all. For most of the outdoor tennis season, the temperatures are too cool for polyester resulting in unacceptably — often unplayably — stiff string beds.

    Natural gut, as every tennis geek knows, lies at the other end of spectrum. As an organic product, it is capable of stretching and snapping back under a wide range of conditions. Indeed, natural gut comes from the intestines of cows where it is constantly expanding and contracting in order to push food through the animal’s digestive system. So unlike plastic, which stretches and sags in a short period of time, natural gut is very good at returning to its original shape.

    Downside to Natural Gut

    The downsides to natural gut, of course, are price and durability. Like most good things in life, natural gut is not cheap. It costs about twice as much to string a tennis racquet with natural gut as it does with plastic. This initial expense comes as a bit of a shock to many players who don’t understand the benefits of using it. They don’t understand that it costs twice as much but it retains its elasticity for more than twice as long. They don’t understand that it performs better at low temperatures than plastics and polys. All they see is the price and that frightens them.

    The knock against natural gut is its durability. In actual fact, natural gut lasts about as long as synthetic gut, but few players realize this. The perception is that it has a short life. Certainly, when it is compared with polyester strings, there is no question that racquets strung with natural gut must be strung more often. But to say it has a short life is probably unfair because for most players who play with synthetic gut, the durability will be about the same.

    Moisture Issues with Natural Gut

    Moisture is another issue often raised as a criticism of natural gut. Players who used it 30 years ago will remember mold and mildew forming on racquets that were strung with natural gut and put away wet. They may also remember having to apply wax to their strings in order to protect them from moisture.

    Fortunately, moisture is not an issue in Calgary. Humidity levels are extremely low here for most of the outdoor season. Moreover, natural gut strings are now treated with coatings and preservatives that obviate the whole mold/mildew issue. In fact, in spite of stringing several thousand racquets over the past decade, our stringers have not seen a single case of racquet mold in Calgary.

    Best Overall Tennis String for Calgary

    It is for these reasons that we have concluded that natural gut is probably the best overall string for Calgary’s outdoor tennis players. While it may seem pricey, there is no question that it offers the best value for the greatest number of players. In addition, there are some well-known health benefits that we don’t have time to go into here, but that also make natural gut an excellent choice for weekend warriors and other recreational athletes.

    Outdoor tennis players who choose natural gut in Calgary will enjoy better overall string performance, regardless of our rapidly changing weather. They will also enjoy a much higher level of comfort than players who choose polys and other plastic tennis strings.


    TEST PREPARATION


    The following questions may appear on tests related to this article. Use them to test your reading comprehension and prepare for the CERTIFIED EXPERTS TEST – RACQUET SERVICE.