Section on Equipment?

[marius hancu]

I think you need a section on equipment, at least in the forum, if not in the main menu. People want to discuss that. Perhaps separate ones on: rackets, strings, shoes.

[johnyandell]

Do you think it could actually hold up compared to all the stuff on TW?

[lukman41985]

I disagree. TW has one. A lot of people are already there. Why start one on an INSTRUCTIONAL site anyways?

[marius hancu]

OK, no problem, don't start.

[vmiller]

Why start one on an INSTRUCTIONAL site anyways?

I think it would be interesting to hear equipment perspectives from the same people providing the instruciton.

It could even make sense just for organization since people are already asking equipment questions here.

[johnyandell]

I think we'll leave that to the experts at TW. It's great to talk equipment if that's what you're into. Call it my personal prejudice, I'm just not! We have a mission to try to decipher and understand the mysteries of technique and other important elements in becoming a tennis player. That's pretty overhwhelming in and of itself, I say as I sit here trying to figure out Andy Roddick's serve for the June issue.

At some point we might take that on and it's great that people talk about it in the Forum. AJ and Scott by the way are superknowledgable, as is Giancarlo...so if you have a question or comment you can always direct it to them.

[vmiller]

as I sit here trying to figure out Andy Roddick's serve for the June issue.

Looking forward to it!

[GeoffWilliams]

I guess this question about an equipment section has been around a while. If JohnY isn't interested...I can see why. He is on another mission. I am not much into equipment either.

A lot of golfers, for instance, will go out and buy new clubs every year...but if they would just put half as much money into lessons they would find that their games would prosper more.

I play with a Technifibre Tflash 315 strung at "middle of the range" with Black Code...just in case anybody cares. I doubt anybody does and I don't know why anybody would. I have had the same strings for 6 months. I play just fine with it. There's not a lot to talk about it.

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/reviews/315SFR/315SFRreview.html

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/video/Review030.html

Tecnifibre BlackCode is a co-poly string and features THERMOCORE technology. It offers a PENTAGONAL profile for good bite on the ball resulting in better spin potential. This string has minimal tension loss while offering an extremely soft feel.

I found bc to be good as a cross with vs team. Since your frame is 70RA, and already comes with silicone in the handle, you would benefit from a bc/gut hybrid. Stiff frames put a premium on power, as does that hybrid.

[GeoffWilliams]

I disagree. TW has one. A lot of people are already there. Why start one on an INSTRUCTIONAL site anyways?

Instruction on technique should include frames and string, as they are the instruments of technique. It would be like a site for piano users, without mentioning how Steinway pianos started as Steinwig in Germany. Without talking about the piano strings, or the methods of tuning them, or the other instrumental aspects of tuning, the masters of the pitch, the right string, the right wood for sonic reverberation, the right seat height, etc. If it's a site all about the technique of each player, it cannot ignore those aspects, and do justice to its followers! Would any violin site talk about violins without mentioning Stradivarius?

The truth is, frames are tuned, whether in tune or not. Strings are a main component of quality play, beyond a given level of talent/technique. Everyone paying here, is doing so to improve. How many of us are ignoring our string jobs, and our swing weights, and our balance points, and our silicone injection, our lead tape balance, our RA, our total mass, our pallets, our grip wrapping style, our type of over grip, our leather grip, most suited to our style, according to the master tuner, who has already learned, the best combination, for a full western spin hitter/grinder? To tune for a given client, we must see him play, not hear his description of himself. This site should teach each of us, to be able to tune not only our frames, but our string, and not just our minds/techniques/styles. Is his frame skinny, heavy, stiff, light, short, long, powerful, soft, touch oriented, power oriented, cost oriented, etc><

Most peoples tunes are out of whack. How many of you ping out the strings sonically when you string each corresponding main? How many have even tried the Jaycee method to combat tension loss, the bane of every heavy hitter? How many have even bothered to measure swing wt.? How many have tried the Davydenko method, of lowering the top five crosses? How many have tried the patience to let the poly stretch out before clamping off? Snap back, tension loss, knot loss, elasticity degradation, angle of trajectory occurs, whether we know it, or like it, or ignore it, or not.

Then there is the rare experience, of a master string job for our frame/game, and we relish the memory of it, and call it, "The best string job of my life." This site could teach all of us, to have that tune, all the time, but it chooses not to value the tune over the player. 42 years of experience has shown me, just how important the tune is, especially for higher level play. Who cares about 4.0 players anyway? Only themselves, and how many here are that level, and cannot benefit from a pro tune? Hundreds of hybrids, thousands of string jobs, since Imperial blue streak and Jack Kramer diamond inserts.

I may not use a fork while I eat dinner, and maybe drink too much Sake, and eat too many nuts, to still lighten my step, I can yet be a better player. While maybe age and thousands of matches have left my body battered and broken, I still believe I will improve. Not only my technique, but my tune.

[tennis_chiro]

Never Give In

Instruction on technique should include frames and string, as they are the instruments of technique. It would be like a site for piano users, without mentioning how Steinway pianos started as Steinwig in Germany. Without talking about the piano strings, or the methods of tuning them, or the other instrumental aspects of tuning, the masters of the pitch, the right string, the right wood for sonic reverberation, the right seat height, etc. If it's a site all about the technique of each player, it cannot ignore those aspects, and do justice to its followers! Would any violin site talk about violins without mentioning Stradivarius?

The truth is, frames are tuned, whether in tune or not. Strings are a main component of quality play, beyond a given level of talent/technique. Everyone paying here, is doing so to improve. How many of us are ignoring our string jobs, and our swing weights, and our balance points, and our silicone injection, our lead tape balance, our RA, our total mass, our pallets, our grip wrapping style, our type of over grip, our leather grip, most suited to our style, according to the master tuner, who has already learned, the best combination, for a full western spin hitter/grinder? To tune for a given client, we must see him play, not hear his description of himself. This site should teach each of us, to be able to tune not only our frames, but our string, and not just our minds/techniques/styles. Is his frame skinny, heavy, stiff, light, short, long, powerful, soft, touch oriented, power oriented, cost oriented, etc><

Most peoples tunes are out of whack. How many of you ping out the strings sonically when you string each corresponding main? How many have even tried the Jaycee method to combat tension loss, the bane of every heavy hitter? How many have even bothered to measure swing wt.? How many have tried the Davydenko method, of lowering the top five crosses? How many have tried the patience to let the poly stretch out before clamping off? Snap back, tension loss, knot loss, elasticity degradation, angle of trajectory occurs, whether we know it, or like it, or ignore it, or not.

Then there is the rare experience, of a master string job for our frame/game, and we relish the memory of it, and call it, "The best string job of my life." This site could teach all of us, to have that tune, all the time, but it chooses not to value the tune over the player. 42 years of experience has shown me, just how important the tune is, especially for higher level play. Who cares about 4.0 players anyway? Only themselves, and how many here are that level, and cannot benefit from a pro tune? Hundreds of hybrids, thousands of string jobs, since Imperial blue streak and Jack Kramer diamond inserts.

I may not use a fork while I eat dinner, and maybe drink too much Sake, and eat too many nuts, to still lighten my step, I can yet be a better player. While maybe age and thousands of matches have left my body battered and broken, I still believe I will improve. Not only my technique, but my tune.

In the words of Cervantes' Man of La Mancha,

"To dream the impossible dream, ... ect."

Never give in!!!

don