How to Add Weight to Tennis Racquet?
The right racket is one of the most important things for a good tennis game. Most players like to customize their rackets to fit their needs and preferences. Several factors make the perfect racket- balance, swing weight, stiffness, and weight.
Adding weight to a racket can help you play better and prevent injuries. If the racket is too light, heavy, the wrong size, or not stiff enough, it will hinder your performance. This essay will attempt to comprehend how to add weight to a tennis racquet to enhance performance.
Product Name | Product Image | Store |
|---|---|---|
Tennis Rackets | ||
Leather Grips | ||
Tennis Racket Lead Tape |
Adding Weight To Tennis Rackets
Players have different preferences for their racket’s stiffness, tension, and strings. They might also want to change their racket’s balance, swing weight, and weight to make it feel more comfortable. However, some tools and techniques can help you do this easily.
Three ways to make a tennis racket heavier are lead tape, silicone, and leather grip. Each material makes the racket heavier differently, so it is important to understand how each one works.
Silicone
Silicone gel may seem unusual for a tennis racket. Still, it is a method that expert players utilize to modify their rackets. Silicone gel, when inserted into the handle of the racket, gives several advantages. It increases the racket’s bulk and power while maintaining its agility.
Some people might be worried about the stability of the gel. However, the gel absorbs shocks and prevents them from reaching your arm. It is a more permanent solution than other methods, so it is important to get it done right.
How to Add Silicone
Be careful when adding silicone gel to the handle. Ensure you remove the butt cap well so you don’t break it. Some may be readily removed, while others may require a screwdriver. After removing the butt cap, the interior of the racket and the hollow space should be visible.
To prevent the gel from leaking out and affecting other parts of the racket, use something lightweight like cotton balls. This material will not affect the balance too much and will keep the silicone in place. You can find silicone in hardware stores.
Put the gel into the handle while watching how much it weighs. Once it dries, put the butt cap back on and test the racket.
Leather Grips
You can change your tennis racket’s weight by using different grips. Some grips are made out of leather. They add weight to the racket, making it heavier. They also look cool and make the racket more comfortable to use. Depending on your preferences, you can choose a grip that makes the racket weigh between 10 and 15 grams.
Leather grips may not be the greatest choice for individuals who sweat profusely or reside in a warm area. When the leather gets wet, it becomes harder to hold the racket. However, they are ideal for people who appreciate a classic feel and easy maneuverability.
How to Add Leather Grip
There are a few ways to add a leather grip to your tennis racket. One way is to add it like you would a normal grip. These grips are usually used by themselves, but they can also be put on under a pro grip sometimes.
You can put a leather grip on the handle if you sweat a lot and need more grip. This will add weight and make the handle tacky. It is also a good choice if the grip size feels small to you. You will have greater control over the racket in this manner.
Tennis Racket Lead Tape
Lead tape is one of the most efficient methods for customizing a racket. You can choose from various lead tape widths and thicknesses and attach them to various sections of the racket to add weight. Lead tapes are offered in pre-cut strips with an adhesive backing, making their application simple. Some manufacturers supply tape on long reels that may be weighed and cut to the required length.
Many brands make tennis rackets with plastic casings to avoid exposure to the skin. However, if you have a tennis racket with bare lead tape, be careful when using it and wear gloves while applying it.
Adding lead tape to a racket increases the weight of the racket. This also changes how the racket feels, swings, and is balanced. You must understand these impacts before adding lead tape to your racket.
Applying Lead Tape
Adding weight to a racket in the form of lead tape alters its properties in several ways. It is important to learn about the different effects of adding lead tape to the racket’s top, middle, and bottom so you can tailor the characteristics to your preferences.
The more weight you add to the top of the frame, the more power you will have. This is because of the “pendulum” effect- it gives you more leverage without making the racket too heavy. Adding lead tape at 12 o’clock adds swing weight more than anywhere else, making the head heavier.
To adhere the tape to the top, wrap it around the frame or under the grommet. Your location depends on the grommet’s size, the tape’s thickness, and you are desired aesthetic in tennis rackets.
Adding lead tape to the frame at the 3 and 9 o’clock positions stiffens and stabilizes the racket. Adding weight in these areas decreases racket vibrations and flex, making it easier to control. Those seeking greater stability should utilize this type of program.
It is best to experiment with several postures to determine which works best. To add weight to the sides, peel back the protective strip and adhere the lead tape to the frame’s internal edge. Ensure that each side is taped in the same location, so the object does not become imbalanced. Additionally, add strips to both sides and the front and back. So, you need to apply four strips for the sides, two at 3 o’clock and two at the 9 o’clock position.
Add lead tape to the racket’s throat to add weight without changing the balance point. This is great for those who like to enhance swing weight without altering the feel of the racket.
How Can I Make My Tennis Racket Stronger?
Lead Tape
Lead tape is an excellent method to personalize a racket. You can select lead tapes of various thicknesses and widths and attach them to various places of the racket. This will increase the racket’s mass. Lead tapes are available in pre-cut, adhesive-backed strips, making them simple to install. Some manufacturers supply tape on long reels that may be weighed and cut to the required length.
Many brands offer tennis rackets with a plastic casing to avoid exposure to your skin. However, if you have bare lead tape, use it carefully and wear gloves while applying it to the racket.
Lead tape increases the weight of the racket. It also affects how you hit the ball, how it feels, and how stable it is. You should understand these impacts before using lead tape to make the most of them.
Lower the String Tension
Lowering the string tension makes the trampoline effect of the string bed bigger. This makes your shots more powerful. If you have a high breaking rate, consider using a gut or nylon hybrid with a lower tension to prevent vibration and flex. This will make the ball hit the racket harder, giving you a better feel for power.
Using Thinner String Gauges
Thinner string gauges also make your shots more powerful. But you need to think about how this will change the control of your racket. If you go down a size from 17 to 16 (a smaller number is thicker), the racket will feel different and stiffer.
Utilizing More Elastic or Natural Gut Strings
With elastic strings, you can strike the ball harder without losing control. They provide greater energy returns than synthetic strings. This allows you to lose less ball speed upon impact and generate more force with your shots. Using natural gut or complete polyester strings increases the overall tension of the racquet, hence increasing its power.
Final Thoughts
There are several benefits to adding weight to a tennis racket. You can customize the balance, get more power, and limit vibrations. However, it takes some consideration to add weight effectively. The less permanent options like lead tape and leather grip can be easily played with to get the desired results. Silicone gel is a more permanent solution for individuals who want to add weight to tailor the racket’s feel.
Read more: In Tennis, Racket Smashing Gets Out of Hand
Frequently Asked Questions About Adding Weight To Tennis Racquet
Heavier rackets are more powerful and stable than lighter rackets. They also transmit less shock to your hand. Lighter rackets are more maneuverable, which means you can swing them faster.
You can make your racquet swing heavier without making it heavier overall. Add 5-10 grams of lead tape to the position corresponding to the 12 o’clock position or to the tip of the racquet.
Lead tape can be put on a golf club differently to change the weight. This will help you hit the ball further. A 1-inch strip of lead tape typically weighs 1 gram.
Installing a leather grip on your racquet will add about 10 grams of weight to the back end of your racquet. This will help make your racquet stable without making it harder to swing. You can expect most leather grips to cost around $22.
Because of the higher swing weight on their frames, professionals can hit the ball so hard without swinging their racquets too fast. This extra mass helps to propel their balls at much higher speeds.
Heavier rackets give you more stability. This means that the ball has less of an impact on the racket. This leads to better control of the ball. However, this type of control is not the same as maneuverability. Lighter rackets are easier to maneuver.
