Does Adding Weight to a Tennis Racket Handle Improve Maneuverability?

[ougnala]

If I have a tennis racket, and I add weight to its handle, would it make the tennis racket more maneuverable?

the swing weight of the racket would not change, in fact the weight would make the racket heavier. but the weight would move the center of gravity towards my hand.

 

[madmike159]

The center of mass for tennis rackets is along the neck. Adding mass to the handle would mess that balance up, and make it harder to hold, tiring your wrist quicker. I think por tennis players would have their rackets made how they want them anyway.

 

[ougnala]

yes or no.

 

[madmike159]

Lets say the centre of mass is right at the head of the racket. Moving it down towards the ground to reach a low ball would be easier, but moving it back up would be harder. Overall the best place to have the centre on mass if the neck. So no, it wouldn't.

 

[rcgldr]

The current trend with the new technology strings is to use lighter rackets. It's not so much center of mass as it is center of percussion, which depends a bit on the players stroking motion (wrist versus elbow versus sholder rotation). If the contact point is near the center of percussion there is very little shock to the players wrist and arm.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_of_percussion

 

[madmike159]

Thats why I said pros would get custom made rackets.

 

[ougnala]

My thought is that having the center of mass closer to my hand would make it more maneuverable because the radius would decrease whereas the force wouldn't because the added mass would be at the center of rotation. So torque decreases.

The force required to move the tennis down vs up relative to the force of gravity is irrelevant since it's about being able to draw the racket back and swinging it at a faster speed (like on groundstrokes, serves and volleys). the question is torque because in tennis, we don't push, we swing the rackets...

I don't know what you're talking about when you compare the center of rotation to shock transfer. Shock transfer is a function of the mass of the racket. Light rackets are not preferable to upper level tennis players because light rackets don't have enough inertia. Heavier, headlight (center of mass closer to the handle) rackets are preferable because they provide more stability and transfer less shock because more mass is concentrated towards the handle. the new technologies being developed are aimed at providing more stability without sacrificing weight and balance, along with the player's feel, comfort etcetc.

 

[ougnala]

It's not so much center of mass as it is center of rotation, which depends a bit on the players stroking motion (wrist versus elbow versus sholder rotation). If the center of rotation is near the contact point there is very little shock to the players wrist and arm.

btw, the center of rotation is at the wrist when you swing.

 

[rcgldr]

btw, the center of rotation is at the wrist when you swing.

I meant center of percussion, I corrected my previous post.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_of_percussion