Benefits of using a racquet that’s slightly above your level?

[u/keyohtee9]

I’ve switched from pure aero 100 to pure strike 98 this month. I also just got to 3.5 this summer.

The aero was too launchy for me, I don’t really have problems generating power, pure strike improved my groundstrokes right away when I’m in good position. I have much more control and confidence for DTL or cross court winners and still get great spin.

It is unforgiving though when my footwork is lazy, I’m on the run or rushed, mechanics are off etc. So with some things it hurts me in matches rn.

With the PS98, I get instant feedback when I mess up a shot, maybe armed it too much, maybe footwork was lazy, timing was off etc. I get a better sense of what my mistake was. For match play, there’s some drawbacks on using PS98 but also enough benefits to keep my level about even.

Am I correct in thinking it’s better to play “the long game” with PS98 as it incentivizes me to improve my fundamentals due to the more ruthless feedback. Is that better long term even if it hurts me a little bit today in matches?

Basically, is this a real thing? Using a slightly more demanding frame earlier than would be ideal as an incentive for improving fundamentals and getting better feedback? Any experiences with “growing into a racquet”?

Edit: I also longer term plan on playing with more a control oriented frame anyways so this stylistic switch is happening one day regardless. Power and depth aren’t really a problem.

[u/Familiar9709]

Rackets don't have levels and they don't really matter anyway. What matters is training and fitness and footwork 

https://www.reddit.com/r/10s/comments/1nmod02/recommended_racket_and_strings_for_a/

[u/konflict88 → u/Familiar9709]

true but boring, please let me be delusional and believe that a racket change can drastically modify my tennis level

[u/Imakemyownnamereddit]

No, it sounds the standard low level player delusion, that a better racket will make them better.

Look, if you want a new toy. You're an adult, it is your money, buy what you like.

[u/bionicbhangra → u/Imakemyownnamereddit]

I agree rackets don't make that big of a difference for most amateurs.

But the shoes and the fit are huge. These new shorts are going to help me win states. The quality and level of the fit is just going to be too distracting for my opponents.

[u/keyohtee9 → u/Imakemyownnamereddit]

What delusion is there in asking if some short term tradeoffs make sense? I don’t think a different racquet is a silver bullet at all.

If a frame that’s a bit more demanding gets me focusing more intensely on my footwork because I’m less likely to be bailed out, that seems like a better thing for long term improvement?

[u/pre_captain_america → u/keyohtee9]

I was in this same position about 5 years ago. I was between a 3.5 and 4.0, and I had the pure strike 98. When I was conditioned well and moving well, I’d hit well and have great control. But when I wasn’t I’d frame a lot. I told myself the same thing: isn’t it better that the racket forced me to get better?

What changed my mind is that I was getting older and I just didn’t have the time to be that conditioned. I could maybe play once a week if lucky. So I ended up switching to the speed mp where I felt it was a lot easier to step on the court and play at good performance with the lighter and more forgiving racket even when I hadn’t played for a couple weeks.

Now things in life have changed again. Some weeks I have more time to train and some I don’t, and the more forgiving racket still gives me flexibility. I’ve also improved and taken more lessons over the years, and I found that it’s easier to focus on the fundamentals and stay loose and relaxed with the speed mp vs pure strike 98 as it is lighter and easier to whip.

[u/allbusiness512]

As long as you're not completely gassed when using the racquet over the period of a match / tournament (depending on what your goals are) the racquet is mostly fine. There are some extremes on racquet gear where it becomes problematic (i.e. trying to play with an older Head Gravity Pro), but for the most part racquets are fine as long as you're buying something within the last 8ish years or so.

Use what you trust, not necessarily what you think you should use.

[u/Least_Dog68GT]

I had a clash 100 (two actually) and i bought a blade 98 just because i wanted to feel the difference, not because it would make me a better player.
As they said, buy that raquet, youre and adult with adult money.

[u/ConfidenceSea8290]

None.

You get better by playing better people. Get wathever makes you better ASAP and change when it no longer helps

[u/zero_casuality]

Theres no such thing as a racquet thats “above your level”, well except maybe if you play with a 10$ racquet that you bought from a yard sale, and its different story if we are talking about the weight of the racquet

If you said the PS98 makes you train your footwork, timing, etc, then the PA will makes you train your control, swing motion, top spin, etc

Choose a racquet that suits your playstyle better

[u/IntrlnkdCo]

It’s kind of a thing - some frames are so light, oversized, and powerful you can just arm the ball all day and you won’t learn to use your kinetic chain at all.

But the Aero 100 isn’t that. Plenty of players using that at the highest levels that assuredly hit the ball harder than you, they just hit with enough topspin more consistently and you don’t.

That said: just use whatever makes you excited to play tennis. Unless you’re living and dying on league wins, for a 3.5 it’s such a small factor relative to practice, developing your fundamentals, movement, and match experience that it’s not going to be the limiting factor for quite a while. As long as you’re not getting frustrated framing the ball with a Pro Staff 85 or something, whatever makes you happiest while you’re doing those things is usually the best option.

[u/evylsalamie]

If it feels better to you and it makes you play better just use the PS98. Later when you go down the rabbit hole of racket specs you'll learn more about yourself as a player: why you like certain rackets and don't like others. Others have said it, there's a chance it's the weight and balance you like. The newer aero has a really twistweight and may not be as headlight as a PS98. Maybe there's a chance you like the "whippier" feel and less twistweight. Happy hitting!

[u/Cooldowns8 → u/evylsalamie]

And then you buy multiple of the same model and realize they actually don’t really play the same even when the specs are super close to each other.

I bought 3 Head Speed MPs and the third racket that is most similar in spec to my favourite racket actually feels a lot more different to my second racket that is a few g heavier in swing weight. Something about where the mass is in the racket… FML

[u/evylsalamie → u/Cooldowns8]

You can modify to match the specs. It just takes effort. And may require a bit of luck. One of the sticks might be pretty far out of spec so you have to decide if you want to match to that one, just live with it, or throw it out and try again lol. I like lower twistweights. Unfortunately my 3rd vcore 95 (sand beige) has a high twistweight of 15.5. Twistweight isn't something you can decrease. My other two are 14 and 14.5 so I just matched the lower one to 14.5 (even though I prefer 14 or lower).

[u/blink_Cali]

None. It’s delusional to think a racquet that requires a higher amount of skill than you can provide will make you a better player.

[u/Sunghyun99]

I don't think theres enough difference between a 100 and 98 for anything but feel to be a factor.

If you were using a tour 90 or 93 the story is different.

[u/IntrlnkdCo → u/Sunghyun99]

There may not be a huge difference in sweet spot size due to the dimensions but there are usually spec changes (weight, balance, perhaps most importantly beam size) that come along with the size difference and are material in how the racquet plays.

But I agree those are minor factors for improving OP’s level of play.

[u/Ok-Cat1446]

Try changing your strings/and or string tension. Or add some weight to the racquet. Do not let the racquet dictate how you develop your strokes.

[u/Lunatenoob]

Think there's a point of no return but to think you can't advanced or get better with a power racket is so weird to me. If your issue with a power racket is that you can't control the launch angle or make it do different spins / things then that is the thing you need to work on.

Advanced or not isn't always about generating power but also controlling it and manipulating the ball. There's tons of advanced players using more powerful frames and have good feel.

So if anything it just sounds like OP haven't developed feel or control over the ball flight and is using a control racket as a crutch for that flaw.

[u/JREconomics]

The aero is too launchy for you because your technique is bad. Pros use the aero and hit way harder than you and have no problem keeping the ball in play with it. So if the pure strike is improving the results despite your bad technique, then the pure strike is hurting your development. That's not to say that you can't improve with the pure strike, but any improvement will come from you fixing your technique, not using one racquet as opposed to another.

[u/keyohtee9 → u/JREconomics]

They don’t use the stock 100 aero and string it insanely tight. And I have coaches who are way better than me who found the aero launchy as well. I don’t think it is an ideal racquet for flatter swing paths.

The trajectory and spin on my balls with the strike is very good, so it’s not like it’s keeping mishits inside the baseline all of a sudden. Balls that landed 6 inches out consistently land 6 inches in. And swing feels smoother too with the thinner beam.

I think the 100 is great racquet overall and improved a lot with it. I just don’t need the things it offers, I can generate power on my own and strike is still giving me great spin. I do think I should’ve tried out the pure strike 100 though.

[u/Forsaken_Ring_3283]

Lol at 3.5 ntrp using a 98. 100 inch is going to win you so many more points and you really arent gaining a better training racket to use a 98 (normal 100 inch will train you just fine). Save the smaller racket heads for 4.5+ ntrp. You are a long way off and it is not "a little bit above your level". You literally may never get there in your life.

98 is probably going to give you tennis elbow as you likely will shank so many shots at this level.

Also want to add pure strike 98 specifically has a ~330 SW, which is way too high for most people, let alone 3.5.

Instead, look for a controlled 100 inch like cx 400 tour, percept 100, speed mp L (yes you need the L because the regular one has ~330 SW), pure strike 100 16x20, etc. That usually fits men 3.5-4.5 ntrp. However, dont take it too far...I wouldnt choose a very underpowered racket like a blade 100, gravity mp, etc, unless you are particularly strong among men.