The Truth About Racket Weight

There is a lot of misinformation about tennis racket weight that needs correcting. One common rumor is that only good players use small-headed, heavy rackets, while beginners should always use larger, lighter rackets. Lighter, larger rackets are also recommended for players with chronic injuries like tennis elbow or shoulder tendinitis. As I will soon explain, neither of these rumors are necessarily true.

Who Light Rackets Are Really For

Lighter rackets are primarily meant for players who truly lack the physical strength to wield a heavier one, such as people over the age of 70, or those who are especially small. This type of racket will have a weight concentration in the tip to maximize power, while the stiffness of a lighter, oversized racket can create a more trampoline-like effect, encouraging a smaller and more controlled swing.

A racket for improvement

The problem with really light rackets is that they discourage large swings, and they also take away the feedback one gets from having more mass in their hands. Being able to control your racket with just your muscles is not necessarily a good thing. It's actually preferable to have a racket with enough weight that you can take advantage of gravity and the increased force produced from the more massive falling racket. This enables the user to get more power with the same, or even less, effort than using one's muscles alone.

Choose Racket Weight by Body Weight

The recommended weight for people between 90 and 130 pounds is about 10 - 11 ounces, while for those between 130 - 170 pounds, it's 10.5 - 11.5 ounces. People who weigh 170 pounds or more should use 11.5 - 12.5 ounces. 

Heavier Rackets Can Reduce Injuries

Having a slightly heavier racket can be more beneficial for chronic injuries than many people realize. While swinging a tennis racket effectively does require some strength, it really doesn't take much effort to simply lift the racket up and drop it down; the real struggle with racket weight comes from the feeling of inertial momentum that players experience when fighting against their own momentum and chronic tension.

This tightness and need for muscle control can lead to chronic injuries and keep beginners from progressing. Using a lighter racket may provide temporary relief from injuries like tennis elbow or shoulder tendinitis, but it doesn't address the root problem. It's like putting less pressure on a broken leg instead of fixing it. To truly heal from these issues, players must learn a technique that allows them to relax and toss the racket with minimal excess tension against their own momentum and inertia. This is the only way to fully resolve these problems.