Tennis Overgrips
It goes without saying that tennis at pro level is an extremely competitive sport.
However it can also be extremely competitive at social or club level, that’s one reason racquet and clothing manufactures will spend millions of dollars on advertising and player sponsorships. For them it’s an ideal way to connect with their larger target audience namely the average social tennis player out there.
Your average tennis Joe is looking for any advantage that will help him play like the pros. Whilst that is not possible without hours of practise and hard work, club player’s games can definitely benefit from advanced racquet and string technology. Wide-bodied racquets with increased sweet spots and other newer innovations are coming off the production lines at an increased rate every year.
Co-Poly strings have recently been filmed using super slow motion video and it has been proven that they apply increased spin to the ball upon impact before they snap back into position.
Only pros can gain maximum leverage from these technological advances but there is also an unmeasurable psychological effect that could subliminally benefit the social player. If they believe that their equipment is truly advanced their mind might not restrict their game quite as much as it does to all players when we succumb to negative thoughts during a match.
One area that is often overlooked in tennis is the importance of grips and overgrips. Having the wrong sized grip will have a negative impact on a player’s game, if it’s too large or too small it can result in tendon and elbow soreness in the playing arm.
There are some easy methods to measure for the correct grip size. Hold an eastern forehand grip, you should be able to fit the index finger of your non-hitting hand in the space between your ring finger and palm. If there isn’t enough room for your index finger, the grip is too small. If there is space between your finger and palm, the grip is too big.
It is also important how the actual grip feels in the player’s hand. During a match sweat can cause the grips to become slippery which will have a tendency for the grip to turn in the players hand when striking the ball. Pros will apply overgrips to overcome this issue.
Some of the best tennis overgrips are super thin yet have super absorbent properties and are manufactured from polyurethane which has a tacky feel which adds significantly to the gripping traction. The superior overgrips can feel so comfortable that it’s almost like an extension of the players hand when striking the ball.
Tennis over grips are relatively inexpensive when compared to the cost of a replacement tennis grip. They also serve to preserve the life of the tennis grip, protecting it from the wear and tear of constant use. They may be replaced regularly when showing signs of wear and should only take a few minutes to apply.
Tony Howe
www.zepah.com