The Power of Multifilament Strings During Cold Weather Play: Why Your Arms Will Thank You This Winter
In the midst of the Melbourne winter, you might notice that hitting a tennis ball feels a little different than it did back in January. If your arm is feeling a bit more fatigued or you’re noticing a harsh vibration when you strike the ball, you aren’t alone.
At Meehan Tennis Academy, we are committed to the long-term health and development of our players. This month, we’re looking at the science behind cold weather tennis and why a simple change to your strings can protect your arm and improve your feel on the court.
The Science: Why Colder Weather is Tough on Your Arm
While you might be able to power through a session in the summer heat, the peak of a Melbourne winter introduces a specific set of physical challenges that change the very nature of how the game is played.
Understanding these factors is the first step toward protecting your arm and maintaining your performance; here are the three primary physical changes that occur on the court during these colder months:
- Heavier Balls: Tennis balls are pressurised, and cold air causes that pressure to drop. This makes the ball feel heavier and less bouncy, requiring your arm to work harder to generate depth and pace.
- Stiffer Strings: Just like the ball, your strings react to the cold. Materials like polyester (monofilament) become significantly stiffer and less elastic in low temperatures, losing their ability to absorb shock.
- Court Surface Impact: Damp winter conditions often cause the ball to skid lower and faster off the court surface. This forces players to stay much lower in their stance and strike the ball with a more closed or cramped hitting zone, which places significantly higher stress on the wrist and forearm as they struggle to get under the ball.
When you combine a heavier-feeling ball and a stiffer string bed with a skidding surface that forces you into awkward hitting positions, the result is a significant increase in impact energy.
This excess energy is transferred directly through the frame and into your wrist, elbow, and shoulder, which can increase the risk of strain if your equipment isn’t adjusted for the season.
The Solution: Why Multifilament is Your Best Friend During the Cold
If you want to maintain the professionalism and quality of your game during the coldest months, we recommend switching to a Multifilament string.
Multifilament strings are designed to mimic the properties of natural gut. They are made of thousands of micro-fibres twisted together, which provides several key benefits for cold weather play:
- Superior Shock Absorption: The soft construction cradles the ball on impact, significantly reducing the vibration sent to your arm.
- Enhanced Feel: Even when the air is chilly, multifilaments stay elastic, giving you the touch and control you need for those delicate drop shots and volleys.
- Added Power: Because these strings are more elastic than monofilaments, they provide a trampoline effect that helps you get the ball deep into the court, even when the balls are feeling heavy.
Time for a Mid-Year Restring?
At Meehan Tennis Academy, our hardworking and highly trained coaches see first-hand how much a fresh restring can change a player’s confidence.
If you haven’t refreshed your strings since the start of the year, they have likely lost their tension and their ability to protect your arm.
Don’t wait for a dead racquet to affect your technique or cause an injury. Regluar restringing is a vital part of racquet maintenance that keeps your gear performing at an elite level.
No matter which of our programs you participate in, your gear should work with you, not against you. Visit the Meehan Tennis Academy online store to browse our range of multifiliament strings today.
Alternatively you can reach out to our team for expert guidance on which multifiliament strings are right for you.