What’s up, you Tennis Freaks!

We recently ran a poll asking: “How often do you restring your racquet?”

That means 40% of players are barely restringing at all.

Here’s the problem:
Your strings are the engine of your racquet.
They lose tension, feel, and control long before they actually break.

If you’re playing with “dead” strings, you’re not just leaving performance on the table, you’re also increasing your risk of arm, wrist, and shoulder issues.

Let’s break down how often you really should be restringing and why it matters.

The Golden Rule (That Most Players Ignore)

There’s a classic guideline from stringing experts:

Restring as many times per year as you play per week.

So if you play:

• 1x per week → at least 1 restring every 12 weeks

• 3x per week → at least 3+ times per year

• 5x per week → at least every 2–3 months

That’s the bare minimum.

Now add this:

• If you use full polyester (RPM, ALU Power, Toroline, Restring etc.)

• If you hit big spin

• If you string tight (50 lbs+)

…you should restring more often, because poly breaks down in playability long before it snaps.

What Happens to Your Strings Over Time

Even if they don’t break, strings quietly go downhill:

1. Tension drops

   • The racquet feels trampoline-y or unpredictable

   • Balls start flying long even when you don’t feel like you’re swinging harder

2. Control disappears

   • Your “good contact” still sails

   • You stop trusting your targets and start “babying” the ball

3. Shock to the arm increases

   • Dead poly gets stiffer and less elastic

   • That means more shock up into your wrist, elbow, and shoulder, especially on off-center hits

Playing with dead strings is like driving on bald tires. Technically, they still “work,” but you’re not safe and you’re definitely not getting peak performance.

How Often YOU Should Restring

Here is the corrected guideline based on the type of player you are.

Recreational Club Player

Plays one or two times a week
• Multifilament or gut: restring every eight to twelve weeks
• Polyester: restring every four to six weeks

Why: Better comfort, better feel, safer for your arm

Competitive League Player

Plays two to four times a week
• Full poly or hybrid: restring every two to three weeks
• Heavy hitters: restring every ten to fifteen hours of actual hitting

Why: Predictable performance matters when you are competing
Bonus: Your racquet will feel the same from warm up to match point

Tournament and High Performance Player

Plays four to six days per week
• Full poly: restring every one to two weeks
• Some players restring every eight to twelve hours of hitting

Why: Fresh tension protects your arm when you are hitting big and often tournament players need a consistent response under pressure

3 Simple Rules You Can Start Using

If you don’t want to overthink it, try this:

• Pick a restring interval and put it in your calendar.

  • Example: “I play 2x/week → I’ll restring every 6 weeks.”

  • Treat it like an oil change, not a random emergency.

• The Sharpie String Test (this one works extremely well)

  • Draw two small Sharpie dots where the mains cross the crosses at the sweet spot.

  • If the dots fade or move more than 1–2 mm within a few weeks, the strings have lost tension or started to saw.

  • This is a real stringer’s tip. Simple and visual.

• Listen to your shots.

  • When the string bed starts to sound dull, feel boardy, or your spin/control suddenly dips → it’s time.

The Takeaway From Our Poll

Most players are in the “every three to six weeks” or “a few times per year” group. That is fine for comfort strings. It is not enough for poly.

The goal is not to restring every week. The goal is to move closer to the right interval for the way you play. Even one or two extra string jobs per year can improve your control and protect your arm.

If you want help choosing the right string, tension or setup based on your racquet and style of play, reply and we will happily point you in the right direction.

See you on court,
Cade and Chris

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