Western vs Semi westerm grips

[ROFLingpanda]

I play with a semi western grip, and I was thinking about switching to a western grip because I heard that it's safer, and because i don't hit with much topspin. Is the western grip really 'safer' then semi grip? I don't know if I should change my grip or not... should I?

[quicken]

Safer as in what?
If you dont get that much spin out by using semi now, you should not really expect much difference. I had a friend who somehow kept hitting shots with low bounces with a semi and a full western grip, I think its more of your technique than the grip difference.
I get a lot of spin using semi western grip, full western is just too uncomfy for me.

[ROFLingpanda]

i guess safer as in not so much strain on wrist or arm but I'm not sure... that's why i'm asking

[D. Dokas]

i personally use a semi western i used 2 use a full western and i found low balls 2 hard to get and with a semi western u get the ball deeper. but its mostly wat feels more comfortable for you.
how does having a western grip helo with less strain on the wrist and arm???

[Rickson]

Safer in what respect? The sw is a great grip for taking balls at any height while the full western will give you a tough time with low balls. You can get plenty of topspin with the sw as long as you're swinging from low to high. I don't see any real advantage with the western unless you're constantly bombarded with high balls to the forehand and even then, I don't see a big edge.

[ROFLingpanda]

yeah i did find that full western made it hard to get low balls, short as i am.... and I really don't know how semi is meant to be safer but I've heard that it is and I want to know if it's true or not (and how ..)

[quicken]

Wouldnt Full western cause more strains on your wrist area beucase you really have to turn your wrist up?

[boojay]

Firstly, are you sure you have the right grip? Or do you just think you're using a semi-western?

[Tempest344]

low balls are not good for either one
Western especially

but use what feels comfortable
stick with the Semi-western if you have been using it for a while
its a bit more versatile and its easier to generate pace with


Western you've got to make sure you have good racquet head speed and really rip upwards on the shot

[Silent]

I play with a semi western grip, and I was thinking about switching to a western grip because I heard that it's safer, and because i don't hit with much topspin. Is the western grip really 'safer' then semi grip? I don't know if I should change my grip or not... should I?
yeah i did find that full western made it hard to get low balls, short as i am.... and I really don't know how semi is meant to be safer but I've heard that it is and I want to know if it's true or not (and how ..)

Please clarify.

If semi-western really is safer for the wrist it would be because one doesn't need to stretch it as much as in a western grip.

[ROFLingpanda]

Firstly, are you sure you have the right grip? Or do you just think you're using a semi-western?

no im sure it's a semi western grip

[Babb]

Semi-western is more versatile, in my own opinion and the opinion of many others...

I've never heard of getting wrist problems with a SW. I'd think it would be more likely for a western to have wrist problems. Western grips seem unnatural to me.

[boojay]

no im sure it's a semi western grip

How's the technique? I'm not a frequent user of a SW, but even with a continental I can hit with topspin. As one poster mentioned before, you should be getting a LOT of topspin with a SW. Sure, a western will give you more, but not appreciably more if you're not having success with a SW.

[RestockingTues]

I used to have wrist tendonitis playing with a western, after I made the switch to a semi-western, my forehand felt a lot more natural and my wrist healed completely.

[GeorgeLucas]

The people who told you that western grips are safer are probably referring to the fact that western grips generate inherently more topspin. More topspin means you can hit higher over the net and still have it sink in which translates to some as being more "safe" or "having a larger margin for error". What I find, though, is that you are generally the most consistent with what fits best to your play style and body type. Just ask yourself what kind of player you want to be.

[ROFLingpanda]

How's the technique? I'm not a frequent user of a SW, but even with a continental I can hit with topspin. As one poster mentioned before, you should be getting a LOT of topspin with a SW. Sure, a western will give you more, but not appreciably more if you're not having success with a SW.

i usually don't brush up on the ball and that's probably why i dont get a lot of spin

[ROFLingpanda]

The people who told you that western grips are safer are probably referring to the fact that western grips generate inherently more topspin. More topspin means you can hit higher over the net and still have it sink in which translates to some as being more "safe" or "having a larger margin for error". What I find, though, is that you are generally the most consistent with what fits best to your play style and body type. Just ask yourself what kind of player you want to be.

yeah that's probablly what they meant. i like to work on speed, consistency and placement

[boojay]

i usually don't brush up on the ball and that's probably why i dont get a lot of spin

You know? It's funny, I used to tell people to brush up on the ball as well and that's certainly a legitimate way of producing topspin.........if you want your shots to land short. Not that you should eliminate 'brushing' altogether, but you want to get into the mindset of going low-to-high and then varying the swing height disparity (i.e. 1 foot, 9 inches, 6 inches, etc.) when you want more topspin or a flatter shot. This will produce a heavier shot. I think 'brushing' often promotes 'arming the ball' to those who aren't familiar with topspin.

[ZPTennis]

I just uploaded this video which has some low forehands in it. I use a full western and usually never have much trouble with low shots.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuwaJa62u3Q

[boojay]

I just uploaded this video which has some low forehands in it. I use a full western and usually never have much trouble with low shots.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuwaJa62u3Q

Hey ZP, didn't you say you were gonna try some one-handers? Let's see some of those in action ;).

[quicken]

I just uploaded this video which has some low forehands in it. I use a full western and usually never have much trouble with low shots.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuwaJa62u3Q

Wow i bet you get loads of spin off both wings.

[ZPTennis]

Hey ZP, didn't you say you were gonna try some one-handers? Let's see some of those in action ;).

haha. yeah i've tried it and have an ok one hander for not really using one. But its nothing compared to yours. The problem is my 2 hander has gotten better recently. Not that im complaining. :)

[boojay]

haha. yeah i've tried it and have an ok one hander for not really using one. But its nothing compared to yours. The problem is my 2 hander has gotten better recently. Not that im complaining. :)

It's funny, I actually practice swing a two-hander a lot, but I've never actually tried hitting one. I think I would be too embarrassed with the result.

[ZPTennis]

Wow i bet you get loads of spin off both wings.

Thats what ive been working on more with the backhand. my forehand can still produce a lot more than my backhand but I'm just not doing it in the video because my dad wouldn't be able to rally with me.

[ZPTennis]

It's funny, I actually practice swing a two-hander a lot, but I've never actually tried hitting one. I think I would be too embarrassed with the result.

Some of your backhands are as nice looking as Federer's. so you have no reason to ever hit a 2 hander!

[boojay]

Some of your backhands are as nice looking as Federer's. so you have no reason to ever hit a 2 hander!

Hah! I wish! Thanks for the compliment though.

I'd like to hit a two-hander for kicks though. It's good to fool around once in a while. And I can think of at least one instance where a two-hander is vastly superior to a one-hander. I'm not sure how often it happens in singles, but I see it all the time in doubles. The receiving net player will blast a short floater with an almost zero backswing. The problem with a 1H'er, of course, is that we NEED an ample backswing in order to generate any kind of racquethead speed.

[ROFLingpanda]

I just uploaded this video which has some low forehands in it. I use a full western and usually never have much trouble with low shots.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuwaJa62u3Q

:o

..i only just realized that i spelled western wrong in the title o.0'

[rosenstar]

yeah i did find that full western made it hard to get low balls, short as i am.... and I really don't know how semi is meant to be safer but I've heard that it is and I want to know if it's true or not (and how ..)

there's no safer or less safer grip. If your technique is correct (meaning your footwork "matches" your grip) you'll be fine.

Here's a link about the different forehand grips:

http://www.tennisserver.com/turbo/turbo_97_10.html

none of the grips strain the wrist as long as the rest of the shot (meaning your body turn, footwork, etc.) is correct.