What does Lansdorp think of the SW?

[ramseszerg]

I came across this, in which he advocates "classical grips":

http://www.tennisplayer.net/public/famouscoach/lansdorp_forehand_samplearticle.html

Surely he's not in favour of Eastern over SW is he?

[larry10s]

his point if i can summarize (and i recommend you join the site) is to start with an eastern grip fot the forehand to learn how to hit through the ball. once thats ingrained its ok to slip towards semiwestern for more topspin.

[ramseszerg]

I'm trying to think, Coaching Mastery on here advocates "advanced fundamentals" as opposed to these types of "progressions" type of coaching. Since with Lansdorp's way, you will have to change your stroke "down the line, when you get better", doesn't that also kind of go against Coaching Mastery's way?

[Grizvok]

I came across this, in which he advocates "classical grips":

http://www.tennisplayer.net/public/famouscoach/lansdorp_forehand_samplearticle.html

Surely he's not in favour of Eastern over SW is he?

You'd have to be an idiot to "favor" the SW over the Eastern. Both grips can make for a killer forehand, no questions asked. It's the player much more so than a certain grip that matters.

[Claudius]

Well, the new string technology advocates the use of extreme grips. Lansdorp claims juniors will have trouble at high level pro tennis, but hey, look at pro tennis right now. A lot of players use western grips and have no real problem flattening out the ball. Pro tennis is all about racquet head speed nowadays and the eastern grip is a barrier to consistent fast racquet head speed. All the players who have eastern grips (Gasquet, Fish) have relatively weak forehands. note: Federer uses an extreme eastern. I think Lansdorp is def. against the use of the western grip. I'm not sure what he thinks of the sw. Anyway, I don't think the eastern grip is the answer to American junior tennis.

[tricky]

It's mostly about teaching philosophies. Landsorp believes that you should start with a conservative grip, thus learning to hit through the ball properly and efficiently and produce flat shots. It's part of a makeup for an aggressive attacking game where you dictate the points. Naturally, as the level of competition evolves, then the grip may grow more extreme. But that's the foundation and mentality.

[Grizvok]

Well, the new string technology advocates the use of extreme grips. Lansdorp claims juniors will have trouble at high level pro tennis, but hey, look at pro tennis right now. A lot of players use western grips and have no real problem flattening out the ball. Pro tennis is all about racquet head speed nowadays and the eastern grip is a barrier to consistent fast racquet head speed. All the players who have eastern grips (Gasquet, Fish) have relatively weak forehands. note: Federer uses an extreme eastern. I think Lansdorp is def. against the use of the western grip. I'm not sure what he thinks of the sw. Anyway, I don't think the eastern grip is the answer to American junior tennis.

Federer actually uses an Eastern forehand grip on (or close to) the majority of his shots. I didn't think it was true until FYB analyzed his forehand pretty closely. I was skeptical at first but the result seems legit.

[WildVolley]

Looking only at the introduction to that article, it is far from clear that Lansdorp is criticizing the semi-western forehand. He specifically describes grips in which the hand is way under the handle. That sounds like a Western grip to me. I too am amazed at the juniors that hit with that grip.

[VinhLam]

I came across this, in which he advocates "classical grips":

http://www.tennisplayer.net/public/famouscoach/lansdorp_forehand_samplearticle.html

Surely he's not in favour of Eastern over SW is he?

I didn't read the whole thing, but from the first paragraph I think his is trying to let you see the other side of the rainbow. Everybody has the own way in a since of doing things. Rather it is for likes or tradition etc. I hit with a extreme western grip, and I love it. It wasn't easy at first because I framed a lot. One of my coaches told me that if he didn't use a western grip when he was younger he could of been 10x better. The other coach just says you could of been better with a 2 grip. (federer grip, I tihnk it's called eastern?) I used a three grip (semi-western) mostly when I started playing for the more topspin to keep the ball in with power. Now I hit with an extreme western. I play around with the grip then and their and hit with all of em, and I think I can kinda of hit the same amount of topspin with the classic grip and extreme western. I was in the probably still in the developing stage when I changed so I can't say which one would make me better in the end. But theoritical wise maybe playing with the classic grip can be better. It is easier to drive the ball, so easier pace. You can still get great amounts of topspin depending how you swing. I swung over the shoulder when I used the classic grip, but now using a western grip I follow through around the elbow area. (more windsheidl wiper like). But all and all I don't think I will switch to classic until I get old so I can save the wrist and give some simple technique to the forehand.

[charliefedererer]

I came across this, in which he advocates "classical grips":

http://www.tennisplayer.net/public/famouscoach/lansdorp_forehand_samplearticle.html

Surely he's not in favour of Eastern over SW is he?

I think you need to have a talk with Will Hamilton and Roger Federer.
http://www.fuzzyyellowballs.com/video-tennis-lessons/grips/roger-federers-forehand-grip/

[herosol]

I'm trying to think, Coaching Mastery on here advocates "advanced fundamentals" as opposed to these types of "progressions" type of coaching. Since with Lansdorp's way, you will have to change your stroke "down the line, when you get better", doesn't that also kind of go against Coaching Mastery's way?

semi-western is not even close to an extreme grip.

i play around semi-eastern and sometimes will naturally switch to semi-western by accident, depending on the ball coming at me.

[ramseszerg]

?? When did I say it was an extreme grip?

[Bottle Rocket]

I'm trying to think, Coaching Mastery on here advocates "advanced fundamentals" as opposed to these types of "progressions" type of coaching. Since with Lansdorp's way, you will have to change your stroke "down the line, when you get better", doesn't that also kind of go against Coaching Mastery's way?

Coaching Mastery, in his book, "Tennis Mastery ", recommends the same thing. He recommends learning with an eastern and that you are likely to nuturally move to a more western grip.

I don't know anyone that would recommend someone brand new to the game starts out initially with a semi-western or western - just way too difficult to ever figure out the timing.

[Bottle Rocket]

You'd have to be an idiot to "favor" the SW over the Eastern.

Uhh.... Really???? :confused:

[wihamilton]

I'd start with an eastern as well. Easier, imo, to learn how to swing through the ball.