Girth of your racqut handle -importance?

[Joker_of_tennis]

i know the rule of thumb when it comes to chosing the thickness of the racquet hamdle but can anyone tell me why. My friend was saying that it might be due to leverage or something. That with smaller grips you must grip harder and therfore the racquet feels harder or heavier to hold. Is it true? From his own personal experience with his tour 90 that the stock standard leather grip, which he felt thin, made the racquet head heavy. But by increasing the thickness of the grip it changed all that and made it easier to hold.

opinions/ knowledge much appreciated:D thanks.

[BillyBee]

I've heard so much conflicting advice on this topic that I'm hesitant to chime in. I'd like to know the answer to this, too. I'm only replying so that I can get an email notification when the brilliant insights start rolling in.

[safin_protege]

A wrong size grip can cause tension in the arm which can lead to discomfort or injury. This stress on the arm may alter one's strokes too- it is very important to use the right size grip.

[Saito]

A wrong size grip can cause tension in the arm which can lead to discomfort or injury. This stress on the arm may alter one's strokes too- it is very important to use the right size grip.

Everything he said, but add /hand after each time he says "arm".

[thejackal]

My coach suggested that I switch from L3 to L5 and I've noticed a lot less twisting. I can find the sweetspot much more easily and don't make as many UEs.

[Pomeranian]

Everyone's grip size is different. And everyone's preferences are different. The grip guide is a general guide that is helpful for many people, but may not be the most comfortable regaurdless. I would be a 4 1/4 according to the grip guide, but I found that to be too small and a 4 1/2 was just right for me. Too small meant gripping the racquet tighter to avoid twisting, using more energy than needed, and some hand pain.

You should be able to have a fairly loose grip and it shouldn't fly out of your hand. If you are holding firmly or tightly to prevent it from twisting, maybe a larger grip size is needed. I also find too large of a grip size has the same twisting problem.

Just try different grip sizes, or a WW.

[TurbeauxTiger]

how can i ncrease grip size?

[Andres]

Buy an overgrip. If one overgrip is still too small, do what I did, and buy a whole new grip.

I use two grips for my monsterly big hands, and they work out great.

[Pomeranian]

Or you can use a shrink sleeve. Search for it on the racquet section.

[Joker_of_tennis]

great guys...wow didn't know a bigger or smaller the grip can tier out the arm and cause excessive twisting thus leading to more u/e. Just took it for granted....Thanks again

[papa]

Well, another factor might be age (heaven forbid). A smaller grip is easier to handle for the older player but I agree with the posts above. I think however, that most folks are using a grip that is too large and might want to experiment with one slightly smaller.

I know we all realize that the grip size (4 3/8, 4 1/2, etc) are merely the circumference of the handle so there isn't a great deal of difference between them. Some find the smaller handles easier to handle while others like a larger size.

[AndyP]

Just imagine if you had a grip the size of a pencil, you would have to squeeze much harder to hold onto the racquet, so it would cause increase strain.

[papa]

Just imagine if you had a grip the size of a pencil, you would have to squeeze much harder to hold onto the racquet, so it would cause increase strain.


True, but thats bringing this to an absolute extreme - just is not the case in tennis racquets no more than it would be applicable if we were to double or trible the handle size.

[snoflewis]

from previous experience, those wilson hand charts that measure grip sizes are not accurate. they say im not even a 4 3/8 yet, a wilson 3/8 grip is too small for me (not that i've followed those charts anyway)

[paulfreda]

My grip size is just under 6 inches.
Yes, I said 6 inches. I have been playing with this for more than 10 years now and none of the counteradvice ever occurred .... cannot get head speed, will cramp you hands ..etc, etc.

My rationale is simple ..... more surface area to hold gives you more control.
It also allows me to hold the frame lightly with less force and tension and without loss of control.

I was a golf clubmaker for 15 years and did similar things with my sticks .... and my handicap dropped from 11 to 5.

Works for me.
My advice is don't be afraid to find out for yourself.

I just put two regular grips on and then add 2-4 overgrips to get the size that feels right for that frame.

JFYI

[Andres]

Buy an overgrip. If one overgrip is still too small, do what I did, and buy a whole new grip.

I use two grips for my monsterly big hands, and they work out great.

I added two overgrips to my previous two grips, and it's working better than ever.

I tried to measure the grip size as TW said:

http://av.tennis-warehouse.com/Features/Gripsize/handruler.GIF

And apparently, my hand's grip would be about 17.8 cms... that would be about 7.03 '' ... that's a little less than 7 1/20 '' .

http://f-mercury.com.ar/pics/hands.jpg

This is what my hand looks like next to a 35 sq. inches old squash racquet.

Grip size has always been a problem to me... Right now, my racquet's grip is 15.5 cm... that's 6 1/10 '' ... I didn't test it yet on a match (only against a wall... but I think one last overgrip will finally work).

[Joker_of_tennis]

Put a total of 8 layers of overgrip onn top of my 41/2" grip on my prostaff tour 95.paulfreda was right.definately less errors and less fore arm strength is used to grip it, therefore i can put more acceleration to my Eastern forehand swing which gives me more pop on the ball:)

[papa]

One of the main problems with using too many overgrips is that you lose the bevels on the racquet and it starts to become a rounds handle - makes it kinda hard to reference where you are without looking.

Another problem is that with more than a couple of overgrips, they can come off fairly easily.

Hey, whatever works.

[Andres]

One of the main problems with using too many overgrips is that you lose the bevels on the racquet and it starts to become a rounds handle - makes it kinda hard to reference where you are without looking.

Naaahhh

I use continental on volleys and serves, and Eastern FH and BH on both wings. It's not hard at all. I'll stay in continental and then, turn the racquet a little bit.

You shouldn't even look at it..

[papa]

Naaahhh

I use continental on volleys and serves, and Eastern FH and BH on both wings. It's not hard at all. I'll stay in continental and then, turn the racquet a little bit.

You shouldn't even look at it..

Wasn't talking about "looking at it" - thats the point of the bevels so you don't have to look. You cannot put layer after layer of overgrips on a racquet without rounding out the bevels - try it. There are better ways to build up the handle size than using ten overgrips.

We're talking about 1/8" incriments here - in other words, the grip size is the circumfrence of the handle.

If you want to re-invent the wheel, go to it but I think it a big waste of time. However, I'm not going to argue with anyone who thinks differently. Folks have tried all sorts of grips, so go to it.

[paulfreda]

Wasn't talking about "looking at it" - thats the point of the bevels so you don't have to look. You cannot put layer after layer of overgrips on a racquet without rounding out the bevels - try it. There are better ways to build up the handle size than using ten overgrips.


Yeah it does get more round on my near 6 inch grip. But my left hand on the throat and the relationship between my two forearms helps me know where I am very accurately.

[Andres]

It's true, my grip which is a little bigger than 6'' is actually pretty round. But I don't actually need the bevels. I stay most of the time in continental (it's pretty easy to grip continental, without even looking at the grip), and then moving to eastern BH or FH.

If I had a western forehand... I don't think I would use that many overgrips (well... it's not like I use 10 of them, just two grips and two overgrips) :D