What grips does safin use on his 2hbh?

[Mr.Brightside]

i wasn't sure what forum to put this in, but because it's for my improvement i figured i'd put it here.

[Jonny S&V]

General Pro Players or Retired Pro Players sub-forum would've worked slightly better, but to answer your question, a Continental right hand and his left hand varied from a weak to strongish eastern.

[Mr.Brightside]

thanks.

i've always used SW on my left hand, but i want to try eastern to see if i get a bit more penetration.

[Jonny S&V]

Originally Posted by Mr.Brightside

thanks.

i've always used SW on my left hand, but i want to try eastern to see if i get a bit more penetration.

You will, it will help you drive through the ball a little more. Some random advice I have is that if you do switch, make sure you are driving through the ball and not scooping it. I've seen (and taught) a couple guys with two-hander that have switched from a more extreme left hand grip to an eastern/strong-eastern.

[Mr.Brightside]

yeah i have a friend that scoops his backhand. it's terrible, but he won't change it.

with my current 2hbh, i find my balls are landing around the service line unless i make a conscious effort to hit it deeper and exert myself more. hence, the grip change.

[Jonny S&V]

Originally Posted by Mr.Brightside

yeah i have a friend that scoops his backhand. it's terrible, but he won't change it.

with my current 2hbh, i find my balls are landing around the service line unless i make a conscious effort to hit it deeper and exert myself more. hence, the grip change.

That's good that you know this, but note that changing a grip isn't an instant fix, I fell into this with all my strokes (one week I would have a SW backhand, the next week an Eastern, etc...). Some more random advice.

[Mr.Brightside]

yeah.

i'm not thinking that switching grips is immediately going to give me effortless penetration on every shot, but that it'll make it a little bit easier to learn how to do that.

[DavaiMarat]

Originally Posted by Jonny S&V

You will, it will help you drive through the ball a little more. Some random advice I have is that if you do switch, make sure you are driving through the ball and not scooping it. I've seen (and taught) a couple guys with two-hander that have switched from a more extreme left hand grip to an eastern/strong-eastern.

Originally Posted by Mr.Brightside

yeah.

i'm not thinking that switching grips is immediately going to give me effortless penetration on every shot, but that it'll make it a little bit easier to learn how to do that.

I'm a 5.0 and I hit with 2hs on the backhand I will tell you penetration has less to do with your grips and more to do with generating power from the hips. This is what I tell my students and this will probably help you. On your takeback on that wing, take the hands and place them near your waist. Hands in the pocket is the term I use. Your arms should be nice and loose. Now as you swing towards the ball, you are opening up your hips but lifting with your chest. Your arms are there just to connect your body to the ball, they aren't there to generate the power. Your are doing that from your torso and legs/hips. Make sure your arms are loose and racquet should travel in a arc until the frame is directly in front of you (butt cap pointing at your chest and arms at full extension. The arms will naturally follow around your head.

Remember lift with your torso and hit with the hips. You find that your arms can be very loose and you will still hit a heavy penetrating shot into the court.

I hope this helps!.

Mike

[Cloud Atlas]

I'm not convinced safin uses conti for right hand. Looks more eastern to me.