Eastern forehand players

[Venetian]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMQ4ZRVp4fc

Good video of a prospective college player hitting Eastern.

[boramiNYC]

Originally Posted by 10isfreak

I am puzzled as to whether or not amateurs can generate some serious amount of top spin using some variation of the eastern forehand grip and if someone had video footage to show what it looks like.

Of course, we do have a professional instance of what it can be turned into (Federer), but this pro also uses many micro-movements that we could only hope to see amateurs replicate entirely. I'd just like to see amateurs hitting with that grip.

trying to generate a lot of topspin with E fh involves more manipulation of arm and hand and less effective use of the core. And/or preference of lowered contact point. at rec level it's entirely possible to have a viable E fh more focused on topspin, but as the level goes up I think a better E fh player will take advantage of the flat hitting of E grip.

Also there's less stress on wrist trying to generate topspin using SW than E. So, a topspin oriented E fh player might have more chance of developing wrist problem later on.

[boramiNYC]

Originally Posted by aimr75

I use an eastern,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5CrX6q-JEc

Only some casual hitting on a wet surface, so not the best indicator for what youre looking for i guess

yeah i've seen you before. good technique. let me guess..you modeled after Fed maybe? a very detailed copy i might add.

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Originally Posted by boramiNYC

yeah i've seen you before. good technique. let me guess..you modeled after Fed maybe? a very detailed copy i might add.

Don't take this the wrong way, but I hate it when people suggest other people's strokes are modeled after the pros, here's why:
1) It's entirely possible that individual can arrive at similar looking strokes.
2) By suggesting that they copied some pros, you're discrediting them countless hours of hard work that went into the stroke from scratch.
3) If it actually look like pros' strokes, then the player have done something right. Don't take that away from the player.

I have the in-between grip, not quite eastern but not quite semi-western (some people call it the extreme eastern). I've been hitting my forehand the same way since I learned how to play as a kid (almost ~19 years ago ). Then Federer came to dominate the sport and now all of the sudden people say/ask if I copied Federer.

I humbly say "no", but deep down I'm like: "Come on man, I've been hitting like this long before I ever saw Federer play on TV..."

There's no hate here, I'm just saying before Federer came around, no one said a peep about my strokes.

[Relinquis]

Originally Posted by aimr75

I use an eastern,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5CrX6q-JEc

Only some casual hitting on a wet surface, so not the best indicator for what youre looking for i guess

lovely looking strokes. like the control on the single handed backhand, most people have poor form unless they're hitting all out on that stroke.

thanks for posting this. Also, is that the 18x20 or 16x19 pattern stick?

[boramiNYC]

Originally Posted by Say Chi Sin Lo

Don't take this the wrong way, but I hate it when people suggest other people's strokes are modeled after the pros, here's why:
1) It's entirely possible that individual can arrive at similar looking strokes.
2) By suggesting that they copied some pros, you're discrediting them countless hours of hard work that went into the stroke from scratch.
3) If it actually look like pros' strokes, then the player have done something right. Don't take that away from the player.

I have the in-between grip, not quite eastern but not quite semi-western (some people call it the extreme eastern). I've been hitting my forehand the same way since I learned how to play as a kid (almost ~19 years ago ). Then Federer came to dominate the sport and now all of the sudden people say/ask if I copied Federer.

I humbly say "no", but deep down I'm like: "Come on man, I've been hitting like this long before I ever saw Federer play on TV..."

There's no hate here, I'm just saying before Federer came around, no one said a peep about my strokes.

well I thought I was well meaning...hope amir doesn't get offended.

[Cheetah]

Originally Posted by Say Chi Sin Lo

Don't take this the wrong way, but I hate it when people suggest other people's strokes are modeled after the pros, here's why:
1) It's entirely possible that individual can arrive at similar looking strokes.
2) By suggesting that they copied some pros, you're discrediting them countless hours of hard work that went into the stroke from scratch.
3) If it actually look like pros' strokes, then the player have done something right. Don't take that away from the player.

I have the in-between grip, not quite eastern but not quite semi-western (some people call it the extreme eastern). I've been hitting my forehand the same way since I learned how to play as a kid (almost ~19 years ago ). Then Federer came to dominate the sport and now all of the sudden people say/ask if I copied Federer.

I humbly say "no", but deep down I'm like: "Come on man, I've been hitting like this long before I ever saw Federer play on TV..."

There's no hate here, I'm just saying before Federer came around, no one said a peep about my strokes.

No hate here either but we all know he modeled his strokes after Fed. It's obvious. I'd bet a lot of money on it. No crime in that.

[TheCheese]

I take it as a huge compliment if someone tells me I remind them of Fed in any way. Whether I tried to copy him or not.

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Originally Posted by boramiNYC

well I thought I was well meaning...hope amir doesn't get offended.

You definitely meant well! I probably came off wrong in the way worded my reply. But at the same time, I truly do feel that way.

Originally Posted by Cheetah

No hate here either but we all know he modeled his strokes after Fed. It's obvious. I'd bet a lot of money on it. No crime in that.

Haha, maybe he did? But I'd like to give the dude the benefit of the doubt. Copied or not, it's obvious the dude put in the work.

Originally Posted by TheCheese

I take it as a huge compliment if someone tells me I remind them of Fed in any way. Whether I tried to copy him or not.

It is a huge compliment, I agree. However, it still diminishes a sense of personal achievement (at least to me it does) whenever someone says: "Hey, you hit like (insert your favorite player here)".

For example of the eastern grip/extreme eastern grip, just like every other grip, there are only so many ways to hit it. So yeah, most eastern gripper is going to have some "Federer-like" characteristic in their forehand. Unless you completely butcher it. In that case, just give up.

[Cheetah]

Originally Posted by Say Chi Sin Lo

You definitely meant well! I probably came off wrong in the way worded my reply. But at the same time, I truly do feel that way.



Haha, maybe he did? But I'd like to give the dude the benefit of the doubt. Copied or not, it's obvious the dude put in the work.



It is a huge compliment, I agree. However, it still diminishes a sense of personal achievement (at least to me it does) whenever someone says: "Hey, you hit like (insert your favorite player here)".

For example of the eastern grip/extreme eastern grip, just like every other grip, there are only so many ways to hit it. So yeah, most eastern gripper is going to have some "Federer-like" characteristic in their forehand. Unless you completely butcher it. In that case, just give up.

i don't see any other pro with the same grip as fed who has strokes even remotely similar to federer except dimitrov and we all know he copied fed's strokes.

[aimr75]

Originally Posted by Say Chi Sin Lo

Don't take this the wrong way, but I hate it when people suggest other people's strokes are modeled after the pros, here's why:
1) It's entirely possible that individual can arrive at similar looking strokes.
2) By suggesting that they copied some pros, you're discrediting them countless hours of hard work that went into the stroke from scratch.
3) If it actually look like pros' strokes, then the player have done something right. Don't take that away from the player.

I have the in-between grip, not quite eastern but not quite semi-western (some people call it the extreme eastern). I've been hitting my forehand the same way since I learned how to play as a kid (almost ~19 years ago ). Then Federer came to dominate the sport and now all of the sudden people say/ask if I copied Federer.

I humbly say "no", but deep down I'm like: "Come on man, I've been hitting like this long before I ever saw Federer play on TV..."

There's no hate here, I'm just saying before Federer came around, no one said a peep about my strokes.

Yeah my forehand as a teen was along the lines of a straight arm forehand and back then I obviously had no clue what was what. That was like 20 years ago now. I stopped playing for many years and recently took it up again a few years ago and have refined my strokes since then. The stroke ended up evolving to what it is based on what it was like as a kid but also taking cues from pros like fed and verdasco. I sought to improve my technique returning to the game.

I'm not interested in imitating federer for the purpose of looking like him. I have actually switched to a 2hbh since that vid, again in an effort to improve my game. In learning the 2hbh technique I look to the pros and found that I feel most comfortable when I hit it along the lines of Murray's 2hander, so have been taking cues from his backhand. So if you can see the pattern, it's simply in search of improvement and to make the game easier for myself. It feels easier when my technique improves.

Originally Posted by Relinquis

lovely looking strokes. like the control on the single handed backhand, most people have poor form unless they're hitting all out on that stroke.

thanks for posting this. Also, is that the 18x20 or 16x19 pattern stick?

That's the 16x19

[Rogael Naderer]

Originally Posted by aimr75

Yeah my forehand as a teen was along the lines of a straight arm forehand and back then I obviously had no clue what was what. That was like 20 years ago now. I stopped playing for many years and recently took it up again a few years ago and have refined my strokes since then. The stroke ended up evolving to what it is based on what it was like as a kid but also taking cues from pros like fed and verdasco. I sought to improve my technique returning to the game.

I'm not interested in imitating federer for the purpose of looking like him. I have actually switched to a 2hbh since that vid, again in an effort to improve my game. In learning the 2hbh technique I look to the pros and found that I feel most comfortable when I hit it along the lines of Murray's 2hander, so have been taking cues from his backhand. So if you can see the pattern, it's simply in search of improvement and to make the game easier for myself. It feels easier when my technique improves.



That's the 16x19

What string do you prefer in the 16 x 19?

I must add your strokes do bear a slight resemblence, but the effect they have on the ball is what counts, and the effect looks good, nice work.

[10isfreak]

Originally Posted by FrisbeeFool

What kind of experience do you have with the game of tennis??? For a period of time, the eastern grip was more popular on the forehand than the semi-western. Countless players used it to hit topspin.

I have over 6 years of playing now, although I do only play for 5 to 6 months period due to our colder climate here. As for your intervention, I am well aware of this fact... the problem is that I wanted to see something like Federer, but not from Federer: that is, someone who manages to combined the useful touch of a severe pronation around impact and a semi-open to or open stance with a rather conservative grip. I have seen footage of former pros hundreds of times, but it's from an other era: I need an adaptation of the eastern family of grips to a contemporary context.

Originally Posted by FrisbeeFool

If you play with older players who were taught to hit their forehands before the the semi-western grip was en vogue, you will see eastern and even continental forehands.

I know and I have played many older guys who used this grip. Back when I first learnt tennis, I picked it up with a classical eastern too and I am moving back toward a more conservative grip now.

Originally Posted by FrisbeeFool

Some younger players are using eastern grips as well, although they are not as common as the semiwestern. You achieve topspin with an eastern grip the same way you would, if you use a semi-western, you get your racket below the ball, and hit through the ball, making sure you have a full followthrough.

I am aware of how top spin is produced... I just wanted to see it happen, to get a feel for how different players hit with this grip.

[Venetian]

Originally Posted by 10isfreak

I have over 6 years of playing now, although I do only play for 5 to 6 months period due to our colder climate here. As for your intervention, I am well aware of this fact... the problem is that I wanted to see something like Federer, but not from Federer: that is, someone who manages to combined the useful touch of a severe pronation around impact and a semi-open to or open stance with a rather conservative grip. I have seen footage of former pros hundreds of times, but it's from an other era: I need an adaptation of the eastern family of grips to a contemporary context.



I know and I have played many older guys who used this grip. Back when I first learnt tennis, I picked it up with a classical eastern too and I am moving back toward a more conservative grip now.



I am aware of how top spin is produced... I just wanted to see it happen, to get a feel for how different players hit with this grip.

10is, did you take a look at the link I posted? I think the footage is what you're looking for.

[aimr75]

Originally Posted by Rogael Naderer

What string do you prefer in the 16 x 19?

I must add your strokes do bear a slight resemblence, but the effect they have on the ball is what counts, and the effect looks good, nice work.

I like using full tour bite 1.25 at lower tensions. Around 50 lbs

[Relinquis]

Originally Posted by TheCheese

I take it as a huge compliment if someone tells me I remind them of Fed in any way. Whether I tried to copy him or not.

i used to have the same haircut when i was younger, but i didn't copy him... true story.

[Mick3391]

Originally Posted by 10isfreak

I am puzzled as to whether or not amateurs can generate some serious amount of top spin using some variation of the eastern forehand grip and if someone had video footage to show what it looks like.

Of course, we do have a professional instance of what it can be turned into (Federer), but this pro also uses many micro-movements that we could only hope to see amateurs replicate entirely. I'd just like to see amateurs hitting with that grip.

I'm full eastern and I can kill it with topspin. Hopefully the member I play Tuesday will tell you.

I think it's just how you are trained, I have always been one handed eastern everything, and I can do it all, I mean it's no big deal probably because that's how I started from the beginning.

[BevelDevil]

Originally Posted by dman72

Look at a video of a Sampras running forehand..he use an over the head finish a la Nadal using an Eastern Forehand grip. To generate "serious" topspin with an Eastern forehand grip, you need to have an exaggerated windsheild wiper motion.

I read that Sampras actually hit with about the same rpm as Agassi, though I've heard some people criticize the original study.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/27/sp...nnis.html?_r=0

Furthermore, Pete doesn't even use a full Eastern. He uses a mild Eastern, towards the continental side.

More than that, on his running forehand, he would change his grip even more towards continental.

Originally Posted by Cheetah

i don't see any other pro with the same grip as fed who has strokes even remotely similar to federer except dimitrov and we all know he copied fed's strokes.

Interesting side note:

I heard one announcer at Brisbane say that Dimitrov grew up modeling his game after Sampras (as opposed to Federer). Perhaps this is some lie that Dimitrov made to take away from the "Baby Federer" image he's probably sick and embarrassed of.

However, it's an interesting possibility that two people may have modeled their game after Sampras and arrived at very similar looking styles, despite diverging significantly from the original model. Put another way: Perhaps the best way for a young, aspiring pro to emulate Federer is to first start off emulating Sampras.

[aimr75]

Originally Posted by BevelDevil

Interesting side note:

I heard one announcer at Brisbane say that Dimitrov grew up modeling his game after Sampras (as opposed to Federer). Perhaps this is some lie that Dimitrov made to take away from the "Baby Federer" image he's probably sick and embarrassed of.

However, it's an interesting possibility that two people may have modeled their game after Sampras and arrived at very similar looking styles, despite diverging significantly from the original model. Put another way: Perhaps the best way for a young, aspiring pro to emulate Federer is to first start off emulating Sampras.

Federer did have a bit of sampras about him as a teen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-U5rMXT2buw

[10isfreak]

Originally Posted by Venetian

10is, did you take a look at the link I posted? I think the footage is what you're looking for.

Yes, I did. It was interesting, thanks.