Is it proper to hit your FH's and BH's using the same side (face) of your racquet?

Is it proper to hit your FH's and BH's using the same side (face) of your racquet?


  • Total voters
    127

Bungalo Bill

G.O.A.T.
I understand what you're saying but why is it that all the best players in the world prefer to change grips and hit with both sides of their racquets? And, personally, I have never seen a really good player use only one side of their racquet. Isn't there some correlation?

BP,

I am not disagreeing with you that there is a grip change. Many pro players start out yooung with old school grips. Eastern and a mild Eastern backhand grip. They learn to turn the racquet back and forth between grips changes a certain way. Over time this gets engrained.

When a player moves to more extreme grips, players are still accustomed to turn the racquet a certain way for their grips change. They also get real fast at it. You can technically change your grip faster than you can say "boo".

However, all of this does not mean that the area of grip changes can't be rethought. The word "fundamental" got to me a bit because it is more traditional because of the way people learn tennis then it is a fundamental of tennis.

In fact, if you think about it, it would be be much more advantageous is a player didnt have to switch grips and could simply hit on the same side of the racquet.

The other area of "concern" was your racquet would warp. Or it would wear out improperly. I have no clue how this came about and have no idea whether there is any scientific evidence that proves this out let alone whether it is material or significant. Who knows!

The bottom-line? It is up to the player.
 
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FitzRoy

Professional
How do you think one "flips the racquet over"? By rotating the wrist (and thereby the racquet head) 180 degrees!!!!!

I believe you're talking about the forearm. Rotating the wrist to turn the racquet sounds like a problematic thing, but turning the forearm is a perfectly natural motion. I think people do it all the time on many shots in tennis.
 

Bungalo Bill

G.O.A.T.
But you still have to rotate your wrist 180 degrees with a heavy racquet in your hand to get your palm from the bottom to the top, right?

Over, and over, and over, and over, again..... How many times does a player have to do this wrist rotation over the course of a 3 set match or a 4 hour practice? Carpal tunnel syndrome, anyone? It can cause repetitive stress injuries to the wrist. No wonder so many players today have wrist injuries.

Ummmm, I don't think so.

It goes like this...

1. You hit a forehand and the arm extends for the followthrough.

2. The racquet comes back to the ready position for the reply and as you recover.

3. If the ball is then hit to the backhand side, a player will prepare appropriately.

This is a normal pattern even if you have to change the grip. Your hand is moving in a normal way.
 

Bungalo Bill

G.O.A.T.
Then how does one get from the palm up position on the grip to the palm down position on his grip, without changing grips nor releasing their grip on the handle, without rotating their wrist? :confused:

The same way you would by changing grips. The hand/wrist rotates with the forearm.

When you change your grip, your hand doesn't twist with it does it? The only difference is a player using extreme grips barely makes a grip adjustment WITHIN the hand. The hand/forearm/shoulder movement is the same.
 

BreakPoint

Bionic Poster
The same way you would by changing grips. The hand/wrist rotates with the forearm.

When you change your grip, your hand doesn't twist with it does it? The only difference is a player using extreme grips barely makes a grip adjustment WITHIN the hand. The hand/forearm/shoulder movement is the same.
Huh? I don't rotate my wrist when I change grips because it's the handle that I rotate within my hand (using my other hand to rotate the racquet). My hand/wrist doesn't rotate. But if you do not release the grip and instead keep the same grip, the handle does not (cannot) rotate within your hand, so you have to rotate your wrist instead so that you can hit your backhand with the same face of the racquet as with your forehand.

If you don't let go of the handle, it's not possible to get your hand from palm up to palm down without rotating your wrist.
 

Bungalo Bill

G.O.A.T.
Huh? I don't rotate my wrist when I change grips because it's the handle that I rotate within my hand (using my other hand to rotate the racquet). My hand/wrist doesn't rotate. But if you do not release the grip and instead keep the same grip, the handle does not (cannot) rotate within your hand, so you have to rotate your wrist instead so that you can hit your backhand with the same face of the racquet as with your forehand.

If you don't let go of the handle, it's not possible to get your hand from palm up to palm down without rotating your wrist.

Well if the "handle" moves within the hand, how do you go from palm up to palm down when changing grips within the hand - it is the same way!

By the way, the wrist doesn't rotate, it is your forearm that roates. If you rotate just the wrist, that would hurt.

Maybe you are demonstrating something else to yourself that you do with your hand and wrist that is more personal in nature. ;)
 

lolsmash

Rookie
Hey BP, let me ask you something.

What is the advantage of hitting the ball on one side for the forehands and the other side for backhands? What if you accidentally twirl your racket and hit the ball on the same side? Will it kill you?

What disadvantages are there to hitting the ball on the same side of the racket?

The 180 degree "wrist turn" does NOT hurt your wrist in any way. Hit a forehand with a windshield wiper finish(proper because the pros do it right?). What position is your wrist in? The same one that your racket would be in if you were preparing for a one hander assuming you are using a western or semi-western grip.

There are no advantages or disadvantages to using one side of the racket. Quite arguing, there is no point.
 

OrangeOne

Legend
Right, for now I'm sitting back with popcorn, and wondering if BB will be able to enlighten BP in a way that none of the rest of us could do.

Edit: Popcorn be damned. Anyone want a beer? This just got good ;)

Maybe you are demonstrating something else to yourself that you do with your hand and wrist that is more personal in nature. ;)
 

Bungalo Bill

G.O.A.T.
Right, for now I'm sitting back with popcorn, and wondering if BB will be able to enlighten BP in a way that none of the rest of us could do.

Edit: Popcorn be damned. Anyone want a beer? This just got good ;)

I don't know. I am trying to keep the topic on tennis. But it seems BP might be using his hand for his own unique purposes. :)
 

OrangeOne

Legend
I don't know. I am trying to keep the topic on tennis. But it seems BP might be using his hand for his own unique purposes. :)

I've been trying to keep the topic on tennis for dozens of posts now, and that levity was just priceless :)

I do hope BP finally understands what many have been saying for some time now with your explanation - many of us play this way, and I certainly wouldn't coach someone out of this habit if they were a student of mine doing it.
 

Bungalo Bill

G.O.A.T.
I've been trying to keep the topic on tennis for dozens of posts now, and that levity was just priceless :)

I do hope BP finally understands what many have been saying for some time now with your explanation - many of us play this way, and I certainly wouldn't coach someone out of this habit if they were a student of mine doing it.

I think it is a great way to play tennis. However, it is difficult to relearn how to do this when you have been trained up the other way using and starting out with traditional grips.

For some reason this logical way of doing things is awkward to learn when trying to breakout of the "traditional" way of changing grips.

Remember, the other thing is this "racquet deteriates quicker" mentality. I have not seen any science to this and it is only hearsay. I would like to hear from knowledgeable racquet people on this.

The "no grip change" crowd mainly exists in the camps of the extreme grip players.

Anyway, BP has his own uses for his hand, let's let him have some fun.
 

habib

Professional
habib,
I just watched that video of you hitting against the wall posted in the other thread and YOU DO in fact switch grips between your forehand and your backhand and use both sides of your racquet.

So I'm not sure what you're arguing about. You have the correct fundamentals. So since you do it yourself, I assume you must also think it's the "best" way to do it.

No, I do it myself because I generally use a SW forehand and an E backhand, which aren't the same grip (like a W fh and E bh would be). On those occasions when I hit a W forehand, most of the time I switch grips only because I'm holding my racquet in a continental between shots, just in case. On those occasions when I'm using a W forehand and have no time between shots (volleyer at net or one of a hundred other scenarios) I don't switch my grip, but go right into an E backhand.

It's irrelevant whether I use this technique or not, really. I'm arguing with you because I think you make no sense and have no legitimate reasons to back up your claims, and because I see nothing inherently wrong for those people who do this consistently.
 

tricky

Hall of Fame
This thread is amazing considering how little real impact this can possibly have in your normal game. That said, great to see BB back (and in a big, big way.) Carry on folks! :D
 

FitzRoy

Professional
The wrist turns first which then turns the forearm. Pick up a racquet and try it. First, palm up in a western forehand grip and then turn to palm down to an eastern backhand grip, all without releasing or changing grips. You HAVE to rotate your wrist 180 degrees to do so.

Honestly, I can go from a takeback position with a western forehand to a takeback position with an eastern backhand without even moving my shoulder or anything below it (granted that it's a higher than normal takeback for both shots). All I have to do is turn my torso and take a few steps. As a matter of fact, trying it now, I can do it even without turning my torso.
 

BreakPoint

Bionic Poster
Well if the "handle" moves within the hand, how do you go from palm up to palm down when changing grips within the hand - it is the same way!

By the way, the wrist doesn't rotate, it is your forearm that roates. If you rotate just the wrist, that would hurt.
I use an eastern forehand grip so I'm never palm up. (I also use eastern backhand grip.)

Rotating your wrist is the same as rotating your forearm and vise versa. It's the same thing. You cannot rotate one without the other. (Of course, we're talking about rotating your wrist and forearm around the long axis that goes up and down your forearm.)

It is much more stressful to your wrist to rotate your wrist while gripping the racquet handle than it is to release your grip and then rotate the racquet handle instead within your hand.
 

habib

Professional
I use an eastern forehand grip so I'm never palm up. (I also use eastern backhand grip.)

Rotating your wrist is the same as rotating your forearm and vise versa. It's the same thing. You cannot rotate one without the other. (Of course, we're talking about rotating your wrist and forearm around the long axis that goes up and down your forearm.)

It is much more stressful to your wrist to rotate your wrist while gripping the racquet handle than it is to release your grip and then rotate the racquet handle instead within your hand.

Look, aside from the fact that your point about rotating the wrist is asinine, it's really simple: If you hit a W forehand, your followthrough will flip your racquet over by the time it reaches your opposite shoulder. Voila - E backhand set up ready to go, no extraneous wrist rotation involved.
 

lolsmash

Rookie
there Is No Stress While Rotating Your Wrist!!!!!!

Go from your ready position. Now change your grip to your eastern backhand grip and take it back on your back hand. Now return to your ready position without changing your grip. Now take the racket back for a forehand.

THERE IS NO STRESS AT ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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SideSpinPDR

New User
Is it proper to hit both your forehands and backhands using the same side (face) of your racquet?

Meaning that instead of using both sides of the stringbed, one side for forehands and the other side for backhands, you instead rotate your wrist, thereby the racquet, 180 degrees so that the top edge of your racquet that is perpendicular to the ground in now the bottom edge, and use the same side of the racquet for both your forehands and backhands without ever changing your grip.

Is that the proper way to play tennis or is it the wrong way? Does anyone even teach people to play this way? How come no good players (6.0+) play this way?

If it works and feels good to you then it's the proper way for you to do it. :grin:
 

FiveO

Hall of Fame
Alberto Berasategui
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Alberto Berasategui (born June 28 1973, in Bilbao, Spain) is a former professional tennis player from Spain. He is best remembered for reaching the men's singles final at the French Open in 1994.

Berasategui began playing tennis at age 7 and was the European junior champion in 1991. He turned professional later that year, and won his first top-level singles title in 1993 in São Paulo. He established a reputation on the tour in the early 1990s as a very strong clay court player.

1994 was without doubt the pinnacle of Berasategui's career. He reached nine finals, winning seven of them. And he qualified for his first (and only) Grand Slam final at the French Open, where he faced fellow-Spaniard and defending-champion Sergi Bruguera. Bruguera won the final in four sets in 6-3, 7-5, 2-6, 6-1. Berasategui reached his career-high singles ranking of World No. 7 in November 1994.

During his career, Berasategui won a total of 14 top-level singles titles and 1 tour doubles titles. His career prize-money earnings totalled US$4,676,187. His last singles title was won in Estoril in 1998. He was also well known for his extreme forehand grip where his unusual hold on the racket would allow him to hit both forehands and backhands with the same side of the racket. This helped him on the clay services only but on other surfaces he did not have much of an impact save for a quarter final appearance at the Australian Open. He retired from the professional tour in 2001.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberto_Berasategui

Berasategui's style of hitting is still unusual but not totally unique as one of the greats of the past, America's "Little Bill" Johnston, a Davis Cup teammate and rival of "Big Bill" Tilden also hit in the same manner, using the same side of the racket face to hit both forehands and backhands. He also possessed one of the best and most famous forehands ever and he is also considered one of the best volleyers ever. Johnston won singles titles at Wimbledon as well as a US Singles Championship on grass and two US Clay Court championships employing this style. - from Bud Collins, Total Tennis.

Is it an extreme? Absolutely.

Is it the norm? Obviously not.

Is it improper or wrong? Read the above, then realize the Borg's then "extreme" fh grip (actually a sw by today's standards) and two handed bh, were once considered too limiting for him to be a serious contender on the grass of Wimbledon. Obviously that was before he won those five Wimbledon singles titles in a row.

Did or would I teach it that way? No I wouldn't. While incredibly rare at the highest levels of the sport it has been done with what most would consider much better than average results.
 
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habib

Professional
Yet you can't seem to be able to explain how one goes from palm up to palm down while gripping the handle WITHOUT rotating the wrist (thereby the forearm) 180 degrees (along the long axis that runs up and down your forearm). Physiologically impossible! Can you turn a door knob without rotating your wrist, too? If so, you must be some sort of freak of nature. :-o

The point is that in the only situation where you would not change your grip at all and go straight from FH to BH with a W fh to an E BH, the alignment of your wrist and racquet changes automatically as a consequence of your FH followthrough, eliminating any need to extraneous wrist rotation.
 

BreakPoint

Bionic Poster
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberto_Berasategui

Berasategui's style of hitting is still unusual but not totally unique as one of the greats of the past, America's "Little Bill" Johnston, a Davis Cup teammate and rival of "Big Bill" Tilden also hit in the same manner, using the same side of the racket face to hit both forehands and backhands. He also possessed one of the best and most famous forehands ever and he is also considered one of the best volleyers ever. Johnston one singles titles at Wimbledon as well as a US Singles Championship on grass and two US Clay Court championships employing this style. - from Bud Collins, Total Tennis.

Is it an extreme? Absolutely.

Is it the norm? Obviously not.

Is it improper or wrong? Read the above, then realize the Borg's then "extreme" fh grip (actually a sw by today's standards) and two handed bh, were once considered too limiting for him to be a serious contender on the grass of Wimbledon. Obviously that was before he won those five Wimbledon singles titles in a row.

Did or would I teach it that way? No I wouldn't. While incredibly rare at the highest levels of the sport it has been done with what most would describe as much better than average results.
Yes, I know about Berasategui as I've seen him play. (McEnroe and Ted Robinson also love to bring up his name every GS tournament on the air as to make fun of him.) ;)

But except for Berasategui, I don't think any other pro in the Top 100 in at least the last 50 years have done this, have they? So just because one pro could do it doesn't mean that most people should be doing it, right? I mean Nadal is a natural right-hander that plays left-handed. Does that mean every right-hander should start playing left-handed? Of course not! Most people don't have the talent of a Nadal (or of a Berasategui) to make it work for them. There are better ways in both cases to do things.
 

habib

Professional
Yes, I know about Berasategui as I've seen him play. (McEnroe and Ted Robinson also love to bring up his name every GS tournament on the air as to make fun of him.) ;)

But except for Berasategui, I don't think any other pro in the Top 100 in at least the last 50 years have done this, have they? So just because one pro could do it doesn't mean that most people should be doing it, right? I mean Nadal is a natural right-hander that plays left-handed. Does that mean every right-hander should start playing left-handed? Of course not! Most people don't have the talent of a Nadal (or of a Berasategui) to make it work for them. There are better ways in both cases to do things.

Being a lefty and trying to play righty is inefficient. Using the same grip and side of the racquet to hit FHs and BHs can actually be QUITE efficient, without costing you anything.
 

lolsmash

Rookie
I'm pretty sure your wrist isn't in a wrist up position at the ready position, so when you put it in your forehand prep and backhand prep, you don't do a whole 180 degree turn. Hold your racket in a western grip and perpendicular to the ground. This is your ready position. Now take a forehand prep. Now go back to your ready position. Now take your backhand prep. It's more of a 60 degree turn for the backhand and almost no turn for the forehand.
 

FiveO

Hall of Fame
Yes, I know about Berasategui as I've seen him play. (McEnroe and Ted Robinson also love to bring up his name every GS tournament on the air as to make fun of him.) ;)

But except for Berasategui, I don't think any other pro in the Top 100 in at least the last 50 years have done this, have they? So just because one pro could do it doesn't mean that most people should be doing it, right? I mean Nadal is a natural right-hander that plays left-handed. Does that mean every right-hander should start playing left-handed? Of course not! Most people don't have the talent of a Nadal (or of a Berasategui) to make it work for them. There are better ways in both cases to do things.

BP,

By the same token not many would teach anyone Boris Becker's service grip, Johnny Mc's backhand grip of Stefan Edberg's forehand grip from scratch. Admittedly both Johnston and Berasategui were extremely rare and not many could pull it off with the aforementioned level of success. Yet they and others with even more unique grips/styles were successful and much more successful than the majority of their peers playing much more "conventionally".

It's naive to think that all the way down the NTRP or other rating systems other players, however rare they too may be, who could pull it off and have success at those respective levels. No, you wouldn't see a majority doing it, nor would I encourage the adoption of en masse, but through the ages there have been tremendously unconventional success stories. Francoise Durr and Berndt Karbacher had some of the strangest looking games I have ever seen but also experienced success at the highest levels. They are the exceptions. Rare but not impossible.

You want to make a taboo out of the unconventional and rare, to make some point. Right or wrong? Too absolute. Merely rare, even more rare than playing two-handed off both sides. But, it was obviously right for these players. Your point seems overstated. It isn't theoretical. Its actually been done and more than once up to the highest level with marked success.
 
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tricky

Hall of Fame
Rotating your handle (within your hand) allows you to hit with opposite sides of your racquet. Whereas, rotating your wrist allows you to hit with the same side of your racquet.

So the issue basically is, whether you set up the racquet with your dominant/racquet hand (rotate wrist) or non-dominant hand (turn handle?)
 

BreakPoint

Bionic Poster
BP,

By the same token not many would teach anyone Boris Becker's service grip, Johnny Mc's backhand grip of Stefan Edberg's forehand grip from scratch. Admittedly both Johnston and Berasategui were extremely rare and not many could pull it off with the aforementioned level of success. Yet they and others were successful and much more successful than the majority of their peers playing much more "conventionally".

It's naive to think that all the way down the NTRP or other rating systems other players, however rare they too may be, who could pull it off and have success at those respective levels. No, you wouldn't see a majority doing it, nor would I encourage the adoption of en masse, but through the ages there have been tremendously unconventional success stories. Francoise Durr and Berndt Karbacher had some of the strangest looking games I have ever seen but also experienced success at the highest levels. They are the exceptions. Rare but not impossible.

You want to make a taboo out of the unconventional and rare, to make some point. Right or wrong? Too absolute. Merely rare, even more rare than playing two-handed off both sides. But, it was obviously right for these players. Your point seems overstated. It isn't theoretical. Its actually been done and more than once up to the highest level with marked success.
But I guess the question is, if you wanted to emulate a pro to improve your game, would you rather emulate a very successful pro like Federer (or numerous other top pros) or a much, much, much less successful pro (in relation to Federer) like Berasategui?

If 99.99% of successful tennis players do it one way and only 0.01% of successful players do it a different way, don't you think your odds of also being successful are better if you emulate the 99.99% rather than the 0.01%?
 

lolsmash

Rookie
You're assuming though that you are turning your grip from the forehand to the backhand or vice versa instead of turning your grip from the ready position. If you were holding a semiwestern grip on your forehand, you wouldn't take your forehand take back, switch grips, and then assume your backhand takeback. That would be ********.

Then technically, if you were hold a continental grip with the intention of slicing your backhand, the wrist turn from ready position to your takeback is so monumental that you could possibly hurt your wrist.

I wait in my ready position in my semi-western grip in a relaxed manner. That means all I have to do is take the racket back instead of changing grips and then taking the racket back. There is so little wrist movement, that I highly doubt that there will be a lead to wrist injury at all.
 

FiveO

Hall of Fame
But I guess the question is, if you wanted to emulate a pro to improve your game, would you rather emulate a very successful pro like Federer (or numerous other top pros) or a much, much, much less successful pro (in relation to Federer) like Berasategui?

If 99.99% of successful tennis players do it one way and only 0.01% of successful players do it a different way, don't you think your odds of also being successful are better if you emulate the 99.99% rather than the 0.01%?

BP,

Again, this lacks perspective. Connors, Borg and Evert were extreme rarities (while not without equally rare precedent) when they rose to the top of the rankings with two-handers. Borg even more rare combining his two-hander with his "extreme" fh grip. Realize he was almost one of a kind with that fh grip at that time. His unconventional grip is the standard today.

How unique were Monica Seles groundies? Unique yet considered the best. Actually, Aussie Jack Crawford from the 30's or 40's and Frew McMillan of the 60's and 70's both rose to the top levels of the sport playing with two hands off both sides.

Pancho Segura with his two-handed fh. Considered one of the single best shots of his era by his peers and historians.

You're ignoring just how unique and over decades, the best players in the world have been.

Unique is unique. Unique is not necessarily wrong. And right is not right forever either, i.e. the "Aussie grip". Continental on everything was once considered "the right way" to play and it was taught that way. How right is it now? How many players used eastern grips in Sampras's day? How many play eastern today. Not many at all yet Sampras used it, a style advocated from the teens and twenties of the last century.

Federer himself possesses one if not the most unique fh ever. Ask John Yandell. Right now it is unconventional but like two-handers and sw grips brought to the fore over three decades ago it may become the norm some day.

If the history of tennis has demonstrated anything "unique-ness" is the way to the very top and in the right hands, with the right talent, some truly unique styles, albiet almost all re-kindled from the past with a little personal wrinkle thrown in, are the ones who have risen to the very top.

The choice of who to emulate was not your original premise though I alluded to where I stand on that earlier. Right or wrong is still the wrong question.
 

FitzRoy

Professional
Ok, I have a question for BP. I previously mentioned that I could move from a high Western forehand take-back to a high Eastern backhand take-back without moving anything above my waist. The position in the backhand that I'm talking about is like in this video of Kuerten:

http://www.hi-techtennis.com/video_sample/index.php?movie=guga_onehander.swf

From roughly the first frame until the 13th frame or so. If I can get the racquet into that position from the forehand position simply by taking several steps to change my alignment, then how is that way going to be harder on the wrist than Guga's way (turning the racquet to use the other side)?

It just seems to me like one could mimic Guga's exact backhand positioning whether they were using the same racquet face for FH and BH, or the opposite face, without any really different motion. And yes, I know that Guga doesn't use a true Eastern BH, but it's the same principal.
 

BreakPoint

Bionic Poster
BP,

Again, this lacks perspective. Connors, Borg and Evert were extreme rarities (while not without equally rare precedent) when they rose to the top of the rankings with two-handers. Borg even more rare combining his two-hander with his "extreme" fh grip. Realize he was almost one of a kind with that fh grip at that time. His unconventional grip is the standard today.

How unique were Monica Seles groundies? Unique yet considered the best. Actually, Aussie Jack Crawford from the 30's or 40's and Frew McMillan of the 60's and 70's both rose to the top levels of the sport playing with two hands off both sides.

Pancho Segura with his two-handed fh. Considered one of the single best shots of his era by his peers and historians.

You're ignoring just how unique and over decades, the best players in the world have been.

Unique is unique. Unique is not necessarily wrong. And right is not right forever either, i.e. the "Aussie grip". Continental on everything was once considered "the right way" to play and it was taught that way. How right is it now? How many players used eastern grips in Sampras's day? How many play eastern today. Not many at all yet Sampras used it, a style advocated from the teens and twenties of the last century.

Federer himself possesses one if not the most unique fh ever. Ask John Yandell. Right now it is unconventional but like two-handers and sw grips brought to the fore over three decades ago it may become the norm some day.

If the history of tennis has demonstrated anything "unique-ness" is the way to the very top and in the right hands, with the right talent, some truly unique styles, albiet almost all re-kindled from the past with a little personal wrinkle thrown in, are the ones who have risen to the very top.

The choice of who to emulate was not your original premise though I alluded to where I stand on that earlier. Right or wrong is still the wrong question.
Five-O,
I think you're supporting my point with this post.

How many people hit like Seles with two-hands off of both sides (besides Bartoli)? Not many. So wouldn't it be wise to emulate the other 99.99% that do not hit with 2 hands off of both sides than emulate the 0.01% that do? Same with Segura. If you were just starting to learn the game, wouldn't your odds of success be greater if you emulated the 99.99% than the unique 0.01%?

Actually, I think a lot of players used Eastern grips during the Sampras era. Some even more extreme grips like Courier and Muster. I thought Sampras used a classic Eastern FH and Eastern BH grips with a classic all-court game. I think Federer still plays a similar style today with great success. Federer's FH seems to be in between an Eastern and Semi-Western to me and his BH is Eastern.
 

BreakPoint

Bionic Poster
Ok, I have a question for BP. I previously mentioned that I could move from a high Western forehand take-back to a high Eastern backhand take-back without moving anything above my waist. The position in the backhand that I'm talking about is like in this video of Kuerten:

http://www.hi-techtennis.com/video_sample/index.php?movie=guga_onehander.swf

From roughly the first frame until the 13th frame or so. If I can get the racquet into that position from the forehand position simply by taking several steps to change my alignment, then how is that way going to be harder on the wrist than Guga's way (turning the racquet to use the other side)?

It just seems to me like one could mimic Guga's exact backhand positioning whether they were using the same racquet face for FH and BH, or the opposite face, without any really different motion. And yes, I know that Guga doesn't use a true Eastern BH, but it's the same principal.
I'm not exactly sure I understand what you're saying. How can you go from a FH takeback to a BH takeback without moving anything above your waist, meaning your arm? :confused:
 

FiveO

Hall of Fame
Is it proper to hit both your forehands and backhands using the same side (face) of your racquet?

Meaning that instead of using both sides of the stringbed, one side for forehands and the other side for backhands, you instead rotate your wrist, thereby the racquet, 180 degrees so that the top edge of your racquet that is perpendicular to the ground in now the bottom edge, and use the same side of the racquet for both your forehands and backhands without ever changing your grip.

Is that the proper way to play tennis or is it the wrong way? Does anyone even teach people to play this way? How come no good players (6.0+) play this way?

Just to remind you of your OP and the path you originally embarked down. Forget the inaccuracy of fact offered in support of your premise, if you read my posts as supporting this we're speaking two different languages. Have fun.
 
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FitzRoy

Professional
I'm not exactly sure I understand what you're saying. How can you go from a FH takeback to a BH takeback without moving anything above your waist, meaning your arm? :confused:

I'm not sure how most people hold their Western forehand in the take-back because I hit an Eastern forehand. However, what I'm doing to try and illustrate this topic to myself is taking a racquet, holding it with a Western grip, to the right side of my body, with my elbow bent, the tip of the racquet pointing mostly up toward the ceiling, and the strings facing the north side of the room/northwest corner. I'm standing in a roughly neutral stance. It's not my forehand take-back, but it seems like it could work. From that standing position, I take several steps to my left, until I'm essentially facing the opposite direction. The racquet's strings are now facing toward the northeast corner instead of the northwest corner, and I'm in a position very close to the one that I mentioned from the Kuerten video. From here I could basically hit a one-handed backhand, using the same side of the racquet that I would have used to hit the Western FH from where I was standing before.
 

TENNIS_99

Semi-Pro
I am not sure this has been mentioned before. In Asia, maybe sometime ago, the "soft tennis" prevailed for a while. It's quite normal to see players hit the same face for forehand and backhand. Then there were players switches to :) "real tennis" and hit some nasty backhand drop topspins. I don't think this style can do any good in today's power games though.
 

StunLock

Semi-Pro
The way Michael Johnson runs is considered 'improper', if not 'wrong', and looks really ugly. No other world-class sprinter runs that way and no coach will ever teach you to run like that. Yet he dominated 400M and 200M in the fashion no one has ever done.

Just because no other top players do certain way it doesnt mean you should not either if you want to be the world's best. Otherwise Micheal Johnson would have been forced to change the way he runs and he would have never been the Michael Johnson today. Unorthodox does not mean ineffective.
 

OrangeOne

Legend
Just because no other top players do certain way it doesnt mean you should not either if you want to be the world's best. Otherwise Micheal Johnson would have been forced to change the way he runs and he would have never been the Michael Johnson today. Unorthodox does not mean ineffective.

I tried to make this very point in relation to the 'Sampras Jumping Smash (Overhead)'. It was new, innovative, different, etc, and it has been since copied and coached. But did BreakPoint listen? Don't be silly.
 

es-0

Rookie
Is the fact that you can't hit both a forehand and a backhand without taking your grip off the racquet being debated? -- If you say this can't be done then I must ask if you have even tried?

Is it the fact that "turning the wrist" causes injuries that keeps this topic alive in question? -- The forearm rotates which brings the hand with it, try rotating your wrist while keeping your forearm from moving. Quite hard if not impossible. Basically if your forearm can't handle the incredible stress from that action while holding a racquet that is less then a pound then you shouldn't play tennis anyway.

This thread is so sad...
 

Bottle Rocket

Hall of Fame
Ok... Let's summarize what's going on here.

The poll, which is the whole point of this thread, continues to show that more people find it proper than improper. If the poll had say it is "ok to do" rather than "proper", I am sure the differential would be much greater. It being "ok to do" is the incredibly obvious agreement of the majority of contributors to this thread.

Many posters, many of which are surely better players than you, disagree with 100% of your views on the subject. You continue your odd agenda of trying to convince everyone else you're right.

Bungalow Bill has taken the time to write some very well thought out posts describing the situation and explaining things to you in a very civilized and logical manner. He has presented all kinds of great reasons for the changes in style as well as all the pertinent arguments for and against. BB obviously has the knowledge and experience to comment on what is "proper" and "improper", yet you seem to think your opinons of what is fundamental and right somehow holds more water. However you've convinced yourself of that, I would love to know.

Your theory of wrist injury has been thoroughly proven wrong, if you ask me. You have absolutely no evidence it puts more stress on your wrist (or forearm, or anything else that moves), just as we have no evidence that it doesn't. That leaves only speculation and you've built a reputation on the boards from your creative speculation. But, if you're willing to use common sense, just a little bit, the situation described by FitzRoy is fairly convincing. It takes no professional coaching to test. After a forehand follow-through, if you need to, you're in a fantastic position to transition to a backhand take-back. If you look at this from a nuetral position with the semi-western forehand grip, going to either your forehand or backhand is the exact same thing. No 180 degree turn. No danger, just a much quicker and easier way of using your preferred grip.

My opinion is that anybody else who tries to convince you of anything, or simply discuss something with you who has a differing view, is simply wasting their time. They are wasting their time because you're so caught up in your own ways, your own ego, and your own opinions.

It is so obvious now that none of your posts really have anything to do with tennis. It is clear you really don't care which method is superior, only convincing others that YOUR method is correct. Your close-minded views and opinions aren't helping anybody and they aren't going to help yourself. I previously thought you were actually interested in your own improvement and growth in the game of tennis, but now I know better.
 
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BreakPoint

Bionic Poster
I'm not sure how most people hold their Western forehand in the take-back because I hit an Eastern forehand. However, what I'm doing to try and illustrate this topic to myself is taking a racquet, holding it with a Western grip, to the right side of my body, with my elbow bent, the tip of the racquet pointing mostly up toward the ceiling, and the strings facing the north side of the room/northwest corner. I'm standing in a roughly neutral stance. It's not my forehand take-back, but it seems like it could work. From that standing position, I take several steps to my left, until I'm essentially facing the opposite direction. The racquet's strings are now facing toward the northeast corner instead of the northwest corner, and I'm in a position very close to the one that I mentioned from the Kuerten video. From here I could basically hit a one-handed backhand, using the same side of the racquet that I would have used to hit the Western FH from where I was standing before.
I'm not sure if you realize this, but when you turned to your left to go from your forehand stance to your backhand stance, you also rotated your wrist 180 degrees. That's the only way that you can go from palm up on the forehand to palm down on the backhand, meaning your hand going from being on the bottom of the handle to the top of the handle.
 

es-0

Rookie
@BreakPoint

How many people are actually arguing that there is no arm rotation involved. I say arm rotation to include every part of the arm, not just the wrist... because it can't rotate by itself, it's actually a hinge.
 

A.T.S.

Semi-Pro
Does it really matter? Are you having some trouble? Is one side of your racket covered with an invisible forcefield?(LOL) If you have having this problem I suggest you stay home for a few days, stay out of the heat and you'll be fine in no time.


For anymore questions regarding this or anything to do with why your strings are breaking when you stick them over top a flame or if you are having problems with your serve while your back is turned to the court please call 1-889-zzz-SNOR or 1-889-999-7667
 

BreakPoint

Bionic Poster
The way Michael Johnson runs is considered 'improper', if not 'wrong', and looks really ugly. No other world-class sprinter runs that way and no coach will ever teach you to run like that. Yet he dominated 400M and 200M in the fashion no one has ever done.

Just because no other top players do certain way it doesnt mean you should not either if you want to be the world's best. Otherwise Micheal Johnson would have been forced to change the way he runs and he would have never been the Michael Johnson today. Unorthodox does not mean ineffective.
So does that mean that given a choice and the total freedom to do either, as a developing tennis player, you would rather take your chances emulating Berasategui than take your chances emulating Sampras and Federer?

OK, whatever. I guess you also think you're going to win the lottery, too. ;)
 

StunLock

Semi-Pro
So does that mean that given a choice and the total freedom to do either, as a developing tennis player, you would rather take your chances emulating Berasategui than take your chances emulating Sampras and Federer?

No, nowhere in my post did I suggest that. My point is one should not be forced to emulate others unnatural to them - Sampras' strokes are unnatural to Berasategui and vice versa. Orthodox running is unnatural to Michael Johnson. Instead, they should develop their own game.

OK, whatever. I guess you also think you're going to win the lottery, too. ;)

Probably a lot of people wouldnt believe, but Michael Johnson did win his lottery, big time : D
 
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Bottle Rocket

Hall of Fame
BTW, go ahead and tell ALL the top pros that what they're doing is wrong and not the most efficient, and that they should all switch to using only one side of their racquets. Go ahead. They'll laugh you out of the room.

That's what you don't get. I don't think your way is wrong and I don't think my way is wrong. It just so happens I feel that the way I do things is easier and as you would say, most efficient. The way you switch grips is perfectly fine, since it works well for you. You switch grips like Federer. Congratulations. I really am happy for you.

I think anybody can do whatever they find the most success with and anything they find to be the most comfortable. No coach will disagree with that. A pro player might laugh at me? I don't give a damn. I don't care if they laugh at me and I sure as hell don't care if you do. Your dissaproval is only affirmation for me at this point.

I think I've made my point in my other posts in this thread and I think you get the jist of what I'm saying, so let it be. Everything that needs to be said by both sides has been said. In fact, you've probably said the same thing 15 times over. We understand your views. Let everyone make their own decision.
 

BreakPoint

Bionic Poster
No, nowhere in my post did I suggest that. My point is one should not be forced to emulate others unnatural to them - Sampras' strokes are unnatural to Berasategui and vice versa. Orthodox running is unnatural to Michael Johnson. Instead, they should develop their own game.
I think if you were teaching a new student from scratch, they'd be willing to do anything you instruct them to do, including changing grips and using both sides of their racquet.

I'd be willing to bet that Berasategui never took lessons as a kid and no one taught him the "proper" way to play so he developed his bastrdized way of playing on his own. It's amazing that he got to a French Open final despite the significant limitations of his style. Can you imagine what he could have achieved if he was taught the "proper" way as a child? Perhaps he would have won that French Open final? Perhaps several French Open finals? Both Guga and Nadal do it the "proper" way and how many French Opens have they each won? Three (and counting for Nadal)! And maybe Berasategui would have had an even better career than he did, maybe other GS finals? Have you ever seen him play? It's literally painful for me to watch. It just makes me cringe and think how much better he could be if he didn't do what he did and put his body through all of that.
 
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iamke55

Professional
ROFL

It's amazing what brainwashing a forum with your usage of inferior racquets and strokes and claiming its more professional and then getting more posts than anyone else can do to poll results. And then covering up your own lack of tennis ability by dodging and getting poll support from your fellow players with non-existent backhands and a "professional" racquet and play style that somehow loses to 3.0 pushers who are supposedly "worse players".
 
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