Changing from Hawaiian to Semi-Western

Bilbo

Bilbo

Semi-Pro
Well..... i cant say i didn't try. After a summer of trying to work with a hawaiian forehand grip, I've finally come to the conclusion of the following: I've wasted my time. This thing can't be mastered hence why there's only been one pro to achieve any real success with it. So, my question is, how difficult do you suppose the transition from Hawaiian to Semi-Western will be, and can/should i make the change during my high-school season (im currently playing number two as a junior), or should i wait till after the season.

Note: in practice when i try to play around with the semi-western, the ball generally flies about 70 feet out when i hit it.. ne indication of what this might be (considering the fact that it doesn't when i use the hawaiian).

Thanks for the assistance in advance guys, it's MUCH needed.
 
Your really just going to have to practice alot, that is all that is too it. I think the semi is much better than the hawaiian. It is not like your a clay courter. Or you could go to Western than semi if your still not feeling western. That would probably be an easy transition. I wouldn't think it would take you but a few practices to adjust
 
Tina said:
Seriously, I have never heard of a hawaiian forehand grip. Does this really exist?
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Yes it does. Not recommended by 4 out of 5 dentists though.

alberto-berasategui-.jpg
 
Berasetegui also used the same side of the stick for both fh/bh shots, not changing or flipping sides. He did well in the mid 90s, on clay only. Impressive ground strokes.
 
kiteboard said:
Berasetegui also used the same side of the stick for both fh/bh shots, not changing or flipping sides. He did well in the mid 90s, on clay only. Impressive ground strokes.
Click to expand...
I don't understand this. I have a SW forehand and a 1HBH. My backhand grip is a slightly more extreme eastern backhand grip meaning that it's just about the same as a forehand SW grip. I do have to adjust my hand a little bit, but I never switch sides of the racquet knowingly. Think about it: if you use a 1HBH, why would you end up hitting with a different face of the racquet?

And to the OP, wait up the season is over. I switched from a western to SW a few years ago and haven't looked back, but it caused massive blisters from where the bevels on the racquet didn't use to make contact. My shots flew long for quite some time because the face is a lot flatter than you're used to.
 
Almost all people use both sides of the stick to hit fh/bh, and they swivel over, change grips to do so. My bh grip is the same as my fh grip, so I don't change them at all, and use the same side of the stick, to hit groundies. I use the cont. to volley, so I don't change that grip either. A frying pan grip off both sides, with the stick facing down at the ground. If you do the same, you are in a very small minority.
 
kiteboard said:
Almost all people use both sides of the stick to hit fh/bh, and they swivel over, change grips to do so. My bh grip is the same as my fh grip, so I don't change them at all, and use the same side of the stick, to hit groundies. I use the cont. to volley, so I don't change that grip either. A frying pan grip off both sides, with the stick facing down at the ground. If you do the same, you are in a very small minority.
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If I'm rallying down the middle, I don't change which side I hit with. I do, however, spin the racquet in my hands before split stepping just as a habit, so maybe by chance I use both sides.
 
Bilbo, its your shoulders. Look at the picture. You're gonna have to keep your shoulders/spine closer to level/upright. This will close the racquet face and lower the trajectory.
 
Bilbo said:
Well..... i cant say i didn't try. After a summer of trying to work with a hawaiian forehand grip, I've finally come to the conclusion of the following: I've wasted my time. This thing can't be mastered hence why there's only been one pro to achieve any real success with it. So, my question is, how difficult do you suppose the transition from Hawaiian to Semi-Western will be, and can/should i make the change during my high-school season (im currently playing number two as a junior), or should i wait till after the season.

Note: in practice when i try to play around with the semi-western, the ball generally flies about 70 feet out when i hit it.. ne indication of what this might be (considering the fact that it doesn't when i use the hawaiian).

Thanks for the assistance in advance guys, it's MUCH needed.
Click to expand...
YOur other fundamentals are maybe not right. Unit turn with both hands on stick and point non dom hand at side fence. Invert fh/ high and drop down to low as it takes back. Load up on rear plant foot. Snap wrist at forward contact pt. and open up shoulders to net. Follow through to the target and finish with stick and shoulders rotated. Keep hand/wrist closed off so ball doesn't go long. If hand is too open and hitting structure is not locked, ball will go long or have nothing on it.
 
pvaudio said:
If I'm rallying down the middle, I don't change which side I hit with. I do, however, spin the racquet in my hands before split stepping just as a habit, so maybe by chance I use both sides.
Click to expand...

Lots of pros do that, to relax the hand/arm. Some like Gasquet, even do it while approaching off a short ball, they spin the stick even when they have no time at net. The tendecy to L3 grips, I think, has something to do with making the stick easier to spin and faster grip changes. Look at virtually all of them on returns, spinning the stick, and stopping right before the serve is hit. It' our brother from another mother, Berasetegui, the italian clay court expert hawaiian gripper, except, he had a 2hbh. I have a hammer of a 1hbh, with a frying pan grip. First three I hit went into the net or the ground. Allows you to lock out the wrist and hitting structure for a consistent attacking platform.
 
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Thanks a lot for the advice guys. Just played a match today and lost to a frickin pusher, my game decided to slump at the worst possible time (going into our season), and i double faulted like 30 times today... but thats a different story for a different time. This weekend Ill start working on my semi-western forehand, so i can finally start putting away some of the short balls these guys are hitting on me...
 
Bad mindset...
At levels below 5.0, better to think of hitting a FORCING shot with good placement and decent pace than to think "putaway".
Putaway places too much mental pressure for you to WIN the point with one shot. So after you try a couple, you tend to force hitting too hard and beyond your capabilities.
Rather, hit deep forcing shots, plan on them coming back with either a lob or attempted pass, and cover your bases looking forward to another shot or two.
Just like your serve! You try a big first, you don't own a real second, so the pressure is on YOU to make a tough second serve. Of course, for fun, you always do. Of course, under pressure, you double fault ..:shock::shock:
Similar similie..
 
I hit with a Hawaiian FH grip for fun and feel I have mastered it quite well.

It should be a cinch to switch to a WFH grip.
It is going from W to Hawaiian that would be difficult.

You just use less of the required forearm rotation and wrist flexion that are necessary to get the ball up over the net.
Just eliminating the wrist flexion alone should be all that is necessary.

If they are flying long still, hit a little later back toward your body.

Questions ??

===================
Oooooops sorry, just saw you said switching to SW, not W

Then you need to reduce the amount of forearm rotation too.
 
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