Grip change between SW and Eastern BH

[fastdunn]

I've been using "normal" way of grip changes: turn 3 bevels clockwise(or
counter clockwise),

SW FH <-> Eastern FH <-> Continental <-> Eastern BH

Then again if I go in opposite direction, Eastern BH is only 1 bevel away
from SW FH:

SW FH <-> Eastern BH
(If you hit both FH and BH with the same side of string bed)

I have tried it and it seems to work fine instantly. In fact, it works
naturally because the backswing of FH and BH makes this change easy.

Only drawback I haven't overcome: it's un-natural to go Continental or
Eastern FH. Or at least, I seem to take longer to change to Continental
or Eastern FH.

For those of you who are using this kind of grip changes:
1. How do you change grips to Continental or Eastern FH ?
Does it gets more natural over time ?
2. Do you mix this grip change with conventional one
depending on situation ?

Thanks,
FD

 

[alan-n]

I'm assuming you are using SW FH and Eastern BH.

My style of game is playing close to the baseline as I can and I'm always looking to attack short balls or topspin balls to come into net to finish off the point... My neutral grip is always continental. I switch to FH or BH grip from continental.. and immediately switch back to continental after my FH or BH stroke when I'm taking the racquet back into the neutral position.

Just practice some more, it becomes natural to switch to the needed grip when you begin your stroke.

 

[fastdunn]

I'm assuming you are using SW FH and Eastern BH.

My style of game is playing close to the baseline as I can and I'm always looking to attack short balls or topspin balls to come into net to finish off the point... My neutral grip is always continental. I switch to FH or BH grip from continental.. and immediately switch back to continental after my FH or BH stroke when I'm taking the racquet back into the neutral position.

Just practice some more, it becomes natural to switch to the needed grip when you begin your stroke.

It sounds like you're using the conventional way of changing grip having
continental in the middle. From continental, stwitch to FH in one direction,
and switching to other direction for BH. I've been using basically same method
for over 15 years of playing tennis.

The thing is that, lately, I'm experimenting with this unconevntional grip switch
descibed above: having continental at one end of grip switching span.
Continental <-> Eastern BH <-> SW FH <-> Eastern FH.
Because it's just 1 bevel away from SW FH to Eastern BH if you use
same side of the string bed. So the bevel between SW FH and Eastern BH
become the "neutral" position in this "unconventional" grip switch.

My question in this thread is for those who has tried this unconventional
grip switch and how they feel about it especially switching to "continental"
from the "neutral" position.

 

[spot]

fastdunn- I did the math like you did and have switched to using the same side to hit both. particularly on the return of serve I think it gives me a big advantage. And as far as going to a continental grip- really the only time you have to switch to that is after an approach shot and then it is absolutely no different than the traditional way. I see absolutely no downside to using the same side of the racket once you get past the "strangeness" of trying to change.

 

[fastdunn]

fastdunn- I did the math like you did and have switched to using the same side to hit both. particularly on the return of serve I think it gives me a big advantage. And as far as going to a continental grip- really the only time you have to switch to that is after an approach shot and then it is absolutely no different than the traditional way. I see absolutely no downside to using the same side of the racket once you get past the "strangeness" of trying to change.

Thanks spot for your input.

When you return serves from your BH side, do you mix up topsin and
slice returns ?


What about when you hit some impromptu shots like emergency
half-volley pickups from baseline and other scrambling shots you hit
occasionally. I hit these type of shots with continental.
I wonder if there is any concievable disadvantages in that.

 

[Bottle Rocket]

Why not semi-western(ish) forehand grip for forehand and backhand?

 

[paulfreda]

One grip for FH n BH

Why not semi-western(ish) forehand grip for forehand and backhand?

Exactly !!
Try using Fastdunn's neutral grip for both FH and BH.
The BH will take a bit of getting used to but it will give you good results.

 

[fastdunn]

trying a bump....

 

[hector]

I will give it a shot but have some apprehension about it. Yes you don’t have to change grips but you have to flip the racquet head over. This action probably will take longer then a grip change. It is probably most apparent on hard serves.

 

[MasturB]

Isn't Federer's arsenal a Semi-Western Forehand and Eastern Backhnd?

 

[fastdunn]

I will give it a shot but have some apprehension about it. Yes you don’t have to change grips but you have to flip the racquet head over. This action probably will take longer then a grip change. It is probably most apparent on hard serves.

Actually I'm against not changing grips. I'm thinking about moving
1 bevel east instead of 3 bevels west, so to speak.

 

[tennis_hand]

Just use a western forehand and an eastern backhand, then u don't have to change grip any more. lol.