Grip=Swing path?

[DipDrive]

Is grip the main factor that determines your swing path on normal/typical ground strokes?
It appears that those that hit with a more Eastern grip tend to have a longer swing path (away from body) with a straighter arm where the entire forearm appears to rotate over on follow through.
A Western grip seems to give way to a more bent arm shallower swing path (close to body) with the wrist pronating as opposed to the entire forearm.
I ask as it seems to me when seeking out stroke help/advice that many advice givers overlook this point...at least from what I've seen.

Am I way off base here? Always trying to learn...

 

[Jonesy]

Is one factor, yes.

 

[DipDrive]

Is one factor, yes.

Would you say it's the dominant factor?

 

[Jonesy]

Would you say it's the dominant factor?

For rec level i believe so.

 

[jm1980]

Is grip the main factor that determines your swing path on normal/typical ground strokes?
It appears that those that hit with a more Eastern grip tend to have a longer swing path (away from body) with a straighter arm where the entire forearm appears to rotate over on follow through.
A Western grip seems to give way to a more bent arm shallower swing path (close to body) with the wrist pronating as opposed to the entire forearm.
I ask as it seems to me when seeking out stroke help/advice that many advice givers overlook this point...at least from what I've seen.

Am I way off base here? Always trying to learn...

How do you pronate your wrist on a ground stroke?

 

[DipDrive]

How do you pronate your wrist on a ground stroke?

Sorry I'm probably saying it incorrectly, I think I mean supination to pronation.

 

[socallefty]

You can have different take backs that can be done with any grip and that would change the swing path, right? For instance, your take back on a FH could be linear, ATP straight-arm, ATP bent-arm, WTA behind the body, modified same-side WTA, NextGen whip-style etc. You could have any combination of grip and takeback and depending on the combo you pick, the swingpath could vary.

Also, the amount to which you bend your knees and drop your racquet into the slot could determine how low your swing starts and that could have an impact too. Also, the same player could decide to hit a heavy topspin ball or a flatter shot and that would change their swing trajectory. A lot of factors could change your swingpath.

 

[Friedman Whip]

Is grip the main factor that determines your swing path on normal/typical ground strokes?
It appears that those that hit with a more Eastern grip tend to have a longer swing path (away from body) with a straighter arm where the entire forearm appears to rotate over on follow through.
A Western grip seems to give way to a more bent arm shallower swing path (close to body) with the wrist pronating as opposed to the entire forearm.
I ask as it seems to me when seeking out stroke help/advice that many advice givers overlook this point...at least from what I've seen.

Am I way off base here? Always trying to learn...

You are not off base. Grip and swing path are definitely interrelated. For example on a topspin forehand I would say primarily in how much low to high is required.

 

[DipDrive]

You can have different take backs that can be done with any grip and that would change the swing path, right? For instance, your take back on a FH could be linear, ATP straight-arm, ATP bent-arm, WTA behind the body, modified same-side WTA, NextGen whip-style etc. You could have any combination of grip and takeback and depending on the combo you pick, the swingpath could vary.

Also, the amount to which you bend your knees and drop your racquet into the slot could determine how low your swing starts and that could have an impact too. Also, the same player could decide to hit a heavy topspin ball or a flatter shot and that would change their swing trajectory. A lot of factors could change your swingpath.

I get that and it makes sense. How about everything you are saying taken into account and now compare those swing paths with said modifications to an Eastern and Western grip player. Are they proportionally different? Or, are they similar enough you can't see a general difference?

 

[socallefty]

I get that and it makes sense. How about everything you are saying taken into account and now compare those swing paths with said modifications to an Eastern and Western grip player. Are they proportionally different? Or, are they similar enough you can't see a general difference?

Definitely the grip would change the swing path. If you look at the extreme cases like a Continental and Hawaiian (extreme Western) grip, they would vary the most and others like Eastern, SW etc. would be in between.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

Would you say it's the dominant factor?

It's one factor. It may or may not be the dominant factor. Swing path will also depend on the location of your contact point. High, medium low. Early, late or in between. Type of shot / serve.

Flat shot. Mild topspin. Moderate topspin. Heavy topspin. Underspin? Sidespin? Spiral spin? Low trajectory shot. Hi trajectory shot? Lob. Etc

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

Sorry I'm probably saying it incorrectly, I think I mean supination to pronation.

There can be a series of pronations & supinations (and, possibly, internal and external shoulder rotations) on a stroke.

Many players will incorporate a pronation on the takeback. It appears that Roger has employed a pronation for his palm down position above. As he starts his forward swing, he will likely employ a supination. At contact or after contact, he may employ another pronation.

 

[optic yellow]

Is grip the main factor that determines your swing path on normal/typical ground strokes?
It appears that those that hit with a more Eastern grip tend to have a longer swing path (away from body) with a straighter arm where the entire forearm appears to rotate over on follow through.
A Western grip seems to give way to a more bent arm shallower swing path (close to body) with the wrist pronating as opposed to the entire forearm.
I ask as it seems to me when seeking out stroke help/advice that many advice givers overlook this point...at least from what I've seen.

Am I way off base here? Always trying to learn...

I don't think you are right about the pronation part but the swinging motion for an Eastern and Western forehand are definitely not the same thing. I like to think about my tennis strokes in conceptual terms that capture what my body is doing on the stroke and I have different pictures for each. To me the Eastern is like a swipe across the body and Western is like a fanning underhanded jab or uppercut.

 

[user92626]

Is grip the main factor that determines your swing path on normal/typical ground strokes?
It appears that those that hit with a more Eastern grip tend to have a longer swing path (away from body) with a straighter arm where the entire forearm appears to rotate over on follow through.
A Western grip seems to give way to a more bent arm shallower swing path (close to body) with the wrist pronating as opposed to the entire forearm.
I ask as it seems to me when seeking out stroke help/advice that many advice givers overlook this point...at least from what I've seen.

Am I way off base here? Always trying to learn...

When it comes to physical, I think grip is the biggest factor. It's the hand with which we're most sensitive and expressive, and most utilize. No?
.

 

[Pumpkin]

I think at contact the racquet face is perpendicular to the ground or slightly closed regardless of the grip.

For a western, for example, because of the orientation of the forearm, the arm needs to be bent to achieve that racquet face angle at contact. If you tried to hit with a straight arm the racquet face would be angled too far down to make the shot.

With an eastern, you can achieve correct racquet face angle with a straight arm or slightly bent.