Torn between Eastern and Semi-Western forehand

[soyizgood]

I played with an Eastern forehand for about 11 years. It was a decent, flat shot I used offensively and had a lot of faith in it. Then one day I rallied against some younger guy who used a Semi-Western forehand with lots of topspin. So from that day I started to use a Semi-Western forehand (about 6 months ago).

My Semi-Western forehand does get spin, but I don't feel I have much control with it. A lot of times my forehand ends up sailing long because I pushed while trying to brush. And when I lost in a tournament two weeks ago, I had no faith in that shot. I just don't feel aggressive when playing a Semi-Western forehand except on certain situations.

Today I was hitting against a wall. Just out of curiosity I tried my Eastern forehand. I was hitting the ball more confidently and relaxed. And my backhand slices were actually working, unlike when I switch from SW forehand. I was able to generate spin with the Eastern and got a more productive workout with it.

I like getting topspin and the Semi-Western is better suited for this. At the same time, I want to add a serve and volley component to my game and use slices more. I understand it takes time to adjust to a different grip, but I am just very unsure of what I'll get with the SW forehand I have. With the Eastern grip, I was doing better with transitioning to make forehand slices,1HBH, and 2HBH.

With that said, should I continue to work on the SW or ditch it and go back to Eastern?

 

[tricky]

Have you thought about trying an "extreme Eastern" grip? Palm like an Eastern, knuckle on the edge between the bevels?

 

[Indrid Cold]

Try what tricky said. I was in a similar situation (but with much less expeirience than you) and I eventually went to Extreme Eastern. Best thing I could have done for my forehand.

 

[fgs]

soyizgood,
go with what is more comfortable with you. i play eastern grips and do really hit a lot of topspin and a quite fast ball. whenever i get closer to the net, on shorter balls, i go a little bit beyond eastern towards semiwestern to just be able to spin it more and play a nicer angle.
stay with what you feel comfortable and confident. a grip change will take about 6 months of adjustment (assuming you play 5 times a week!). technically you will have sorted it out earlier, but you won't be able to build up any confidence earlier - i think you get my idea.

 

[Serve 'em hard]

What knuckle on what bevel would that be on? (For extreme Eastern.)

Is the idea here to split the difference between the two grips and get the best of both worlds?

 

[tricky]

s the idea here to split the difference between the two grips and get the best of both worlds?

Pretty much. There's also variations in SW grip too, so it's easiest to think in numbers. Palm on 3, index knuckle on 3.5 (edge between 3 and 4.) If you're primarily an Eastern FH guy, the change is almost seamless.

 

[Serve 'em hard]

I forget. Is the very top bevel called 1 or 8?

 

[tricky]

Good for reference on bevel numbers:

http://www.tennisgeometrics.com/Eastern_forehand.html

 

[Fedace]

You need to go with that western forehand and hit like rafa, VAMOS

 

[dennis10is]

Invest in some lessons from a reputable coach, who isn't pandering to trends.

You can hit topspin with any grip. You need to learn how it hit with topspin. That is all.

There are no magical cures.

 

[Serve 'em hard]

Good for reference on bevel numbers:

http://www.tennisgeometrics.com/Eastern_forehand.html

Cool. Thanks.

 

[Serve 'em hard]

Invest in some lessons from a reputable coach, who isn't pandering to trends.

You can hit topspin with any grip. You need to learn how it hit with topspin. That is all.

There are no magical cures.

Can you hit with enough topspin with Eastern, or is it somewhat limited or harder to impart?

 

[Serve 'em hard]

Pretty much. There's also variations in SW grip too, so it's easiest to think in numbers. Palm on 3, index knuckle on 3.5 (edge between 3 and 4.) If you're primarily an Eastern FH guy, the change is almost seamless.

Oh, just to be clear. When we say index knuckle, you mean where the finger meets the rest of the hand? That knuckle?

 

[dommod]

I like eastern. Maybe it's best for you if you have 11 years with this grip already, no?

What grip did the mighty Borg use? He was reportedly ahead of his time in topspin, but I still unclear if he used traditional eastern or was a semi western trendsetter. Anyone know?

 

[tricky]

where the finger meets the rest of the hand

Having hard time visualizing this, but it would be the knuckle of the index finger.

Can you hit with enough topspin with Eastern, or is it somewhat limited or harder to impart?

It goes without saying that the more extreme your grip, the more topspin you can impart. However it must also be understood that the grip also changes where you hit the ball. The more extreme, the higher and more out in front.

It's actually not a great idea to go straight from a 3/3 to a 4/4 grip, because how much topspin you really need is going to vary greatly on your stroke style. Plus you need to adjust your contact point slowly, otherwise you'll shank things left and right.

It makes more sense to kinda inch your way toward a SW grip, stopping when you found a grip that'll reign in your shots in game situations. Alternately, you could work on your overall stroke style.

 

[Serve 'em hard]

Having hard time visualizing this, but it would be the knuckle of the index finger.

Maybe I don't know what a knuckle is! Ok: when I look at my finger, there are three "ridges", places where I can bend it -- where the finger meets the hand/palm is one, halfway up the finger is the second (or middle) one, and closer to the fingernail is another, right?

 

[fgs]

a grip change is like a major overhaul, so it takes time to settle in with the new technique. why would you go through something like this? what is it about your current strokes and grips that makes you think that it is limiting your performance? simply changing grips and technique would not automatically make you a better player. what would you expect this grip change to bring to your game?
these are some questions to be answered in order to make a decision. also take into account that it would be advisable to have a teaching pro instruct you for the first few hitting sessions so you get it right from the beginning and not need to make all sorts of adjustments down the road.

 

[Serve 'em hard]

Having hard time visualizing this, but it would be the knuckle of the index finger.



It goes without saying that the more extreme your grip, the more topspin you can impart. However it must also be understood that the grip also changes where you hit the ball. The more extreme, the higher and more out in front.

It's actually not a great idea to go straight from a 3/3 to a 4/4 grip, because how much topspin you really need is going to vary greatly on your stroke style. Plus you need to adjust your contact point slowly, otherwise you'll shank things left and right.

It makes more sense to kinda inch your way toward a SW grip, stopping when you found a grip that'll reign in your shots in game situations. Alternately, you could work on your overall stroke style.

On this other issue, the contact point, well, that's a whole other can of worms, huh? Seems to me this dude would be better off staying with his trusty eastern grip than having to adjust to a new grip AND new contact point further out in front than he's used to for all these years. Seems like a big adjustment that maybe ain't worth it, ya know?

 

[dennis10is]

Can you hit with enough topspin with Eastern, or is it somewhat limited or harder to impart?

I can hit heavy topspin with a continental, eastern, semi-western. and all the grips in between.

I'm old, and learn all the grips while young. I use to be a serve and volleyer and now that I'm getting back into better shape, I find myself leaning more and more toward the continental because I want to be more offensive. Yes, more aggressive.

You can have this rule of thumb, the further back you are, the more toward the western grip, the closer you are to the net, the more eastern or even continental

Here is one advantage of a continental, you are stretched wide on your forehand, you switch to a continental, thinking that you may have to hit a forehand squash slice, you get to the ball in time, the opponent ball was not struck quite as well, you can hit an offensive topspin, EVEN if the ball is low. You can't do this if you have a western.

 

[Frank Silbermann]

What grip did the mighty Borg use? He was reportedly ahead of his time in topspin, but I still unclear if he used traditional eastern or was a semi western trendsetter. Anyone know?

Borg's forehand was extreme eastern. It was called western back then because people at the time had gotten used to seeing eastern grips that bordered on continental.

 

[mucat]

soyizgood, you can use the same swingpath you did with SW, but use the eastern grip instead. I was under the same dilemma last year. But in the prcoess of practicing and learning the SW, I found out I can hit the same with eastern grip, and handling highballs with just as much ease as SW grip.

To hit highballs with eastern FH,

1. Having hit as far in front as comfortable and possible.
2. Wiper motion.
3. At contact point, the racket should be pointing up slightly and pointing forward slightly.

After this, you will have to explain to all your tennis buddies you are still using eastern grip.

 

[soyizgood]

soyizgood, you can use the same swingpath you did with SW, but use the eastern grip instead. I was under the same dilemma last year. But in the prcoess of practicing and learning the SW, I found out I can hit the same with eastern grip, and handling highballs with just as much ease as SW grip.

To hit highballs with eastern FH,

1. Having hit as far in front as comfortable and possible.
2. Wiper motion.
3. At contact point, the racket should be pointing up slightly and pointing forward slightly.

After this, you will have to explain to all your tennis buddies you are still using eastern grip.

I was able to hit highballs with the Eastern using the manner you described. I compared shots I made using both SW and Eastern. The balls kick about the same distance for me. I can hit the ball at a higher trajectory with the SW. I seem to have better directional and placement control with the Eastern. I tried moon-balling and the SW does allow me to hit it more safely, but brushing it wrong could make me a sitting duck. Hitting down-the-line was easier with the Eastern as well as the occasional cross-court blast and approach shots.

I was eager to generate topspin and shed my well-deserved reputation as being a flat-ball hitter. I didn't know if I could get good topspin with the Eastern and that kid made the semi-Western look effortless. I knew I would likely be in a state of taking one step back initially. But I feel I hit more conservative, defensive, and inconsistent with the SW. I have been gradually adjusting my grip to be more of an extreme-Eastern. I never had to tweak my forehand so much when I used an Eastern. It seems every week I am tweaking my SW forehand hold, position, amount of brushing, practicing the follow-through, etc.

In learning the SW grip, I realized I can generate topspin. My Eastern forehand has better topspin than before as I can apply some of what I learned with SW. Likely I'll play with an extreme-Eastern, but I'm thinking of mixing those grips to confuse my opponents. I consider myself an all-courter that does NOT want to be hugging the baseline all day. My 2HBH is better than my forehand and I want to change that. I have been working on my slices and trying to mix in serve & volley off my slice and topspin serves, so maybe I'm trying to be a spin meister. Hard to do that with an Eastern grip, but not impossible.

 

[mucat]

soyizgood, [thread=89575]Here is what I posted last year[/thread]

 

[Serve 'em hard]

I can hit heavy topspin with a continental, eastern, semi-western. and all the grips in between.

I'm old, and learn all the grips while young. I use to be a serve and volleyer and now that I'm getting back into better shape, I find myself leaning more and more toward the continental because I want to be more offensive. Yes, more aggressive.

You can have this rule of thumb, the further back you are, the more toward the western grip, the closer you are to the net, the more eastern or even continental

Here is one advantage of a continental, you are stretched wide on your forehand, you switch to a continental, thinking that you may have to hit a forehand squash slice, you get to the ball in time, the opponent ball was not struck quite as well, you can hit an offensive topspin, EVEN if the ball is low. You can't do this if you have a western.

So you're saying you're using mostly a continental forehand these days? Wow. That's pretty unusual in this day and age, right?

 

[Tim Tennis]

It is all about improving your game

Good for reference on bevel numbers:

http://www.tennisgeometrics.com/Eastern_forehand.html

Thanks for the link to the site. I love these discussions because the grip you use is so important in the development of your game. Once you get locked into certain habits of play it can be difficult to change. As I have said in other posts I am a big fan of the SW grip. Someone mentioned you can hit topspin with any grip which is true. You can create the same low to high swing path with any grip. Depending on how you adjust your mechanics you can even achieve the same contact point with all the grips.

Here is a comparison to throwing a baseball. (Forehands) For each grip discussed below the racquet face should be 90 degrees to the ground, straight up and down at the release point. This will position your hand for each grip. Oh gosh, I am sure I have confused most of you already.

If I asked you to throw a baseball as far as you can "straight up in the air," when you released the ball the palm of you hand/wrist would be under the ball. This is the Western grip, the heavy topspin grip. Also try to visualize where you released the ball, this will correspond to some extent to the contact point in tennis.

http://www.tennisgeometrics.com/western_forehand_grip.html

If I asked you to throw a baseball up into the stands at a 45 degree angle as far as you can, a sidearm throw, when you released the ball the palm of your hand/wrist would be at a 45 degree angle. This is the Semi-Western grip which creates topspin with good horizontal drive. (That is why I believe in the SW so much.) Also visualize how the contact point/release point has moved compared to the Western forehand.

http://www.tennisgeometrics.com/western_forehand_grip.html

If I asked you to throw a baseball in a straight line as far as you can, when you released the ball the palm of your hand/wrist would be in the Eastern forehand grip, the hand shake grip. This grip has great horizontal drive and you can get topspin. Visualize again how the release point corresponds to some extent with the ideal contact point in tennis.

http://www.tennisgeometrics.com/Eastern_forehand.html

In summary for each swing path there is an ideal grip.

Congratulations, on trying to understand and use new grips and wanting to improve. That is what makes this game so much fun. You know you can be so much better. Grip it and rip it. Just make sure you are in the right grip.

Best regards,

Ed
Tennis Geometrics

http://www.tennisgeometrics.com

 

[Serve 'em hard]

^
I thought the continental grip was the 'shake hands grip'.

 

[Tim Tennis]

^
I thought the continental grip was the 'shake hands grip'.

I have seen that mentioned on this forum a few times before. That is not correct. You do not roll the palm of your hand over 45 degrees from straight up and down to shake hands which would be the angle for the Continental grip. To shake hands basically the palm of your hand is straight up and down which would be the hand/wrist/palm orientation of the Eastern forehand.

The different termonology is so confusing.

Best regards,

Ed
Tennis Geometrics

 

[dennis10is]

So you're saying you're using mostly a continental forehand these days? Wow. That's pretty unusual in this day and age, right?

No, no. I'm using the continental on my fh more because I'm transitioning more to what I was years ago, and that is to attack the net. It is rarer these days but old timers still use them.

 

[Serve 'em hard]

No, no. I'm using the continental on my fh more because I'm transitioning more to what I was years ago, and that is to attack the net. It is rarer these days but old timers still use them.

So you just use it in certain situations? What's your main forehand grip?

 

[neverstopplaying]

I also played with an eastern grip for about 6 years and switched to a semi-western. For me the switch was very difficult and it took about a year to get really adjusted on all kinds of balls, i.e. short, deep-high-bounce, powerful flat winners. I found that you definitely have to hit the ball earlier - short balls were really difficult.

I took about 10 lessons to correct the approach and stroke. Today I'm glad I made the switch - but it wasn't easy (for me).

 

[z-money]

I played with an Eastern forehand for about 11 years. It was a decent, flat shot I used offensively and had a lot of faith in it. Then one day I rallied against some younger guy who used a Semi-Western forehand with lots of topspin. So from that day I started to use a Semi-Western forehand (about 6 months ago).

My Semi-Western forehand does get spin, but I don't feel I have much control with it. A lot of times my forehand ends up sailing long because I pushed while trying to brush. And when I lost in a tournament two weeks ago, I had no faith in that shot. I just don't feel aggressive when playing a Semi-Western forehand except on certain situations.

Today I was hitting against a wall. Just out of curiosity I tried my Eastern forehand. I was hitting the ball more confidently and relaxed. And my backhand slices were actually working, unlike when I switch from SW forehand. I was able to generate spin with the Eastern and got a more productive workout with it.

I like getting topspin and the Semi-Western is better suited for this. At the same time, I want to add a serve and volley component to my game and use slices more. I understand it takes time to adjust to a different grip, but I am just very unsure of what I'll get with the SW forehand I have. With the Eastern grip, I was doing better with transitioning to make forehand slices,1HBH, and 2HBH.

With that said, should I continue to work on the SW or ditch it and go back to Eastern?

ive hit both too bud and all i would say is go with what your good with. if the eastern is your money maker than you need to use it. try the extreme version. if it doesnt work no worries but you already know that the eastern is right for you

 

[soyizgood]

I worked out against some girl today. Perfect opportunity to try the Eastern/extreme-Eastern forehand. Actually, I was pleasantly surprised. I hit VERY few shots into the net. I did sail some shots long, but that's to be expected rallying for 2 hours. I hit deep loopy shots, was able to hit flat when on the defensive, I hit low balls with much more ease and pace. I got a lot of topspin AND consistent depth. I definitely have more accuracy and control.

Granted the girl is still a relative beginner, but she can muscle shots and she hit pretty well with one of my racquets. I think if she keeps it up she could probably beat my pusher friend in about 6 months.

My real test will be at the team tryouts Thursday night. Now if I can just control that forehand slice....SIGH.

 

[boojay]

the extreme eastern grip is the most natural and versatile for me. I feel like I can do any possible shot with it. With the extreme eastern (or mild semi-western), it's pretty easy to take high or low balls, whether they be flat or with topspin, and produce a flat or topspin shot yourself.

you can even bake cookies with an extreme eastern, it's true

 

[skiracer55]

Some observations...

- As a number of people have noted, ya gotta go with what feels good/works for you. The Eastern forehand grip isn't dead, any more than Continental is dead.

- A forehand (or any other stroke) is not just a grip or grip change. My coaches took me from a closed stance, level swing, Eastern grip forehand to an open stance, low to high swing, semi-Western forehand stroke...but first, they convinced that, long term, the change was in my best interests and second, we all knew it was going to take a while...as in 4 years, all told. I didn't stop playing matches, but my forehand was a work in progress. So be it.

There's a common misconception that you work on a stroke until you've got it, and then you declare victory...pretty much wrong. Some days you eat the bear, some days, the beat eats you. I'm not likely to change much about my strokes any time soon, but I kind of have to find them again every time I go out on the court. There are days when I can't miss a forehand, and other days where I can't hit a fat bull in the rear with a shovel. On those occasions, I have to get back to the basics...you know, move my feet, watch the ball, prepare early...all that boring stuff that made Stan Smith great, and that he teaches today. I just have to work on those items, it doesn't mean I have to abandon a stroke pattern that's been working for me.

- Bjorn Borg once said words to the effect that there's no such thing as your forehand, only the next forehand you're going to hit, because every stroke is different...you set up differently because the ball comes differently, you are or are not set up optimally, and so forth. My base forehand is as described above...open stance, low to high, semi-Western. If I get stuck running wide and I can't hit my base forehand, guess what I do? That's right, I chip it back with a Continental grip just as if I were hitting a volley. What happens if it really want to bang the ball down the line, and I know I'm in perfect position to hit a relatively flat ball with an Eastern grip? That's what I'll do. I don't normally hit with huge topspin, but if the guy on the other side of the net really hates big topspin, guess what I'll do? You get the joke.

Everybody wonders why Federer is so good. It's pretty simple: Andy Roddick has one forehand. True, it's a great forehand, but he's pretty much a one-trick pony. Federer, on the other hand, can hit any ball he wants off the forehand...or any other stroke, for that matter. Years ago, before the advent of "Bang a big serve, bang a big forehand....that is all you need to know...", we used to call it "the all court game", and I believe it's coming back...

 

[Tim Tennis]

- As a number of people have noted, ya gotta go with what feels good/works for you. The Eastern forehand grip isn't dead, any more than Continental is dead.

Everybody wonders why Federer is so good. It's pretty simple: Andy Roddick has one forehand. True, it's a great forehand, but he's pretty much a one-trick pony. Federer, on the other hand, can hit any ball he wants off the forehand...or any other stroke, for that matter. Years ago, before the advent of "Bang a big serve, bang a big forehand....that is all you need to know...", we used to call it "the all court game", and I believe it's coming back...

Good post, enjoyed it. You must be a very serious player. Especially liked your comments about Federer.

Best regards,

Ed
Tennis Geometrics

 

[z-money]

- As a number of people have noted, ya gotta go with what feels good/works for you. The Eastern forehand grip isn't dead, any more than Continental is dead.

- A forehand (or any other stroke) is not just a grip or grip change. My coaches took me from a closed stance, level swing, Eastern grip forehand to an open stance, low to high swing, semi-Western forehand stroke...but first, they convinced that, long term, the change was in my best interests and second, we all knew it was going to take a while...as in 4 years, all told. I didn't stop playing matches, but my forehand was a work in progress. So be it.

There's a common misconception that you work on a stroke until you've got it, and then you declare victory...pretty much wrong. Some days you eat the bear, some days, the beat eats you. I'm not likely to change much about my strokes any time soon, but I kind of have to find them again every time I go out on the court. There are days when I can't miss a forehand, and other days where I can't hit a fat bull in the rear with a shovel. On those occasions, I have to get back to the basics...you know, move my feet, watch the ball, prepare early...all that boring stuff that made Stan Smith great, and that he teaches today. I just have to work on those items, it doesn't mean I have to abandon a stroke pattern that's been working for me.

- Bjorn Borg once said words to the effect that there's no such thing as your forehand, only the next forehand you're going to hit, because every stroke is different...you set up differently because the ball comes differently, you are or are not set up optimally, and so forth. My base forehand is as described above...open stance, low to high, semi-Western. If I get stuck running wide and I can't hit my base forehand, guess what I do? That's right, I chip it back with a Continental grip just as if I were hitting a volley. What happens if it really want to bang the ball down the line, and I know I'm in perfect position to hit a relatively flat ball with an Eastern grip? That's what I'll do. I don't normally hit with huge topspin, but if the guy on the other side of the net really hates big topspin, guess what I'll do? You get the joke.

Everybody wonders why Federer is so good. It's pretty simple: Andy Roddick has one forehand. True, it's a great forehand, but he's pretty much a one-trick pony. Federer, on the other hand, can hit any ball he wants off the forehand...or any other stroke, for that matter. Years ago, before the advent of "Bang a big serve, bang a big forehand....that is all you need to know...", we used to call it "the all court game", and I believe it's coming back...

i agree. but one thing you dont say is how pete used some eastern. roger uses eastern as well id say his forehand is ok wouldnt you. where as andy and safin use semi to each his own. but like weve told you go with what feels right. you should be working on other areas not your grip

 

[Tim Tennis]

. you should be working on other areas not your grip

Hi Z-money, not too sure I understand that. The grip is all important, you can't work on any area of your game that the grip is not an important factor, unless it is physical fitness and even then you can do exercises that benefit the individual grips.

Best regards,

Ed
Tennis Geometrics

http://www.tennisgeometrics.com

 

[z-money]

Hi Z-money, not too sure I understand that. The grip is all important, you can't work on any area of your game that the grip is not an important factor, unless it is physical fitness and even then you can do exercises that benefit the individual grips.

Best regards,

Ed
Tennis Geometrics

http://www.tennisgeometrics.com

i understand what u mean ed and i agree. i was just addressing the point that he had been using the eastern for a long time and switched because he was uncertain. because as he said he got beat by a younger guy with a semi and it got him thinking. and one thing im sure you understand is the importance of knowing what is right for your game. switching may be the answer but as i posted the first time yesterday you gotta go with what feels right and i had gotten the impression that he loved his eastern grip and should stick with what he is good at

 

[Tim Tennis]

i understand what u mean ed and i agree. i was just addressing the point that he had been using the eastern for a long time and switched because he was uncertain. because as he said he got beat by a younger guy with a semi and it got him thinking. and one thing im sure you understand is the importance of knowing what is right for your game. switching may be the answer but as i posted the first time yesterday you gotta go with what feels right and i had gotten the impression that he loved his eastern grip and should stick with what he is good at

Thanks for the gracious response. I was afraid you would think I was being argumentative. You brought out a good point "the importance of knowing what is right for your game." I do think it is good to practice and experiment with other grips. It is just fun to see what you can do and what modifications you must make to be master another grip. I also realize how hard it can be to actually change over to another grip after you have used the same grip for a number of years. The biggest problem I have seen is that people don't have that much trouble adjusting their swing path let's say to accommodate the SW grip. The major problem is there is an automatic movement of the hand/wrist back to the old grip position at the contact point which gives you an incorrect racquet face angle. For example many people use the PVG to learn the SW grip. They have a nice low to high swing path but at the contact point the go back to the EF hand/wrist position which caused them to close the racquet face, oops into the net. Once they understand what is happening, through repetition they can ingrain the correct hand/wrist for both the SW and the EF grip. It does take a lot of work. For some it is easier then others.

Best regards,

Ed
Tennis Geometrics

 

[fgs]

the eastern grip is basically the most versatile grip because it allows you to play a topspin, a flat one (drive) or even a slice. when western-topspinners are pulled out and have to play a slice they also resort to either a eastern or even a continental. same when the ball is really low.
so, what have i done regarding my forehand - i learned and practiced all shots (topspin, slice, drive), because depending on the situation you might have to play them and it's sort of easier not having to adjust your grip each and every time.

 

[kingdaddy41788]

part of the problem is that your comparing your eleven year forehand to your 6 month forehand, and there's no way it'll be as good.

 

[Tim Tennis]

the eastern grip is basically the most versatile grip because it allows you to play a topspin, a flat one (drive) or even a slice. when western-topspinners are pulled out and have to play a slice they also resort to either a eastern or even a continental. same when the ball is really low.
so, what have i done regarding my forehand - i learned and practiced all shots (topspin, slice, drive), because depending on the situation you might have to play them and it's sort of easier not having to adjust your grip each and every time.

Interesting, some might disagree with you and say that the Continental is the most versatile. I know if I had to pick just one grip to use it would be the Continental but there again I am thinking about the serve, volleys, backhands, forehands and the return of serve. If I had to select one forehand grip it would be the SW because I can generate a lot of topspin and still drive the ball through the court. I can hit a very powerful flat shot also using the SW grip. Yes, it would be hard to pick up a low sliding ball in front of me but I could adjust the racquet head to do so with the SW grip. It would place my hand in a very weak position but in that situation there is not a whole lot you can do with the ball anyway. On my forehand side my primary grip is the SW. Yes, I also use the EF for low balls and the Cont. for even lower balls and lobs. I move my hand there automatically and I do not have to think about it. I think being able to move your hand on the handle is a very good thing. Take your que from the pros. Most of them use multiple grips on both sides. I have seen Federer release his grip on the handle and reposition to another grip while he is moving to the net without using his other hand to steady the racquet. That just blows my mind and I certainly would not recommend that

I have seen a lot of players use the EF and they are fairly good on the forehand side but they don't even move their hand for their backhands and what can I say, their backhands are terrible. I guess what I am saying is I hope you do use a different grip on your backhand.

For every swing path there is an ideal grip which keeps your hand behind handle in its strongest position.

Best regards,

Ed
Tennis Geometrics

 

[soyizgood]

I use a 2HBH (continental right hand/semi-western left hand). I get decent topspin, pretty good control, and I am fairly offensive-minded with it. That's my ole' reliable shot and I have no hesitancy when pulling the trigger off that wing.

I don't have that fearlessness with my forehands. Probably because playing 2HBH means putting more force without hitting the ball as far as a 1HBH. When I use Eastern or X-Eastern I am more apt to come to the net. With the SW, I tend to stay at the baseline more.

Perhaps there's a different mindset with the various grips. Eastern is not conducive to long rallies, so it might be best suited for players that want to end the points sooner with aggressive, deep strokes. Semi-western seems to be better suited for staying at the baseline while pinning the opponent way behind the baseline. Angle the opponent off with a nice, bouncy cross-court shot and come to the net as little as necessary.

Seems like X-Eastern or Eastern suits my style of play better. I play doubles this Saturday, so I'll put the X-Eastern to the test.

 

[fgs]

tim tennis,
thank you for concern about my backhand grip, it is a 2hbh with both hands eastern (backhand for the right and eastern fh for the left) - so, yes i do change grips between fh and bh.
the continental might be versatile, but if we play retro tennis (with wooden racquets) or social tennis when you HAVE to hit the third shot wide so your opponent doesn't get angry.
this thread was about fh, and i'm going back to it. the op said that he played for many years with eastern fh-grip. in a earlier post of mine i drew to his attention that changing the grip would require some six months adjustment time, not so much for the technical part but most of it for building confidence in the new stroke with all that comes along with it (point of impact, etc.). i have learned to play with eastern too, so due to this fact, subjectively i admit, i find it the most versatile and i think the op is in a quite similar situation. when i get a shorter high bouncing ball, i admit that i go to a more extreme eastern (could also be a sw) since i want to be able to play a nicer angle. but my stroke mechanics give me good topspin, nice net clearance and quite some pace with an eastern from the baseline - i've done it probably for too many years.
my son (8yrs soon) is playing semi-western, but that's the way i started him up.

 

[Tim Tennis]

Go Junior

fgs, no problem, in fact from your post I could tell you were an advanced player and probably did not use the EF for your backhand grip. That comment was directed more towards players just starting out who do not change their grip going back and forth from a forehand and backhand.

Happy to see you started your son out with the best forehand grip, the
SW. LOL

It will be a lot of fun for you seeing him develop over the years.

Best regards,

Ed

 

[fgs]

tim tennis / ed,
thank you. well, i really hope so regarding my son, he's doing quite well and i just hope i won't "overdo" him. will start playing tournaments this year - currently he's tennis nuts and i'm simply afraid that he'll lose interest in 3-4 years. we'll see anyway!
and yes, semi-western is the best in the current tennis world for youngsters (and beginners in general) starting into the game.
what i don't understand is lots of players (male and female) playing a 2hbh with a sw/western left and continental/eastern fh-grip for the right. i tried it and didn't manage to hit over the net. i'm better with playing a plain forehand with my left.

 

[skiracer55]

No way I can be as serious as somebody who's into...

Good post, enjoyed it. You must be a very serious player. Especially liked your comments about Federer.

Best regards,

Ed
Tennis Geometrics

...Tennis Geometrics, but I try...search for my other posts in this forum. Um, so enlighten me, what's Tennis Geometrics?

 

[Tim Tennis]

Thanks for asking.

...Tennis Geometrics, but I try...search for my other posts in this forum. Um, so enlighten me, what's Tennis Geometrics?

Well, maybe you are a great sky racer but you certainly seem to understand what tennis is all about?

Tennis Geometrics is my company. The name "Geometrics" comes from the various design concepts I went through trying to improve the racquet handle. I tried a circular shape, a triangleular shape and finally decided on the current design that I thought would accommode and improve all the grips.

If you do searches for "Wonder Wedge" and the "Power V Grip" you will find lots of discussion.

Best regards,

Ed
Tennis Geometrics
http://www.tennisgeometrics.com

 

[skiracer55]

Interesting stuff...

Well, maybe you are a great sky racer but you certainly seem to understand what tennis is all about?

Tennis Geometrics is my company. The name "Geometrics" comes from the various design concepts I went through trying to improve the racquet handle. I tried a circular shape, a triangleular shape and finally decided on the current design that I thought would accommode and improve all the grips.

If you do searches for "Wonder Wedge" and the "Power V Grip" you will find lots of discussion.

Best regards,

Ed
Tennis Geometrics
http://www.tennisgeometrics.com

...I'm going to have to try out a Power V Grip. Yeah, I think I have some feel for tennis and for coaching it...I guess I should, I've been doing it long enough. My formal professional coaching stuff is in skiing and ski racing. I'm Professional Ski Instructors of America Level 3 Certified and US Ski Coaches Association Level 1 certified. I coach in the program I train with and race Masters events all over Colorado. I'm not certified in tennis; just a lot of years of playing and being a sponge when some piece of wisdom appears.

Probably the biggest influences on my understanding of tennis and my teaching/coaching style came from my last three coaches, Sam Winterbotham, Chris Garner, and Dave Hodge, who were, respectively, Head Men's Coach, Assistant Men's Coach, and Assistant Men's Coach at CU Boulder...a program that no longer exists, but that's a whole other story. I've been working hard and diligently at tennis for many years, have won tournaments, etc. But I was basically doing some pretty self-limiting stuff, both technically and tactically, and these three guys got me working on the right stuff, and it shows. You can have all the talent and desire you want, but if you're refining your mistakes or working on non-optimal strategies or strokes, that only goes in one direction...

 

[Tim Tennis]

...I'm going to have to try out a Power V Grip. Yeah, I think I have some feel for tennis and for coaching it...I guess I should, I've been doing it long enough. My formal professional coaching stuff is in skiing and ski racing. I'm Professional Ski Instructors of America Level 3 Certified and US Ski Coaches Association Level 1 certified. I coach in the program I train with and race Masters events all over Colorado. I'm not certified in tennis; just a lot of years of playing and being a sponge when some piece of wisdom appears.

Probably the biggest influences on my understanding of tennis and my teaching/coaching style came from my last three coaches, Sam Winterbotham, Chris Garner, and Dave Hodge, who were, respectively, Head Men's Coach, Assistant Men's Coach, and Assistant Men's Coach at CU Boulder...a program that no longer exists, but that's a whole other story. I've been working hard and diligently at tennis for many years, have won tournaments, etc. But I was basically doing some pretty self-limiting stuff, both technically and tactically, and these three guys got me working on the right stuff, and it shows. You can have all the talent and desire you want, but if you're refining your mistakes or working on non-optimal strategies or strokes, that only goes in one direction...

Wow, that is a very impressive background. I hope you do try the PVG. I would greatly appreciate any input you might have.

Love this statement. "You can have all the talent and desire you want, but if you're refining your mistakes or working on non-optimal strategies or strokes, that only goes in one direction."

There is so much to the great game of tennis that most people just don't realize all that is envolved or required to be a very good player and I am not saying that I do either. I just know there is a whole lot to it.

Best regards,

Ed