What exactly is a 'full western' forehand grip?

[Ehh]

Using the tennis racket bevel diagram on this page;

http://www.busy-tennis-players.com/tennis-grips.html

...is a full western grip a sort of 'hammer' grip where your index, middle, ring and pinky knuckles are all over bevel 5 (the bottom of the racket)? This grip doesn't feel that extreme to me.

So I was wondering if a full western grip was a 'pistol' type grip (where the index knuckle is on a different bevel to the other knuckles) where the index knuckle is on bevel 5, but by the time you get to the pinky knuckle, the pinky knuckle is over bevel 6? This feels much more extreme. Is that grip the 'full western grip', or the 'Hawaiian grip'?

 

[BevelDevil]

They are both full Western: Hammer and pistol are just variations. Modern terminology ignores the other knuckles and heel pad and only looks at the index knuckle in defining the grip.

I think the Hawaiian grip is index on bevel 5.5.

The term "full Western" is used to distinguish it from either "semi-Western" or "extreme semi-Western".

 

[WildVolley]

I've always defined it as index knuckle on bevel 5. Some people will try to define the placement of other parts of the hand, but I think there is some natural variation of hand position in all the grips.

I'd say that Djokovic hits with a full western from the video I've seen. On the other hand, when I watched Nadal, he doesn't seem to actually have his index knuckle that far under.

 

[eidolonshinobi]

Nadal and Djokovic are good examples.

 

[Power Player]

Nadal is between Semi and western.

Djoker is full western.

There is a difference.

 

[Wilander Fan]

The only top player I can think of that doesnt use full western is Federer who might actually be using an eastern FH grip.

 

[rkelley]

The only top player I can think of that doesnt use full western is Federer who might actually be using an eastern FH grip.

Last time I looked the most popular fh grip was SW, not full W. This was true for both men and women. Some variation of W was the next most popular, and it's a continuum so sometimes it's hard to place a particular player in one camp or the other. E. was the least popular, but Fed, Fish, and I believe Del Potro use it or something close (strong E.). I don't know of any top women using an E. grip.

 

[Power Player]

The only top player I can think of that doesnt use full western is Federer who might actually be using an eastern FH grip.

Uhhm..no. Most popular is semi western.

 

[Fearsome Forehand]

Bruguera once described his FH grip as "like you would hold a frying pan."

 

[WildVolley]

The only top player I can think of that doesn't use full western is Federer who might actually be using an eastern FH grip.

As other have noted, in the current definition scheme I'd say Nadal is between semi-western to full western. Murray hits semi-western. Berdych holds semi-western. Del Potro holds maybe extreme eastern. Ferrer seems to be between semi-western and full western.

So I agree with those who say that the full western isn't the most common grip among the top players today.

 

[LeeD]

Full western grip..... a underhanded karate chop, palm facing straight up at the sky on ball impact.
Look at the girl pro's section of odd and ends.