What is the Disadvantage of too Big of Grip size ?

Fedace

Banned
I know Smaller grip size has become more popular. but what is the disadvantage if the grip size is too big ? How does it hurt your game ?:confused:
 

roger nadal

Semi-Pro
having a smaller grip size generates more spin because of the whip motion of your wrist. having a larger grip makes it harder to turn your wrist over
 

Fedace

Banned
having a smaller grip size generates more spin because of the whip motion of your wrist. having a larger grip makes it harder to turn your wrist over

so what happens then ??? i use alot of topspin in my game both groundies and serves. sometimes , i do notice that i have trouble making the topspin dip passing shot if the volley is hit really hard. but not sure if that is because my grip size is too big ???

My hand chart said i should use grip 4 1/2, but i use grip size 5:???:
 

eman resu

Professional
spin and serve are affected. The rest might be improved.

but hey, look at Serena. She seems to hold a huge grip and is doing fine with it.
 

Teski

Rookie
how is it affected ?? It seems to slow down the racket head speed .

I think the others have answered it. If you can't get that wrist to snap over, you are more limited in your spin potential on the serve and forehand. It's not the racket head speed.
 

sansaephanh

Professional
I don't know. I've played a Babo with a 1/2 and an overgrip so it was more 5/8. True it was a tad harder to whip but it was seriously stable through the serve. It was an interesting test having so much firm grip on a racket.

It was comfortable from many aspects though.
 

roger nadal

Semi-Pro
i think its good to have a smaller grip. like others including me have said, it makes your wrist be able to snap around. that is the key to speed and spin. the hand chart says i should be using BIGGER than a size 5 but i use a 3. all in all if u like a 1/2 stick to it. its all preference
 

TimothyO

Hall of Fame
These theories sound perfect...for racquet ball!

:)

So what happened to "don't use the arm to swing the racquet, use the body to swing the arm"?

Are folks using lots of wrist action in their shots? Are they going beyond "arming the racquet" to "wristing the racquet"?

On serve are they snapping their wrist rather than pronating their forearm?

Seriosuly. I can generate tons of top spin with a full western grip, swinging from the core, and pronating at the forearm for a WW finish. I played racquet ball for years before trying tennis and found that wristing the ball was painful.
 

Irony Zealot

New User
When I play with grips too big, it gets harder for me to get a good grip on the handle, meaning I fatigue my forearm faster. It also makes it harder to find my grip position. Not only does the hand have to travel farther over the handle, but the radius of the handle is also increased so I have to open up my hand more. I usually kind of have a loose wrap around my handle when I shift grips. It's kind of nitpicky, but when under pressure, these things become more apparent, IMHO.
 

Fedace

Banned
I don't know. I've played a Babo with a 1/2 and an overgrip so it was more 5/8. True it was a tad harder to whip but it was seriously stable through the serve. It was an interesting test having so much firm grip on a racket.

It was comfortable from many aspects though.

right you ended up going up 1 size. but i am talking about going up 4 grip sizes. from 4 and 1/2 to grip size 5 and 0. That is going up by 4 sizes if i am not mistaken. That is what i have done. Not sure if this is hurting my game or not ??:confused:
 

Magnetite

Professional
Use whatever feels the most comfortable and natural to you. Maybe going down a grip size will improve your game slightly but hurt your arm. I doubt it would, but you won't know until you try it.

I suggest you go to a store a put your hands around rackets with different grip sizes. If there are sizes that feel nice, try and demo them. Some stores only have demos of one grip size, but you can always add overgrips etc ..

The best thing you can do is to try different specs out.

Generally, a smaller grip size is better than a larger one, for most people.
 

Fedace

Banned
I think you may have gone overboard btw .. 1/2 inch up is quite a lot.

right and i have been asking around and i don't know of anyone that uses such huge grip size other than Ivo Karlovic. I use same grip size as Dr. IVO. and my hand chart said i should use 4 1/2 grip size. should i go down to 4 and 5/8 and see what happens ?
 

Boricua

Hall of Fame
so what happens then ??? i use alot of topspin in my game both groundies and serves. sometimes , i do notice that i have trouble making the topspin dip passing shot if the volley is hit really hard. but not sure if that is because my grip size is too big ???

My hand chart said i should use grip 4 1/2, but i use grip size 5:???:

I would use the smallest grip that feels natural to me, Ive alzays used 4 and 3/8 and now I use 4 and 1/4, one size less. Feels more natural in order to mov the racket around.:)
 

jonolau

Legend
When I play with grips too big, it gets harder for me to get a good grip on the handle, meaning I fatigue my forearm faster. It also makes it harder to find my grip position. Not only does the hand have to travel farther over the handle, but the radius of the handle is also increased so I have to open up my hand more. I usually kind of have a loose wrap around my handle when I shift grips. It's kind of nitpicky, but when under pressure, these things become more apparent, IMHO.

Good point. It's all about muscle fatigue.

When the grip is too big, you will be stressing on the less relevant muscle groups on your groundstrokes, resulting in loss of energy being channeled to the swing.
 

robbo1970

Hall of Fame
As mentioned in an earlier post, its all about what works for your game.

Personally, I measure up as a 4 1/2, but I use a 4 1/4 because I just feel I have more control with my wrist movements, volleying speed and flicking those half volley drop shots.

I would imagine if your game is a baseline game with little wrist movement then the larger grip is quite comfy, but its really just what feels best for you. I actually would ignore the measurement charts myself.
 

LeeD

Bionic Poster
Actually, bigger grip seems to lock your wrists, so better for volleying.
Smaller grips allow the modern whippy strokes, so great for baseline exchanges.
Serves don't matter, as you hold the grip loosely using the buttcap to keep racket in hand. Don't argue that, Ivo uses a big grip.
The wrist is a passive hinge that allows the whipping motion, so doesn't need massive power, yet mishits seem to affect the wrists first or second, so it still needs to be protected.
Try returning big serves with tiny grips. No try with huge grips. You will find the difference very quickly.
Fedace, the whole Stanford team uses around 1/2 grips, give or take one size either direction. Try it.
 

Fedace

Banned
Actually, bigger grip seems to lock your wrists, so better for volleying.
Smaller grips allow the modern whippy strokes, so great for baseline exchanges.
Serves don't matter, as you hold the grip loosely using the buttcap to keep racket in hand. Don't argue that, Ivo uses a big grip.
The wrist is a passive hinge that allows the whipping motion, so doesn't need massive power, yet mishits seem to affect the wrists first or second, so it still needs to be protected.
Try returning big serves with tiny grips. No try with huge grips. You will find the difference very quickly.
Fedace, the whole Stanford team uses around 1/2 grips, give or take one size either direction. Try it.

Thank you, you are a genius. but IVO has a Hugh hand so he uses big grip. I have a small hand. anyway i agree with you on everything pretty much. Right now i am at such huge size 5 that i should go down gradually little by little. maybe i should try 4 5/8 first and see how it goes ?? That is going down by 3 sizes right away.
 

LeeD

Bionic Poster
First of all, do you have modern whippy full fast strokes?
Probably not, given you're using a full 5 grip, so you must somewhat linear strokes off a closed stance.
A 5/8 grip is better more traditional strokes IF you're a normal hand size. I've been using that size since 1974, and I still haven't adopted the fully modern whippy fast swings on every ball, even thos I use a strong SW grip and serve OK.
Bigger grip more tolerant to mishits, can volley much more solid.
Smaller grips can whip some huge spinny strokes, providing you do it every time.
I'd think some compromise is in order, and for you, maybe a 5/8th to start. Just borrow a racket and use it for 10 days, playing your normal style.
 

Fedace

Banned
First of all, do you have modern whippy full fast strokes?
Probably not, given you're using a full 5 grip, so you must somewhat linear strokes off a closed stance.
A 5/8 grip is better more traditional strokes IF you're a normal hand size. I've been using that size since 1974, and I still haven't adopted the fully modern whippy fast swings on every ball, even thos I use a strong SW grip and serve OK.
Bigger grip more tolerant to mishits, can volley much more solid.
Smaller grips can whip some huge spinny strokes, providing you do it every time.
I'd think some compromise is in order, and for you, maybe a 5/8th to start. Just borrow a racket and use it for 10 days, playing your normal style.

I have modern day whippy strokes on the forehand.
 

LeeD

Bionic Poster
Does your wrist tend to flop and turn over on your strokes? That's the only reason I can think of for you to use such a big grip....to lock your wrist and hit more direct strokes...than you could with a normal sized grip.
 

Fedace

Banned
Does your wrist tend to flop and turn over on your strokes? That's the only reason I can think of for you to use such a big grip....to lock your wrist and hit more direct strokes...than you could with a normal sized grip.

It is kind of weird. but i gradually got bigger and bigger. I think with smaller grip, for some reason, i have harder time finding the edges or grooves. but at this point, the grip got so big that Now it is hurting my game.
Yes, i have trouble returning big serves because my racket head speed is Slow. BIGGER grip really hurts your racket head speed. That is why i am thinking of going back to more normal grip size.
and i looked and looked and i can't find anyone with Small hands using this Huge of grip size. Have you seen one ???
 
I use my wrist sometimes when I am not able to get the racquet out in front of me. Thats another problem in itself. I played baseball and just picked up tennis, staying back on a pitch is what you are taught to do and in tennis you lung. In baseball it takes away your power, but I guess in tennis thats how you get your power. I find my self hitting late on my heels and twisting my wrist sometimes just to get the ball in the court with the spin.
 
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