Forehand and Panhandler grips

Discussion in 'Techniques / Training' started by -696-, Oct 19, 2005.

  1. -696-

    -696- Regular Member

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    Hello, I read the grip guide (http://www.badmintoncentral.com/badminton-central/content/view/81/35/) and I'm not sure about the differences between the forehand and panhandler grips. I noticed that the forehand grip is looser and that the thumb doesn't wrap around the grip completely like in the panhandler grip.

    Am I right and, if so, are there any other differences that I should have noticed? :confused:
     
  2. -696-

    -696- Regular Member

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    Hello? Anyone? lol :D
     
  3. DinkAlot

    DinkAlot dcbadminton
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    I just checked out that link, thanks. I'm not sure what the difference is, other than it looks like the index finger is further up the handle in the pan handle style.
     
  4. Nitro

    Nitro Regular Member

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    On the panhandle grip the racket is rotated anticlockwise (from the perspective of the person holding the racket) so the V between the thumb and forefinger is more in line with the racket face rather than the racket edge. You can see this better in middle and right hand picture at the top - I think it is hard to see in the top left picture.

    The forehand grip has the V between the thumb and forefinger much closer to being in line with the edge of the racket head.

    It might help if you study the two sets of pictures side by side and look for the angle of the racket head against the hand.
     
  5. Neil Nicholls

    Neil Nicholls Regular Member

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    here they are next to each other - panhandle above forehand
     

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    #5 Neil Nicholls, Oct 27, 2005
    Last edited: Oct 27, 2005
  6. Gollum

    Gollum Regular Member

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    That's just given me an idea for v2 of the grips guide... :)

    Anyway, the panhandle and forehand grips differ from each other by a full 90 degree angle.

    Hold your racket well out in front of you, as if to hit a net kill or flat push. A panhandle grip will present the racket face facing the shuttle, whereas a forehand grip will present the side of the frame towards the shuttle.
     
  7. Neil Nicholls

    Neil Nicholls Regular Member

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    it looks less than 90 degrees in the pictures (to me, anyway)
     
  8. Gollum

    Gollum Regular Member

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    Indeed. That's because in one picture my wrist is flexed, but in the other it is not.

    Compared side by side, each hand appears to be in the same attitude. But they are not.

    Room for improvement in the guide!
     
    #8 Gollum, Oct 27, 2005
    Last edited: Oct 27, 2005
  9. Neil Nicholls

    Neil Nicholls Regular Member

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    I was comparing positions of knuckles, because, as it says in the grip guide
    "only pay attention to the position of the fingers, not the angle of the wrist."
    :p
     
  10. Gollum

    Gollum Regular Member

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    Hoist by my own pitard :D

    It's quite a serious flaw, actually :( Useful to observe other people's confusion, because to me the problem is not obvious (I made the guide, so I know what I meant -- not much use to other people though).
     
  11. -696-

    -696- Regular Member

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    Thanks for the replies!

    I think I understand a bit more now. In the forehand grip, you hold it a bit like you would a tennis racquet, then? The angle of the hand is different.
     
  12. Neil Nicholls

    Neil Nicholls Regular Member

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    You use different grips for different shots in tennis too.
     
  13. DinkAlot

    DinkAlot dcbadminton
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    No, no, no! :eek: This is all relative. Tennis has quite a few different forehand grips: eastern, western, continental, semi-eastern, semi-western and probably a few others now. In badminton, the forehand grip is eastern. Very few men and women tennis players now you an eastern grip for their forehand. Most use semi-western and if you are a topspin master, full western.

    So, please do not say you hold the badminton racket like you do a tennis forehand grip because this is only true if it's eastern grip. :D
     
  14. DinkAlot

    DinkAlot dcbadminton
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    Yep, forehand is usually semi-western to full western and one handed backhand is usually eastern or a variation of eastern.
     
  15. Gollum

    Gollum Regular Member

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    That's the problem with comparative descriptions: "it's like this...."; "it feels like you're doing that....". They can give different ideas to different people.

    That's why I made the grip guide: people need to see exactly how to hold the racket; metaphors and descriptions can be misleading without a demonstration to make sure they understand.

    Of course, images can be misleading too. Hence the need to improve the guide.
     
  16. DinkAlot

    DinkAlot dcbadminton
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    Gollum: nice pictures and good article. :D
     
  17. -696-

    -696- Regular Member

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    Ok, I was pretty unclear with my post so I think these photos will help me make myself a bit more understandable lol.

    Are these the "correct" grips?
     

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    #17 -696-, Oct 28, 2005
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  18. Gollum

    Gollum Regular Member

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    No, the panhandle doesn't look right to me :( The angle of the racket face looks the same in both of your grips. Pandhandle needs to be rotated 90 degrees from forehand.

    Forehand looks okay :)
     
  19. -696-

    -696- Regular Member

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    Wow, so panhandling is like using a hammer or swatting a fly with those fly swatter thingies? :eek:
     
  20. SandeepD

    SandeepD Regular Member

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    Well, think of how you hold the handle of a frying pan while cooking, since that's what it seems to be from their description.

    I think my own grip is kind of a cross between the forehand and panhandler grips as Gollum has described them. I also seem to not use supination-pronation to generate the force of my hits - may explain why my smashes can lack power, but then again I've never tried it so I can't be certain that my smashes would be better or worse with it.
     
    #20 SandeepD, Oct 28, 2005
    Last edited: Oct 28, 2005

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