Lin Dan's "broken" racket grip...

Discussion in 'Grip' started by kwun, Jan 24, 2006.

  1. Amin Khalili

    Amin Khalili Regular Member

    Joined:
    Feb 16, 2009
    Messages:
    1,003
    Likes Received:
    0
    Occupation:
    Student
    Location:
    Malaysia
    Where is this idea come from?If Im not mistaken , Taufik Hidayat also use this "broken" grip too isnt it?
     
  2. Shifty

    Shifty Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jan 13, 2006
    Messages:
    1,065
    Likes Received:
    3
    Occupation:
    Student
    Location:
    New Zealand
    It forces you to only grip the lower end of the racquet. This is meant to increase your power. If you grip any higher, you'll get some nasty splinters :D

    I noticed that Lin Dan did used to grip his racquet quite high. During 2004 Thomas Cup against Peter Gade, he held his racquet past the half way mark. I guess this change has helped him?
     
  3. DxHuman

    DxHuman New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2009
    Messages:
    3
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    ugh?
    By putting less overgrip the grip is lighter, therefore making the the racket more head-heavy, thus more power?
     
  4. Blitzzards

    Blitzzards Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2009
    Messages:
    1,328
    Likes Received:
    6
    Location:
    GMT+8:00
    This gripping method also balances off the racquet's balance point offset created by the dense and relatively heavy towel grip. The less grip you have on your handle the overall lighter your racquet will be and the more head heavy your racquet will feel.

    On a side note you can have a full grip with layers of tape on the frame to counter the balance point offset, but then the overall weight of your racquet will be much heavier, which is not a good thing for especially the head heavy Armortecs.
     
  5. epermana

    epermana Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2008
    Messages:
    73
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Sydney, Australia
    I see his grip as a mean to force himself to hold the racket at the lowest point to create greatest moment, not to increase head-heaviness. After all, with your grip as the pivotting point, anything applied above it will result in a "head-heavier" racket i.e. considering a (hand) grip at the lowest end possible, a racket with full towel grip will be head-heavier than one with just half towel grip but I reckon it is extremely insignificant.

    I believe it was the athletic tape applied around the frame that contributes to the head-heaviness, not the grip.
     
  6. Blitzzards

    Blitzzards Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2009
    Messages:
    1,328
    Likes Received:
    6
    Location:
    GMT+8:00
    Yup, totally agree. Although having a full towel grip all the up to the cone will make the racquet more head light, albeit theoretically only.

    I tried the 'towel grip' mod on my AT700s and a full towel grip vs a half-way up towel grip can create a difference of 6mm to 8mm in balance point shift. The amount of extra weight added into the racquet by the 'unnecessary' length of towel grip is actually quite a lot. Adding more weight to the grip while also adding tape to the frame to balance off the theoretical balance point is actually counter productive as it results in a heavier racquet overall (I recently opened a topic on this under racquet recommendations).

    Note: This is going a bit off topic but at least we have another theory to discuss on.
     
  7. MetalOrange

    MetalOrange Regular Member

    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2009
    Messages:
    278
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    home
    It is simply an anatomic grip Lin is comfortable with. Of course he added the thumb grip atop that anatomic grip.
     
  8. dorysan

    dorysan Regular Member

    Joined:
    Apr 16, 2006
    Messages:
    351
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Israel
    Im playing with the same grip.
    gives me reach, power and control.
    And give me lighter and heavy-head racket
     
  9. blabbo

    blabbo New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 28, 2009
    Messages:
    4
    Likes Received:
    0
    Occupation:
    Student
    Location:
    China
    i'm preeeettty sure he does this to make his racquet more head heavy.
    He must like the head heavy feel because if it was to train himself to hold a racquet or anything, there is no need to grip like this.

    afterall, in singles there is not many quick, snappy rallies.
     
  10. taneepak

    taneepak Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2004
    Messages:
    6,526
    Likes Received:
    25
    Occupation:
    Designing and producing quality feather shuttlecoc
    Location:
    Hong Kong
    I have slightly modified "Lin Dan's" grip. I now use 1" thin bandages to wrap around the handle, with almost no overlap. I then cut a thin grip into two pcs and then use just one pc to wrap it over the bandage in the middle of the handle, leaving about 1" at the butt end and 2" at the cone end as is with their bandage. The thin grip in the center's thickness can be varied by the amount of overlap to suit you.
    The bandages make the racquets look cheap but who cares. Almost all of those who, initially shocked at the sight of my grips, tried them out said they like it.
     
  11. taneepak

    taneepak Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2004
    Messages:
    6,526
    Likes Received:
    25
    Occupation:
    Designing and producing quality feather shuttlecoc
    Location:
    Hong Kong
    To clarify the 1" thin bandages refer to 1" wide bandages, not 1" thick. Some of these bandages are tacky, some not. The tacky ones are better as they are paper thin and they have good grip.
     
  12. taneepak

    taneepak Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2004
    Messages:
    6,526
    Likes Received:
    25
    Occupation:
    Designing and producing quality feather shuttlecoc
    Location:
    Hong Kong
    Instead of leaving the top and bottom parts of the handle bare ala Lin Dan, you can use 3M Nexcare athletic wrap. Wrap the Nexcare over the wooden handle with no overlap, then apply a thin grip of your choice over the middle section of the handle, varying the thickness with overlapping.
    I find the 3M athletic wrap ideal as it is non slip and also breathable.
     
  13. lilyaks

    lilyaks Regular Member

    Joined:
    Feb 19, 2010
    Messages:
    76
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Toronto, ON
    its true - if you ever shake lin dan's hand, his fingers feel like sand paper.
     
  14. lilyaks

    lilyaks Regular Member

    Joined:
    Feb 19, 2010
    Messages:
    76
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Toronto, ON
    how did you grip it like that (im talking precise, detailed, scientif method LOL)
     
  15. Flexsis

    Flexsis Regular Member

    Joined:
    Dec 12, 2009
    Messages:
    445
    Likes Received:
    0
    Occupation:
    Student
    Location:
    Canada
    You can see his fingers are really dry in games xD
     
  16. OliverHH

    OliverHH Regular Member

    Joined:
    Feb 23, 2010
    Messages:
    97
    Likes Received:
    0
    Occupation:
    Student
    Location:
    Denmark
    Could you post a picture so we can see it?
     
  17. Destricto_Ense

    Destricto_Ense Regular Member

    Joined:
    Nov 13, 2008
    Messages:
    1,229
    Likes Received:
    1
    Occupation:
    Student
    Location:
    Ireland.
    Seconded. Sounds interesting.
     
  18. taneepak

    taneepak Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2004
    Messages:
    6,526
    Likes Received:
    25
    Occupation:
    Designing and producing quality feather shuttlecoc
    Location:
    Hong Kong
    I don't have a digital camera. If there are forum members in HK who are prepared to come and take some pictures of my version of the "broken grip", I will be glad to oblige. I have at least 6 racquets with this grip.
     
  19. ryim_

    ryim_ Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jun 4, 2006
    Messages:
    213
    Likes Received:
    2
    Occupation:
    Capital Market Research
    Location:
    Hong Kong SAR, China
    Where and when do you usually play taneepak?
     
  20. taneepak

    taneepak Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2004
    Messages:
    6,526
    Likes Received:
    25
    Occupation:
    Designing and producing quality feather shuttlecoc
    Location:
    Hong Kong
    I still play the game socially, about 4 times weekly, mainly in Tuen Mun.
    Actually, you can try to fashion the "broken" grip yourself. It can be easily done.
    All you need is to get a 3M Nexcare athletic wrap, 3" x 5 yards, from either Mannings or Watsons. Just cut a pc of the athletic wrap and wrap it around the barren wooden handle thinly, not more than one layer. You then wrap a proper grip over the center of the athletic grip, leaving out about 2" at the cone end and about 1/2" at the butt end. You will then have a "broken" handle or grip of about 2" at the cone end and about 1/2" at the butt end.
    The end result is similar to having a contoured handle or grip, with the middle section being the largest and thickest, the top cone section for your thumb and index finger being thinner, and the bottom section at the butt end thin enough for you to hold the racquet with the last 3 fingers firmly.
     

Share This Page