I think LD should do it more neatly though. I'll be glad to do it for him. I like taping rackets, stringing them, etc...
yah pretty sure with all the back up he got he should be able to get a non ugly solution to his griping habbit with ease.. well atleast u see on the AE one.. perheps he did paint the wood part red himself so it wouldn't look as weird as the old one
i heard he did this to teach himself to get control from holding the grip at the bottom. you get the best power from holding it here so if you can get the control as well... your sorted
But if you think about it. they have been doing this way of griping for a WHILE now, for their level of skill and training frequency.. it wouldn't be too much to assume they've long passed the "teaching" period. Shouldn't they have already adpoted to this gripping style as natural and be able to do it without the uglyless as a reminder?
i suppose it could also be that because he has mastered it by now he just doesnt want to waste towel grip
more? mmmm interesting, i guess they have plently of wrist and finger power for net kills so that gripping at the bottom isn't a problem in those situations..
thats what i would guess but i'm not sure, i know that the thicker agrip the more headlight the racket feels, but i don't think these grips are thick
Going back to the point that he (i.e., Lin Dan) ought to be passed the "teaching" period, is this a fairly new development for him? Because the picture in the banner shows him gripping his racquet in the middle of the grip with the grip itself wrapped normally and not in an abbreviated fashion. I don't know how recent that particular picture is, but the point is, may be he's still in a getting-used-to-a-new-habit phase after a lifetime of gripping his racquet in the middle. I do think, however, that it could've been done in a prettier manner. May be Yonex can customise the handle for him? I mean, think of the promotional and marketing value. I don't think it's good for Yonex for their racquets to be seen butchered up like that.
the banner photo depicts him using the mp99, so that one in particular is quite a bit older... probably before he recieved the recommendation to change his gripping habits?
Given the reasons above, wouldn't it still be somewhat necessary for the player to utilize the entire portion of the grip?
these guys are pro's and try to gain control whilst still having the best possible power. as i and others have said before i thought that this was only done in training to teach them to gain this extra control. i never new that he would continue using it during a match. i suppose if he can use it to the same performance, then theres no point wasting grip (even though all of them get it free )
In doubles, yes. But in singles, you really don't need the upper part of the grip because you are rarely in front of the net driving/attacking to win points. Plus you have more time to set-up.
I think you guys are forgetting a key thing... I doubt Lin Dan really needs extra power... but he's not an exceptionally tall guy... neither is Taufik. Think about why pros do the jump smash... when your past the *gawk* factor... the jump smash isn't more powerful... just gives a better angle. Gripping lower will give you a better angle because you can contact the shuttle an inch higher than usual. Also on the defensive, that one inch of reach can do wonders at the pro level.
