Handle grip, does it matter which hand goes on top?

[Seba Kerckhof]

Hello,

 

I'm 23 years old and have been skiing all my life.

I currently take the course at 22 off.

 

I was just reading an article that says if you're left footed (which I am), then you need to grip the handle with your right palm on top.

 

I realized I do it the other way around (left palm on top) and was wondering if this makes any difference? It would take some time to make the switch, so is it worth the trouble?

 

Thanks

[A_B]

Yes it can. It helps your offside leverage position. Try it on land and you will see the difference and can tell for yourself if it is worth the switch or not.

 

There are top skiers not using it, so it is a personal thing.

[Than_Bogan]

Quite a few of us on here did the make the switch. I made it at almost exactly the point where you are now: able to run 36/-22 at least some of the time and 36/-28 almost never.

 

So it's not "too late." It only took a few sets to get used to. Within a few years I was running mid-35, but I was on the steep part of the learning curve, so that might have happened anyhow.

 

The benefits depend a lot on where your weaknesses are. Personally my off-side pull position was really bad, and the "correct" grip seemed to help with that quite a lot. It's still not great even today, but it's better...

 

There are certainly some great skiers that use the "wrong" grip, so switching is not mandatory.

[Texas6]

When you say you are "left footed" are you suggesting that you're a left foot forward skier? Assuming that is the case, then left palm down, right palm up is the right way to hold the handle - If not, I'm doing it wrong:)

[A_B]

Texas, you are messed up!

jk.. that is the "recommended" grip. Of course, politically correct skiers have their little pinky finger sticking up..

 

I switched back in the early 90's, when I was running 35 off with the "incorrect" grip. Did it over the winter when I rigged up a pulley system with a weight and handle, and practiced pulling the rope in and out with the "correct" grip. It made switching in the Spring a non-event.

[Texas6]

@AB, that is actually very good advice. I switched mid summer about 5 years ago after doing it wrong my entire life. It was shockingly hard for me to make the switch to the correct grip and if I had it to do over again, I would follow your advice. Having said that, I have a neighbor who battles tendinitis pretty bad and switches his grip regularly to keep the pain at bay - he makes that switch with ZERO impact to his skiing and he skis at a high level - somehow. If I'm not wearing the right shorts it impacts my performance somehow. Everybody is different I suppose, or better athletes in his case, but there is definitely off side advantages to adopting the proper grip

[Chef23]

There are some very good skiers like April Coble that ski with the wrong grip but it is the exception rather than the rule.

[Seba Kerckhof]

Thanks, I think I'll have a go at it!

[A_B]

Texas, That is incredible that he can switch back and forth. I would get all crossed up. Now if we can just figure out how to slide the bindings back and forth while skiing to eliminate the offside all together....

[kstateskier]

Lucky Lowe says I hold the handle wrong. He tried to change me but since I can't hear people yelling at me I didn't listen :)

[MattP]

@kstateskier‌ Lucky is a jumper therefore he slaloms with the wrong grip!

[GOODESkier]

I think it does matter. Think of it this way, if you were standing at the plate to hit a baseball....... how would you grip the bat? Now with that "bat grip" swing into a skiing position with your arms. It should be the same grip at the handle or the bat. Will be different whether you are a lefty or a righty at the plate or on the ski.

 

I decided to switch last season at the very beginning. Since it was after a long winter break in Washington, it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I was working on getting through 35 Off last summer and at 28 and 32 I would remember to grip correct, and then at 35 I would be all over the handle with everything messed up half the time. I remember running 35 a couple times with both palms down! That floundering eventually went away.............

 

I say switch now and be done with it.

[Texas6]

@GOODESkier, for some reason I don't doubt that a guy who goes from longline to 38 off in 2 seasons has the athleticism necessary to make a grip change:). I like to think that my athleticism is so efficient that it resists any and all changes;)

[kstateskier]

@GOODESkier‌ I always end up with two palms down when I try the opposite grip.

[GOODESkier]

@Texas6‌ you can do it too! As long as you don't mind missing some of your harder passes for a week or so, and as long as you don't mind everyone in the boat laughing at you.

 

I just found I had better leverage and better off side "stack" for some reason.

[GOODESkier]

@kstateskier‌ if you practice the grip during the day at work, at night before bed, and make sure you try hard to get the grip started right on your pull up........ it will all of a sudden feel "correct". If you believe there is an advantage....... you'll do it!

[A_B]

Accentuate the feeling right on the offside lean the rest will fall in place.

[kstateskier]

@GOODESkier‌ I'll give it a try and see if I like. I DO ski opposite my baseball/golf grip.

[Than_Bogan]

@GOODESkier Although I utterly suck at baseball (it may even be the sport at which I am the lowest percentile ranking of any sport in the world), I don't think your baseball grip analogy really makes sense. I "bat" from the left side of the plate, but I don't see how that relates to skiing. I hold the bat in the only way that makes sense from that side of the plate (right hand on top), but that's the opposite of the "correct" grip for a right-foot-forward skier like me.

[kfennell]

@Than_Bogan‌ I am sure you are worse at jai alai.

[Than_Bogan]

(threadjack alert!)

 

@kfennel Ah, but I've chosen my words carefully. I said "percentile." For any sport that almost nobody plays, my moderate athleticism will put me near the 50th percentile since the vast majority of folks have also never played the game. But baseball is played by tons of people, and I am particularly unskilled at it.

[Deanoski]

make the switch it is not that hard I did it 15 years ago took 5-10 sets Yes you will mess up a few handle grabs. but in the end you will have a better offside position

[Razorskier1]

@OB -- your tag line makes me sad . . . Come visit us in MN! Promise to show you a good time both on and off the water!

[grab2go]

I switch back and forth a couple of times during the year. It just depends on which elbow hurts more as to which grip I use. Getting old stinks!

[GOODESkier]

@Than_Bogan‌ it makes sense in my head....... Try holding a bat like you would standing at the plate. Then literally 1/2 swing the bat into a position that feels like your skiing arms/hands when getting pulled out of the water. The bat becomes the bar across the ski handle. It makes sense in my head? Think it works both sides of the plate and both RFF and LFF?

[GOODESkier]

@OB‌ there are always exceptions for the elite of the elite........ but for rest of us hacks, we better try to conform in some sort........

[Drago]

Two words: mike kjellander. "Wrong " grip, world titles and records. I have the wrong grip, tried switching and almost blew my back out. Used to run 39's.

Others have switched (klp) with success.

Why do we hold the handle like a baseball bat (= pushing) instead of like a shovel (=pulling)?

So, try switching. If it doesn't work, don't sweat it.

[GOODESkier]

The bat thing is just one way of presenting the look and comparing it to a conventional idea of what "success" might look like in another sport. Not the only way, but for the vast majority of us, I think it gives a mechanical advantage. I saw potential and switched. I am all about taking the best from everyone I encounter and adding it all up in my own way. If you don't believe or think it will increase your skiing ability, it isn't worth the time and energy. To each their own.

[liquid d]

The advantage of using the "correct" grip comes in the offside finish of the turn. For a leftie, when turning 2,4,6 ..you will finish the turn with the portion of the handle that your left hand grabs about 6 inches closer to your waist.

I have always been a "wrong way" guy. I have experimented with it, but I tend to overturn my offside when I do. It's worth a try to see if it helps your skiing, but it's certainly not the only way to git'er done.

[HMan66]

I've always skied left foot forward, right palm down on the handle. But what @GOODESkier said about the bat reference really makes sense. I'm really awkward on my offside turn so I'm gonna give this a try.