Sword Grips

[Arrakis]

I posted this for someone's clarification on the Dag boards. I figured it would fit well here. If anyone has commentary on how they do these grips or has a different terminology than I do, please let me know! This is just from my understanding.




Grips!



Hammer Grip:



The most common of grips, useful for many, many things. Use it, know it, love it. It's an excellent transitional grip and an excellent default grip.


Rogue Grip (Modified French Grip):





My favorite grip at the moment and used by many top-end fighters. It's superior for stabbing and punch/handle blocking (it helps protect your outer arm due to the angle). It also allows quicker slots and arm-chops, but can limit your range and strength on straight chops if you aren't willing to correct and adjust your grip on the fly.


Flat Grip:



Kind of like Rogue taken to the next level. It's a great grip for throwing slots, sweeping shots (like, where your blade moves like a windshield wiper), and for throwing certain "wraps" and crosses. I say "wraps" because, thrown from flat grip, the shots aren't as wrappy, but land with much less wrist torque. I like it for when I feel like high-crossing.


Pommel Grip:



Favored by some for range and angles. I don't use this grip often, but it does give you that little bit of extra range, if you need it. Beware shot lag and pommel breakdown if you haven't built your pommel super-tough.


Saber Grip:



I don't like to use saber grip. I've injured my thumbs using this grip. Don't block in this grip, for sure. Again, not recommended, though you do get fabulous control. Instead, use...


Modified Saber:



Taking your thumb over so that it isn't directly in line with the grip, so that you're alllllmost rogue-gripping, but lower, on the handle, and you'll be in Modified Saber. This gives you nearly the same control as saber with less likelyhood of breaking your thumbs. Good for when you need range and tip control and don't feel like using something else, I guess. I use it sparingly, I suppose.







Anyway, enjoy!

[Gambit Redband]

Great list. I would add Peter the Quick's pistol grip, which I would describe as Rogue but also gripping the index finger on the front of the blade (like the trigger of a pistol) for added control. One of my favorites for obvious reasons.

[Arrakis]

I guess it's not clear from the pictures, but I do wrap my index up and around when fighting "Rogue grip". Is that not typical?

[Slagar]

Peter uses Rogue Grip. The trigger finger thing is right, so I'd say that picture would be better taken at an angle that shows it. Not that important, or anything.

Modified saber, that grip isn't quite what you're looking for. The thumb isn't just slid off to one side, the entire handle is laid across the palm differently.

Basically, you're pinching the "flat" of the handle between your thum and the crook of your index finger.

Like so:
Then you just close the rest of your hand around that basic grip.

Seen here:

From the other side:

This grip is honestly closer to flat grip the way it's shown here, in terms of the angles it's giving you. But, and this is why I use it, you can "roll" the sword between your thumb and the crook of that index finger, to control which way the blade is facing. It doesn't give you the extreme angles of rogue or flat grip, but it gives you the overwhelming majority of both of them, without ever changing your grip. It's pretty slick, and it's more or less all I use at this point. Sometimes when I'm grinding I'll switch back to Rogue, but otherwise that's about it.

[bo1]

the way you guys are using the PtQ grip, the handle is way to vertical. it shouldnt cross the bottom of your hand, the bone behind the pinkey finger. it shoudl cross at the cener os the hand, the crease at the wrist area. allows for higher angle of attack.

a quick drill, touch your thumb to your pinkey, look at your hands crease running down the center from the index finger to the center of the wrist. that is the line of the sword.

[Arrakis]

Thanks, Bo. I think I know what you mean; I'll give it a shot when I get home tonight. I might do that when I'm fighting; I don't really know. My grip sort of evolves during fights...

Anyway, thanks for the info; I'll look into it.

[bo1]

hey just use what makes sence and works for you, best grip is one that lets you hit your opponent with the highest number of shots. with this thought, no one grip is superior to changing grips to several.

i use flat, hammer, mod saber, and rogue. i modify them while in the fight, the hard part is doing it with out thinking and giving a tell to the opponnent.