Death Grip Everything I Write With, Any Tips?

[seoulseeker]

Hello,

 

I have been trying to improve my handwriting lately,

 

When I write, it only takes a few lines for me to subconsciously start to death grip the pen, so much so that if I don't release my hand and start over, it starts to physically hurt. I really want to try writing with a fountain pen, but I am scared to for this reason. I have been practicing with a rollerball lately to try to write without developing the "death grip", since rollers generally don't require pressure to write, but I am finding it very difficult.

 

I realize this is a pretty simple question in a generally more advanced forum, but if anyone has any tips on how I might practice keeping my hand relaxed while writing, it would be great. It's a really frustrating barrier for me.

 

Thanks in advance!

Edited November 8, 2011 by seoulseeker

[Pickwick]

It's all depending on how you are holding the pen. The way I was taught is to hold the pen with thumb and first finger, using the second as a rest. I found in order to improve - to give an example - my handwriting is continuous practise.It's taking me a while, and if I don't keep focusing I lapse back into bad habits again. However I'm not giving up on the attempt!

 

I suggest you take a sheet of lined paper and starting with the alphabet just focus and continuously write, progressing to words until you relax your grip.

 

 

You'll find, like me it will take a while to get the mastery of it, but in the end we will get control of our individual problems.

 

 

 

Kind regards,

 

 

 

Pickwick

Edited November 8, 2011 by Pickwick

[JimB]

Resting the pen body on the web between your thumb and forefinger, using almost no pressure downward while moving - not the fingers - but hand/arm/shoulder. I can't force myself to do it always, but I'm always trying. It will result in a larger handwriting, but after mattering it, you will have better control.

 

Good luck!

[andybiotic]

I really want to try writing with a fountain pen, but I am scared to for this reason.

 

Just so you know, fountain pens work with death grips. So if you really can't change your grip, you can still enjoy them. But keep practising!

Edited November 9, 2011 by andybiotic

[myyrkezaan]

I have that problem as well, grip gets deathier over time and position to the right because my palm is on the writing surface (working on that too). What I work on is to not grip the pen at all: pen rests on the middle finger, index finger is towards the tip of the pen (in groove if you have that kind of tip) with a slight bend and the thumb is not touching the index finger and the tip is a little beyond where the index finger first knuckle is.

[wallylynn]

I still have my death grip, especially when I write d'nealian. Seems to require much more finger movement leading to the tight grip.

 

1. Grip higher up, away from the nib. Smaller motions are needed (magnified by the increased distance to the paper) so I don't need to grip as much to maintain control.

 

2. Change style. Business hand (Palmer, Spencer) is more flowing and uses more arm, shoulder, chest motion.

[Ghost Plane]

+1

Also try a fatter pen. The narrow/short pens induce tighter grips for me.

[pickles]

I can't seem to shake the death grip either--even with fatter pens, I can't shake the habit. I know it takes a lot of practice but it really is difficult to train your muscles to do something entirely different. I've read that in the 19th century people wrote more from their arm and shoulder rather than with the wrist and fingers, so they probably didn't have the death grip problem. This seems to be something that's developed in the ballpoint era.

[pmhudepo]

If a bad habit like death grip is unconsciously coupled with writing, try a similar activity that does not have that coupling. Use your pen, but do not write. Instead, doodle, sketch, draw.

 

I've tried it, it's loads of fun.

 

And practice. Lots of it.

[pickles]

That's a really great idea--I never even though about how the two things are linked. Thanks for the link to the handwriting practice thread, I'll have to try it.

[Pickwick]

I can't seem to shake the death grip either--even with fatter pens, I can't shake the habit. I know it takes a lot of practice but it really is difficult to train your muscles to do something entirely different. I've read that in the 19th century people wrote more from their arm and shoulder rather than with the wrist and fingers, so they probably didn't have the death grip problem. This seems to be something that's developed in the ballpoint era.

 

The use of arm and shoulder was for Spencerian script when office clerks were trained to produce a uniform elegant script for commercial and legal purposes before the advent of the typewriter.

 

I hold my pen about a third of the way of its length. This helps me to produce longer strokes. The "Death Grip" appears to be common amongst a generation being used to using ballpoint pens. I'm attempting to improve my writing after a lifetime of neglect. This has mainly been inspired by members of FPN.

 

 

The, "Death Grip" can be overcome, Like my problem, it takes a lot of practise to achieve it.

 

 

 

Kind regards,

 

 

 

Pickwick

Edited November 8, 2011 by Pickwick

[pickles]

It doesn't surprise me that someone with the name Pickwick would know about writing in Spencerian script...

 

The first problem I have to tackle is where I hold the pen, because I hold it right along the section and barrel grooves--way too low. I also tend to rest the pen on my ring finger with my forefinger and middle finger along the barrel (I have no idea why, I just always have), rather than holding it with just the forefinger and thumb and resting it on the middle finger like most people. So I've got a lot of retraining to do.

[Mickey]

Give this a try. (Pardon the cut, paste, and revision from an earlier post.) The idea it to power your writing from the arm and shoulder, which should help you to relax your grip.

 

Set up your desk and chair so that your forearm can rest lightly on the desk without hunching over. There are three points of contact between the writing arm and the desk, the pad of forearm muscle near the elbow, the last two finger nails of the writing hand, and the nib. The most pressure is on the forearm (still not a lot), the least is on the nib (essentially the weight of the pen). Wear long sleeves, if possible.

 

That pad of forearm muscle is critical. It provides some resistance against which the muscles of the upper arm and shoulder can work. It also works kind of like a sleeve bearing, allowing some limited arm movement without repositioning (sliding). Essentially, you write a few characters, then slide sideways an inch or so, either the page or the arm.

 

Think about powering the strokes with your arm, writing from your shoulder, just don't over do it. Allow your fingers to relax to the point where they are simply stabilizing the pen, not gripping it. Start by drawing letter sized circles while keeping your fingers quiet. This will get your arm more involved. Learn to short circuit that urge to tighten your grip. Eventually, you won't need this structured environment to keep your grip relaxed.

Edited November 8, 2011 by Mickey

[Pickwick]

It doesn't surprise me that someone with the name Pickwick would know about writing in Spencerian script...

 

The first problem I have to tackle is where I hold the pen, because I hold it right along the section and barrel grooves--way too low. I also tend to rest the pen on my ring finger with my forefinger and middle finger along the barrel (I have no idea why, I just always have), rather than holding it with just the forefinger and thumb and resting it on the middle finger like most people. So I've got a lot of retraining to do.

 

The Teacher who taught me to use a dip pen at age 8 in 1949 was born in 1900! The ballpoint pen was struggling to give birth. So I'm afraid it does make me an antiquainted member!

 

Commiserations,

 

 

 

Pickwick

[Ghost Plane]

But you are correct. My teacher was born in 1919 and taught by his father born in the latter half of the 1800S!

 

What I learned from this body of knowledge:

 

That forearm is your pivot point.

 

SKETCH the letters with a loose motion that flows from the wrist.

 

Hold your pen much farther back than is common in modern times. Most of my pens are gripped well above the section, back on the body.

 

Stay loose. If someone could swoop in without notice and snatch the pen out of your fingers without resistance, you are holding it correctly.

 

Practice long oval-shaped loops to get the feel for this. Gradually make the loops narrower, then slowly make them smaller.

[KrazyIvan]

It took about six months of consistent practice and consciously forcing myself to loosen my grip before I lost my deathgrip. All I can say is keep at it and be patient with yourself.

[seoulseeker]

Thanks all for the great responses here!

 

I am working with a rollerball still because when I deathgrip, I also push the pen pretty heavily into the paper, which I think would ruin the nib, but I think that I can try to apply these tips to my writing anyways.

 

I think alot of the problem is caused from both ballpoint pens (which I never really used very often once I found rollers), and Pencils. Pencils are a bit easier to write with than ballpoints, but still seem to require enough downforce that it sends the deathgrip into overdrive. I'll try to phase out these forms of writing and switch to liquid based inks only... things that don't need pressure to write well.

 

I primarily write lately in Korean, which can be a fair bit different, as you can't have loopy, connected words/letters. I am worried that fountain pens won't be very practical for Korean writing, but that's a problem for a later date. For now, I will try to work these tips into my english writing.

[alicest]

It doesn't surprise me that someone with the name Pickwick would know about writing in Spencerian script...

 

The first problem I have to tackle is where I hold the pen, because I hold it right along the section and barrel grooves--way too low. I also tend to rest the pen on my ring finger with my forefinger and middle finger along the barrel (I have no idea why, I just always have), rather than holding it with just the forefinger and thumb and resting it on the middle finger like most people. So I've got a lot of retraining to do.

 

Hello writing twin!

I'm pretty sure I started with this in grammar school; my eyesight is terrible and I often used to write with my head on the desk, with a slant - just seemed to have more control over things that way. I still have my 'writer's knot' that developed as a result.

[alexander_k]

If everything else fails, you can try wearing padded finger protectors. The problem doesn't disappear but the pain and agony lessen, sometimes enough to allow you to relax your fingers.

[wallylynn]

The "Death Grip" appears to be common amongst a generation being used to using ballpoint pens.

 

 

I think alot of the problem is caused from both ballpoint pens (which I never really used very often once I found rollers), and Pencils. Pencils are a bit easier to write with than ballpoints, but still seem to require enough downforce that it sends the deathgrip into overdrive.

 

I developed my death grip in grade school, writing with pencils. That carried over to pens. Oddly, when I came across mechanical pencils, I learned to use a very light touch to avoid breaking the lead, but never lost the death grip.

 

I'm not entirely convinced that a death grip is terrible. Maybe my grip is just a really tight grip. I can still write pages without much discomfort. It's mainly to keep the pen/pencil from slipping in my sweaty hands.