Is claw really worse for your hands than a standard grip?

[gapw]

I'm considering switching to claw so I can get instant up airs with Falcon and more control over my aerial movement, but I've heard that claw is worse for you hands.

Also, what is the 'official' claw grip? I know it's a standard grip with your left hand and your right thumb on C stick, right index finger on Y, A, and B, and middle finger on R and Z, but I've also heard that your right thumb covers A and B as well as C stick. Also- how do you wavedash with claw grip? I normally use R, but that seems impossible with claw.

 

[LegendarySquid]

I'm able to use instant up airs in my gameplay, and I don't even use claw. I don't think the problem here is your method, but your experience. Just keep practicing at what you're comfortable with. The best controller grip is the one that you find the most comfortable.

 

[Roukiske]

I can't see how claw can improve your ability to instant up-air. Can OP or anyone explain?

 

[AscendantAquila]

By keeping your thumb on the c stick and jumping with your index, it allows you to hit the jump button and without having to move your thumb, flick up. Basically it eliminates moving your thumb around.
To answer the question it seems like it puts extra stress on the hands by nature of the way the buttons are hit by the index, it also may be due to the fact that the muscles used in claw generally aren't used as much and not as strong.

 

[Stride]

Just try it for yourself and see how it feels. If it makes your hands feel bad then don't use it; it will vary from person to person. I speculate that people with bigger hands will tend to find it less comfortable.

Even if you don't play claw all the time, it's still necessary to switch to claw (or use the side of your index finger on the X button like I do, or probably some other grips) temporarily if you want to do certain things, such as floating forward aerials with Peach without moving forwards, or for doing an aerial with the C-stick immediately after double jumping (allowing you to keep full control of you aerial movement; especially useful for Jigglypuff).

You can either move your thumb between A/B and the C-stick, or you can keep your thumb over A/B and use the base of it to operate the C-stick. Kadano has said that replacing the C-stick with a second control stick is helpful for the second method (which makes sense, though I haven't tried it myself).

I can't see how claw can improve your ability to instant up-air. Can OP or anyone explain?

You can have you thumb on the C-stick and the jump button at the same time, so you don't have to worry about moving you thumb quickly or shifting your hold on the controller.

 

[Dolla Pills]

Recently I've started using claw for a lot of the things I do, and now that I think about it my hands have felt a little more stressed. I don't know if that's because of the claw, playing a lot more Fox, or because I've hurt my hand a few times since then outside of Melee, but it's interesting to think about.

 

[HypnoNJ]

Recently I've started using claw for a lot of the things I do, and now that I think about it my hands have felt a little more stressed. I don't know if that's because of the claw, playing a lot more Fox, or because I've hurt my hand a few times since then outside of Melee, but it's interesting to think about.

Well guess I'm gonna stay away from claw than

 

[GenNyan]

Also, what is the 'official' claw grip? I know it's a standard grip with your left hand and your right thumb on C stick, right index finger on Y, A, and B, and middle finger on R and Z, but I've also heard that your right thumb covers A and B as well as C stick. Also- how do you wavedash with claw grip? I normally use R, but that seems impossible with claw.

There really is no "official" claw grip, because there are countless variations on it. And you don't even have to use claw all the time, if you just want to learn claw for easy frame perfect U-airs, then momentarily switch to claw when you want to do them. Mango uses claw when doing aerials from the edge, M2K uses it for SHDLs, Hbox uses it in some situations, and I don't know about other big 6ers.

If you just want it for the U-airs, I would recommend just moving your index finger to X/Y and thumb to C-stick, so you can quickly switch from claw to standard grip. Alternatively, tap jump allows you to do instant U-airs easily as well.

 

[BauxFalcon]

I play falcon, I don't use claw. I haven't ever used it I think. I thought it would be useful, but I figured it would be too much extra work, and I'd just learn how to instant uair without it. Just carve some notches into the analog stick area (look it up for a tutorial) of your controller and your instant uairs suddenly work like magic.

 

[Roukiske]

You can have you thumb on the C-stick and the jump button at the same time, so you don't have to worry about moving you thumb quickly or shifting your hold on the controller.

Ah I see. That's what I assumed. But if you press the buttons too close to each other you will perform a jump cancelled up-smash right? It is possible to be too fast and I sometimes do it even without claw :[

 

[BauxFalcon]

Ah I see. That's what I assumed. But if you press the buttons too close to each other you will perform a jump cancelled up-smash right? It is possible to be too fast and I sometimes do it even without claw :[

It's not a good way, just do it normally, learning to short hop with stick is annoying.

 

[Quinfordmac]

Even if it's gonna give me arthritis when I'm 35 I'm gonna use the claw grip until I die

Also, you can still wavedash with R when using claw, I just use my middle finger

 

[Neckbeards]

Claw is REALLY bad for your hands.

Don't do it.

 

[TriffHR]

Claw is REALLY bad for your hands.

Don't do it.

M2K uses claw, and he doesnt have hand injuries.... oh wait yes he does

 

[TriffHR]

Even if it's gonna give me arthritis when I'm 35 I'm gonna use the claw grip until I die

Also, you can still wavedash with R when using claw, I just use my middle finger

Just wondering, how long did it take you to get used to claw grip?

 

[Quinfordmac]

Just wondering, how long did it take you to get used to claw grip?

Honestly I don't know when/how I switched to the claw grip. It's just something that sort of happened, I SHFFL a bunch so I guess I naturally lended myself to the claw. It's not something where I was like "it's time to start using the claw and I'm gonna force myself to use it."

Now that I use the claw, the standard grip feels super weird and awkward if I'm using it for whatever reason (like 1-Player mode.)

 

[Massive]

The only thing you can do more easily with claw than a regular grip is cycle rapidly between jump and the B button.

There are alternate methods for basically everything else (many of them involve using tap-jump, ironically).