As a new approach to analyze grinding energy, this paper introduces a specific grinding energy model based on the average grain. Using this model, grinding characteristics such as radial and tangential forces, specific grinding energy of SM45C were investigated with changing grinding variables such as workpiece velocity(v) and apparent depth of cut(Z) in down-surface grinding. From the experimental results, the specific grinding energy decreases as the maximum undeformed chip thickness increases. And there is no significant difference between the specific grinding energies of the existing and the proposed model.