How To Hold A Table Tennis Bat. Grip Styles

In table tennis, having a correct grip is crucial to achieve control, accuracy and power in your shots. No matter what level you are, being able to understand and master the correct way of how to hold a table tennis bat is fundamental to your performance. In this post we will go into the different types of grips and provide a step by step guide on how to use them.

Shakehand Grip

The shakehand grip is the most used grip in the sport and is suitable for players at any skill level. It is known for its versatility for various play styles. This grip allows for excellent control and balance, allowing players to execute a wide range of shots.

How to achieve the shakehand grip:

1. Hold your hand out like you were going to shake someones hand. Insert the bat into the webbing between your thumb and finger.
2. Make sure your index finger is extended out straight along the bottom of the rubber.
3. Wrap your remaining fingers around the handle so you have full grip of the bat.
4. Ensure your fingers are relaxed and comfortable. Do not grip too tight!
5. Maintain a slight angle between your forearm and the handle. This is to make your wrist more flexible.

From my experience coaching, many players struggle with keeping their index finger on the bottom of the rubber. Many players have this extended higher up into the middle of the bat. This leads to either, it being in the way for your backhand or, you have to change grips between backhand and forehand, which is not ideal. I would recommend you placing a coin under your finger at the bottom of the rubber. Your aim is to hold this in place while you are playing. This should help you keep your finger there, and over time make it feel more natural.

Forehand & Backhand Grip

The shakehand grip can come with slight variations. These are the forehand and backhand grip. Personally, as a coach, I would not encourage these grips. If someone I coached used either of these grips, I would try to change it to a more neutral grip. However, I will take you through the main points about them if you believe they are more suited for you.

The most popular out of the two is the forehand grip due to it being a more popular shot. The forehand grip is achieved by rotating your bat slightly anti-clockwise. This lines the bat up more with your wrist and can make it much easier to play and generate more spin on your forehand. However, due to the angle of your wrist, playing a backhand becomes much more difficult. The chances are your technique will be incorrect when playing a backhand.

The backhand grip is less common but is still used. Often, what will happen is, if you have a forehand grip, as you go to play a backhand, you will change to a backhand grip so that it is possible to play the shot. This is not a great technique as it takes time to adjust your bat. Meaning you have less time to prepare for each shot and sometimes you may not be able to change grips in time. To achieve the backhand grip it is similar to the forehand but rotate clockwise. This will provide more support when playing a backhand. However, can make it very difficult to produce spin on the forehand.

Penhold Grip

The penhold grip is much less common. It is popular among players who prefer more wrist action in their shots. There is two different types of penhold. The Chinese penhold grip and the Japanese penhold grip. With both of these you get great wrist mobility however, playing shots from your crossover is much more difficult than playing with shakehand grip. You will also find it is much harder to use your backhand, especially with the Japanese grip.

How to achieve the Chinese penhold grip:

1. Start with bat face up, hold the handle between your thumb and index finger, like you were holding a pen.
2. Curl your other fingers around the back of the handle, ensuring you have a secure grip.
3. Adjust the position of your thumb until you find it is comfortable.
4. Maintain a relaxed grip to help with wrist mobility.

The Chinese penhold grip is the second most used in table tennis. It is easier to do with a Chinese penhold handle blade. This blade has a straight and shorter handle making it easier to hold in this grip. A downside of this grip is having a reduced area on the backhand.

How to achieve the Japanese penhold grip:

1. Like with the Chinese penhold start with bat face up, hold the handle between your thumb and index finger.
2. Extend your remaining fingers out along the back side of the bat.
3. Adjust your fingers until you find it comfortable. Some like to have the fingers rest on top of each other, others prefer to spread them apart. Pick whichever feels more comfortable for you.

The Japanese penhold grip is much more rare. Due to the position of your fingers it relies on the sole use of the forehand. Once again, there is a specific blade for the Japanese penhold grip, these are light. A downside of this grip is there is no backhand at all, you have to rely on only using the forehand and inverting it when the ball comes to the backhand side.

Soft Hands

Regardless of what grip style you choose, it is important to get the correct grip pressure. You must avoid gripping the bat too tightly! It will restrict you flexibility, hamper your ability to generate spin and make it much more difficult to block your opponents spin. You may find you need to adjust your grip pressure depending on who you play against. If you play against someone who generates a lot of spin, you will need a very light grip. However, when playing against someone who doesn’t generate as much you don’t need it to be so light. A coaching tip I give to others is to have soft hands. This means to not grip the bat as hard and cushion the ball into the bat.

Conclusion

Being able to hold a table tennis bat correctly is essential in your development. I would strongly recommend to any new players to take up the shakehand grip. It is the most diverse to be able to cover all the shots and it is easier to master than either of the two penhold grips. Remember, whichever grip you choose, find a comfortable and secure grip which promotes flexibility and control. Regular practice ensuring you have the correct grip will help it to become more natural.

If you have any questions feel free to ask below or email me. I am always happy to help!

Ebony

ebony@pingpongpye.com