You are one step ahead of the opponent when you know what technique to use against them. The technique that plays the most vital role in ping pong is perhaps the way players hold the ping pong paddle. The holding technique is called ‘grip.’ If you successfully select the proper grip, you will perform at your best.
In the article, we will discuss some of the most famous grips that professional players use. Without further ado, let’s begin.
Why It’s Important To Choose The Right Grip
Ping pong is one of those games where you have to react as fast as possible to your opponent’s action. You have to respond with the best you got, and it just cannot be with a random grip. The trick is to master a grip that suits your playing style and makes you confident enough to use it.
If you are used to random grips, learning a specific grip will be difficult and time-consuming. The first time you try a grip also doesn’t produce satisfactory results. It does get better with practice, and once you find the perfect grip, there will be no stopping you from succeeding.
A single “best” grip does not exist. The right grip for you is one that gives you great control and precision when attacking and defending and that matches your playstyle and preferences.
Different Types Of Ping Pong Grips
The Shakehand Grip
Shakehand is the name of a grip that is most popular in the western region. Some Asian players also use this grip to hold the paddle.
In the shakehand grip, an athlete puts his three fingers around the blade. The index finger slightly touches the rubber’s edge, whereas the blade’s edge rests between the forefinger and thumb.
It is important to note that the thumb and forefinger should create a ‘V’ shape where the edge of the blade is tucked into. The shape is necessary for control and flexibility of the wrist.
Shakehand grips can be divided into two categories. Check them out below.
- The Deep Shakehand
The hand placement in deep shakehand is the same as mentioned above. As for the thumb, it rests on the rubber of the paddle, raised slightly. The deep shakehand is not the easiest grip for a beginner. It’s still worth a shot.
Pros
- Paddle feels comfortable in the hand
- Suitable for both backhand and forehand
- Gives adequate power and accuracy to the attacks
Cons
- Does not have wrist flexibility
- Has crossover issues where you cannot decide which stroke to go for
- The Shallow Shakehand
Again the placement of the hand is similar to the above grip. The thumb should be kept on the blade with a slightly curved motion. Compared to the deep shakehand, the shallow shakehand is a more natural and comfortable way to hold the ping pong racket. Beginners must try it as learning the grip is relatively easy.
Pros
- Comfortable to hold the bat
- Forehand and backhand both are available to use
- Has excellent wrist flexibility
Cons
- Does not give ample power on attacks
- Crossover issues
The Penhold Grip
Keep the handle of the bat between the index finger and thumb for penhold grip. The next thing you do is grip the handle using your thumb and index finger, creating a loop. As for the remaining fingers, keep them on the opposite rubber in a relaxed manner. Straighten these fingers to get a firm grip.
The penhold grip allows you to hold the racket like a pen, thus the name. It is incredibly popular in Asia because of its Asian origin.
It is difficult to learn the penhold grip. However, once you learn it, you can show some effective plays with the grip. Folks who use it do not change the side of the paddle for forehand and backhand strokes. Penhold grip is best suited to short paddles.
Reverse Backhand Grip
The reverse backhand grip is another version of the penhold grip, although it is not as popular.
You have to spread the ring, middle and pinky fingers across the rubber to do this grip. Both front and back rubbers can be used for playing the ball in the reverse backhand grip. The grip uses both sides for forehand and backhand, unlike a lot of other grips.
If your weakness in table tennis is the backhand stroke, you must try this grip. Though it is hard to master, you can perform some of the best backhand strokes after learning the grip.
One drawback we found while trying the grip is that it may be difficult to pick the correct stroke to play with it.
The Orthodox Grip
Players hold the ping pong bat like a hammer in the orthodox grip. Their middle fingers rest on the coating of the paddle. They handle the racket like it is an extension of their hands.
The Orthodox grip is more popular with western players since it allows them to make whole shots without changing positions. Beginners should try this grip since it is quite simple to learn.
Unusual Grips
We talked about numerous grips above that are common among professional players. However, the article will remain incomplete if we miss some of the unusual but interesting grips that athletes use. Let’s see them.
- The V Grip
To do the V grip, you make a ‘V’ (victory) sign using the index finger and middle finger. The rest of the fingers remain on top and bottom of the handle. On conventional blades, this is not possible. As a result, a V-grip-modified-blade is necessary to use the grip.
The grip originated from China. It gives you more leverage, power, and spin than any other grips. Having said that, the grip may seem inflexible while returning a shot to the player’s elbow.
- Seemiller Grip
A player holds the bat quite like the shakehand grip in seemiller grip. The additional thing to do here is to add a 90-degree turn. It makes the thumb and index finger grip the side of the racket.
You may know this grip as “windshield wiper grip.” It is indeed another name for it. However, ‘seemiller’ is more frequently used because the person who invented the grip is named Danny Seemiller.
The grip is a suitable choice if you want to block shots effectively on both sides. Moreover, with the seemiller grip, you can get the wrist movement required for forehand strokes. This way, you can perform some next-level forehand topspins.
- Hammer Grip
Hammer grip has a few similarities with the handshake grip. Nevertheless, it also has differences, such as how the player curls his index finger and thumb around the handle.
If you wish to try the grip, keep in mind that you will not develop over-the-table, rapid-fire, or blocking skills with it.
- Pistol Griz
The pistol grip relies heavily on the blade of the paddle. Using the grip is as simple as holding the blade the same way you would hold a pistol. As a result of the way you are holding it, a portion of the wood will be exposed. The ITTF doesn’t approve of this grip, but you can try it.
Final Words
The shakehand grips are the best place to start for a beginner. They are not complicated to learn while giving you ample power, flexibility, and precision. Practicing and playing with these grips for a while will make you confident to try some advanced grips. It won’t take long for you to figure out the positives and negatives of these pro grips. Regardless of the benefits and drawbacks, you will ultimately discover which one fits your needs.