how to hold a ping pong paddle
The correct grip for a table tennis bat consists mainly of a straight grip and a cross-bat grip, each of which has its own unique advantages and scenarios of application.
Straight Racket Grip
The straight racket grip is a traditional advantage of Chinese players, and is suitable for players who like to attack and control the short ball. The steps are as follows:
Hold the racket handle with the thumb and forefinger: let the handle be at the tiger's mouth of the palm, and hold the shoulder of the racket with the thumb and forefinger to form a stable pivot point.
The remaining three fingers are naturally bent: they are lightly pressed against the back of the racket to provide support.
Keep the wrist relaxed: to facilitate quick switching between attack and defence during the match, and to improve the spin and variation of the stroke.
Horizontal Racket Grip
The horizontal racket grip is more popular in modern table tennis, especially favoured by European players, and is suitable for all-rounders. The steps are as follows:
Palm grip: Hold the racket handle completely in the palm of your hand to ensure that the racket is stable, but do not exert too much force.
Thumb and index finger form a pivot point: the thumb is placed on the front of the racket and the index finger is attached to the back of the racket, both of which are naturally curved to ensure flexibility when hitting the ball.
The remaining three fingers naturally hold the handle of the racket: this serves as a stabilising aid, with a moderate amount of force.
Advantages and disadvantages of different grips and their applications
Straight Racket Grip: Suitable for close to the table fast attack and blocking, flexible wrist, but the length of the handle is shorter, so the range of left and right care is relatively small.
Horizontal Racket Grip: Suitable for all-round style of play, can effectively handle the switch between forehand and backhand, suitable for pulling curved balls and pulling from the far table, but you need to adjust the position of your hand when switching to backhand shots.
Choosing the right racket grip for yourself needs to be decided according to your playing style, hand shape and habits, and can be adjusted and optimised through the guidance of professional coaches.
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