by Branden Barrett

Created on: May 01, 2009

Table tennis (ping pong) is a sport that revolves around quick reactions, quick thinking, and appropriate wrist rotation. The rules of table tennis do not specify how one must hold a racket, thus you are free to hold it anyway you desire. However, to get the most out of your game, several guides depict two styles that a majority of the professionals use. These two grips are the penhold grip and the shakehand grip. They both differ greatly in terms of rotation, aesthetics, and play style, so be sure to choose wisely.

The penhold grip is basically held just like it sounds: as if you were holding a writing utensil (pen, pencil, market, etc.) The style of this approach differs from player to player, but it is primarily used by asian players who specialize in offensive spin strokes. Since the penhold grip is held at a slight angle, it generally makes it easier to utilize topspin strokes, particularly on the forehand side. The main weakness of the penhold grip is that it is very difficult to consistently rally from the backhand side. Thus, in recent years, many tournament players are using the penhold grip less and less because of this weakness. It is important to point out though that there are two types of penhold grips: Chinese and Japanese.

Despite both penhold styles originating from Asian countries, the differences in how they are held are quite different. Chinese penhold style involves curling the middle, ring, and fourth finger on the back of the blade. The amount of curling done on the grip is entirely up to the player. Though, the three fingers will always touch each other, allowing for a better hold on the racket. This style is generally for penhold players that like to keep the ball in play, with sort of a counterpunching approach (over-the-net and side-to-side). The other penhold grip is the Japanese style, which involves simply spreading the three above-mentioned fingers across the back of the racket. This can be done anyway you want, as there is no particular spot that you must keep the fingers. Japanese players usually implement a style that keeps them far back in the court, allowing for more time to attack the ball.

Next is the shakehand grip, which is known as the "old-school" grip. The grip is held just like it looks and sounds. Just grab the handle as if you were giving some a handshake, similar to the "eastern" grip in professional tennis. This style allows for equal balance off both the forehand and backhand wing, at the expense of spin control. This grip is used a lot by American and European players, though more and more Asian players are picking up the grip. This is due to the fact that the table tennis game is getting faster and faster, involving more use of the backhand, which is hard to use with the penhold grip. As said in both tennis and table tennis, the one who gets the ball back in play more will usually be the victor. The shakehand grip is ultimately better for retrieving, slices, and drop shots.

Ultimately, it is important to pick the grip that you feel more comfortable with. Most beginners start out with the shakehand grip and eventually switch over to the penhold grip for greater spin and control. In the end though, just choose the grip that gives you the more consistent results. Most importantly, have fun with it.

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