Table Tennis Info: Grip Types for Holding the Bat

Whilst the game of table tennis began as a parlour game, it's evolved so much now that there is an international table tennis federation, a USA Table Tennis association and a UK Table tennis association. With such high standards and game play, the way you hold your table tennis bat can make a huge difference to the quality of your game play.

The game of table tennis or ping pong began as wiff waff in the drawing rooms of the late Victorians in the 1800's. It began as a game that was played on a regular table (table tennis tables not yet having been invented) with a row of books instead of a net and cigar box lids instead of table tennis bats!

With table tennis bats, rackets or paddles being then only books or cigar box lids, it would be unusual if there were too many different ways to hold them whilst playing table tennis. However as the books and cigar lids were replaced with dedicated table tennis equipment, game play evolved as did playing techniques.

Table tennis bats are officially known as table tennis rackets by the International Table Tennis Federation but the common name for table tennis rackets in Britain is bats. The USA Table Tennis association also call table tennis bats 'paddles' as this is what table tennis rackets are commonly called in America.

The way you hold your table tennis bat, racket or paddle depends on what sort of table tennis player you are, the spin and speed you wish to achieve of your table tennis ball and the type of game you are playing.

One of the most common grips for holding your table tennis bat is known as the 'shakehand' grip. This is where you grasp the table tennis bat with your pinky, ring and middle finger curled around the handle of the table tennis bat, your index finger is usually straight on the reverse side of the table tennis bat and your thumb usually touches the tip of your middle or ring finger. This grip in table tennis is known as the shakehand as it looks as though you are shaking hands with your table tennis bat. This style is best for both fore hand and back hand shots when playing table tennis as it delivers an equally powerful blow to the table tennis ball.

The second common grip type when playing table tennis is known as the penhold grip. This grip for how you hold your table tennis bat is similarly named to the shake hold in that you are holding your table tennis bat how you would hold your pen. There are several different variations on the pen hold grip when grasping your table tennis bat, just as there are when holding a real pen. Usually when holding the table tennis bat or racket in a penhold, the back hand shot is slightly weaker if played at all. The best way for a back hand shot at table tennis when gripping your table tennis bat in a pen hold is to hold the bat upside down with the handle facing upwards and grapsing the blade of the table tennis bat with your pinky, ring and middle fingers and then wrapping your thumb and index finger around the neck of the table tennis bat.

Whichever grip you choose to hold your table tennis bat, it's most important that you feel comfortable and are able to deliver a powerful shot when needed in particular table tennis gaming situations. Altering your grip on your table tennis bat can alter the spin and speed of your shot during a table tennis match so are well worth practising.

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