OOAK Table Tennis Forum

In lieu of real training today, we set up a net of logs across our large oak dining table, and decided to play with my children. I figured, for fun, I'd play (and teach) them the penholder grip - the main thinking being it's good for close to the table play.

I observed that for none of them was the grip something they naturally took to. They all instinctively picked the bat up in shakehand mode. Once I showed them the grip, they all looked pretty awkward and tended to incline the blade up and to the left. I persevered, and they got better, but it raised an interesting question - is this a less natural grip, but one which quickly delivers results?

Any thoughts or experiences?

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Yasaka Sweden Classic | 802 OX | C8 OX
Check out my blog - LordCope's Latest Learning Log - 10+ years of accumulate mistakes!

wouldn't you be happy they pick it up shakehand

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Blade Ulmo Duality| FH Tibhar mx-p Black, Dawei 388D-1 red OX
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I'm just happy they want to play But generally I think it's interesting to think about how to teach youngsters. I'm guessing before the rise of the popularity of shakehold in Asia, children would be taught penhold by default. I'm wondering what happens in China now?

Also wondering which is actually the easiest to learn? And which is the most intuitive.

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Yasaka Sweden Classic | 802 OX | C8 OX
Check out my blog - LordCope's Latest Learning Log - 10+ years of accumulate mistakes!

In my opinion, shakehand is the natural grip for children. Even giving them paddle for penholder, they will still hold it on shakehand style.

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Enjoy the game. It is a never ending learning experience once you play and keep the ball on that 45 sq ft of space or should I say half of that space.

Teach them a proper shakehand grip.
Unless you or another coach know the penhold technique well and can teach them penhold, it is a lot easier for them to develop "bad habits" with the PH grip.

knife or chopsticks it's what people learn

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Blade Ulmo Duality| FH Tibhar mx-p Black, Dawei 388D-1 red OX
NZ table tennis selector, ask a question
My Blog here..How table tennis objects are made
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Aha! Yeah, makes sense.

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Yasaka Sweden Classic | 802 OX | C8 OX
Check out my blog - LordCope's Latest Learning Log - 10+ years of accumulate mistakes!

It can be interesting to teach them the penhold grip.
But don't expect to get different results from the shakehand grip. I think penhold grip is quite more difficult than the shakehand because you need a better footwork, learn to play backhand with forehand and backhand side.

Once I tested the penhold grip with a kid, but this was not successful because he didn't win and the others beat him. So he was unhappy with his.

If you are not familiar with the penhold grip - playing penhold yourself or know a good player / trainer who can teach this style - you should better teach them shakehand grip.

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I think it *forces* better footwork. I notice when I play penhold, I am automatically more bouncy and lithe on my feet!



I played penhold throughout my childhood. That's not to say I have good style, but I find it natural. ATM the children are just playing on the kitchen table, and getting interested. In this confined space, close to the table, penhold is perfect for quick reactions and blocking and pushing!

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Yasaka Sweden Classic | 802 OX | C8 OX
Check out my blog - LordCope's Latest Learning Log - 10+ years of accumulate mistakes!

From what I have seen traveling there, most kids in China are taught to play shakehand. Not all, though.

One thing to keep in mind is if you don't live in China and your kids start to take to it, it is pretty hard to find good coaching for penholders.

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Butterfly Viscaria Black tag
2.2 mm Nexy Karis M on FH and BH

I have a 7 year old and a four year old and collectively they have destroyed my basement Canadian Tires rec TT table. I let them play how they want to play andespite suggestions from concerned parents, the kids naturally gravitate towards the shakehand grip and they prefer to hit bh 100% of the time. I think that speaks for itself

Also what concerns me more is that they do not hit their little heads on the table edges or corners. I also give them a limited space, like half the table, and they bump the ball back and forth like air hockey. If they play full table, i remove the net because the posts are another danger.

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A big bag full of blades and long pimples, donuts and coffee!

Yes - I observe that too. My eldest is 12, I have a 10 yr old and an 8 yr old. The eldest played relatively seriously for a summer a couple of years ago, before deciding he didn't have time to commit to training and match play alongside other sport, music and studies. That may change - he plays on our makeshift table whenever he can now. Anyway, he naturally plays a backhand push/chop, but has some other good shots. He's got a lot of potential.

The 10 yr old is lefthanded, and half Chinese! He likes Ma Lin, and likes the idea of playing penholder. He's not as coordinated, and is currently electing to play RH penholder. He plays a good push, but hasn't got the hang of rotating the face of the bat to block or hit. The 8 yr old plays better when she uses pen hold, as her shake hand shots are clumsy - always FH and scoop to the left. But she's beginning to show some control.

I also have a 5 yr old, who's a bit too small to reach. She could go on a chair, but she's not shown interest yet!

It's great fun playing with them. When I say table, I literally mean "table" - it's a vary large oak table. We run some bits of firewood across the middle to form a net. It's primitive, and tremendously good fun. We don't have space for a full size table in the house, but might get one of those crapy outside ones and keep one in a spare stable, and wheel it out to the yard, to sit at a jaunty angle. Who cares if the angles are all wrong - it's still table tennis, right?



I think the most important this is they have fun, and are safe. Agree. If they show promise, they can come along to the club and play there. I'm keen to point out that one isn't 'better' than the other. If they're hitting a ball on a table with bats, it's table tennis. If they're having fun - don't stop.

I think I'm going to get them a bat each for xmas. Just a cheap pimples out hardbat for the younger ones. The oldest has an ageing OFF+ with Galaxy 9000 on each side. I bought it about 10 yrs ago, and used it for a while. But its rubbers are perished, so I'll replace them.

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Yasaka Sweden Classic | 802 OX | C8 OX
Check out my blog - LordCope's Latest Learning Log - 10+ years of accumulate mistakes!

Way to Go Dad!

Thank you for sharing those details your Lordship

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A big bag full of blades and long pimples, donuts and coffee!

maybe he last type of bat I would get, just some thin inverted help them learn to spin, getting a 10 yo as such to learn basic strokes with pimples out, will be very hard

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Blade Ulmo Duality| FH Tibhar mx-p Black, Dawei 388D-1 red OX
NZ table tennis selector, ask a question
My Blog here..How table tennis objects are made
Table Tennis abbreviations, and acronyms

Ah ok - I hadn't thought of that! I was thinking what would be durable against sticky fingers, and get the the feel of the ball on the bat.

These look ok:

http://www.teessport.com/table-tennis-b ... s-bat-p147

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Yasaka Sweden Classic | 802 OX | C8 OX
Check out my blog - LordCope's Latest Learning Log - 10+ years of accumulate mistakes!