OOAK Table Tennis Forum

When looking at how to hold a bat, we can see plenty of pictures demonstrating the correct grip. What it doesn't show however is where the pressure is to actually hold the bat. Is it the fingers, the pointer finger and thumb, is it the knuckle bits on the palm of the hand. Where is the pressure of the part actually gripping the bat?

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Donic Waldner Senso V1,FH Baracuda Big Slam 2.0mm ,BH Victas Triple Regular 2.0mm

I seem to recall some of that stuff here. I've been following his advice on where to rest the thumb, seems to work.



Iskandar

Thanks Iskandar. I actually happen to have a bat with me so tried the 2 different pressure points. Pretty sure I do the wrong one otherwise my index finger would not be able to float up the middle of the backhand rubber. When gripping slightly more firmer between index finger and thumb, I can definitely feel more wrist movement. Might have to give that a go.

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Donic Waldner Senso V1,FH Baracuda Big Slam 2.0mm ,BH Victas Triple Regular 2.0mm

If your SH-grip is correct there will be some air-gap between handle and webbing between thumb and index finger. Racket handle will be parallel to your forearm.

Also coach EmratThich is accurate about wrist mobility and only gripping enough to hold the racket securely with only index and thumb finger.

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__________________________________________________________
Backup C-pen blades:

• TSP Black Balsa 7.0 :
  1. FH/BH-YRakza9/XOmegaVT
  2. FH/BH-TSP Spectol/Yinhe Qing OX
• 729 Bomb C-P : FH/BH-DHS H2 Orig/DHS H3 Orig
• TSP Versal :
  1. FH/BH-XOmegaVA/YJupiter-II
  2. FH/BH-*blank*

Fun blades:

• Yasaka Battle Balsa(ST) : FH/BH- DHS TG2Neo/Gewo HypeXT 47
• Dr. Neubauer
  High Technology
  Cypress-Carbon(ST)
  ***************************** : FH/BH-YRakza7/YRakza7

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More info here, too:



The thumb position's actually from this video.

Iskandar

Went around the club tonight and asked several players how they hold their bat, ie where the pressure is. Index finger and thumb or the other 2 fingers on the handle. Interestingly, all the better players said index finger and thumb and that they could virtually take their other fingers off. The lower players, B grade at our club said that they grip it with their fingers on the handle.

I've definitely been doing it wrong. Not sure why I've never picked this up before. I'm not sure that in videos and other explanations it explains this. It shows how to hold it but not necessarily HOW to hold it.

At Mondays practice, if not before I plan to hit only using my index finger and thumb and perhaps on other finger on the handle.

_________________
Donic Waldner Senso V1,FH Baracuda Big Slam 2.0mm ,BH Victas Triple Regular 2.0mm

Did you watch EmRatThich's videos ?

_________________
__________________________________________________________
Backup C-pen blades:

• TSP Black Balsa 7.0 :
  1. FH/BH-YRakza9/XOmegaVT
  2. FH/BH-TSP Spectol/Yinhe Qing OX
• 729 Bomb C-P : FH/BH-DHS H2 Orig/DHS H3 Orig
• TSP Versal :
  1. FH/BH-XOmegaVA/YJupiter-II
  2. FH/BH-*blank*

Fun blades:

• Yasaka Battle Balsa(ST) : FH/BH- DHS TG2Neo/Gewo HypeXT 47
• Dr. Neubauer
  High Technology
  Cypress-Carbon(ST)
  ***************************** : FH/BH-YRakza7/YRakza7

==========================================================

Yes I did. That's what put me onto the index finger/ thumb thing.

Sent from my SM-T210 using Tapatalk

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Donic Waldner Senso V1,FH Baracuda Big Slam 2.0mm ,BH Victas Triple Regular 2.0mm

IT's helpful but overrated. The most important thing is to be able to vary the pressure of all the fingers to ideally facilitate the shot you intend to play.

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Cobra Kai TT Exponent (Mercy effs up your Game)
One-Loop Man: One Loop... Again????
Lumberjack TT Exponent

"We don't rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training" - Archilochus

I play CPen now. Before my 20 year break from TT, I played SH. In the late 1970's, my Chinese coach taught me to hold the bat with the last 3 fingers (mostly with the middle and ring finger), keeping the index finger and thumb loose. Thumb and index finger were used to turn from FH to BH and back. Switch between FH and BH had to be fast for "close to the table" attack with the 38 mm ball those days, by changing the position of the thumb. Grip would be kind of loose, and varying the pressure. Now a days, players use the thumb and the index finger to grip, quite different from how I was taught in the "good old days".

Stellan Bengston still teaches that I believe, which is why I say the idea that there is only one way to apply pressure is really overrated. No one really knows what fingers they apply to what strokes when. They have a general idea which they think is true based on what they have tried in the past and if you experiment and something works for you, just keep doing it. The only thing I would generally recommend is to try to consistently keep as many fingers on the racket as possible and to make sure you can still get whip regardless of your grip. Whip and ball quality tends to solve most questions about grip and grip pressure.

_________________
Cobra Kai TT Exponent (Mercy effs up your Game)
One-Loop Man: One Loop... Again????
Lumberjack TT Exponent

"We don't rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training" - Archilochus

Sounds sensible. I did notice that i was able to get more wrist movement and more relaxed overall when the pressure was on index finger and thumb so thats where I'll be trying to focus.

_________________
Donic Waldner Senso V1,FH Baracuda Big Slam 2.0mm ,BH Victas Triple Regular 2.0mm

Not related to the topic.
I noticed you have thanked and been thanked the same number of times! 223 times.

Yes, that is the part that is key. The wrist movement and overall relaxation. You may find, like I did, what when hitting powerful shots, there is an element of whip you get from your lower fingers is important. But I think the most important thing is to hold the blade with your fingers, not to clench it very tightly with your palm. As long as you feel it in your fingers, where you apply the pressure can depend on what you choose.

_________________
Cobra Kai TT Exponent (Mercy effs up your Game)
One-Loop Man: One Loop... Again????
Lumberjack TT Exponent

"We don't rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training" - Archilochus