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| Written by Larry Hodges | |
| Monday, 18 February 2008 | |
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A Neutral Grip By Carl Danner Players using a shakehands grip should try to keep that grip neutral, i.e. not tilted towards the forehand or backhand. You achieve a neutral grip when the blade of your racket fits comfortably between your thumb and first finger without twisting at all. A test is to hold the racket without using the last three fingers of your hand. If the racket tilts when you let go of the last three fingers, your usual grip is biased one way or the other. A neutral grip lets the racket serve as a natural extension of your arm, permitting you to stroke the ball freely with good form. It also helps you respond to opponents' tough shots because you can just stick the racket out and know that it is angled correctly for an emergency block. Because table tennis is such a quick sport, it is also usually a bad idea to plan on switching grips during a rally (as in tennis), although serving is a special case where different positions can be used. By contrast, many players cheat a little by twisting the racket to favor either a forehand or a backhand. Usually, such players make other physical compensations to permit an incorrect grip to work, such as standing too square to the table to hit forehands with an open, forehand grip. If your current grip isn't neutral, to change you will have to modify the adjustments that allowed you to hold the racket crooked, but hit the ball straight. This can take a while, and throw off your game in the mean time. But for players whose grips need work (and you know who you are), a gradual series of adjustments back to neutral can support more powerful and consistent strokes whose benefits you will enjoy for years. |
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