How to Use the Shakehands Table Tennis Grip

There are quite a few different grips used in table tennis. Though a few are universal, some players are invent their own. Unless you are a world-class player, you should stick with a traditional grip, such as the shakehands.

Instructions

    • 1

      Think of your table tennis racket handle as the hand of another person.

    • 2

      Reach out your dominant hand as if you were going to shake hands with your racket. Your thumb should be pointing straight up and your fingers should not be curled.

    • 3

      Grip the handle firmly enough to maintain control of the racket head but not too tightly. You are striving for comfort and control when you use the shakehands table tennis grip.

    • 4

      Rest the handle comfortably and securely in between your thumb and forefinger. When you look down at your hand without a racket in it, you'll notice that the space between your thumb and pointer finger looks like a "V."

    • 5

      Use the other three fingers of your hand for support. Curl them around the handle, but leave your pointer finger straight out if it's more comfortable for you. Just make sure it does not pertrude onto the surface of the paddle where it might interfere with your stroke.

    • 6

      Maintain this grip throughout. Resist the temptation to change grips from forehand to backhand. On a forehand shot, your thumb will be in front. For a backhand shot, the thumb will be behind the paddle.

    • 7

      Keep using the shakehands grip, but feel free to move your hand up and down the handle of your blade. At times, you may want your hand further down the handle or closer to the blade head. When you're executing a forehand pendulum serve, for example, your thumb will actually be touching the bottom part of the rubber on the head of your blade.

    • 8

      Experiment with the other primary table tennis grip, the pen hold grip, once you've mastered the shakehands grip. With the pen hold grip, you hold your blade like a pen between your thumb and pointer finger. This can give you a strong forehand shot, but the drawback typically is a weaker stroke when you use your backhand.