Beginner's Course [1]
How to hold and hit with a racket
There are two main ways to hold a racket.
① Shakehand
80-90% of table tennis players use the shakehand grip. The racket is held as if shaking hands. A distinctive feature is that rubber is attached to both sides of the racket blade. The ball is hit using both sides of the racket with rubber attached.
To grip the racket, make a handshake shape and hold the racket from above. Hold the racket between your thumb and index finger, and grip the handle with three fingers.
Be mindful that the webbing between your thumb and index finger is touching the racket. Hold the racket with your thumb and index finger resting on the rubber. Align your thumb with the mark or lettering in the center. Position your index finger so that it's not too stiff, but align it with the bottom edge of the rubber.
Make sure to keep your three fingers in their proper positions when holding the grip. Especially if you have small hands, such as women or children, be careful not to let your little finger slip out!
How to hold the shaker. Pay attention to the position of your thumb and index finger.
② Pen holder
As the name suggests, a penholder racket is held like a pencil. The thumb, index finger, and middle finger are placed along the racket face. There are two types of penholder rackets: Japanese-style penhold and Chinese-style penhold, each with its own characteristics.
Japanese-style pen
Only one sheet of rubber is attached to the racket. The rubber on one side is sufficient for all shots on the court.
Hold the racket by hooking your index finger onto the cork's protrusion, and gently place your thumb next to it. Curl the other three fingers on the back of the racket so that an egg can fit inside, and place them against the racket. The fingers that touch the racket are the tips of your middle fingers from the second joint onwards.
Learning the correct grip makes it easier to handle the short ball, which is unique to Japanese-style pens, and allows for greater freedom of movement in the wrist, so let's start by learning the correct way to hold it.
The Japanese way of holding a pen: Hook your index finger onto the grip, and simply rest your thumb on it.
The Japanese way of holding a pen: The three fingers on the back should be curled up to about the size of an egg.
Chinese style pen
In the Chinese penhold style, two layers of rubber are attached, and the ball is hit from both sides. This Chinese penhold style is becoming the mainstream even among penholder players. Like the shakehand style, the Chinese penhold uses a round racket.
The grip on the racket is the same as with a Japanese penhold grip, similar to how you would hold a pencil, but it's slightly different because you'll be hitting the ball with the back of the racket as well. However, instead of hooking your index finger, support the racket with your thumb, index finger, and middle finger to ensure even pressure. Leave a small gap between your thumb and index finger.
With the right grip, you'll be able to hit the ball firmly on the backhand side as well.
The Chinese way of holding a pen: Support it firmly with your index finger and thumb.
On the back, support it by slightly curling your middle finger.