About holding the bat
General
shubhanu Unknown Asked 15 years ago
Hello Sir,
Your videos have been really helpful...thanks for them.My question is that whether to hold the tt bat tight enough or a little loose. I use shakehand grip and i've frequently noticed that when holding it tight i can create much higher spin and effective play but it leaves my hand red.Tell me how can i judge how tight to hold it.
Thanks.
Alois Rosario Answered 15 years ago
Hi Shubhanu,
You should try to keep the bat very lightly in your hand.
If you have a strong grip on the bat your hand will tighten. this will also tighten your wrist and not allow you to use it effectively. Similarly your forearm, upper arm and shoulder will tend to tighten if you grip your bat tightly.
It often feels like you are in more control and you are getting more spin, but in reality the opposite is usually true.
Try holding the bat very lightly inyour hand. Take a look at our Lesson on the Grip. It will give you an idea of how tight to hold the bat.
Recommended Video
Choosing a Table Tennis Bat
Make sure you buy a table tennis bat that is suitable for your level and allows you to develop your technique. For your first bat we recommend the PingSkills Rook, and when you upgrade to a custom bat we recommend the PingSkills Touch with Mark V or Rakza 7.
Watch NowThoughts on this question
Become a free member to post a comment about this question.
Arnaud N Posted 11 years ago
Hi Alois,
I saw the Grip video and since then, I always try to hold my bat loose.
However, I was once in a situation where I was really stressed and under pressure and all my limbs started to shake like if I was playing outdoor by minus 20 degrees, I couldn't control it. As a result, my bat was also shaking in my hand and all my strokes went behind the table or in the net. I noticed that by contracting my arm and wrist muscles and holding my bat much tighter at that moment, I managed to get more stability and control. My bat wasn't shaking so much in my hand (although my legs were still shaking), so in fact holding the bat tightly really helped me in that situation.
Was it a good way to cope with this unexpected situation, or what else should I also have tried instead?
Hi Arnaud,
This is an interesting situation. In this case wen you are nervous, you are taking control of your muscles again. It will feel better to start with and gain control over your muscles but you do then need to be able to relax again.
Try this next time. Tighten and then relax your muscles a few times. This may relax the muscles again. Focus on the muscles that you feel are particularly tight. It may be the shoulder, forearm, fingers or any other muscles that are effecting you.