Grip Problem

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Hi Guys.

I normally dont changed grips during rallies. But since my backhand improved and Im playing more topspins with the backhand instead only counterhits and blocks. When playing backhand topspins my thump goes up and my bat turns more foreward on the backhand side. Its just happins automaticly because then I can use my wrist better on the backhand. But the problem is that when that ball comes back to the forehand Its hard to change back in time.

I play with an in-between forehand and backhand grip. I tried to play with a grip thats slightly more of a backhand grip but with that grip I cant close my forehand angle enough.

I use the same grip for all strokes but for the backhand topspin I have to change my grip for the backhand if I want to get the most out of my backhand.

So how can I become quicker at changin these grips? Changing from forehand o backhand grip is easy but from backhand grip to forehand is harder to do. especially when under pressure. Even if there is just a slight difference but I cant change it in time.

Any advice would be very helpfull :)
 
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Well in my opinion a change in grip should actually be very situational. Only when you know you will get focused on one side or if you play forehand on the entire table you should change the grip.
The backhand grip you discovered is something I only use to attack on a very easy ball to get maximum acceleration. Changing grip from there still takes time though so I mostly only play it when I'm sure to have either time to regrip my bat or end the rally with a strong shot. Forehand grip is also very situational. It's when you move your index finger to be almost in line with the handle. Mostly I use this only for very high risk attacks or same as backhand grip for shots where I know I will have time to regrip or end the rally.
 
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Many pros change there grips during rallies and it can be a good thing if you learn to do it fast enough. It's always a good to get full use of both your fh and bh. If you feel that you need more time you could try to back away a little bit from the table, don't need to be that much, a little bit can make a big difference. :)
 
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Well in my opinion a change in grip should actually be very situational. Only when you know you will get focused on one side or if you play forehand on the entire table you should change the grip.
The backhand grip you discovered is something I only use to attack on a very easy ball to get maximum acceleration. Changing grip from there still takes time though so I mostly only play it when I'm sure to have either time to regrip my bat or end the rally with a strong shot. Forehand grip is also very situational. It's when you move your index finger to be almost in line with the handle. Mostly I use this only for very high risk attacks or same as backhand grip for shots where I know I will have time to regrip or end the rally.

Good input, totally agree! It's very important to choose wisely when to change grip, there is no point changing when you are really close to the table and don't have that much of time.
 

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Of all the players that change their grip during a point, Dima, I think, does this most obviously. I do it too, but since I'm nowhere near as fast as him, I sometimes get stuck with the wrong grip. Hitting the backhand with my forehand grip isn't much of a problem, because that one is, I'd say, more "neutral" of the two (I only lose some of the wrist flexibility). However, hitting a forehand with my backhand grip is a different story. At best, I'll pull off a crappy side-spin that way.
 
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Awareness and practice.

You can use a grip on BH topspins like you described and still get back to a neutral grip in time.

One good example just about anyone who serves well does is the grip adjustment on serves. To maximize use of wrist during serve for a shakehand player, the player will hold the racket with his thumb and 1st finger, leaving the other fingers loose. Once player serves, the player moves arm and bat backwards. During this arm movement back to ready stance, the player gets back to "normal" grip during this backswing. A player does it so much, he doesn't really think about it. A change in grip pressure right before the backswing and a return of the wrist do this.

In a similar manner, once you practice doing a BH loop and transitioning to an open stance and neutral grip, it becomes very natural and efficient.
 
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Awareness and practice.

You can use a grip on BH topspins like you described and still get back to a neutral grip in time.

One good example just about anyone who serves well does is the grip adjustment on serves. To maximize use of wrist during serve for a shakehand player, the player will hold the racket with his thumb and 1st finger, leaving the other fingers loose. Once player serves, the player moves arm and bat backwards. During this arm movement back to ready stance, the player gets back to "normal" grip during this backswing. A player does it so much, he doesn't really think about it. A change in grip pressure right before the backswing and a return of the wrist do this.

In a similar manner, once you practice doing a BH loop and transitioning to an open stance and neutral grip, it becomes very natural and efficient.

I think it's a difference when it comes to serve. You have always much more time to change the grip after serve than after a loop.
 
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Of all the players that change their grip during a point, Dima, I think, does this most obviously. I do it too, but since I'm nowhere near as fast as him, I sometimes get stuck with the wrong grip. Hitting the backhand with my forehand grip isn't much of a problem, because that one is, I'd say, more "neutral" of the two (I only lose some of the wrist flexibility). However, hitting a forehand with my backhand grip is a different story. At best, I'll pull off a crappy side-spin that way.

Timo boll has a big change as well

When I watch him, it's like the grip changing is included in his backswing
 
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This is what I do. I am saying this because it is interesting, it works really well, I never have to think about it. I got this from a woman coach in my area who is from China originally.

I hold the blade face between my index finger and thumb and that is what does the really holding of the blade. This is the same fingers that hold the blade when serving. The grip at the index finger and thumb is loose when I am not contacting the ball and then, as I contact the ball my thumb and index finger squeeze the blade face more tightly. The other fingers are loose but not really holding, they sort of just guide things a little. This means I get more wrist in my shots without thinking about it. It also means my grip automatically changes for forehand and backhand when I change the angle of my wrist. I don't think of anything else. I don't even think of changing the angle of the wrist. But to do a backhand, I have to turn my wrist and forearm down so the blade face moves down, since I am holding primarily with those two fingers on the blade face, the grip changes when I do that. When I open my wrist for a forehand, the grip automatically changes, it can't stay the same as when my wrist was closed for backhand.

For a long time I did not even know I was changing grips. It just happens because the angle of the wrist changes. Also, I would not be able to open or close my wrist as much and I would not be able to get my racket over the ball the same way if I was holding more firmly with the middle, ring and pinky fingers. They just guide the direction of the racket without gripping.

When my wrist is closed for the backhand, my thumb moves a little higher up on the rubber and presses more. When I open my wrist for my forehand, my thumb slides higher up on the rubber and usually ends up on the top of the handle and the very bottom of the rubber.

Again, I do not do this. I do not change my grip! It changes on its own because I change the angle of my wrist and because of the fact that what is doing the real holding is those two fingers.
 
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Axe grip
shakehand righthanded
I do not change my grip, my bh grip stays the same when i do fh strokes.. its like a sliding door that swings back and fort and figure of 8.It is very beneficial specially on near table short game attacks even mid distance attacking. I use my arm angle, shoulder and elbow in brush during spin, bending my body and arc my back to get power, making sure my square stance is stable before spinning, never spin the ball on one leg stance unstable, always lift your body when you move forward backward and laterally, lessen lateral movement on a crossover leg when approaching the ball, and always use elbow on bh fh spins not wrist.

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