Grip problems, thumb placement

[Marbor]

Hello all! I have problems with transitioning from fh to bh.

I keep my thumb tucked in on the "slove" right under the rubber which is designed for putting the thumb there. That makes my fh swing feel normal. But my wrist is kinda locked so I cant do bh topspin really. I can just counterhit and block with the bh.

Or the second alternative is to have the thumb on the rubber at all times which would make my bh better, but my fh would feel weird.

How do you guys do? Do you change between every hit and how do you have time to do that? How should I think, this is really messing up my mind and game

 

[Doum]

Grip is a very important aspect and often overlooked.

I try to have a grip that is neutral. Thumb on the lower part of the rubber, this allow me to pinch my racket between my index and my thumb. I relax my others fingers.

To help with your BH topspin, move your elbow forward, moving your bat towards you. This help to include the wrist in the stroke and to find the correct bat angle.

Practice.

I try not to change my grip, but we always do it between FH and BH. Small adjustments are OK, but big changes will hurt your game.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Hello all! I have problems with transitioning from fh to bh.

I keep my thumb tucked in on the "slove" right under the rubber which is designed for putting the thumb there. That makes my fh swing feel normal. But my wrist is kinda locked so I cant do bh topspin really. I can just counterhit and block with the bh.

Or the second alternative is to have the thumb on the rubber at all times which would make my bh better, but my fh would feel weird.

How do you guys do? Do you change between every hit and how do you have time to do that? How should I think, this is really messing up my mind and game

look at timo boll

it is common to change grip between bh and fh
there has been some big changes that you can actually see transition. and there is time. It just require a lot of training.
I'm not saying that is something I would coach, but what ever makes you feel comfortable.

Also, other than your grip, I would also want to look at the rest of your arm/shoulder before giving advise. Maybe the problem could also be elsewhere.

 

[Lazer]

I change my grip too, by twisting a bit. Changing from FH to BH is almost always successful, tut from BH to FH takes a split second extra and sometimes there is no time and then I can’t spin the ball very good… A little bit away from the table no problem but close… After some practice You shouldn’t have to think about it. It becomes automatic.

Cheers
L-zr

 

[Marbor]

I change my grip too, by twisting a bit. Changing from FH to BH is almost always successful, tut from BH to FH takes a split second extra and sometimes there is no time and then I can’t spin the ball very good… A little bit away from the table no problem but close… After some practice You shouldn’t have to think about it. It becomes automatic.

Cheers
L-zr

I think one problem is that I hold the bat too tight. Need to learn how to relax more if transition should be automatic

 

[Lazer]

Yes You should hold it as loose as possible.

Cheers
L-zr

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

For me, because I hold the racket fairly lose, when I close the racket for a FH shot, my grip adjust for the FH and when I close the racket for the BH shot, my grip adjusts. I don't really try to adjust them, but with the rotation of the forearm that needs to occur to close the racket to either wing, how my hand holds the racket has to adjust. So, I don't change my grip but my grip changes.

Not sure this helps with what you are asking about. But you might find a way of holding where you can adjust to either wing without needing to make too dramatic of a change in grip.

 

[IB66]

look at timo boll

it is common to change grip between bh and fh
there has been some big changes that you can actually see transition. and there is time. It just require a lot of training.
I'm not saying that is something I would coach, but what ever makes you feel comfortable.

Also, other than your grip, I would also want to look at the rest of your arm/shoulder before giving advise. Maybe the problem could also be elsewhere.

Yeah, TB has grip changes, and I think Dima has some as well.

TB’s index finger ‘floats‘ around a little, depending on which stroke he plays, FH push in particular, his index finger moves and points up the bat, towards the middle of the bat. TB says that ‘FOR HIMSELF’ he has better feel and control for his FH pushes.

TB reckons that players should experiment with different finger positions / grip nuances.

Is this something discussed more in Germany ? or is it the ‘norm’ these days?

 

[igorponger]

BACKWARD MINDSET
An advanced grip far better for spinny shots. Few trainers are aware of this innovation, no players using the such for having an orthodox mindset.

 

[Draycott old man]

I have a light neutral grip which has improved my B.H so much !!! I used to grip the bat far to tightly but relaxing my grip has improved my game so much!!! The other benefit of relaxing you grip and relaxing your body is you seem to have a lot more stamina!!! I'm 57 overweight yet I'm improving all the time, because I've learned how to relax!!! Tension is so bad for your game !!!!

 

[blahness]

Hello all! I have problems with transitioning from fh to bh.

I keep my thumb tucked in on the "slove" right under the rubber which is designed for putting the thumb there. That makes my fh swing feel normal. But my wrist is kinda locked so I cant do bh topspin really. I can just counterhit and block with the bh.

Or the second alternative is to have the thumb on the rubber at all times which would make my bh better, but my fh would feel weird.

How do you guys do? Do you change between every hit and how do you have time to do that? How should I think, this is really messing up my mind and game

I personally just use the BH grip for my FH but they are quite relaxed. My idea is to use the index and thumb fingers as lever arms to amplify the spin from forearm pronation/supination. So I use both fingers (not just one) to spin the ball on the FH, as well as BH loop.

 

[NextLevel]

Hello all! I have problems with transitioning from fh to bh.

I keep my thumb tucked in on the "slove" right under the rubber which is designed for putting the thumb there. That makes my fh swing feel normal. But my wrist is kinda locked so I cant do bh topspin really. I can just counterhit and block with the bh.

Or the second alternative is to have the thumb on the rubber at all times which would make my bh better, but my fh would feel weird.

How do you guys do? Do you change between every hit and how do you have time to do that? How should I think, this is really messing up my mind and game

There are two main options.

1. Practice with a grip that let's you play both backhand and forehand. Usually this means you are lower on the racket and holding the blade like a gun. Then learn to play forehand and backhand with it and do things like ball bouncing exercises.

2. Practice the strokes as you feel comfortable holding the racket however you like that makes both strokes possible and practice transition drills where you have to change the grip to play the appropriate strokes. As players like Timo and Dima have shown, grip changes are not a big deal if you practice them sufficiently and can anticipate and switch reflexively. Almost everyone serves and chages grip nowadays, it isn't really different for forehand and backhand switches.

I have over time combined the above approaches and now I just hit the ball without thinking about it, there are probably minor changes that I am making. Somehow, my grip became a bit more like Truls/Karakasevic/Bengston/Persson without even knowing it. Most of my control is in the lower three fingers so what the thumb does matters way less.

Good luck with it. But don't think there is any magic answer, everyone's feeling is different. But feeling can evolve with practice and training, don't think where you are today has to be where you are tomorrow, just practice with whatever you choose and things will change as your brain will build new understandings of what is required with the new training.

Just as important is the use of the body to power the stroke. If your grip is reasonable, most of the technical errors will be in the body use not so much how you hold the racket.

 

[Marbor]

BACKWARD MINDSET
An advanced grip far better for spinny shots. Few trainers are aware of this innovation, no players using the such for having an orthodox mindset.

I'm currently playing with the orthodox grip for both bh and fh. But I don't feel comfortable playing bh with that grip, but I also feel it's hard to switch and to do that fast enough

 

[Marbor]

Thanks for all answers. I think the main problem is that I'm holding the bat to tight (too tense). Any tip on how I could work with that?

 

[NextLevel]

Thanks for all answers. I think the main problem is that I'm holding the bat to tight (too tense). Any tip on how I could work with that?

The biggest thing affecting people is that they don't want to miss the table even once. Just do what you want to do, be patient with yourself, and over time your body will adapt. Give yourself patience over a period of a month or two even longer. You will still be playing table tennis in 2 years so if you practice relaxation for 3 months, you will have 21 more months to enjoy it and more likely the rest of your life.

But if you need to win tomorrow and you think relaxation will help you win tomorrow, forget it. Your fingers likely have to get stronger so you can grip with less tightness. So work on improving your grip strength without too much tension in the lower arm. Make the fingers stronger so you don't have to squeeze the racket in your palm.

 

[ttarc]

Handle type could also be an issue... I can't play (at least FH) with a straight handle because I feel that the racket could fly out of my hand so I grip much tighter than I do with a flared handle. Much too tight to loop or to change fast from FH to BH grip. Even flared handles are not all equal. I always have to sand the wings to get the right feeling/loose grip. Although not as much as Ma Lin https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/forum/topics/which-blade-used-ma-lin.17003/ or Michael Maze http://mytabletennis.net/forum/michael-maze-blade-mod_topic30742.html

 

[Draycott old man]

The biggest thing affecting people is that they don't want to miss the table even once. Just do what you want to do, be patient with yourself, and over time your body will adapt. Give yourself patience over a period of a month or two even longer. You will still be playing table tennis in 2 years so if you practice relaxation for 3 months, you will have 21 more months to enjoy it and more likely the rest of your life.

But if you need to win tomorrow and you think relaxation will help you win tomorrow, forget it. Your fingers likely have to get stronger so you can grip with less tightness. So work on improving your grip strength without too much tension in the lower arm. Make the fingers stronger so you don't have to squeeze the racket in your palm.

Table Tennis is a Marathon not a Sprint!!! To achieve your goal will take a lot time and patience but relaxing your grip will help take so much tension out of your hand and arm !!! Don't be to upset if your not hitting great shots to start with!!! The objective is relax and before you know it things will feel natural and you won't even have to think about your grip !!!! It's really worth sticking with this as it will make such a difference to your game !!!!

 

[Liquid Sky]

@Draycott old man
Is there any specific reason for using !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ?

 

[Draycott old man]

@Draycott old man
Is there any specific reason for using !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ?

It's my favourite key . I'll try not to use it so much from now on .