Grip Changing?

It depends on the degree of change, how close you play to the table and how much you practice. Grip change is a part of the sport but it needs to be practiced. Learning players should learn to do all strokes with a neutral grip before changing grips. I have actually gone back to trying to use a similar grip for most strokes, but I think my grip issues were a bit more serious than others (my preferred BH grip was much lower on the handle than my FH grip but my backhand is usually okay regardless, so I am trying to be shallower to help my forehand).

As a rule of thumb, grips on strokes close to the table should be similar, or you should at least be able to play your over the table strokes out of the worse grip if forced to. All this takes lots of practice, and the increased shot quality better be worth it.

Edited by NextLevel - 12/22/2014 at 3:45pm

I remember watching Michael Maze video on Youtube, and he stressed that you should not change grip, even though he admit to do so .  Basically, you shouldn't do it, but if you can get away with it, then it's ok too, as long as your style of play allows you to do so without getting caught.

BinaryLoop wrote: Does anyone else change their grips slightly between forehand and backhand? I've discovered that I unconsciously do it, and it's costing me points in quick rallies during switching between forehand/backhand. Should I get better at switching grips, or should I adopt a bh/fh oriented grip and "make it work" for the other stroke?

When you're being caught at the table in a quick bh/fh changeover, there is a point after which you don't change grip anymore. You hit your fh with a bh grip. There's just not enough time.

If you have the opportunity, do some multiball specifically for grip. Your feeder alternates bh and fh (not in extremis, this is not a footwork drill), at the fastest pace you can accurately chage grip and you keep it there. That's your threshold basically.



Edited by Lestat - 12/23/2014 at 4:41pm

It is common place.

Take the time to committ to learning how to grip switch. For me, it has proved invaluable and has enabled me to improve very much. At first it was difficult, very difficult, but like VGriper said, give it 3-5 months for proficiency. It will take about a year though for it to really solidify. Even then, the grip is a very fluid thing, for me at least.

Edited by lewis1253 - 12/23/2014 at 8:05pm

I'm currently in a stage of playing where I go to ping pong club every time with the goal of getting better, instead of merely autopiloting in friendlies. Thanks for the pointers!