How to Play Penhold Ping Pong

Penhold ping pong refers to how one holds onto the ping pong paddle, or bat, when playing ping pong. As a child or beginner, you may have gripped the paddle with your palm using what is known as the "handshake grip." While this grip is fine, it can actually limit your movement when attempting to hit the ping pong ball. The penhold grip can be difficult to learn at first, but you may find that you're a better player after you get the hang of the new grip.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Determine which hand you will hold the ping pong paddle in when using the penhold grip. In most cases, this will be your dominant hand (the hand you write with).

2. Place your index finger and thumb at the base of the handle. When you do this, both fingers should go around the handle and be just slightly above the base of the handle (roughly 1/4 inch above the base). When you look at your fingers, it should appear as if you were holding a pen or pencil.

3. Position your remaining fingers on the opposite side of the paddle. There are a couple of ways to do this, and you can use whichever method is most comfortable. You can either curl the fingers and place all three on the paddle, or you can place the fingers on top of each other with the index finger touching the paddle.

4. Hold the paddle sideways whether you are using a forehand or backhand. You may be tempted to flip the paddle downward when using your backhand. You may even have to do this every now and then when attempting a difficult shot. For the most part, though, your paddle should be sideways to ensure that you hit the ping pong ball cleanly.

Tips & Warnings

• Be patient, as it will take you some time to get used to the penhold grip. Spend plenty of time practicing both forehand and backhand shots so you can learn how to avoid hitting the ping pong ball with your fingers.

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