Video:What Is a Table Tennis Penhold Grip?

Transcript:What Is a Table Tennis Penhold Grip?

Hi, I'm Will Shortz from the Westchester Table Tennis Center.  Today I'm here for About.com and I'm going to show what is a Table Tennis Penhold grip.  

Table Tennis Penhold Grip Origination

Now the Penhold grip is an Asian grip.  There are actually three variations on the Penhold grip.  But the basic Chinese one has the thumb and index finger in front of the paddle holding it like a spoon and the other fingers are curled up in the back. 

The Penhold grip traditionally uses just one side of the paddle like this.  A variation of this is the Japanese Penhold grip where the three fingers in the back are spread out on the back of the paddle.  And the Koreans traditionally spread out the back fingers even further. 

Table Tennis Penhold Grip Constraints

One constraining feature of the Penhold grip is for the back hand. It's very difficult to generate top spin with the arm in this position.  So, traditionally the pen hold grip has more of a blocking action on the back hand.  Another constraining thing is you have to use your legs more and to play the back hand and both sides with the pen hold grip. 

Table Tennis Penhold Grip Advantages

The advantage I think of the Chinese grip is that it can generate tremendous top spin with the fore hand.  In the early nineteen nineties the Chinese introduced something called the reverse back hand with the Penhold grip.  Where instead of blocking the ball like this and using just one side of the paddle, they started using the other side of the paddle with a tremendous top spin on the back hand.

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