Grips players originating in Western nations

and South Asian

– Pen Hold
nations.
• The penhold grip is so-named because
one grips the
racket similarly to the way one holds a Strokes
writing instrument. – The Drive
• The style of play among penhold • Drives, a light topspin stroke that
players can vary produces a low ball trajectory,
greatly from player to player. are the primary offensive strokes in
table tennis.
• The most popular style, usually
referred to as the • One employs drives to force errors and
to set up winners. The
Chinese penhold style, involves curling
the middle, ring, mastery of both the forehand and
backhand drives is important
and fourth finger on the back of the
blade with the because it will give your opponent less
options when using
three fingers always remain touching
one another. attacking strokes of his/her own.
• In executing this and all other offensive
strokes, the usage of the
Grips
entire body in unison is important for
– Shake hand
consistency and power. Keep
• The shakehand grip (also called the
in the ready position until you are ready
"shakehands grip")
to execute the shot and
is so-named because one grips the
remain relaxed but responsive (this is
racket similarly to
very important).
the way one performs a handshake.
• The grip is sometimes referred to as
Strokes
the "tennis grip" or
– Forehand Drive
the "Western grip," although it has no
correlation to • Keep the upper arm close, but not
flush, to the torso. The
the Western grip used in tennis.
forearm(form a rough 90 degree bend
• The shakehand grip is traditionally
with the upper arm) should
popular among
be drawn back to the 3 o'clock position, slightly in front of the right for support.
and let the waist turn
naturally along with the arm(this is
Strokes
where relaxing is important).
– Backhand Drive
• Shift your weight toward the right foot
at the same time. While • From the ready position, the waist
turns left with the racket
shifting your weight back to your left
foot, swing forward with a pointing towards the 9 o'clock position.
slight upward motion, with the waist • When following through, contact with
providing additional force in the ball is made in front of
the swing. the body, slightly after the top of the
bounce. Let the elbow again
• Use the elbow as a pivot point; it
should not move so much up and act as the pivot point, and snap the
forearm forward in a slightly
down, but also should be allowed to
move slightly forward in the upward direction.
follow-through. • Make sure the paddle is closed.
Follow-through should finish
• Contact with the ball should be made
slightly to the side of the naturally (about 12~1 o'clock) after
contact with ball. The left foot
body after the top of the bounce.
should be slightly ahead of the right.

Strokes
Basics
– Forehand Drive
• Make sure the paddle is somewhat
closed(or facing downwards at • Strokes
– The Push
an angle), and remains that way • Pushes are the basic backspin shots,
throughout the stroke. Follow- used to change the pace of an
through should finish when racket is exchange or to return certain very low
parallel with the left shoulder. and close shots such as
backspin serves.
Immediately return to the ready position. • A generally defensive shot, it allows
The left foot should be placement anywhere on the
table that is difficult to attack when the ball in front and slightly to the right of
executed properly. All pushes your body. Follow
should be done with the right foot through forward and slightly down, and
stepping in. return to the ready
• The ball is contacted right after the position.
bounce with an open racket.
How open the racket is depends on the
Basics
intensity of backspin on
the ball. Heavier backspin requires a
more open racket to return • Strokes
over the net. Try to keep the ball low, – Backhand Push
varying the amount of
• Bring the racket slightly up and back,
backspin and racket angle. close into your stomach
while cocking the wrist back. This time
try to contact the ball
Basics
directly in front of your body, and
remember to keep the elbow
• Strokes
still while the forearm and wrist move
– Forehand Push forward and down. Graze
• Bring the racket slightly up and back, the bottom of the ball and follow
while keeping the elbow at through.
your waist. Bend the wrist back. Swing
forward with a downward
– Block
motion, and when the racket reaches
• Blocking allows a player to use the
the ball snap the wrist
opponent's force against
forward for extra racket speed.
him/her, and is done immediately after
• With an open racket, graze the bottom the bounce so that
half of the ball. An ideal
maximum control and speed are
contact point is right after the ball retained. Adjusting the racket
bounces. Never push a ball at
angle depends on the severity of topspin
the top of the bounce, because the on the ball; the more
resulting return will pop the
topspin there is, the more you should
ball high enough for the opponent to close the racket. Being
execute a smash. Try to hit
essentially a cut-down drive, there is • Faster, more intense snapping of the
very little backswing and forearm when contacting ball
follow-through. • Depending on ball height and position,
the racket is closed more
than usual to keep the ball in the court
Basics
• Longer follow-through, but don't forget
to anticipate a possible
• Strokes
return!
– The Smash
• The smash, or kill, is the put-away
• Strokes
stroke of table tennis. Any ball
– Backhand Smash
that is high enough and close enough to
the opponent's side can • Again, use the guidelines above and
apply them to the
be smashed, although some
opportunities are better than others. backhand drive. Be sure to snap the
wrist more as you
• Smashing combines waist, forearm,
and wrist movement to the contact the ball and finish in a long
follow-through
fullest extent. A good smash is very
hard to return, but it can be
done. Do not dawdle after you have • Strokes
executed a smash. The ball is
– Basic Service Techniques
contacted at the top of the bounce at its
The following are the basic rules of
highest point.
service:
• The ball must be held above the table
Basics level in order for the
opponent and umpire to see it.
• Strokes • The ball must be held in the palm of
the hand with fingers
– Forehand Smash
stretched, and tossed vertically at least
Similar to the drive, the key differences
six inches.
include:
• The ball must be struck only on the
• A longer backswing
way down.
• Greater weight transfer during swing
• The ball must be struck behind the end
line.

• Strokes
– Basic Service Techniques
Imparting spin on these serves should
be concentrated
mostly on the wrist.
• Backspin- just like pushing or
chopping, a backspin serve is
executed with an open racket slicing the
bottom of the ball.
• Topspin- like driving, topspin serves
can be done hitting with a flat
racket, or like looping, where the player
grazes the top of the ball
with a closed racket for more spin.

• Sidespin- simply hit the back of the ball

in a left-to-right or right-
to-left motion, as desired. To make the
stroke easier, try holding

the racket in front of you and brushing

the bottom of the ball in a
pendulum motion.