The Racket Grip

There are no similarities in the way a carpenter holds his hammer and a painter hold’s the brush. The carpenter needs a firm hold, the painter holds his tool gently – respective preference determined by the type of work at hand.  

If the painter grips the brush like a hammer the finesse will vanish from his work likewise the carpenter would not be able to give strength and stability to the furniture if he holds the hammer like a paint brush. 

How you treat your racket is going to impact in a major way in how you perform on the court. Use it like an axe, gripping it firmly and making fierce downward strokes at the ball, and you are not going to get very far. Too subtle a touch is going to mean that there is little or no beef behind your volleys and backhands, and the racket is going to move around in your hand with disastrous results. So a solid, but relaxed, contact between handle and palm is the right approach. The grip is one of the most important things you need to learn. It is a basic fundamental and getting it wrong from the start will only lead to problems with your game in the future. The wrong grip: 

• Will restrict you from playing a full range of shots
• Will restrict your ability to play deception
• Will make you hit the ball into the tin 

Whether you are just playing for fun or have serious ambitions in squash, it is necessary that you make the change to the continental (handshake) grip. It will not be easy; you will need a lot of determination and patience; but it will be worth it! 

The Handshake Grip

This method – is the fastest and simplest way to learn how to hold the racket correctly. Because the handshake is a natural grip, beginners are advised to hold their racket in the other hand and approach it with their playing hand as to shake hands with it.  This can be better understood as mentioned below: 

• When we shake hands the junction between our thumb and the index finger goes and settles into that of the other person. While the fingers wrap the butt of the palm of each other. Something as illustrated in the following photo

   

• The subsequent series of photos will illustrate and help you understand the “handshake grip” that has been adopted and used by all great players of the game. Not only is this the most comfortable way to hold the racket but it also gives you the added advantage of very versatile maneuverability.

1.    Stage One – getting ready let us now approach to shake hands with our racket …….                                                                      

 

2.    Stage Two –  the junction between the thumb and forefinger settles on the left border of the racket  making what we also call the “V”   

 

However, care must be taken to ensure that the thumb is not used by the player to exert pressure onto the grip as illustrated in the sketch below. This is often noticed with players who are unsure of their back-hand stroke and bring the thumb into play in order get sum punch in their shots. The thumb and the extended fore finger only act to stop the racket head from falling backwards or forward.                                           

 

3.    Stage Three – now to understand how high or low does one hold the grip. The top or the bottom?  The series of photographs below try and explain the same….                                                                  

  

The above photo shows the bottom of the palm on which the butt of the racket must rest. This helps ease out pressure on the wrist to take the racket weight for extended periods. The photo below will help clarify the same.                                                                            

 

4.    Stage Four – taking off from Stage Two – the index finger remains  extended from the other three only to ensure that the racket does not fall backwords and that a proper balance is maintained.

The following 3 photos illustrate the same from different angles for better understanding…….

5.    Stage Five – notice the open racket face i.e., racket face tilted towards the ceiling slightly. The racket is ready to fire for with all the sharpness, balance and control.                                                          

 6.    Also consider the following issues on the grip;

• Hold the grip firmly neither too tight nor loose.
• Some players hold the racket down at the bottom of the handle while others hold it right up closer to the shaft. You must decide which is better for you by checking out on the power, control and comfort.
• And finally, if you learn to hold the racket correctly can be your insurance against what is popularly know as the tennis elbow.
• YES YOU GOT IT RIGHT you can get a tennis elbow playing squash as well !!