Pickleball grips are getting longer. It’s been a trend within the industry that has grown with the use of two-handed backhands.
But there are a few players that buck the trend and rely on ping-pong grip: Hand at the top of the handle, sometimes even a finger on the paddle face Gasp
But why would anyone grip the paddle so high?
It’s a balance between two of the biggest buzzwords in the sport: control and power.
Most players grip their paddle at the bottom of the handle. It’s how the paddle was designed to be used and the most common practice. It provides the most potential to create power.
In rare instances, you will also see players slide their hand all the way to the top of the grip.
It’s a small number of players in the pro game that employ this technique, but you can’t argue against the success of pros like Callan Dawson and Brandon French.
A hand at the top of the handle will provide the highest level of control. From a physics standpoint, it’s a shorter lever, so less force is required to manipulate the paddle.
The downfall is that it dramatically reduces the potential power.
In doubles, most points should reach a point where all four players are at the kitchen dinking. This is where control is crucial. By choosing to use this grip, you are essentially prepped for that situation.
I can’t recommend switching to the ping-pong grip full time, but it’s worth experimenting. Try playing a game with your hand high on the paddle and notice the difference it makes.
Read Next: I Changed to a Continental Pickleball Grip and Instantly Got Better
We’d expect to see your consistency go through the roof. Once you see what is possible with a high grip, you should be inspired to develop the same level of consistency with the low grip.
Give it a try and let us know what you think.
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