Racquet Grips in LiteBall

The grip refers to how you hold the racquet, specifically where your hand is positioned on the handle. For each grip, it’s important to keep your hand relaxed on the handle and slightly separate the index finger from the other fingers in a “trigger” position. The grip is identified by the location of the hypothenar eminence. The racquet handle consists of several parts with angles known as edges.

Here are the two grips used in LiteBall:

To adopt this grip, first place the racquet on its edge with the frame balanced on the ground. You can then easily grasp the racquet and feel this grip. The handle of a racquet has four flat sides and four edges. The lower flat side is the part that touches the ground when the racquet is balanced on its edge, while the upper flat side is the opposite. For the Hammer Grip, place your hand on this upper part of the handle to take advantage of its benefits.

Practical Applications for an Easy Grip:

The grip is defined by the position of the hand on the handle. It is determined by the location of the hypothenar eminence (the muscular bulge at the base of the pinky finger). To locate it, turn your palm towards the ground and then towards yourself to see the inside of your hand. From the base of the pinky finger, move down towards the elbow. The hypothenar eminence is at a right angle between the base of the pinky and the base of the thumb. Position this part on the upper flat side of the racquet and feel the position of your hand and fingers on the handle.

For younger players, it may be necessary to place the racquet on the ground on its edge. Encourage them to grip the racquet to gradually get accustomed to this grip.

Possible Uses of This Grip:

• Volley and Smash: Ideal for a forehand volley and essential for the smash.
• Spin: Perfect for a sliced forehand, a chopped forehand, and a sliced smash to hit the ball out of the court.
• Short Game: Effective for dinks and forehand/backhand drop shots to break the rhythm and surprise the opponent.

The semi-western grip allows you to cover the ball with a slight topspin. Place the hypothenar eminence on the upper bevel or flat side to give the ball a more pronounced topspin.

This is the most common type of grip for the backhand. It requires the least wrist adjustment on a vertically positioned racquet before ball contact. It allows you to align your forearm and hand in a protective position, ready for impact, which provides more power for the one-handed backhand. For this eastern backhand grip, start by holding your racquet as if you were using an eastern grip for the forehand, then rotate your hand 90° to the left. Your thumb and index finger should form a “V” on the top bevel of the racquet handle, with the knuckle of the index finger facing upwards. Place your thumb diagonally along the handle (not across it). Experienced players may prefer to wrap their thumb around the racquet, which requires a bit more strength at the point of contact.