How to Hold and Grip a Squash Racket - Squash For Beginners [009]

[@BetterSquash]

Tell me about your experiences with holding the racket when you first started playing. Did you find it hard to change to the correct grip?

[@mikehardwicke23]

Continental grip then(?) and now. I also change it a smidge Forehand to Backhand (weakening slightly.

[@iamjimfan]

*The* best video on squash racket grip, not just the how but why it should be the way it is

[@BetterSquash]

That's very kind of you to say so.

[@pokerboy72]

I started my game with the wrong grip. Thereafter whenever I started playing with correct grip i felt the game standard going down. Always best to start step by step correctly. Great video coach. One of the best videos out there. No confusion great combination.

[@BetterSquash]

Yes, getting the grip wrong at the beginning can slow progress down. I'm glad you liked the video.

[@bhaveshmanglani2173]

This channel is pure gold for beginner/intermediate squash players. Thank you! How does the space between the index and middle finger help? I had mastered the grip and have decent power and accuracy in my shots. But i am noticing this additional point for the first time.

[@BetterSquash]

I am glad to hear you like my videos. Thank you for your kind words. The space between the finger and base of your thumb helps define the right size handle. Remember though, that it is a guide not a rule. In general, if there is no space then the size of the handle on the racket is too small and your ability to grip the racket won't be efficient. Too big a space and the same thing happens. Imagine trying to hold a racket with a handle the size of a thick pencil. You couldn't grip tightly enough to stop it twisting. Now imagine trying to hold a racket where the handle is the size of a tennis ball. You wouldn't be able to exert enough force to hold it well. bascially, the space is about the right size of handle for most people.

[@mahanly]

Thanks Phillip.

[@BetterSquash]

You are most welcome.

[@1729krish]

Hi Phillip. Great video. Just to confirm; starting from a tennis continental style grip, i will just turn the racket slightly such that there is a natural open face on the forehand. (The v of thumb and index is closer to the left edge). And on the backhand i use the forearm to roll over and create an open face. Could you please tell me if my understanding is correct?

[@BetterSquash]

Hello, thanks for your patience. Yes, a slight rotation of the handle from a continental tennis grip is perfect. And yes, you rotate your forearm to have an open face on the backhand. You understood perfectly.

[@gyorgyzilahi5920]

Great&usefull thanks for it! Can you give me a tipp what is the ideal angle of the wrist?

[@BetterSquash]

Glad it was helpful. As a beginner, the less you change the angle of your wrist during the shot, the better. Ideally, keeping the racket at right angles to your forearm is the recommended angle. Coaches say that because if you do that, you are keeping it simple, but the reality is that during a shot your wrist WILL move, you objective is to try to minimise that movement and the right-angle technique helps do that.

[@egorpavlov8451]

Waiting for the next video because I want to buy a first racket and want to know how to put an overgrip on top)

[@BetterSquash]

Here is the video that will help you: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qmbGfoeja9tri80

[@MrTc1004]

For left handed people it should be the right hand side that is marked, correct? Or is it still the left hand side that is to be gripped. Thank you

[@BetterSquash]

I know a lot of people wrap the grip the opposite way if they are lefthanded. It's not soemthing that I have done, but if it feels better then yes, swap all my instructions over. When I get some time, I'll wrap a grip the opposite way and see how it feels and works. Swapping hands can give us a great insight into how strange something feels for new players or even lefthanded players. Please let me know how it works for you.

[@sureshkrishnamoorthy6966]

What's the best way to place the thump on the grip? I used to hold my thumb upright and it gave me a better control but I was advised to change to have it go more horizontal, the way you have shown. This has definitely improved my swing i.e I don't feel any tug in my wrist while swinging. However, this tends to cut off my circulation a bit. Any thoughts would be welcome

[@BetterSquash]

Hello, sorry for the delay in replying. I suspect that you "get better control" simply because you are more used to that way of holding the racket rather than it is the best way. The thumb needs to be in the natural position, like when you shake hands. It's they way the hand has evolved to provide support for holding things. You might be cutting off circulation becasue you are squeezing too tightly all the time. You should only be holding the racket tightly *AS* you hit the ball. All the rest of the time, you should have a relaxed grip.

[@boordbelsj]

I get blisters on my thumb woth this form of grip. What do you think is my grip to thick(i put it over the factory one) or is it the material(opfeel sticky). Or is it obvious that my grip is false. I know its hard from.a.distance but maybe you have any thoughts about it? Thanks in advance

[@BetterSquash]

In my experience, the size of grip is rarely related to getting blisters. It's often that the thumb is rubbing agains the grip when it should not move. Of course, if the thumb is moving because the grip is the wrong size, then yes, it does make a difference. Make sure you are holding the racket very firmly when you hit the ball, but relax the grip when you are not. Do you have a little space between the base of your thumb and your middle finer when holding the racket?

[@boordbelsj]

@@BetterSquash thank you for replying. I made 11sec video in this link with my grip. I hope you can take a look at it 😊 kzbin.info/www/bejne/jIang2iVqqaKfs0

[@BetterSquash]

That's too small. Notice how you middle finger is touching the base of the thumb area. I would increase it by one more over grip and see how it feels. How tightly are you gripping the racket during the match? Are you relaxing between hits?

[@boordbelsj]

@@BetterSquash i am so focussed on the proper positioning and trying to maintain the grip and correct movements. I think i am thightening my hands in fair of loosing the perfect grip but i dont remember it because of all the other things going around in my head. This friday i will play again and i will put on grip more and pay attention if i relax my hands between the hits. Again thanks for taking your time appreciate it a lot. I keep you up👍

[@BetterSquash]

Yes, becoming more aware of how tightly you grip is definitely a good plan.

[@lindudon]

Really appreciate your lesson on grips I just started playing squash and i tried this grip and unfortunately after some mins it hurts my palms, i know that my hands are much smaller than a normal adult, what would you suggest sir ?. Thanks

[@BetterSquash]

How big is the space between your third finger and the base of your thumb when you hold the racket? You could remove the grip that the racket comes with and wrap an overgrip on instead. That should make it smaller, although I don't know if the grip would move or not. I suppose you could remove the grip and try making the resin smaller by rubbing it with sand paper.

[@mikehardwicke23]

The Dunlop 'Nasrullah Khan'. My racket as a teenager 👀

[@BetterSquash]

I started with a Slazenger Whippet. I could only dream of getting a Dunlop 'Nasrullah Khan'.

[@mikehardwicke23]

@@BetterSquash Blimey you must be almost as old as I am! (BTW- nice contrast with Lee Drew's rambling inarticulate 'Grip' video on squashskills.com :-)).

[@alan4043]

I'm sorry, I still do not understand where exactly I am supposed to place my hand... I understand it shouldn't be on the flat side, but I don't where exactly where, is it the edge?

[@BetterSquash]

Firstly, don't worry about having the prefect grip, partly because there isn't a perfect grip and partly because some variation between players is normal. Now, as long as the V between your thumb and index finger is somewhere along the left corner of the grip, that's Your starting point I'll try to make a new video soon.

[@peterh7842]

@@BetterSquash When you do this please show a little more of the racket head it would really help

[@shahg25]

Ive got two grips on but still feels small and the racket slips

[@BetterSquash]

What type of grip, replacement or over? Do you have large hands! Do they sweat a lot?

[@zachminto7220]

I’m finding it very hard to get the correct grip on forehand side, backhand is fine but on the forehand with correct grip I can’t get any power

[@BetterSquash]

Are you changing grips? It's not impossible to do that but unusual. What issues do you have when hitting a forehand? is it just power? Perhaps it's your swing.

[@pokerboy72]

Keeping the elbow slightly ahead of the wrist helped me a lot... And don't generate power for the sake of it.. if you are not in position of a drive let it go... Play a defense and go ahead.. Secondly give yourself space from the ball so that ine can execute a swing properly... Incorrect leg position also can give a awkward swing resulting in half powers shot. Jus personal experiences... M a beginner