Most people don't think much about how to hold the paddle in pickleball until they start missing easy dinks or getting jammed at the net during a fast volley. It's the only physical connection you have with the ball, so if your grip is off, everything else—your power, your touch, and your accuracy—is going to suffer. When you first pick up a paddle, it's tempting to just grab it like a hammer and start swinging, but there's actually a bit of a science to it if you want to level up your game.
The way you hold the paddle dictates how your wrist moves and how the paddle face meets the ball. If you're holding it too tight, you lose your "feel" for the soft shots. If you're holding it at a weird angle, you might find that your backhand is great but your forehand feels awkward. Let's break down the different ways to grip that paddle so you can find what feels right for your style of play.
The Continental Grip: The Jack-of-All-Trades
If you ask any high-level player or coach, they're probably going to tell you that the Continental grip is the gold standard. It's often called the "hammer grip" because it's exactly how you'd hold a hammer to nail something into a wall.
To find this grip, hold your paddle with your non-dominant hand so the edge of the paddle is pointing toward the ground and the sky. Now, take your hitting hand and act like you're shaking hands with the handle. When you wrap your fingers around, the "V" shape formed by your thumb and index finger should be sitting right on the top-left bevel of the handle (if you're right-handed).
The reason this grip is so popular is versatility. In pickleball, the ball comes at you fast, especially when you're standing at the kitchen line. You don't always have time to switch your grip between a forehand and a backhand. The Continental grip allows you to hit both without moving your hand. It's also the best grip for dinking and blocking because it keeps the paddle face relatively neutral.
The Eastern Grip: Great for Forehand Power
If you're coming from a tennis background, the Eastern grip might feel a lot more natural to you. To get into this position, start with the paddle face flat (parallel to the ground) and place your palm flat against the back of the paddle. Slide your hand down until you're gripping the handle.
This grip is fantastic for players who like to drive the ball hard from the baseline. It puts the palm of your hand directly behind the paddle, which gives you a lot of stability and "oomph" on your forehand shots. However, there's a trade-off. While it feels great for forehands, it can make backhands feel a bit clunky. You might find yourself having to rotate your wrist at an awkward angle to get the paddle around, which is why many Eastern grip players eventually learn to "shift" their grip slightly during a point.
The Western Grip: The "Frying Pan"
You'll see a lot of beginners using the Western grip, often called the "frying pan" grip. This is when you hold the paddle so the face is completely flat towards the net. It looks exactly like you're holding a skillet to flip a pancake.
While it's easy to use for beginners because it makes hitting the ball straight ahead very simple, it's generally discouraged as you get better. The Western grip makes hitting a backhand almost impossible without some serious contortionist moves with your elbow. It also makes it very hard to dink effectively. Unless you're looking to put massive amounts of topspin on the ball—which is what this grip is actually used for in tennis—you're probably better off sticking to the Continental or Eastern.
Don't Forget About Grip Pressure
Once you've settled on a style, the next big hurdle is figuring out how hard to actually squeeze. This is where a lot of players go wrong. They get nervous or excited and end up strangling the paddle handle.
Think of your grip pressure on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is barely holding on and 10 is white-knuckling it. You generally want to be sitting at around a 3 or a 4. If you're too tense, your muscles become rigid. Rigid muscles can't react quickly, and they definitely can't "soften" the ball.
If you're wondering how to hold the paddle in pickleball for those delicate dinks, the answer is a light touch. A loose grip acts like a shock absorber. When the ball hits a loose paddle, the paddle absorbs some of that energy, making it easier to drop the ball right over the net. When you're ready to smash an overhead, you can tighten it up to a 6 or 7, but for the most part, stay relaxed.
Where Does Your Index Finger Go?
This is a common habit that drives coaches crazy: the "finger on the back." A lot of players like to extend their index finger up the back of the paddle face because they feel it gives them more control or "direction."
While it might feel more stable in the beginning, it's a habit you should try to break early. Putting your finger on the paddle face limits your wrist's range of motion. It also makes it much harder to flip the paddle over for backhands. Plus, there's the very real (and painful) risk of getting your finger smashed by a fast-moving ball. Keep all your fingers wrapped firmly but comfortably around the handle.
The Importance of the "V"
Regardless of which grip you choose, pay attention to that "V" shape between your thumb and pointer finger. It's your compass. If you find your shots are consistently flying off to the right or left, check where that "V" is pointing.
Over the course of a long game, your hand might sweat and the paddle might start to rotate in your palm without you even noticing. It's a good habit to "reset" your grip every time you're about to serve or return. Just a quick glance down to make sure your hand is where it's supposed to be can save you a lot of unforced errors.
Finding Your Ready Position
How you hold the paddle is only half the battle; how you hold it between shots matters just as much. When you're at the kitchen line, you should be in what's called the "Ready Position." This means the paddle is up in front of your chest, tilted slightly toward your backhand side (usually at an 11 o'clock position if you're a righty).
Because backhands are generally harder to react with, keeping the paddle biased toward that side saves you precious milliseconds. Your grip should be neutral (Continental) so you can punch a volley or drop a dink at a moment's notice.
Should You Switch Grips During a Point?
This is a bit of a debated topic. Some pro players are "grip switchers," meaning they'll slide from an Eastern grip for a serve and then click into a Continental grip once they get to the net.
If you're just starting out, try to avoid this. It's one more thing to think about in a game that's already incredibly fast. Mastering the Continental grip for everything will usually serve you better in the long run. Once you have a few years of experience and your muscle memory is solid, then you can experiment with subtle shifts for specific shots.
Wrapping It Up
At the end of the day, there isn't one "perfect" way that works for every single human being, but there are definitely ways that make the game easier. Learning how to hold the paddle in pickleball the right way is about giving yourself the best chance to succeed.
If you're feeling stuck, grab your paddle while you're sitting on the couch watching TV. Practice finding that "handshake" grip until you don't even have to look at your hand to know it's in the right spot. The more natural it feels, the less you'll have to think about it on the court, and that's when you'll really start to see your game take off. Keep it loose, keep it consistent, and most importantly, keep that index finger off the paddle face!