Rawlings Official Major League Baseballs

Out of the many squash tips, here are a few concerning the grip that may help you out.
•Hold the racquet handle in the middle for obtaining a versatile grip.
•Holding the handle more towards the bottom, will allow you to reach the shots that are just out of your reach otherwise. The ones that whiz past your racquet, even when your arms are stretched out. But the control of the shot is compromised a little in this case.
•Gripping the handle higher up (i.e. towards the head of the racquet) will give you more control and make the racquet seem lighter in your hands, thus making your reaction time less, so that you can play drop shots and volleys better. In this grip, the reach and leverage is compromised.
•You can try some unorthodox grips after you’ve mastered the basic grips. Sometimes an unorthodox grip may be more comfortable for you. Unorthodox grips may include making a fist around the handle, double handed grip, etc.
Grip of the Handle
This ‘Grip’ refers to the padding on the handle. The right thickness of the padding ensures that you get the right hold on the handle. The best way to check the thickness of the grip and make sure that it is right for you, is to curl your fingers around the handle. If your fingers press into your palm, then the grip thickness is small, and you could add another layer of padding to the handle. If the fingers don’t even reach the palm, then the grip is too thick and you may be more comfortable removing a layer. The ideal thickness is where your fingers are just touching your palm. Grips come with a variety of features and you can choose whichever suits your needs best. There are many popular brands which manufacture grips for the racquets, so you have a choice.

Adapting to a particular style of playing is easy enough. That is why you should get the right techniques at the onset, so that you save yourself the trouble of changing your habits later on. The right techniques can take your game to a whole new level and give you that much more satisfaction. Enjoy your sport.

We’ll see the method of obtaining the right grip, and also how to get the right grip size to suit your hand.
•Step 1: Hold out your palm like you would, when giving a handshake. Place the racquet handle on your palm, parallel to your outstretched thumb.
•Step 2: Curl your fingers around the handle of the racquet. Spread your fingers a little to get a good grip.
•Step 3: Extend your thumb and index finger a little more towards the head of the racquet, so that they form a ‘V’ shape.
•Step 4: The part of the ‘V’ formed by your thumb should be parallel to the handle of the squash racquet. The index-finger should be diagonal to the handle.
The most important point to remember is that you should keep your wrist flexible when hitting shots. If you keep your wrist too stiff, then you may unnecessarily build tension in your forearms and your arms will tire easily and quickly.

There are many variations in the type of grip that you can use. The main factor to keep in mind is that you should be comfortable stroking the ball with the type of grip you choose to adapt. Some variations used in the grip are:
•Eastern Forehand/Backhand Grip
•Continental Grip
•Western Grip
•Semi-Western Grip
Confirming Your Grip
Hold the racquet tight enough, so that any side-to-side movement of the racquet in your hand, will be prevented by your palm and your firm grip. Holding the handle at the bottom is better to prevent the sideways motion of the racquet. Follow these two steps to ensure that you have understood the method of gripping the handle.
•Step 1: Apply pressure on the head of the racquet, in a direction perpendicular to the face of your palm, like the way the oncoming ball will hit your racquet. If you can resist this pressure with your index finger, then your grip is correct.
•Step 2: Now apply pressure from the other side. Like when the ball will hit the racquet when you are hitting a backhand shot. If you are able to balance the pressure with your thumb without having to keep your wrist stiff, then your grip is correct.