How to Hold a Pickleball Paddle: Grips and Grip Pressure

Hold a pickleball paddle with a continental grip: shake hands with the handle so the face sits roughly vertical. That grip lets you hit forehands and backhands without switching, which is exactly what you need in fast exchanges at the kitchen line where there is no time to change. Grip pressure should sit around 4 or 5 out of 10 for most shots and loosen for the soft game. Get this right first, because every stroke you own is built on top of the grip.

The continental grip, step by step

1. Hold the paddle out in front, face perpendicular to the ground, as if you were about to hammer a nail with the edge.
2. Shake hands with the handle. Your palm wraps the grip naturally and the V between thumb and index finger lands on the top edge of the handle.
3. Check the face. With a relaxed arm the paddle face should be close to vertical, equally ready to swing to either side.
4. Keep the wrist neutral. You want to be able to flick a backhand and roll a forehand from the same hold without rotating your hand.

The reason continental wins for most players is versatility. At the net, a dink to your forehand can be followed instantly by a backhand volley, and there is no window to change grips between them. One neutral grip covers both wings and every soft shot.

Continental vs eastern: which grip?

	Continental	Eastern
Feel	”Shake hands,” face vertical	Palm slightly behind the handle
Forehand	Solid, neutral	A little more power
Backhand	Strong, quick to deploy	Weaker, needs adjustment
Net play	Excellent — no switching	Slower to switch under pressure
Best for	Almost everyone, especially net play	Players who favour a forehand-heavy baseline game

For the overwhelming majority of players, continental is the right buy. The eastern grip’s forehand bump is real but small, and it costs you speed on the backhand and at the net — where most pickleball points are actually decided.

Grip pressure is half the battle

A relaxed grip is what gives you touch. Squeeze the handle at 4 or 5 out of 10 for drives and volleys, and drop to around 3 for dinks and third-shot drops. The physics is simple: a tight grip passes the incoming ball’s pace straight back and pops soft shots up above net height, where they get attacked. A loose grip absorbs that energy so the ball dies where you want it.

The habit to build is a variable grip. Stay relaxed as a default, firm up for the split second you punch a volley or drive, then immediately soften again. Players who grip hard all the time have no soft game; players who grip soft all the time get overpowered on drives. The good ones switch.

The ready grip between shots

Between shots, return the paddle to a neutral, paddle-up position in front of your chest with a continental grip — the ready position that keeps both wings equally available. If your paddle drifts down or your grip rotates toward a forehand, you have quietly given up your backhand, and a smart opponent will aim there.

New to the whole setup? Once the grip feels natural, the next building block is how you stand and move — see our guide to pickleball footwork, because a great grip on a ball you reached off-balance still produces a poor shot. Grip first, then feet, then strokes. In that order, everything else gets easier.