Why is the Seemiller Grip going extinct?

The Seemiller grip in table tennis is a unique way of holding the racket named after Dan Seemiller, a top American player who popularized it in the 1970s. The grip resembles a shakehand grip but the racket is rotated about 90 degrees so that the thumb and index finger grip the sides of the bat. Both forehand and backhand strokes are played using the same side of the racket, unlike the shakehand grip which uses opposite racket sides for forehand and backhand.

It is less prevalent in modern elite competition compared to the shakehand or penhold grips.

The Seemiller grip is going extinct primarily because it is awkward and lacks versatility, especially on the backhand side, which limits players’ ability to perform modern, diverse strokes such as loops and chops. It makes strokes other than forehand blocking uncomfortable and difficult to execute effectively. Moreover, the grip’s unique positioning of the fingers restricts wrist movement and speed, compromising spin and power compared to more dominant grips like the shakehand grip.

Key reasons for the decline include:

• Backhand Limitations: The Seemiller grip uses the same side of the racket for both forehand and backhand, often resulting in poor backhand versatility. Players mostly rely on blocks and drives with limited backhand tactics, making it harder to compete against modern aggressive play styles.
• Rule Changes and Rubber Restrictions: The change in regulations requiring different rubber colors on each side diminished the advantage of twiddling (rotating the racket to use rubbers with different effects), a strategic strength of Seemiller players who use specialized rubbers like long pimples or anti-spin. This removed an important tactical surprise element.
• Lack of Coaching and Transmission: Few high-level players have used or passed down the Seemiller grip techniques. Most coaching now emphasizes shakehand or Chinese penhold grips, contributing to a generational decline in its usage.
• Modern Playing Styles Favor Other Grips: Innovations like the reverse penhold backhand revived penhold grips but no similar evolution helped the Seemiller grip gain wider adoption or adapt to contemporary fast-paced, spin-heavy game demands.
• Difficulty in Mastery and Physical Constraints: The awkward hand positioning can be uncomfortable, causing problems with stroke consistency and hindering proactive offensive play. Some variants exist but require exceptional wrist flexibility and time investment.

In summary, the Seemiller grip’s technical limitations, changes in competition rules, and lack of widespread training have led to its steady extinction, as newer grips provide better all-around versatility and effectiveness in today’s table tennis environment.