Hey guys, this is James Ignatowich, and today I’m going to show you how to hit a forward-facing tweener—a shot made between your legs (Figure 1). It’s very similar to the backward-facing tweener. The grip is the same, and you’ll want to start with a wide base so there’s plenty of space for your paddle to go through your legs. If you keep a closed stance, there’s not much room for the paddle to pass through. By widening your stance, you create more area to aim and execute the tweener, making it much easier. That’s the first important aspect.

Another key part of the forward-facing tweener is getting low. You need to bend your knees and let the ball drop down before you hit it. Avoid trying to add spin—I’ve seen many people attempt to slice or get topspin on the tweener, but it just doesn’t work. Trust me, I’ve tried for a long time.

When you hit a tweener, it has to be flat. You’re hitting a flat ball and not trying to generate too much power. Since you’re making contact with the ball at a low point, hitting it hard isn’t effective, especially if you’re at the kitchen line. If your goal is to surprise someone with a tweener, you shouldn’t swing with maximum force—unless, of course, you’re aiming to hit the person (though I wouldn’t recommend that!).

From that low position, aim for about 70% of your full pace. Keep in mind that without topspin, hitting the ball too hard will make it difficult to keep it in play. And that’s it!

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