General Tips for Twiddling
Tip 1 - Know Which Side is Where (Also Known As 'Don't Confuse Yourself More than Your Opponent')
In order to twiddle successfully, you must always be keeping mental track of what side your long pimples is currently on, or else you will only have a 50% chance of playing the correct shot - not the odds you are looking for! You should never have to look at your bat to confirm which side is where, as you should be able to tell by the feel of the rubber on your index finger. Good twiddlers don't even need this cue - they are always mentally keeping track of which side is on the forehand and backhand. Having been a twiddler myself for most of the last 10 years I can confirm this, although I do have the habit of feeling the rubber with my index finger just before serving or returning serve to avoid any embarrassing mistakes.
Tip 2 - Practice, Practice, Practice
While you are learning to twiddle, carry your bat around with you whenever you can, such as at home or where you play table tennis. Constantly twiddle the bat, while keeping part of your mind focused on which side is on the forehand and which side is on the backhand. Check every now and again to make sure you are correct.
A few months of this type of practice will make keeping track of which side is where automatic during your matches - and trust me, you will want your mind to be free to think about other things.
Keep practicing the twiddle during your training and games as well. Don't offend your training partners when you are blocking for them etc, but make sure that you are including drills in your training where twiddling is required. Try playing the occasional game or drill where you must use the normal side of your bat all the time - it will improve your twiddling in a hurry!
Tip 3 - Be Patient
Some people put a sheet of long pimples on their bat and expect to be an expert at twiddling right away. After all, how hard can it be? Rest assured that it will take more than a month or two to successfully use twiddling as part of your game. The actual skill of turning the bat should only take a month or so, but the skill of knowing when to turn the bat will take much longer. Expect to be caught out using the wrong side or playing the wrong shot with the right side frequently in the first three to six months. After that you will start to get the feel for the right time to twiddle for your own style.
