Q: Which
racket should I use? *Head
Rackets*
A: The ideal racket is the new Head Titanium 120
/150 due to its light weight and strength. A
lighter racket is easier on the wrist, provides
excellent racket speed, which helps in retrieval
and deception. However a beginner could start
with a Fury 180/ Universe 170 which is strong
enough and not too costly. Q:How
do I generate more power in my shot?
A: Power is generated by the racket speed from
back swing to point of contact. Other factors
include grip, string tension, timing, body
posture etc.
Q:At
what age should I start weights? *Strength*
A: Kids under 12 should only do free hand
exercises such as sit-ups, pull-ups, push-ups,
crunches. They could use a very light weight of
1-2 pounds (0.5 - 1 kg) for simple biceps curls.
Older kids could do 3 sets of 20-10-5 repetitions
with weights of 5-7-10 pounds respectively.
Q:What
should my diet consist of? *Diet*
A:Your diet should mainly consist of
carbohydrates like whole wheat, bread, pasta,
rice, cereal, pulses, apples, bananas etc.
Proteins like cheese, milk products, meat &
fish are also important. Vegetarians could
increase the quantum of milk products in their
diet. You must remember that during a tournament
the body uses up the carbohydrates stored over
the last 2-3 days, not what is eaten before the
match. Reduce the intake of fried & fatty
foods as much as possible.
Tips
=If you eat healthily, you will train harder, and
be in better physical and mental condition.
=There is no perfect diet as everyone has
different needs and requirements. The best diet
is one that provides adequate fuel and is
balanced with nutrients in the required amounts.
=Water and proper hydration are very important.
Unreplaced fluid losses can impair performance.
Please drink water as required by your system
during training and tournaments.
=Eat well before tournaments, preferably
carbohydrates.
Q:How
much time should I spend on exercise? *Fitness*
A:It has been proved that running slowly for over
20 minutes burns fat as well as carbohydrates.
Short, fast sprints burn only carbohydrates and
not fat. Therefore a gradual level of exercise is
preferred. Please
excercise consistently and increase the level of
exertion gradually.
Tips
=Correct
warm up procedure is very important to improve
your game as well as reduce the chances of future
injury.
=Balance your on and off season training with a
mixture of flexibility, aerobic, anaerobic and
strength training. Training must be combined with
appropriate diet and also provide adequate
recovery periods for your body to rebuild and
develop.
=Keep to your training schedule. Avoid short,
hectic training and concentrate on longer and
systematic training.
=Everyone needs as specific training programme.
Your genetics, physical shape and training
history will determine how much training you can
do now and how your body's response to that
training.
Q:
How do I add variety to my game?
A: Deception is brought about by sleight of hand,
wrist, arm, foot or body. It is the hallmark of
every great squash player and can be made
effective by using it judiciously.
The most common form is using your wrist to
change your shot at the last instant, sending
your opponent the wrong way. Common combinations
are Cross court instead of a straight drive,
boast instead of a kill, drop instead of a drive.
Deception using the arm consists of modifying
your backswing to play a different shot e.g. full
backswing resulting in a drop, full blooded drive
with minimal backswing.Your opponent can also be
deceived by playing a shot of the wrong foot.
Your body can also be used to hide the shot being
played at point of contact by playing a shot with
the follow through of another e.g. crosscourt
played with a down the line follow through.
Q:
How can I move faster around the court? *Movement*
A: You movement on court is dependant on your
body strength, speed, stamina as well as
footwork. As a general rule it is better to take
medium strides to the ball keeping your balance.
You may however be forced to take a longer last
stride, but you must ensure that you are able to
maintain adequate balance to play your shot &
recover for the next one. You must also not run
into the ball or wall too fast or play the shot
of the "wrong" foot. Good movement
starts at the T, where you should be maintain
good stance and also ensure that your racket head
is up. The first stride is often the most
important and quick movement off the T should be
practiced by shadow training to all 4 corners.
Tips
=After every shot move to the 'T', your eye on
the ball and opponent always.
=Generally take long strides to the ball so the
body is in recommended position when playing the
stroke, and can also recover quickly for the
rally. Practice correct movement by on court
shadow (ghosting) routines.
=Fluid movement is achieved by reading your
opponents game and watching the ball at all
times.
Q: I am
unable to focus and concentrate during a game,
what should I do?
A: However fit & strong you are your state of
mind plays an important part in your final
success. Pre match pressure and match pressure
due to a bad shot, crowd, incorrect referee call
etc. can take its toll on every ones game. You
must learn how to handle pressure by setting
yourself attainable goals and avoiding creating
some of it for yourself. If thing are going
against you the simplest thing to do is to take a
few seconds between points to calm yourself and
try and reduce the tension.
Tip
=Try and spot your opponents strengths and
weaknesses by watching their previous matches.
Use this info to frame your game plan. Also learn
from the pros by studying their matches on TV or
video for tips and traps.
Q:
What are the basic strokes?
Drive
This is the most basic and important of all
shots. The drive played at different speeds and
angles has to be the bread & butter shot of
the squash player. Practicing the drive on both
sides, keeping the ball as close to the wall is
the starting point for any player. All players
should practice drives for atleast 5 minutes
before the start of any match.
Volley
The volley is taken early (before it bounces) and
is can be used as an attacking stroke. Mainly
played from the front of the court mainly at the
T and is used to open up the opponent's game. The
volley to the nick is risky but can be an
excellent attacking shot.
Drop shot
Another attacking shot mainly played from the
front. The drop is intended to move your opponent
to the front on either side. A more difficulty
variation is dropping from the back of the court,
to catch your opponent off guard. The drop can
also be made effective by using the side walls
and nick.
Boast
This can be played from any where in the court
and uses the side walls to change pace and
direction. Boasts from the back court are mainly
to retrieve the ball, even thought they can be
used as an alternative to the drive for
variation. The tickle boast is played from the
front and uses the side wall to modify the speed
and direction.
Q:
How should I practice while playing against
another player?
A: When playing at you club try and do the
following:
a) Hit your
basic length drive at 75-85 percent of maximum
power for more control. Also hit the ball higher
on the front wall to maintain depth and take your
time over the stroke. Don't rush!
b) Attack only when youre balanced and you
can play the shot to best effect.
c) Conserve energy. Most attacking shots are
returned especially in the early games.
Against stronger players
Measure your success not only by the score but by
how long the match lasts. Try and extend the
rallys, you may win more points.
Against weaker players
Practice the attacking shots you dont
normally use. Try variations of serve, return of
serve, drops, boasts, lengths, x-courts. However,
please do not get carried away.
Against players of your level
Develop you game plan and put it to the test.
Establish good length, attack only when necessary
and play your favourite attacking shots. These
matches often create the most mental pressure.
The very fact that you have a plan will occupy
your mind and help alleviate nerves.
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