For most, the enjoyment of squash
lies in the sweat and the scurry of beating balls, and chasing
opponents in a spirit of competitive camaraderie. That little box of 45
minutes , sometimes less, sometimes more, rips you away from the dizzy
drabness of day-to-day dramas, into a vacuum where you run,
think, bash and busy yourself on just, that little black ball. Then
with a mind cleared, you soothe your battered body in a torrent of hot
shower, a dribble of cold beer and some lilting laughter with
like-minded souls, like yourself.
For these fiendish folk, Squash is a
life-time relationship in pursuit of these slap-and-tickle sessions
where a raised heart-beat, a good sweat and some hearty chit-chat, two
or three times a week is sufficiently satisfying.
But for a niche’, competitive group,
who strive for excellence , the court is their stage. They seek greater
glory and this is where they must perform, and practise. They are the
ambitious who aim for the top of the tree, to play provincially, to be
acknowledged and recognized, maybe even travel overseas and play the
international circuit. For them, just playing cannot be enough. For
them, playing matches is but a small percentage of their relationship
with squash. For them, planning their year is key, cross- fit training
programmes are vital, practising with partners, crucial, zoning a honed
mind into calm focus is imperative. The “slog” of practising on their
own is an unavoidable necessity.
The inter provincial tournaments in
June/July are the pinnacle of the South African Squash calender .
Like businesses who slice and dice their year into financial pizzas,
the ambitious player’s “squash year” should ideally run from August to
July. A break is always a good idea but in this time there should be
some “strategic planning”, some goal-setting and self-assessment of
strengths and weaknesses . If technical changes need to be made, they
need to be worked into the “unpressured” 2nd half of league and
off-season periods. This time should also be used to build up their
stamina base, to plan when they can afford to take breaks and when they
need to be tapering their aerobic training. As the season approaches,
they need to be gearing towards on-court anaerobic speed work, movement
and, critically, skill work.
If there is one thing an ambitious
player has to do to improve, it is to get onto the court, on their own,
and practice solo. Bottom line. And Nth Leaguers out there, you will be
amazed at what a couple of focused solo sessions can do for your game But,here lies the nub. While Squash
is one of the few sports where you can practice on your own, most
people don’t like to do Solo Practice. It is seen as boring, and
laborious. And those who do, often do it haphazardly and badly,
Practice does NOT make perfect. It makes permanent.
But Solo Practice does not have to be
boring, and laborious. Well planned, with targets and integrated
movement exercises, a solo session can be made fun, challenging, and
rewarding. In less time than a normal match, you can make it even
tougher than a tough 5-setter.
Some ideas on how to set about your Solo Adventure
Make an appointment with yourself
Give yourself a set time – much can be achieved in a 20-30 minute session...if it is focused.
Use physical targets using Masking Tape or A4 laminated paper and set yourself goals – how many shots can you hit into a certain area in a minute ?
Ideally keep records so that you can measure your improvement
When practising - Think Technique. Early racquet preparation. Space between you and the ball
Work at one thing at a time
Do movement sessions between each
skill practice. Not necessarily at pace. Focus on your movement, your
balance, early racquet preparation
Be careful of trying to do too much/thinking of too many things
A very basic Solo Session
might look something like the following but should be adapted,
depending on your level of play . A session with an experienced coach
might be a good idea to ensure that you are doing things correctly. And
the coach might also give you some other ideas as well
1. 20 x Forehand (FH) drives into a targeted area
2. 30 sec Ghosting
3. 20 x Backhand drives into targeted area
4. 30 sec Ghosting
5. 50 FH Volleys from the tee and aimed at the service line
6. 45 sec sidewall to sidewall ghosting
7. 50 BH Volleys from the tee and aimed at the service line
8. 45 sec ghosting into front corners
9. Standing on the tee: 60 sidewall-to-sidewall drives
10. 30 secs ghosting into back corners
11. Standing on the tee: 50 “Figure of 8” Volleys
12. 30 secs mini ghosting: one lunge off tee in 6 different directions
13. 50 x FH
dropshots into target . Dropshot technique must be practised correctly.
Stroke the ball, don’t poke it. Don’t rush. Bend your legs, get racquet
head beneath the ball, feel the weight of the ball on your racquet
14. 10 diagonals ie run from one corner to the other but mimicking actual squash movement
15. 60 x BH dropshots
16. 10 diagonals ie run from one corner to the other but mimicking actual squash movement
17. Go for the nick: Lob to yourself x 20 . FH Volley into the nick. How many nicks can you hit
18. 45 secs Random Ghosting. Hit a selected shot and ghost to where you have hit the shot
19. Go for the nick: Lob to yourself x 20 . BH Volley into the nick. How many nicks can you hit
20. 60 secs Random Ghosting
When you are finished, pat yourself
on the back. Picture that person that you have planned to beat, lying
on the beach, and know that you are already one session ahead of him,
one session closer to beating her… Now… go and treat yourself to something you love.
