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FIT FOR SQUASH |
Fit for Squash
Squash is unique, it is fast, competitive, and provides an excellent workout. One hour of squash can burn upto 850 calories. To play squash at a competitive level you need to work on a combination of:
Aerobic fitness
Strength conditioning
Flexibility and
Mental focus
However, if you have never played squash before, don't think you can go out on the court and become a champion over night, without the correct training, squash puts your cardiovascular system under extreme strain. Correct conditioning is paramount to playing a good game of squash.
If we look at what is required, players need to have aerobic fitness to allow them to run and swing for an hour or more, flexibility to reach for tight drop shots, strength to control their racquet and hit the ball with power, and mental focus to "stay in" a long match.
A good squash fitness training program should help to strengthen and condition all of these aspects of a player's game.
Aerobic Fitness
Put simply aerobic fitness means that you can run around the court for an entire match, while not tiring yourself out to the point of exhaustion. Getting aerobically fit takes some time. Start with outdoor running sessions, building up gradually and incorporating regular sprint intervals or hill running. Vary the intensity of your runs and this will improve your ability to handle the short bursts required on the squash court. We have listed other ways of increasing your aerobic ability;
Cycle
Circuit classes
Play other sports such as football
Maintaining aerobic fitness will allow you to enjoy squash more and will also help prevent injuries.
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Strength conditioning
To hit a squash ball with power takes strength. Strong legs move you to the ball, a strong torso rotates completely before the swing, and a strong arm and shoulder steady the racquet through impact. Squash like most sports use a unique set of muscles, so one of the best ways to get stronger for squash is simply to play squash. We have included below a set of basic exercises for strengthening the muscle groups need for squash. A good personal trainer can instruct you on the best way perform each of the following:
Note "When striking the ball, keep your wrist firm, don't flick, you can generate power by shifting your weight from the back foot to the front foot, rotating the hips and swinging your arm through fully"
Click on exercise below to see how it is done!
Bench Press: Strengthens chest and arms
Leg Press: Strengthens quadriceps, buttocks, and hamstrings
Wide Standing Squat: Strengthens buttocks, quadriceps and hamstrings
Quadriped Single Leg Hip Extension: Strengthens hamstrings
Ball Prone Cobra: Strengthens lower back and shoulders
Standing Barbell Row: Strengthens Shoulders
Crunch: Strengthens the abdominals
Don't forget to stretch, warm up and cool down, for further advice please email or speak to a personal trainer for quidance
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Flexibility
Have you ever seen a really great squash player, they bound around the court in giant lunges, covering great distances in a single stride. by improving your flexibility you can decrease your chance of injury and increase your ability to frustrate your opponent! There are many different ways to stretch, however, after your warm up, it is always a good idea to stretch, however, it is essential after you have finished playing (before prevents injury, and after prevents soreness.) Don't forget to stretch your whole body:
Here are a few recommended stretches
Shouders: Rear of Shoulders
Shoulders: Front of Shoulder
Calf
Hamstring
Hip Flexor
Buttocks
Arms: Triceps
Many people forget or cannot be bothered to stretch , but it is very important, it does not take very long, and must not be overlooked! back to top
Mental Focus
Squash requires mental focus throughout the match. One lapse in concentration can lead to errors, the loss of a game, or even the loss of a match. Mental focus is difficult to train, but it is something that is developed the more you play. Athletes often refer to "the zone", which is a relaxed state of mind that leads to complete focus and excellent body control. Simple tips to help with your mental focus:
Don't let one mistake get you frustrated. Keep calm and focussed
Before big points, get yourself really ready. Take a deep breath, shake out your racquet hand, focus on the ball, and then play the smart shot.
Be generous with lets and strokes, and above all, don't let arguments over calls distract you from the task at hand: making good squash strokes.
Do these things, and you will be started along the way to better mental focus! back to top
For more reading visit;
World Squash
England Squash
Squash Player
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