Everybody loses sometime.
Everybody has an off day.
Everybody gets injured at some point.
Everybody gets ill.
Learn to accept those days, events and situations with grace.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t keep trying to win all the time, play your best every match, avoid getting injured and trying to stay health.
It just means that we are human.
Learn and grow from each experience and you will be a better person and player because of them.
Friday’s Practice: Straight Volleys Across the Court.
Starting about 2 metres away from the frontwall and face the side wall and stand close to it.
start to hit some volleys to yourself (forehands if you are right-handed, backhands if you are left-handed).
Keep you writs firm and make the shoulder do the work. Hit about five and start to slowly move away from the sidewall but parallel with the frontwall.
When you get near the left sidewall wall, move a little further away from the frontwall and then start to move forward again.
All this time you should be volleying the ball.
If you make a mistake, go back to the beginning.
Your objective is to make it past the short line, so about mid court.
Advanced players should be able to make it all the wall to the back wall.
This is a touch exercise, both mentally and for your shoulders.
Give yourself 5 minutes break by doing something else and then try it on the other side.
Keep a not of how many volleys you do without a mistake.
Aim for a front corner when you hit off the backwall
I used to play with somebody who hit between 20 and 30 shots per match off the backwall.
Not out of necessity but because he chose to.
The problem was that because he didn’t need to, he had more time and better position than most players do when doing it and consequently was very good at them.
When you hit the ball off the backwall try to aim it so that it goes into the opposite frontwall corner.
Due to the spin of the ball (don’t worry you don’t have to try to hit any spin) when it hits the frontwall it will almost always go parallel to the sidewall.
So if you can make it hit the frontwall as close to the sidewall as possible, it’s actually possible to make it hard for your opponent.
Now, I fully realize that it’s easy for me to type these words but it’s much harder to do because if you are hitting it off the backwall then it must be a last ditch attempt to keep the rally going.
But as I keep saying: Hit every shot with intention.
Next time you get on court, try it and see what happens, you might be surprised.
You often hear about “being in the zone” and that refers to your level of focus but it can also refer to how aggressive you are.
I played my best squash when I was angry. Not angry enough to verbalize i.e. shout but very close.
Personally, I dislike the displays of aggression from any sportperson but in the heat of battle it’s hard not to let them overflow.
However, what I really want you to start doing is playing from the first point with the same internal aggression as you do when the score is 8-8.
In fact, a good practice is to start at 8-8 for a few games every now and then. It will teach you to not waste any points.
I was often too relaxed at the beginning of matches because I knew there was a long way to go, but I wish now that I had fought with the same intensity in the first few points as I did in the last few.
I can’t exactly say how you develop that skill, but start by finding out what your mental approach and state of mind is when you have played your best.
As I mentioned above, for me it was when I was angry but also had a clear gameplan that I could stick to.
Remember, nobody won a tournament for being too relaxed and friendly on court. I am not saying be rude and nasty to your opponent though.
Sure, you can be nice for a few points but you need to be motivated for 99% the rest of the time.
What I am saying is generate that fire in your belly from the first point.
Imagine a best of five game match where each game was one point only.
How hard would you try for those 5 points?
Play THAT hard for EVERY point!
Mental Imagery Exercise 6: Simple Volleys
This is the sixth in a series of mental imagery exercises.
Ideally, you would have completed all the previous exercises before attempting this one. Not because you need to know anything from the previous ones but because it is a gradual process. Just the same as you wouldn’t start with trying to run a marathon your first day of training. You would increase the distance slowly. It’s the same here but with a focus on details rather than distance.
Allow me to review.
Firstly, let’s quickly define what Mental Imagery is.
Mental Imagery is the action of visualizing events in your mind. The benefits include greater confidence, ability to deal with adverse situations, better control of emotions and commitment to sticking to your gameplan.
A guided exercise is where somebody, perhaps your coach, sits down with you and talks you through the event and you, the player, imagines it happening.
This is a semi-guided exercise because you will read it first and then do it on your own.
For this exercise I want you to imagine everything from the first person – that is through your own eyes.
It may sound like the science fiction idea of learning in your sleep but it really works.
The objective of this exercise is:
1. To begin to notice the exact movements and feelings of hitting a ball.
This article is part of a series that will ultimately allow you to visualize yourself playing a tough match.
You should do this exercise at least 5 times before moving onto the next in the series.
Let’s get started. Please read the whole exercise slowly and carefully and when you are ready start begin.
——-
Find somewhere comfortable to sit or relax. Somewhere with as few distractions as possible. Somewhere not too hot or cold.
Close your eyes and take 5 deep breaths.
Imagine you are standing just in front of the short line, either close to the wall or near the middle of the court.
Feel the ball in one hand and the racket in the other. Imagine how the grip feels. Is it a little sticky? Is it new or old?
Start to hit forehand volleys back to yourself.
Keep the swing short and controlled.
Feel the ball hit the strings and that vibration.
Listen to the sound of the ball hitting the strings and then the wall.
If you are near the middle of the court, start to, move close to the sidewall.
Imagine the ball touching the sidewall but you can still hit it cleanly and tight.
Move away from the wall towards the middle of the court, still hitting forehand volleys.
When you get to the middle, hit the ball across your body so you can hit backhands.
Hit about 5 volleys and then start to move closer to the wall.
Your shoulder is probably getting a little tight now. It has been working hard.
When you get close to the backhand sidewall, hit 5 more volleys and catch the ball.
Imagine yourself stretching your shoulders.
Start again, but this time do 5 more shots on each side.
I love volleying the ball.
I feel that it rushes the opponent and puts them under pressure.
Most club players only volley when the ball comes to them but I encourage my pupils to “hunt” for volleys.
Obviously, not every single shot but at last 5 more volleys per game than they normally play.
But number of volleys alone don’t win matches.
The volleys have to be good. Not necessarily winners, but a shot that poses a problem for the opponent.
Your first step is to practice volleys alone, then with a partner and then within practice games.
Keep you swing short and firm.
The next time you play, try to hit a few crosscourt volleys off weak straight drives. Aim for the sidewall behind the service box about a racket’s height from the floor.
If nothing else, “hunting” for volleys will make you more proactive.
Use The Serve Effectively.
Do you know why the first hit of squash is called the serve?
Well, in games that proceeded squash and tennis: rackets and real tennis, the first hit of the ball was not allowed to be too difficult for the opponent. If it was considered too fast or difficult, the receiving player could actually ask for it to be played again. Crazy, right?
Just as a side note, the first recorded lob in lawn tennis at Wimbledon is around the 1920’s I believe but they had been playing there since the late 1890’s.
Which means they played for around 30 years before somebody had the audacity to hit the ball over the head of the player at the net. It must have seemed outrageous at the time. How unsportsmanlike!
However, we shouldn’t let the roots of a name define our present attitude.
Don’t think about “serving the balls” but “starting the rally with the toughest shot you can play”.
The best first shot really depends on your opponent, but the minimum you should be aiming for is to stop them hitting a winner and ideally force them to play a weak return.
One small problem club players face in this regard is what the professionals do.
Watching on a screen never really shows how difficult their serves are. How often have you seen aces in squash. *Even after all these years in squash, I’m never sure if that’s the correct word for a winning serve!*
You also see many professionals hit fantastic nicks from serves and this can give the false impression that professionals just hit the ball without much thought to start the rally. They don’t.
I can guarantee that if you were to face their serves you would find them quite difficult to return well.
Almost all good serves hit the side wall before the returner has a chance to hit it.
A ball coming off the side wall is one of the hardest for club players to hit straight, that’s why so many returns for difficult serves are hit crosscourt.
When you serve make it as difficult as possible for your opponent to hit good return.
In fact, when playing practice matches, nake sure you go for some high serves, even if you hit them out – it’s worth the practice.
I remember reading that Geoff Hunt said that you should wait until the tenth time you wanted to boast before actually boasting.
Of course, the game has changed a lot since then but it is still good advice.
I also remember watching a match between James Wilstrop and Nick Matthew, where James didn’t play one boast until midway through the second game.
The reasons could be many; Nick is very good at moving forward, James’ boast are easy to read and/or not as good as they could be, the court made boasts a bad shot to play etc.
What that shows is that all advice should be taken in context. The context of your skills ON THAT DAY, your opponent’s skills ON THAT DAY and the situation, which includes the court and its condition (temperature etc) and the importance of the match.
That said, trying to avoid boasting is a good thing to try to practice as it will force you to play better drives to the back and also work on your straight short game.
Try it and see what happens.
Mental Imagery Exercise 5: Short Drives
This is the fifth in a series of mental imagery exercises.
Ideally, you would have completed all the previous exercises before attempting this one. Not because you need to know anything from the previous ones but because it is a gradual process.
Just the same as you wouldn’t start with trying to run a marathon your first day of training. You would increase the distance slowly. It’s the same here but with a focus on details rather than distance.
Allow me to review.
Firstly, let’s quickly define what Mental Imagery is.
Mental Imagery is the action of visualizing events in your mind. The benefits include greater confidence, ability to deal with adverse situations, better control of emotions and commitment to sticking to your gameplan.
A guided exercise is where somebody, perhaps your coach, sits down with you and talks you through the event and you, the player, imagines it happening.
This is a semi-guided exercise because you will read it first and then do it on your own.
For this exercise I want you to imagine everything from the first person – that is through your own eyes.
It may sound like the science-fiction idea of learning in your sleep but it really works.
The objective of this exercise is:
1. To continue to notice the exact movements and feelings of hitting a ball.
This article is part of a series that will ultimately allow you to visualize yourself playing a tough match.
You should do this exercise at least 5 times before moving onto the next in the series.
Let’s get started. Please read the whole exercise slowly and carefully and when you are ready start begin.
——-
As with the last exercise, this exercise actually requires you to do the real activity BEFORE you perform the mental imagery exercise.
Firstly get on court alone. Make sure you have performed a short warm up. I want you to stand about 3 metres from frontwall and about 2 metres from either sideawll.
Now step forward and start to hit soft shots along the wall. You are trying to keep the ball quite close to the sidewall and hit it hard enough so that you don’t have to move.
Try to hit 10 with no mistakes.
Now close your eyes and try to visualize exactly what happened in your mind. I don’t mean the ball has to bounce exactly where it did in real life, just the feeling of the swing and the sounds of the ball hitting your racket and the wall.
Repeat this process at least 5 times. Each time your mental process should be clearer and more detailed. The more you do this, the better.
Now more over to the other side of the court and do the same.
I fully understand this is a bit strange and you might get some funny looks, but be strong. This WILL make your mental imagery exercises better and therefore your improvement faster.
What is the difference between strategy and tactics?
Put simple, strategy is what you want to happen and tactics is how you are going to make that happen.
If I were to play against anybody under 40, I know that it is unlikely I would be faster or fitter than they are. So my strategy would be to try to take away their physical advantage. My tactics would be to slow the ball down and use the full width and height of the court.
I need a way to make my skill more important than their fitness and speed.
Easier said than done, of course.
Strategy might include tiring out an opponent, forcing them to make mistakes, rushing them, confusing them etc.
Tactics might include deception, fast, low boasts, more volleys (even at the risk of tiring myself), variety of height and length.
Strategy is more long term, whereas tactics might vary over each game.
There is also the point of yours and your opponent’s strengths and weaknesses.
Sometimes changing your tactics each game is important, but the problem is that knowing when to change tactics and when to stick with what you are doing is more art than science.
Remember, think about the best overall strategy to win a match and then start to consider tactics that will achieve that objective.
CoachPhillip 