During a hard-fought squash match, there’s really no time to analyze or reflect. You need simple, positive thoughts that you can remember even when you’re “brain-dead” and gasping for air.
Here are ten proven squash thoughts you should keep topmost in your mind.
Add your own ideas to this list, put them all in the best priority order for you, and repeat these simple ideas to yourself while you play. If you keep these winning thoughts right in your squash bag for ready reference between games, you’ll be amazed at how much better you play. Besides, what else are you going to do with those 90 seconds between games?
Here are ten proven squash thoughts you should keep topmost in your mind.
Add your own ideas to this list, put them all in the best priority order for you, and repeat these simple ideas to yourself while you play. If you keep these winning thoughts right in your squash bag for ready reference between games, you’ll be amazed at how much better you play. Besides, what else are you going to do with those 90 seconds between games?
Difficulty: Hard
Time Required: About one second for each idea
Here's How:
- Watch the ball – watch the ball throughout your stroke, until you have completed your swing. Watch the ball all the way onto your racquet strings. There is no reason to look at the point on the wall where you want the ball to go since the walls don’t move. The ball does move, so watch it closely to make clean contact with the center of your racquet strings.
- Quick to the ‘T’ – as soon as you have completed your stroke, recover quickly to the center of the court. That way, you will be ready for your opponent’s next shot.
- Hit good length – don’t overhit or underhit. Each shot hit for good length should bounce once on the floor, then hit the back wall as it drops toward its second bounce.
- Keep the ball on the wall – the walls are your friend. Hit straight along the side wall, and get the ball to travel as closely as possible along the wall. This frustrates your opponent, and restricts her/his shot choices.
- Racquet ready early – as soon as you can tell which side the ball is coming to, get your racquet ready. This means getting your racquet arm back and the racquet head up. Preparing the racquet early makes you feel like you have more time. It also allows you to better deceive your opponent (if you prepare the same way for each shot).
- Rail return – by hitting almost every serve return along the side wall (the “rail”), you make your opponent move a good distance from where she/he just served. It’s definitely a good idea to make the server have to move to get your serve return. It can induce errors and help tire them out.
- Get the serve onto the far wall – when you are serving, be sure to hit your serve wide enough that it strikes the opposite side wall before the returner can hit it, or perhaps right as the returner attempts to hit it. This forces the returner to contend with the wall, as well as with the flight of the ball. If the returner is punishing you by hitting an easy volley in the air, you need to get your serve onto the far wall.
- Watch your opponent – after you hit, watch your opponent to gauge where the ball is going next. If you are on the ‘T’ and your opponent is hitting from a back corner of the court, be sure to look back over your shoulder at your opponent’s preparation to learn where the ball is likely to go next.
- Get every ball – there is a tremendous advantage to being able to retrieve more balls than your opponent expects. Never quit trying to get a ball until it bounces twice. This will eventually convince your opponent to try to hit better, riskier shots than he or she can safely make, and their errors will begin to cascade.
- Go short only when safe – remember to hit good length first. You should hit the ball to the front areas of the court only after your opponent is behind you, and you have a relatively easy ball to play. Establish good length, then attack by going short - but only when you have a good opportunity.