Squash Coaching Tip 6 – Goal setting when training…

We all like or love this wonderful sport, squash. For many, the joy comes in playing it and their is this continues drive to improve, which I appreciate.

There are times when one needs to move away from just playing at every session to more structured and purpose based training. These could be conditioned games, various drills (routines) or just one or two things you want to tweak in your game.

This can be achieved in a few ways, a coach is helpful to help identify, correct and enhance the shortcomings or enhance your game. The other is finding a sparring partner. I know this term sounds bad but it is not really.

For many years I played against people weaker than me, and I developed a habit of playing in such a way that we both got value. Without them realising it I would create patterns and always try to improve certain shots, mainly drives or shots to the back of the court. My opponent would be feeling like they are having their best game as I practised certain shots.

Sparring partners are good if we utilise the time effectively. They are usually weaker than us so they give us, rather we can create, more time on the ball, position ourselves and play more deliberate shots. You want to avoid ending the rally prematurely as this will defeat the purpose.

Here are some ideas to work on with sparring partners. Moving back to the T after playing your shot (getting into postion), getting to the ball early and preparing, driving the ball into specific zones causing it to behave in a way you make it predictable for yourself. Recovery between shots is important to improve your stamina and gauge your ‘fitness’ so the longer rallies can be better than playing various people over longer time periods with shorter rallies.

I would like to encourage you to set a few goals for each session or start with one session a week, that you will work on something and see how that goes.

Happy squash and racquetball matches.

This post has been sponsored by ReFresh products now available at Yummmy, in Saxony Westwood Mall and Watercrest Mall and at RBS Yamaha in Pinetown.