squash-training.md

Isaac training

Court sprints

Prep

• Court sprints can be practiced in any vacant area with a hard surface
• Ensure that there is sufficient grip on the surface
• Wear court shoes with correct spacing in the toe box
• Using markers, place a triangle on the ground with dimensions 5.6mx2.8mx2.8m
• Call the point where the two shortest sides meet, point A and the other two points, B and C
• Place an egg (hypothetical or real) on the ground at each of points B and C
• Obtain a light stick or dowel at approximately 700mm in length

Execution

1. Standing at point A, move to point B, touch the egg with the stick and move back to point A
2. Move to point C, touch the egg with the stick, move back to point A
3. go back to step 1

Objectives

• Proximate objectives:
  • Do not break the egg; doing so is penalised
  • Set a time, such as 90 seconds, and maximise the number of points touched
  • Failing to sight and touch the egg with the stick, does not count as touching a point
  • In achieving this objective, alternate between "learning phase" and "execution phase"
  • In the learning phase, use a light jog to execute -- we are learning the correct movement, not maximising points touched
• Ultimate objective: learn efficient movement, including stopping, in the court

Notes

• It is important the egg is touched, and that this is sighted
• Stay hydrated
• Learning to stop at pace, then coordinate a fine movement is the most difficult part of this exercise
• Make an additional challenge
  • place two basketballs, one in the mid-point of AB and the other on the mid-point of AC
  • Navigate around the basketballs (including their vertical projection) during the court sprint
• Change pace of this exercise and disregard any timing component, to maximise learning outcome

Drives

Prep

• A squash court
• A squash racket
• Either double-yellow (tournament) or single blue dot (training) squash ball

Execution

1. Move to one of the back corners of the court
2. Hit the squash ball along the wall, such that it lands in the back corner 1/8th of the court
3. Go to step 3
4. A ball that lands outside of the back corner 1/8th is still in play during the exercise
5. Change pace as training improves

• If not consistent, ball dies a lot, slow down
• If consistent and easy, slowly increase pace

Objectives

• This is not a timing exercise; it is a consistency exercise
• Proximate objective:
  • Maximise the number of drives achieved before the ball goes dead (bounces twice, hits the tin, goes out)
  • A ball that lands outside of the back corner 1/8th of the court does not count as a drive, but the ball is still in play
• Ultimate objective
  • Improve consistency on achieving one of the fundamental shots in squash

Notes

• Do not be concerned with pace, as much as consistency
• Use the blue dot ball if initial consistency is difficult to achieve