How to increase the strength of your shots - 3 tips to improve the strength and speed of your racket swing Video tutorial

Three Tips To Increase The Strength Of Your Shots

Video tutorial

If you have a grasp on the basics of squash, you understand that all the fundamentals are intertwined.

What I mean is that if you move correctly, you will tend to make more accurate shots, if you make accurate shots you'll tend to use the proper tactics of squash and score points whenever you can.

Therefore the easiest way to work on your shot is to work on everything XD

Now, let's get to the meat of this game:

To increase the strength of your shots:

1. Create a stable base
2. Open way before the shot
3. Stay away from the ball

Create a stable base

If you place your legs in a way that makes you grounded you will be able to put more of your momentum and weight into the ball.

The best way to create a stable base consists of making a sidelong step and then bend your knees.

The most common error here is that many squash players tend to make their final step to the front of them, just like if they were on a balance beam.

Instead focus on creating a large base, like a circle.

Make sure to bend your knees and place as much of your weight on the front foot (the one you place in front of you when making a shot).

Open way before the shot i.e. prepare the racket soon

This is so simple and important and yet most of us don't do it.
If you place the racket over your should and then swing it you will use gravity to enhance your strength, but this just one side of the coin.

In fact I recommend opening the shot as soon as you know in which side the ball will go because by being ready to make a shot whenever you need you will be able to capitalize on the occasions that will happen during the rally.

I think opening is the most important foundation to all of squash because it allows you more choices which will lead you to dominate the rally.

Stay as far as you can from the ball

As i said in my introduction to squash video you don't have to walk on half of the court.
That's because if you extend yourself by moving properly and extending your arm you can reach the side wall from the center with just one step.

Plus if you stay far away from the ball your racket will have more momentum and therefore your shot will be stronger.

This is critical because many of the mistakes squash players make in court are due to the fact that they stay too close to the ball.

A rapid way to change this bad habit consists of always touching the red line in the center with at least on of your feet, this way you will build a habit of always coming back to the center relatively to the side walls which is more important than coming to the T.