When it comes to squash training and fitness, there are for different types of training which professional squash players have mastered and coaches have their players practice over and over. Aerobic fitness, flexibility, and strength are the most important aspects of preparing to play a game of squash. Each of these aspects are ways that squash players are able to train and strengthen their game. By allowing yourself to focus on continuous practice of these complex and intense exercises, you can enhance your on court performance significantly and improve your fitness level.
Aerobic Fitness:
In squash, aerobic conditioning is crucial for players who play matches to the point of exhaustion. It is commonly referred to as the way to become a player who can remain at a “long and steady” rate throughout a tournament. In order to get aerobically fit, you need to exercise at a level where you are at about 70% heart rate.
One of the best ways to improve your aerobic fitness is through interval training. By keeping your heart rate in the aerobic range, players should do sessions of interval training on a daily basis if they want to get in proper shape. An example of interval training for squash would be a 6-minute workout where you walk for 30 seconds, sprint for 20 seconds, and run for 40 seconds. You repeat this cycle until you reach the 6 minute mark.
Flexibility:
In order to move from one end of the court to another at a fast enough pace to get every ball, professional squash players are very limber and flexible. If you are able to cover a good portion of the court with a lunge and stretch out your racquet, you can save yourself energy and decrease your chance of missing the ball. In order to properly improve your flexibility and avoid injury, make sure you are stretching before and after you play a squash match or hit with a squash coach. Stretch your whole body between your arms, shoulders, neck, wrists, calves, hip flexors and butt muscles, lower back, and your upper legs (hamstrings/quads).
Strength:
For squash players, maintaining a proper strength program is important for your overall court movement and ability to strike the ball. Squash players need strong legs to lunge, strong arms to swing at and strike the ball, and a strong torso for rotating. In order to properly strengthen your body for squash, here are 6 exercises made specifically for strengthening your squash game.
- Strengthening arms/shoulders/back: Bench Press and Military Press
- Strengthen quads, butt, and hamstring: Leg Press and Standing Lunges
- Strengthens abdominals: Incline crunches
- Strengthening Lower Back: Standing row/cable pull
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