I think everyone already knows the value of structured practice sessions. Repetition of a skill is essential to its mastery. But there is a common over reliance on drills that have predefined shot patterns.
Probably the clearest demonstration of this is when a well drilled player (Player A) takes on a more experienced one (Player B).
This combination of players is a very common one. Usually player A is younger and on the rise. Player B is usually older and a lot the time a veteran player.
The knockup sees Player A look much better. A casual observer would put money on them, their warm up drives are tighter and harder and it all looks so smooth.
Then the game starts and suddenly it all shifts. Player A is looking awkward, they are a bit late to every ball and the smooth swing is malfunctioning. The ball juat isn’t going where it is supposed to.
Player B on the other hand who doesn’t have that lovely swing, is still getting the ball to the right places. Loose balls are punished and the court just seems a little smaller when they are retrieving.
So what went wrong? Usually people will talk about player A not getting going or having an off day. In reality the problem is deeper, they are not training the way the game is played.
Consider one the staple drills of all squash players, young and old, Boast and Drive. It’s also probably the worst performed drill around. Players end up only praticing hiting a ball from a known, static position. No real movement and no adjustment.
A real match will have decisions involved, you will have to predict the shot of your opponent and also choose your own one.
Going back to our example earlier, player A is only used to returning boasts in the front corner when they know it is coming. They will actually struggle to get into the right place when they are not expecting the boast. Their nice well practiced drive from the front corner is no longer a weapon they can use.
All of their movements are different to what they practiced and it leads to a feeling of being outside your comfort zone. Mistakes come more frequently and frustration builds degrading performance further.
The big question then is how do we fix this?
Lets go back to the drill. Consider the case where we add an option for both players, the front player can go straight or crosscourt and the back player has a boast and a straight drop.
Now suddenly the drill changes, you have to move in a more match like way. And also you have to at least show you have 2 options, otherwise your opponent can predict the next shot too easily.
You have to watch the ball and watch your opponent much more closely now, as you don’t know where the ball is going. Your T position has to be more neutral and the first movement becomes critical.
For only a small shift in the rules of the drill we have made it a much more fathful representation of the game of squash.
You still have the focus on the front and still have a relatively simple practice session where you are returning a significant number of boasts. Now though you also have a drill thay will improve your gameplay.
Have a try of this yourself, add decisions to your training routines. The change is minor but the results are anything but.
Squash Coaching 