Squash Tips - Habits to mantain a high concistency during a squash rally

The drive means PAR

Once you got a grasp on the fundamentals of squash : Moving efficiently, Controlling the center, Throwing the ball in the corners. You have to implement this three concepts in every aspect of your game.

The drive will be the foundation of all your exchanges in squash.

The habit you have to develop is that unless your opponent makes it really easy on you with his shots, you have to make drive.
This single habit will change your game drastically.

Whenever you're near the back wall and your opponent is in the T, make a drive.
When you don't know what to do make a drive.
That's because and exchange of drives in squash is like the PAR in golf, you need to make at least a drive as good as the one of your opponent, otherwise he is leading the rally.

All the other shots are less proficient than the drive, because if your ''reacting'' (he is leading) to your opponent and you make whatever shot, it will backfire on you. Instead the drive will always help you at least take control of the T.

Always Push, Never Close

The only thing you don't need is to throw the ball under the tin. You should always playing the best shot you can. But never force it, it's better to consume some more energy than to waste a point.

This is a particular thing because when you'll begin to do this you'll end up loosing your matches because your depriving your squash of your aggressiveness. This is not what i mean.

You have to always make the best shot you can, just never exaggerate.

When you're thinking of anticipating your opponent's serve to make a Shabana style nick closure, think again and make a drive!
Also you should never think that your shot will lead to a point because if proven wrong you'll loose the rally.

Focus and breathing are a part of you

There is an underlying concept in these habits: You have to be fit. Being fit is a prerequisite, otherwise everything in this article will be impossible for you, so focus on being fit first.

Be Fit, then implement a good respiration pattern

Then implement a good respiration pattern, make it a habit to consciously manipolate your breathing when needed.
Breathe deeply ,slowly and constantly when playing and make hard fast breaths between rallies.
Check the article for a in depth explanation on how to implement this habit in your squash

Every rally is a world of itself

Considering that you have no reason to make mistakes and you must be an efficient moving machine on court you have to keep calm, and after every rally make a habit to reset your mind.

Squash is so fast paced it is easy to become angry or loose focus, do the exact opposite, find a personal ritual that renews your focus and use it every time between rallies.

Watch your opponent especially if your leading the game

Anticipating your opponents shot can be a powerful skill to have, but an even more powerful ability in squash is to know where your opponent is when you are making the shot and possibly tweaking your swing so that you trick him.

Knowing where your opponent is will make you understand which shot to do

When you'll have your Open and have your on court movements together you  can start thinking of watching your opponent while your going toward the ball, this skill is incredibly powerful for if you know where your opponent is you can always make the right shot.

Think game, don't think points

A squash game is a combination of worlds (the rallies) but there are two constants: You and your opponent,  proving that you're fit, calm and focused you should always be the one who is in better shape.

This will be the determining factor when playing and you'll need to work on this one a lot.

When it ends, it is ended.

Psychological studies have proven that player that keeps themselves focused on the court tend to perform worse than player that when the game is finished just go away and focus on something else.

I reccomend you to NOT be talking about what to do in the next game in your 90 second pause, instead do something you like, go talk to your girl, listen to empowering music or motivational speakers.

Just think of something else!

This way your brain will be more focused on the next game!