On the Edge or On the Verge

Published: 13 Feb 2006 - 08:39 by raystrach

Updated: 13 Feb 2006 - 19:50

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I spent 90 minutes on a solo practice on saturday and started to feel the ball onto my racket better than any time over the past seven or eight yearsI have felt over the last week or two that I am about to step up a level, although I am somewhat nervous about this.

Why nervous?

Well after my hit, I realised that I had a little spasm in my back that I have not been able to stretch out. Normally with an almost daily simple stretch, I can release the spasm if it rears its ugly head. It occurs about once per week. You don't really know if it is there until you hear the "click" from the stretch. The first tell tale sign is a litle stiffness in the back associated with "dead" legs.Left untreated, become totally hopeless on court as I am even slower than I usually am and cannot get down to the ball satisfactorily, especially at the front of the court. If it remains untreated, I am flat out gettg out of bed in the mornings.

I didn't swim on friday as I still felt a little sore but had recovered quite well by saturday. I know I need more solo practice so the ninety minutes were very good. I had another light run on sunday followed by another 30 minutes solo. I am showing definite improvement in my racket technique and better concentration in watching the ball, though still no where near the level required to play top squash.

I need that couple of hours solo practice per week for a while to get my skills up to my new fitness level. Keeping a very open racket face, very early preparation, swinging quickly through the ball and watching the ball onto the racket are the things I am concentrating on. The other great thing about the solo practice is the extra demand on the muscular endurance of the wrist.

I have just got to watch that I remain on the verge of playing better, not on the edge of the injury abyss.