Are We There Yet?
Published: 20 Mar 2006 - 07:58 by raystrach
Updated: 22 Mar 2006 - 12:08
Subscribers: Log in to subscribe to this post.
If you think that when you reach a certain level of play that you can sit back, relax and enjoy all the wins that re going to come your way then you are badly mistaken. No matter how good you are, you will have good days and bad days.
In golf, a player's swing comes under constant scrutiny and there are very highly paid coaches some of whom are more famous than the players. Rodney Martin (fmr world champ) was the first persn I heard who equated a golf swing with a squash swing. In some ways it is even more important as in golf , it is a closed skill (ie the hitter in in complete control) where as in squash, there is an oponnent who is trying to make it impossible for you to play your shot.
In any case, how do you determine how well you are playing?
At present, I THINK i am starting to play a lot better. My movement seems smoother and my anticipation more attuned to my opponent. I have been working on my technique, and while it is by no means perfect, it has improved. Now that I am a little older I find that the physical aspect of my game is far more inclined to vary from match to match. This is another area where it makes it harder to judge where I am at.
Yesterday i played a team mate in practice and generally I played well. He was running very well and taking the ball early which put some pressure on me. He had been in something of a form slump for a few weeks so his coming good was welcome. The competition he provided was also welcome.
During practice, I was attempting to play a very positive style of Squash, applying pressure by taking my opportunities. What I had tended to do in the recent past when going for my shots was to not follow up the shot. I might play a good shot, the opponent scrapes it back and I am left flat footed. Becasue Dave gets so much back, it was good to practice this element. I am following up the shot a lot better.
The only aspect of my game which i am not happy with is that ocasionally I will lapse into an error laded period. I will hit three or four loose shots or errors in a row. I need to rein in when I start a period like this, get back into rythym and then start going for it again.
This week will confirm if I have taken that next step up in form or whether it is just my imagination.
How to add images to Members' Forum posts and replies here...
In golf, a player's swing comes under constant scrutiny and there are very highly paid coaches some of whom are more famous than the players. Rodney Martin (fmr world champ) was the first persn I heard who equated a golf swing with a squash swing. In some ways it is even more important as in golf , it is a closed skill (ie the hitter in in complete control) where as in squash, there is an oponnent who is trying to make it impossible for you to play your shot.
In any case, how do you determine how well you are playing?
At present, I THINK i am starting to play a lot better. My movement seems smoother and my anticipation more attuned to my opponent. I have been working on my technique, and while it is by no means perfect, it has improved. Now that I am a little older I find that the physical aspect of my game is far more inclined to vary from match to match. This is another area where it makes it harder to judge where I am at.
Yesterday i played a team mate in practice and generally I played well. He was running very well and taking the ball early which put some pressure on me. He had been in something of a form slump for a few weeks so his coming good was welcome. The competition he provided was also welcome.
During practice, I was attempting to play a very positive style of Squash, applying pressure by taking my opportunities. What I had tended to do in the recent past when going for my shots was to not follow up the shot. I might play a good shot, the opponent scrapes it back and I am left flat footed. Becasue Dave gets so much back, it was good to practice this element. I am following up the shot a lot better.
The only aspect of my game which i am not happy with is that ocasionally I will lapse into an error laded period. I will hit three or four loose shots or errors in a row. I need to rein in when I start a period like this, get back into rythym and then start going for it again.
This week will confirm if I have taken that next step up in form or whether it is just my imagination.
How to add images to Members' Forum posts and replies here...
Replies...
Please Note: The most recent replies are now at the top!
From aprice1985 - 22 Mar 2006 - 12:08
From raystrach - 22 Mar 2006 - 07:43 - Updated: 22 Mar 2006 - 07:44
when i was young and very fit i was consistant. as my fitness declined i had to improve my skills to stay competitive. since that time I have always been inconsistant. i can lose 5 points in a rows then win them back. I play an attacking style of game so it is more difficult than if you just hit the ball up and down the wall.
fo me, confidence play a big part. I have not played a match yet in the past 12 months where i have been really confident. maintain confidence - maintain consistancy. simple eh?
fo me, confidence play a big part. I have not played a match yet in the past 12 months where i have been really confident. maintain confidence - maintain consistancy. simple eh?
From aprice1985 - 22 Mar 2006 - 06:59
I played my third league game this week and finally one one on top of playing well with some of my uni's players so i feel like i am improving too if you find a way to cut out the error periods please please let me know!!
Sorry, only members can post replies on this and all other Members` Forum items.
Support Squashgame
Support us here at Squashgame.info! If you think we helped you, please consider our Squash Shop when purchasing or make a small contribution.
Products Now Available
US Squash Shop
Testimonials
Firstly, would like to say how impressed I am by this forum - a real cornucopia of squash knowledge!
Sorry, logins temporarily disabled
We hope to see you back soon when we launch our updated site.
Back to top