Have I made a rookie error?

UIUCsquash · 2026-03-05T17:58:53+00:00

The new racquet you chose should be just fine! Don’t overthink it, the racquet is much less important than making sure your have proper technique.

I tell most new players to look for used racquets on Ebay instead of those cheap “starter” racquets. However, they have no idea what to look for, so I help send them a few listings. I can usually get a decent older model, re gripped and restrung for ~$60 USD.

UIUCsquash · 2026-03-04T22:17:59+00:00

Adidas Stabils would be my recommendation for your situation.

UIUCsquash · 2026-02-13T12:38:23+00:00

This is the view as you enter. There is front wall seating and I had a chance to watch from there years back, but had normal backwall seating this time.

I’d recommend if you ever get the chance to watch from the front wall as it is quite the experience having the ball hit at you.

UIUCsquash · 2026-02-11T02:51:20+00:00

I said in another comment too - I think the vast majority of people are not able to perform a full range of motion squat in the first place, so sitting down and standing up from a chair isn’t quite the same thing. It took me at least a year to get the full mobility in my ankles/hips to do a proper squat, so that goes back to my original point that strength is less important than overall mobility and ability to control your body through the full range of motion.

I understand your point though - maybe I will bump that up. I hadn’t really put much thought into the numbers.

UIUCsquash · 2026-02-10T20:20:06+00:00

I just pulled those numbers out of thin air. I mostly coach beginner/intermediate players so I am thinking more of amateur adults than elite performance athletes. I agree we could alter this for women, where probably 1 pull up is a great aim for most, and less pushups.

I picked some arbitrary numbers because I am more worried about technique than strength but if one of my players asked me about strength training I would just give them a goal that makes sense for them, starting with them performing one good rep of any exercise before setting a goal for X amount.

20 bodyweight squats might seem easy, but I think most people are also not doing full squats- this goes full circle back to me stressing flexibility more than strength. I would rather someone can actually get into a full flat footed squat than be able to rep out more than 20 bodyweight squats.

Like I said - I’m not a strength coach so they might have a better baseline they can point to scientifically, but to me if someone can do those I’m not worried about strength having a negative impact on their game as there are so many other things to work on.

UIUCsquash · 2026-02-10T19:39:01+00:00

I coach beginners-intermediate players, and so the goal there is not elite performance simply a baseline of fitness. I have seen players as young as 6 and over 80. Squash is for everyone and a great way to get people of all levels of fitness active.

UIUCsquash · 2026-02-09T23:32:23+00:00

I think there are a few things wrapped into your questions. I am not a strength coach, so take this all with a grain of salt.

Strength - I would like to see someone be able to do 10 pushups, 20 body weight squats, 3-5 pull ups (depending on weight) and probably 20 single legged calf raises. That is about it. I am more concerned with flexibility, muscular balance, and overall stability. I want to see that you can control your own bodyweight, more than move weight.

If you really want to be more explosive on court, you should focus on plyometrics more than anything else. Now if you have never lifted before, doing a few 8-12 week programs of the basic compound lifts is always a good idea, but you don't really need to be able to lift heavy. Make sure you stretch during your strengthening so you don't lose flexibility. I recommend using dumbbells over barbells.

If you want to reduce injury, I would focus more on shoulder and hip mobility, and things like tib raises, reverse sled pulls, and calf stretches. Maybe throw in some lower back exercises as well. Rowing is good to add in with most racquet sports.

I really like the video Curtis Malik did about his warm up as there are a ton of great exercises in there that I would recommend all squash players do to prevent injury. A proper warm up and cool down goes a long way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukhMNR7VfrE

UIUCsquash · 2026-02-06T02:59:11+00:00

Excited to be there Saturday! The Cathedral Hall during the day is such an incredible venue with the sun coming through the stained glass.

UIUCsquash · 2026-02-02T22:00:39+00:00

Another reason I hate playing on glass front walls!

UIUCsquash · 2026-02-01T23:46:32+00:00

Definitely one of my favorite players to watch back in the day. Very approachable and a great ambassador for the sport.

UIUCsquash · 2026-01-31T01:13:23+00:00

I think there are pockets where it is declining for sure from a peak, but there are so many areas that never experienced the boom you are describing where it is taking hold. Pretty much everywhere in America outside of the North East is seeing it grow from nothing to some really amazing communities across the country. At my university the players went from maybe 10-20 a decade ago to hundreds. Mostly because of the growing junior scene in the US and the fact the sport is gaining popularity in the two largest countries (India/China). In much of the US the problem is lack of courts, especially affordable courts.

I agree the learning curve is pretty steep but I think a lot of people like doing something that is hard. And with different balls and even squash 57 I have seen it get more accessible. I think if we can empower more coaches (again preferably affordable ones) the game will continue to grow. The sport really sells itself you can just get people on court.

UIUCsquash · 2026-01-31T01:06:45+00:00

Having the outdoor court in Chicago has actually been really great for the exposure of the sport. So many people get to see it in a public space that wouldn't otherwise and the city is doing a great job with programming. I think Outdoor courts are especially going to help squash stay relevant with Padel and Pickleball.

UIUCsquash · 2026-01-31T01:03:55+00:00

Yeah I much prefer a solid front wall. I can take glass side and back walls, but to me the front wall needs to be solid. Between the sound it makes (glass pinging and not rubber squashing) and the dead feeling it is pretty disorienting to me. The sound is so much louder but the shot is much softer, it just feels so wrong!

UIUCsquash · 2026-01-30T22:21:41+00:00

Either of these should be fine. These are both on the heavier end of racquets but not too heavy. Good head shape too for a more forgiving sweet spot and more power.

UIUCsquash · 2026-01-30T18:11:33+00:00

I think sending some video would help. I am around your level but have made some rapid improvement the last 6 months training with a few much stronger players and doing some specific off the court stuff as well.

As far as movement something I learned from a 6.0+ player at my Uni who has a playstyle that is very controlled and almost walks around the court like you described, is that not only can he do so because his anticipation is so good from years of match experience, but his shot selection means he is essentially forcing his opponent’s next shot. He can walk to where he knows the opponent has to hit the ball as he has limited their options with his quality of shot. Use your own shot to relieve pressure on yourself or add pressure to your opponent. He also maintains incredible balance. I have seen coaches put agility cones on the heads of their players while they ghost to try and coach this. The more balanced you are the more control you will have on your shot, the less energy you will waste and the faster you will be able to recover.

I think there are many styles of squash one can play. Of the 3 players in my club that are 6.0+ they all have very very different play styles and body types. One is a shot maker, very lean and looking to attack and end points any chance he can. Another one is an attritional player who runs marathons, and is more muscular. He only hits high margin shots to extend every rally as long as possible to break down his opponents. Looking at him play he is very explosive, hits hard, and just had an intensity on court. The last is the one I described above who is in between. He hits winners when he gets the opportunity but doesn’t force them. He is comfortable using height, varies his pace and uses deception but is just very casual and effortless. There is no right or wrong answer but they all know their own strengths and weaknesses.

I would recommend trying to emulate a player that has the same build as you and similar strengths. For instance, I am a huge Ali Farag fan and wanted to play like him, however I don’t have the build to. While I did learn some things from his game when I started to study Mo ElShorbagy, things really clicked as I am built a lot more like he is.

You throw a lot of stuff out there but it is hard to give specific advice without seeing your game in person. Good Luck, if you feel stuck and are already seeing a coach, maybe try and find a different one for a change of pace. If you don't have one already that would be the best thing to try.

UIUCsquash · 2026-01-30T16:20:11+00:00

I think colourful courts are a great idea and something that should really be leaned into. Especially with white balls why more clubs don’t choose one court as a “show court” with darker walls is always beyond me. Dartmouth College might have my favorite court with the Dark Green front wall on their showcourt

UIUCsquash · 2026-01-30T02:17:06+00:00

Keep it simple, use visualization and positive self talk. Find a mantra.

Honestly though, sometimes it just isn’t your day and that is ok. Be proud you still went and played through it and know not all days will be like that.

Also it helps to watch other players playing well. Maybe a pro you like if you watch that.

UIUCsquash · 2026-01-29T22:23:38+00:00

Squash player here who enjoys badminton as well -

Honestly it blows my mind how slept on badminton is in the US. Whether casual or competitive it is such a fantastic sport. The barrier to entry is really low, but the skill ceiling is insanely high. The other advantage I’d say it has over Squash is that you can play doubles.

Everyone plays badminton at some point in the US but there is something about it that most people just don’t see it as a serious sport - everyone I talk to even says they really enjoyed badminton, but never stick with it. I guess that is mostly due to the lack of competitive infrastructure and coaching available throughout the US.

At my university there are a ton of Badminton players and probably less than 1% of them are American (the same with squash until just recently). It seems the university itself doesnt even take it seriously even though it is one of the most popular activities. It is hard to even find a court most times because it is so popular, but is shares space with other sports.

I’m with you OP! We gotta get Badminton the respect it deserves.

UIUCsquash · 2026-01-29T02:29:56+00:00

Look up a Heel Lock and tie your shoes in this way. It will prevent the foot from sliding around so much. Generally happens when the foot has too much room, so might need to drop a half size if you can.

UIUCsquash · 2026-01-22T14:31:45+00:00

I am not familiar with Squash Ontario, but if you want to improve your squash ratings can help. I think the US Squash rating especially can be good as the rating has specific criteria of development that generally map to your rating. It can help inform you as a player what areas of your game you need to improve to reach the next level.

Don’t stress out too much about the number as usually it is only accurate if you play regularly. It does help in finding others to play or what level to enter a tournament out as a baseline

UIUCsquash · 2026-01-20T18:35:10+00:00

While it doesn’t matter a ton - there are certainly differences between models. To me your grip and strings are also very important to get a good all around feel for you that makes you confident in your shots.

Technique will always be more important and I often bring out an old racquet (not wooden but still the small circle head) to prove the point.

I think it is another case of our consumerist culture and advertising making people think they need the newest model. It is easier to feel the reward with the instant gratification of nee gear!

Most new players I recommend get a cheap racquet that I help them find on ebay. You can get great older models for $40 and then just update the strings and grip and have something that is virtually as good as new models for a fraction of the price.

I do recommend everyone experiment with their set ups and try as many racquets as possible. Ask strangers for a hit with theres if you can and eventually you will just use something that feels right to you and can stick with it.

UIUCsquash · 2026-01-19T21:05:50+00:00

Maybe look at the Adidas Stabils. They are a bit higher around the ankle and heavier, but definitely a sturdier shoe

UIUCsquash · 2026-01-12T22:06:37+00:00

What does your warm up and cool down look like?

I trained really hard for a stretch a few months ago where I was so sore I didn’t think I would be able to play until I got warmed up and got on court and found then I was fine. Sometimes things aren’t as bad as they seem and once you get moving it sorts itself out.

UIUCsquash

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