You will have heard us use the saying “you’re only as good as your movement” on a number of different occasions here at SquashSkills. We’re firm believers in the fact that to hit a good squash ball you need to be able to get to the ball, in a solid and stable position.
Good movement isn’t just all about raw speed. It encompasses a whole host of different facets… weight transfer, balance, spacing, timing and efficiency amongst other things.
Improving your movement goes way beyond just making your feet go faster, it’s about thinking how your whole game links together and flows. The best movers in the World never looked like they were moving quickly, everyone used to say how Jansher just seemed to walk around the court.
Good movement doesn’t just make you quicker. David Pearson talked about Nick Matthew’s efficiency of movement and how it meant that he simply didn’t get tired in a 90-minute match against Greg Gaultier.
Thinking differently about the game and seeing opportunities allows you to move differently. David Palmer was able to step into lines incredibly early because he could read the play so well and narrow down his opponent’s options.
These three players all used movement in different ways to become the best players in the World. Amateur players can take huge amounts from this, they do not have to have the speed of Miguel Rodriguez to use movement effectively on the squash court. Small changes in mindset and simple adjustments to core technical elements of your movement can have a really positive effect on your game.
We’ve gone into quite a lot of details on SquashSkills around some fundamental movements that will make your movement smoother and more efficient. We explain how you can time your movement to the T so you don’t have to stop and start, allowing you to become far more efficient by shifting your bodyweight whilst using the split step.
We explain what you’re looking for when you lunge as well as explaining the importance of the back foot slide when coming out of the corner.
These are all technical elements that will help you become, not only quicker around the squash court, but also more efficient, meaning you’ll save energy and become less tired over the course of a match.
Good movement is at the very core of all we do on a squash court. Spending some time an effort ensuring that good movement becomes second nature without you having to think about what your feet are doing will make you become a better squash player.
Peter Nicol
Need tips to improve your movement?
Make sure to check out this 10 part series Jesse teaches you everything you need to know to become an efficient mover on court.
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