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 issue
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MOVEMENT
In the latest of a series of articles from
International Squash Magazine,
England Squash High Performance Coach David Campion looks at
the importance of movement to your game. |
You may have the best shots in the
world but if you can’t get into position to play them, it doesn’t
matter how good you are with the racket … you have to get there
first!
To move well, above all else, you must watch the ball and your
opponent very carefully; you need to know where the ball is going.
Don’t fixate on one thing - watch the ball, but at the same time try
to pick up all the signs that your opponent is sending out as they
shape to hit it.
You are looking for visual clues such as rotation in hips
shoulders/trunk, backswing, position of feet and body etc. If you
can anticipate their options this will allow you to relax and if you
are relaxed you will move efficiently.
A good player will often make it look like they are out on a Sunday
morning stroll.
This is all down to anticipation: information that they have
gathered from these visual clues.
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International
Squash Magazine |
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Movement is a
huge part of the game and is regularly overlooked.
The focus on improvement is often led by how you strike a ball -
but as Jonah Barrington once said: ‘You play as well as you move.’
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How often do you see a player run to
the T and plant their feet right on it because they have been told
it’s a good idea? This is a misconception.
Yes, the T is the central most part to all four corners and you do
want to be heading that way, but really you
should only stand there when you have no clue as to where the ball
is going next.
It is hard work to constantly move from a still position and that is
why it is important to read your opponent’s intentions ahead of
time.
This will allow you to ease through the T area with your
weight transference heading in the same direction as the ball
without having to stop and lose momentum.
Adjust your position
around the T area depending on the accuracy of your opponent’s shot.
You don’t run on a court, you move.
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Movement is as much about technique as
it is athleticism and you don’t necessarily have to be a sprinter to
move well. You would be surprised if you saw some of the best movers
in the game out on the track. Biomechanical principles tell us that
movement starts in the ground and works its way up. To get maximum
force production this must happen sequentially through various
joints and muscles…in other words, rhythm.
It is a scientific fact that there is as much energy in the ground
as there is gravity pushing down, so use it to your advantage by
pushing off against the upwards force to give you the explosive
start that you need in squash. The game is about time; if you
have it and your opponent doesn’t you will probably win.
It is harder to pick up momentum if you have had a slow start, so it
is important to get off the mark quickly and make sure your first
step is dynamic. Don’t be too rigid. Relax and let a natural low
occur with your racket working as an extension of your arm. Resist
and you will create turmoil a bit like swimming against a current.
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Here is a simple analogy that
highlights this very well:
A golfer doesn’t just take his club back with his legs and arms
locked straight out. He first transfers his weight from his front
foot to his back foot by pushing against the ground with his knees
slightly bent and rotates through his hips, shoulders and trunk.
At the top of his backswing he will then smoothly transfer his
weight back on to his front foot letting the weight of the club head
guide the swing in a relaxed rhythm. He exerts force through the
whole of his body to create momentum which gives him the power to
drive the ball 350 yards down the fairway yet remain completely
relaxed.
You will break rhythm and of course momentum if these movements are
not co-ordinated sequentially. Weakness or instability will limit
force production, precision and balance.
A good core stability and strength programme will make a significant
difference to how you move and really improve your game. It’s not
enough to be quick and light on your feet, you need strength and
stability to control your weight in and out of shots.
Movement off the ball is equally important as getting on to it.
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CORE STABILITY: “The optimum alignment and control of the
spine and pelvis region to ensure sufficient transfer of momentum
and summation of joint forces across the segment, resulting in
greater precision and safety of dynamic activity.”
Allingham and Wisbey-Roth 1998 |
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