Unlocking Squash Excellence: The Fundamental Principles of Squash Training
October 15 2023
To attain peak performance on the squash court, squash players should consider the core training principles of overload, specificity, reversibility and variation.
Overload:
Elevating your fitness demands that you subject your body to greater stress. The principle of 'overload' triggers enduring adaptations, enabling your body to operate more efficiently when confronted with heightened performance expectations during subsequent training sessions and in competition.
Overloading can be successfully executed through the FITT approach:
Frequency: Increasing training sessions per week or repetitions performed.
Intensity: Escalating the challenge of your exercises. For instance, running at 12 km/h instead of 10 or increasing the weight you squat.
Time: Extending your training duration. For instance, ghosting specific squash movements for 45 minutes rather than 30.
Type: Elevating the complexity of your training routines, transitioning from walking to running or from accessory exercises to free weights.
Specificity:
This principle underscores tailoring your training to align with your unique style of play. It should mirror your chosen playing style, emphasising the energy systems primarily engaged and accentuating the fitness and skill components central to playing squash, be it agility, balance or muscular endurance. Assessing critical components of your squash game, such as imbalances, speed, power, and posture, reveals areas where you can improve your performance.
Reversibility:
The gains you've painstakingly achieved can slip away if not diligently upheld. Stopping training or reducing frequency can result in a reversal of progress. Resuming training at the same level after a hiatus may prove challenging. Rebuilding gradually is essential to avoid injury and reclaim lost performance.
Always beware of overtraining. It arises when insufficient rest disrupts your training regimen, causing detrimental effects on results and advancement. Distinguish this from overload, which prescribes planned exposure to intensified workloads interspersed with adequate rest. Without proper rest, overtraining ensues, impeding your body's capacity to execute movements safely and proficiently.
Variation:
Inject diversity into your training to stave off monotony and confront your body and muscles with fresh challenges. This might entail incorporating circuit variations into your standard routines or exploring entirely new activities.
Many squash players embrace supplementary sports during off-season intervals to maintain fitness while affording themselves a respite. For instance, interspersing rigorous squash specific training routines with outdoor HIIT sessions, running and strength training. Active rest days might feature pursuits like golf or yoga.
Seasoned experts advocate steering clear of prolonged inactivity, recommending no more than two to three weeks of complete rest. Extended breaks should be sidestepped, with training plans accommodating a form of "maintenance" training when extended rest is in order.
Squash players should always reflect on their current training approach and if these principles aren't already integral, should consider integrating their core elements into their regimen. Strategic alignment is key to sustaining and advancing athletic prowess and squash performance.
Overload:
Elevating your fitness demands that you subject your body to greater stress. The principle of 'overload' triggers enduring adaptations, enabling your body to operate more efficiently when confronted with heightened performance expectations during subsequent training sessions and in competition.
Overloading can be successfully executed through the FITT approach:
Frequency: Increasing training sessions per week or repetitions performed.
Intensity: Escalating the challenge of your exercises. For instance, running at 12 km/h instead of 10 or increasing the weight you squat.
Time: Extending your training duration. For instance, ghosting specific squash movements for 45 minutes rather than 30.
Type: Elevating the complexity of your training routines, transitioning from walking to running or from accessory exercises to free weights.
Specificity:
This principle underscores tailoring your training to align with your unique style of play. It should mirror your chosen playing style, emphasising the energy systems primarily engaged and accentuating the fitness and skill components central to playing squash, be it agility, balance or muscular endurance. Assessing critical components of your squash game, such as imbalances, speed, power, and posture, reveals areas where you can improve your performance.
Reversibility:
The gains you've painstakingly achieved can slip away if not diligently upheld. Stopping training or reducing frequency can result in a reversal of progress. Resuming training at the same level after a hiatus may prove challenging. Rebuilding gradually is essential to avoid injury and reclaim lost performance.
Always beware of overtraining. It arises when insufficient rest disrupts your training regimen, causing detrimental effects on results and advancement. Distinguish this from overload, which prescribes planned exposure to intensified workloads interspersed with adequate rest. Without proper rest, overtraining ensues, impeding your body's capacity to execute movements safely and proficiently.
Variation:
Inject diversity into your training to stave off monotony and confront your body and muscles with fresh challenges. This might entail incorporating circuit variations into your standard routines or exploring entirely new activities.
Many squash players embrace supplementary sports during off-season intervals to maintain fitness while affording themselves a respite. For instance, interspersing rigorous squash specific training routines with outdoor HIIT sessions, running and strength training. Active rest days might feature pursuits like golf or yoga.
Seasoned experts advocate steering clear of prolonged inactivity, recommending no more than two to three weeks of complete rest. Extended breaks should be sidestepped, with training plans accommodating a form of "maintenance" training when extended rest is in order.
Squash players should always reflect on their current training approach and if these principles aren't already integral, should consider integrating their core elements into their regimen. Strategic alignment is key to sustaining and advancing athletic prowess and squash performance.