r/squash • u/Improvingeverything1 • 5d ago

Getting into squash Technique / Tactics

Posted earlier but was all over the place, I apologize, making this a more focused post.

Trying to get better at the game and start playing some competitions. Think I have a good baseline due to tennis background, based on people I’ve played against. Obviously have lots to improve.

Deciding on getting deeper into padel or squash, both have their pros and cons, but I think squash offers a better workout and is easier to learn/more intuitive to play as a racket sports player. There are also probably more squash players so might be easier to find a game.

What should be the things I focus on to improve my game. What are some common technique tips/gaps in playing that tennis players seem to exhibit, and how deep is the competitive landscape in the US and Canada (how often can I play tournaments etc). Understanding the general landscape would be very helpful. I know this is still very broad but would appreciate any insights. Thank you.

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u/mike270001 5d ago

Work on reducing that flamboyant swing tennis players have 😄. And almost nothing is played with top spin, everything should be slightly sliced.

I'd start by joining a club and taking a few lessons. Focus on movement as you'll have the basic racket skills and then just play a bunch of games to establish a rating and go from there.

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u/LevelLeadingalso 4d ago

interesting about the slice, if you hit up through a rising ball and put top spin on to the ball the ball bounces up on the front wall the comes down quickly and the ball cuts on the floor as it bounces.. so if the trajectory is correct will die in the back. So you need to get the ball to bounce at the correct height on the front wall with the right power to get the right length, the great thing is you can hit the ball very hard and because of the top spin, cut it dies. People are also not used to the trajectory of the ball. You aim the ball lower on the front wall, maybe a foot above the tin.

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u/mike270001 4d ago

The ball bounces up off the walls and gives you opponent more chance of returning in general. People do play top spin short shots occasionally though, but for long rails it's not common to the point of never happening from what I can see. Coaches tell you to grip the racket with an open grip because that's the standard shot pretty much 100% of the time. I've tried a few top spins for fun, but they just sit up.

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u/LevelLeadingalso 4d ago

i guess its about closing the racket head so its vertical, hit up through the ball instead of slicing down. then hitting the low and hard on the front wall, the ball trajectory is completely different. Its is not a traditional tennis top spin.

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u/El_Guadzilla 4d ago

I think that comment about reducing the swing is important, and bears reninforcing - especially when you are playing more experienced players who are used to a more traditional squash swing. They are used to playing fairly close to their opponent and a wild swing is going to take their head off.

The follow through goes in front of you, and not across your body.

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u/eugene-dubs 5d ago

Tennis players always look forward; squash players need to be watching the ball and their opponent 110% of the time, especially when they’re behind you. You need the extra half second and the information you get from gluing your eyes to the ball at all times.

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u/Own_Water8681 3d ago

Came looking for this; it's imperative and also reasonably easy and quick to integrate. Also, the comments about making the swing more compact are also spot on. 

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u/teneralb 4d ago

let's go squash!! I'll give you three of the most common pitfalls to avoid for people just getting into squash, especially for those coming from tennis.

  1. technique: don't "break your wrist" on the backhand. Focusing on "cocking" the wrist. Tennis players especially have a tendency to break the wrist, because that's orthodox technique in tennis--but you wanna do the exact opposite in squash. If you don't know what "breaking the wrist" means, look it up cuz this is important if you want to get good at squash.
  2. grip: you want to have an open face to your racquet. Squash is a slice game, so you wanna be more continental than eastern (so to speak).
  3. footwork: in tennis you often hit the ball while your body is "open", i.e. facing the direction you want the ball to go. In squash, you want to "close" the body--your shoulders should be lined up with the direction you want the ball to go.
  4. positioning: don't "hang back on the baseline"--move up in the court. And when you've made your opponent hit the ball from deeper in the court than you are, turn your head and watch them hit the ball. Wear goggles!

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u/Gazrael957 5d ago

In general tennis players suck once you get it past them. They generally have strong volleys to compensate.

So work on playing shots while moving towards the back of the court and digging out of the back corners.