[ICTChris]

I have agreed to play squash against a colleague of mine. I have never played squash. He has played squash. Am I pretty much on for a brutal evening of raquet based humiliation or what?

What tips would squash players on here give with regards to raquet choice, footwear, equipment? How can I best prepare for this?

The main reason I want to play squash is that it seems like a cool sport that sleazy businessmen on TV play when they are 'sealing deals' or 'networking'. Like when Carcetti in The Wire plays it. Yeah.

[RoryFice]

Perhaps a bit late to help you now, but try to wear some "indoor" style trainers or basketball shoes along with normal exercise gear. Use a yellow ball (single dot) rather than double yellow (two dots) if you haven't played before.

I'm probably not the best to give advice, as although I tend to play every week, I almost always play against the same person. I win about 90% of the time but we could both be rubbish for all I know.

[ICTChris]

The date hasn't been set yet. I do quite like the idea of playing squash regularly, although I don't know that many people who play.

[H_B]

ICTChris, on 11 July 2011 - 22:14, said:

The date hasn't been set yet. I do quite like the idea of playing squash regularly, although I don't know that many people who play.

It's a shit racquet sport for people not good enough to play tennis

If you are playing anyone even semi-good you are indeed in for sweat soaked humiliation. Try lots of drop shots - it's the only way to shorten the points.

If you haven't played squash before, yuo are almost certainly going to be a danger on the court as you will swing yuor racquet in the wrong way. Which is no bad thing - administer the odd broken nose if you are losing.

[ICTChris]

How do you swing your racquet without killing anyone?

I watched some Peter Nicol videos on youtube so I think I'm probably OK.

[H_B]

ICTChris, on 12 July 2011 - 09:26, said:

How do you swing your racquet without killing anyone?

Not like me.

Apparently a tennis forehand isn't the done thing on a squash court. Who knew?

[ICTChris]

On teh videos it seems that they play wee flicks rather than big swings.

[H_B]

ICTChris, on 12 July 2011 - 09:33, said:

On teh videos it seems that they play wee flicks rather than big swings.

A squash swing is more wristy. The racquet comes down far more in a straight line than out the way, if that makes sense.

Squash is a really rubbish sport. You'll regret playing - mark my words.

[ICTChris]

I am looking forward to it

[Reynard]

ICTChris, on 11 July 2011 - 17:00, said:

I have agreed to play squash against a colleague of mine. I have never played squash. He has played squash. Am I pretty much on for a brutal evening of raquet based humiliation or what?

What tips would squash players on here give with regards to raquet choice, footwear, equipment? How can I best prepare for this?

The main reason I want to play squash is that it seems like a cool sport that sleazy businessmen on TV play when they are 'sealing deals' or 'networking'. Like when Carcetti in The Wire plays it. Yeah.

If you are starting new then play with the blue Dunlop ball. Its slightly bigger than the regular ball and it is bouncier so you will get better rallies going. The more you hit the ball the better you'll get.

Go to Sports Direct and buy whatever Dunlop bat they are flogging off. £50-£60 will get you a top of the range last years stock effort. around £30 will get you a decent enough racquet that should last. If you have got large hands then get a new grip and put it on over the top of the existing one as it will help immensely.

A decent pair of court shoes is needed. Anything that does for badminton, fives, handball will do fine. Take a huge bottle of water to the court, you'll need it. Wear goggles if you can get away with feeling like a w****r. The ball is the same size as your eye socket....

If you are going to play regularly then go running, preferably do sets of sprints. Lots of stop/start stuff will help immensely. If you havent got a clear shot to the wall because your opponent is in the way call a let. Don't launch it at him its dangerous. Be prepared to bump into each other, push off each other, hit racquets. It can get quite nasty sometimes. Don't try and hit the crap out the ball, it comes back to you quicker that way..place it if you can, move your opponent around the court until you have the opening and then kill the point.

It's a tactical game rather than a brutal one. You have to be fit enough to be able to think clearly about what you are doing and implement it. Don't lose heart if he gubs you initially, its possible that if he has played a bit he will just rip the pish out you.

Make sure you warm up properly, lots of stretching before and after.

Its a fucking great game to play once you understand what you are doing. Most folk just want to go on the court and try and burst a hole in the wall. It's more about thinking a few shots ahead, moving your opponent around to tire him out , forwards, back and side to side.

You will be wrung out afterwards, there's no better workout than a good game of squash.

[Reynard]

H_B, on 12 July 2011 - 09:36, said:

A squash swing is more wristy. The racquet comes down far more in a straight line than out the way, if that makes sense.

Squash is a really rubbish sport. You'll regret playing - mark my words.

It's not a wristy swing. You play it with a slightly cocked wrist but it should be fixed unless you are fucked and just trying to get the ball to the wall. You hit with the racquet face slightly open. It's totally different to a tennis swing as you say and nothing like badminton, which IS wristy.

The only times I flick with the wrist during normal play is if I am disguising a drop to wrongfoot or something or pretending to drop near the front of the court and then flicking a lob over his head.

A beginner should try and keep the wrist "fixed" or they will just end up spraying the ball all over the place. If they learn the basic swing from that then they can start the fannying around with wristy shots.

[ICTChris]

Cheers Reynard.

[Reynard]

ICTChris, on 12 July 2011 - 16:21, said:

Cheers Reynard.

Also, try to hit up and down the line instead of crosscourt. A good player will just take these out on the volley and have you running around like a blue arsed fly. Hit up and down the line to the closest wall you are at and take the pace off even if that means hitting halfway up the wall. It buys you a lot of extra time. And try to keep the ball close to the sidewall as it gives your opponent no options.

A good length ball is one that bounces off the front wall and with one bouce it dies at the back nick. Too hard and your opponent can let it bounce off the back wall and he is back in control.

The best stuff to watch is either the womens matches on youtube or look for college squash which is daddys little soldiers at Harvard playing there. The videos are good, the standard is decent enough but nowhere near pro and you get a much better idea of what is going on with the swing and stuff and even tactically. Watching the pro men is mince as they are just ridiculously good, it's not even the same game normal humans play.

If you are stuck in the back corners play off the sidewall, dont try and dig it out from there. Just swing as if for a normal hit to the front wall but lift the ball slightly more and you will come of the sidewall, probably hit the opposite sidewall and land fairly softly at the front of the court. And follow those shots in as if they get back they normally drop in return. Its a good shot to use forehand or backhand as it also buys you a bit of time when your opponent is dominating you. Its called a boast BTW, you see the pros use it lots when they are scrambling but they play so fast its hard to see sometimes. They use it as a disguised shot too to draw an opponent to the fornt court. I just use it when I'm fucked at the back corners.

[Just a bairn]

Squash is a real hidden gem of a sport. But to answer your question, chances are you will get absolutely humped by anyone with any miniscule of experience. That and the pace will probably have you on your knees at some stage.

The swing is completely different from tennis, so don't try to use the same swing here as a squash swing is much more of a loop action. As mentioned by others, use a single yellow spot ball or a non-spotted ball(noticeably larger). Not only do you need to make sure you are well warmed up beforehand, but make sure the ball itself it's pretty warm(as any squash player will tell you, it is literally a nightmare to play with a cold ball), although the ball should warm up as you play. Funnily enough, the harder you hit the ball, the warmer it gets. At national and international levels, the ball is unbelievably hot!

As for your bat, it pretty much depends on how much money you'd like to invest and also how heavy or light you want your bat to be. Generally speaking, the lighter the bat, the more powerful the shots but generally you have less control. Whereas with a heavier bat you will not be able to hit the ball as hard but you will have much more control over the ball. I personally would class a "light" racket in the "100g-140g" range and a "heavy" racket anything above 140g. As for brand, I would personally recommend "Technifibre", whilst they are a bit pricy they last forever. I would advise against Dunlop, but that's just because I've broken every Dunlop racket I've bought.

Everything else seems to have been covered elsewhere, so I hope you enjoy your first squash experience. Good luck!

[Reynard]

The lob is a great shot to use as well. Again, don't hit hard, just open the face and lift the ball high, it will land soft at the back of the court buying you time. You can also use it at the back of the court if you are desperate and scrambling to stay in a rally, lift it with a normal swing so it hits the front wall softly and try and aim for the corner opposit the one you are in at the back. Follow these shots in.

And try and stay around the T of the court, you are only a step away from most parts of the court that way.

I meant to say also watch the ball. Watch it from his hand when he serves and never take you eye off it. You will lose more points becuase you haven't watched the ball than anything else. As soon as you lose trace of where the ball is you lose that millisecond that gives you that bit extra time. Its ridiculous but its true.

[Reynard]

Just a bairn, on 12 July 2011 - 16:43, said:

Squash is a real hidden gem of a sport. But to answer your question, chances are you will get absolutely humped by anyone with any miniscule of experience. That and the pace will probably have you on your knees at some stage.

The swing is completely different from tennis, so don't try to use the same swing here as a squash swing is much more of a loop action. As mentioned by others, use a single yellow spot ball or a non-spotted ball(noticeably larger). Not only do you need to make sure you are well warmed up beforehand, but make sure the ball itself it's pretty warm(as any squash player will tell you, it is literally a nightmare to play with a cold ball), although the ball should warm up as you play. Funnily enough, the harder you hit the ball, the warmer it gets. At national and international levels, the ball is unbelievably hot!

As for your bat, it pretty much depends on how much money you'd like to invest and also how heavy or light you want your bat to be. Generally speaking, the lighter the bat, the more powerful the shots but generally you have less control. Whereas with a heavier bat you will not be able to hit the ball as hard but you will have much more control over the ball. I personally would class a "light" racket in the "100g-140g" range and a "heavy" racket anything above 140g. As for brand, I would personally recommend "Technifibre", whilst they are a bit pricy they last forever. I would advise against Dunlop, but that's just because I've broken every Dunlop racket I've bought.

Everything else seems to have been covered elsewhere, so I hope you enjoy your first squash experience. Good luck!

I played this "old guy" about six months ago. He asked me for a game via my dad. I play quite a lot, played some league stuff for a while but mostly just socially now. This guy was a wee grey haired guy in his early fifties.

He fucking destroyed me. My legs were totally gone after 25minutes of him moving me all over the place, I mean gone! could hardly walk, tank empty, totally and utterly spent. I'm fit, but he was a squash player! He had played for the Scottish universities at one point and was a class player. Fucking humiliated, especially as I was thinking about taking pity on the old sod and not going too agressive with him I play with him fairly regularly now so I know his game a bit better and its not nearly as bad, but FFS my hamstrings were fucked for about a fortnight after that first match.


I've heard a few folk say they have broken Dunlop racquets. I've never managed it yet. I only buy them because theres a sports direct in town and you get more bang for your buck with the Dunlop stuff as its old stock but heavily discounted. You get a top of the range racquet for hee haw. I have a couple of Prince ones which I never use and a Head one which I hate. And three balls for £4 is not too bad either.

[Just a bairn]

Reynard, on 12 July 2011 - 16:55, said:

I played this "old guy" about six months ago. He asked me for a game via my dad. I play quite a lot, played some league stuff for a while but mostly just socially now. This guy was a wee grey haired guy in his early fifties.

He fucking destroyed me. My legs were totally gone after 25minutes of him moving me all over the place, I mean gone! could hardly walk, tank empty, totally and utterly spent. I'm fit, but he was a squash player! He had played for the Scottish universities at one point and was a class player. Fucking humiliated, especially as I was thinking about taking pity on the old sod and not going too agressive with him I play with him fairly regularly now so I know his game a bit better and its not nearly as bad, but FFS my hamstrings were fucked for about a fortnight after that first match.


I've heard a few folk say they have broken Dunlop racquets. I've never managed it yet. I only buy them because theres a sports direct in town and you get more bang for your buck with the Dunlop stuff as its old stock but heavily discounted. You get a top of the range racquet for hee haw. I have a couple of Prince ones which I never use and a Head one which I hate. And three balls for £4 is not too bad either.

It's quite interesting watching the older guys play. The tend not to have the power of younger adults/juniors but they certainly have the touch and the squash brain. They're always playing the cheeky wee drop shots JUST above the tin that annoy me so much

Have had the pleasure of playing with Scotland's Number 1 Alan Clyne(ranked 40 odd in the world) where he gave me a tanking with an absolute squash masterclass. He's fairly unorthodox with his swing/movement, but his fitness is frankly unbelievable and he makes you run like there's no tomorrow. Was still feeling the burn after 2 weeks of rest!

[ICTChris]

I'm probably going to go for a couple of knock about sessions with one of the lassies from work before we start playing for real, so I won't be a total squash virgin. We are trying to organise a tournament in our team at work, I think one or two of the team have played before.

I don't think I'm built for squash, I'm quite, ahem, thickly built. Should be good though am looking forward to it.

Thanks for all the advice posts by the way, would've green dotted you all if I had enough left.

[H_B]

My advice was the bestest !!

Get it to f**k and hop onto a tennis court

[banterman86]

ICTChris, on 11 July 2011 - 17:00, said:

The main reason I want to play squash is that it seems like a cool sport that sleazy businessmen on TV play when they are 'sealing deals' or 'networking'. Like when Carcetti in The Wire plays it. Yeah.

It is the sport of squash opf pop cultural sissy mary types Frasier and Niles Crane.

Actually, I'd probably like a go - is it effectively wally with tennis likes?

[Reynard]

H_B, on 13 July 2011 - 08:12, said:

My advice was the bestest !!

Get it to f**k and hop onto a tennis court

You take up tennis when your body can no longer hack the rigours of squash.

[H_B]

Reynard, on 13 July 2011 - 10:18, said:

You take up tennis when your body can no longer hack the rigours of squash.

Take a tennis player and chuck them a squash racquet and they will be competent.

Take a squash player and chuck them a tennis racquet and they'll be laughable

It's actually a really difficult game to play well. I played it for about a year, but never really enjoyed it. Was a great workout though. the only things I did well were drop shots and volleys. As soon as the ball went near the walls I was fucked. I loved facing the back walls when lobbed and mashing it off the glass to hit the front wall though.

I quite liked Racketball (with the big bouncy blue ball) as a sort of compromise. I did see doubles squash once - that was bonkers!!!

[Reynard]

H_B, on 13 July 2011 - 10:23, said:

Take a tennis player and chuck them a squash racquet and they will be competent.

Take a squash player and chuck them a tennis racquet and they'll be laughable

It's actually a really difficult game to play well. I played it for about a year, but never really enjoyed it. Was a great workout though. the only things I did well were drop shots and volleys. As soon as the ball went near the walls I was fucked. I loved facing the back walls when lobbed and mashing it off the glass to hit the front wall though.

I quite liked Racketball (with the big bouncy blue ball) as a sort of compromise. I did see doubles squash once - that was bonkers!!!

Very true actually. It's probably easier to modify a tennis swing to play squash than the other way around. The techique in squash is just utterly different although you still need to have good hand eye co-ordination.

I've played racketball a few times as well but although its similar I didn't find it as "subtle" as squash is and the ball comes to you a lot more than in squash where its less bouncy and you have to position yourself and read it differently and move to the ball. I'll probably take up racketball as I get older and my knees disintegrate as there is far less forward movement and lunging involved. I also like that in squash you quite often have to play the ball as it moves away from you, you never get that in any other racket sports (racketball excepted) and thats a different technique to learn as well.


I'm fucking shite at tennis and I get frustrated having to go and gather up stray balls The only thing I can do remotely well is return service which is probably more to do with the fact I played cricket than anything else, I can't serve very well and my groundstrokes aren't good enough. I suppose I'd improve if I played regularly but I like playing squash through the winter and its easier to get court time. And cheaper.

[H_B]

I played cricket once. It was actually a decent level too, by chance (helping out a mate whose team was one short).

I lasted one ball (bowled). The advice from my tennis player mate was "you can return a 100 mph plus tennis serve, so cricket is much easier as the bowler is a lot slower than that." "Very true" I thought.

I was still playing my shot as my middle stump was tumbling towards the wicket keeper. I'm still not sure why I reacted so slowly.

[Reynard]

H_B, on 13 July 2011 - 11:23, said:

I played cricket once. It was actually a decent level too, by chance (helping out a mate whose team was one short).

I lasted one ball (bowled). The advice from my tennis player mate was "you can return a 100 mph plus tennis serve, so cricket is much easier as the bowler is a lot slower than that." "Very true" I thought.

I was still playing my shot as my middle stump was tumbling towards the wicket keeper. I'm still not sure why I reacted so slowly.

You have to get "in line" with the ball at cricket most of the time. Head over the ball. At least that way it gives you a chance to let the ball hit the bat even if you misread the delivery. You try to get your body in line with the ball but in tennis you have to give yourself room to hit. Probably a bit more like an attack shot wide of the wicket in cricket where you fully rely on hand eye co-ordination. The ball comes out the hand slower in cricket but it feels like it comes off the pitch faster. The ball being a bit smoother and heavier probably.

I don't know why I'm explaining this, I was a number 11 batsmen and fucking dire. I was a bowler. I used to average quite high though as I would tend to be not out as all I ever did was block away and try to let the real batsmen score their runs.