Squash from A to Z

The game of squash is a bright and interesting pastime. In brief, it is a game that combines elements of badminton and lawn tennis. Let us see what peculiarities it has.

General information

The game is played indoors, more specifically – on the squash court. As a rule, two or four people are involved. As for the equipment, only tennis rackets and a ball are needed. You do not need a net. Another name for this game is “sidewall tennis”.

The aim of squash is to direct the ball with a racket in a marked place on the wall. The player has to catch the ball and send it to another marked place; the ball must not get to an opponent. If a player has the ball, he or she is awarded a point. The main thing here is speed and attention. It is also important to calculate the trajectory of the projectile: without this skill, the player will not have time to catch the ball.

To win, you need to score 11 points, after that the game ends.

The game is fast, dynamic, requiring considerable physical fitness and endurance. By playing squash, you can improve metabolism, lose calories, and lose the excess weight. Experts equate a game of squash to two hours of exercise on a treadmill and say it is more useful than fitness. You burn about 1,000 calories in an hour.

Playing squash trains all the muscles in the body. Physical activity also has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system: by consuming more oxygen, you improve lung ventilation, increase vascular tone, and this has a beneficial effect on your overall condition.

Playground

First, note that the squash court must be well equipped. Ideally, it is a glass cube with a wall that is divided into zones. There are four zones: the soundboard; the bottom line; the serve line; the out line. The floor is divided into squares as well. Players must hit a ball into the area between the buzzer and the touch line.

Rules

The game starts with a toss that helps to choose a sportsman who will start the game. The draw is interesting: the racket is placed on a flat surface and is made to rotate. The person it points at, begins the game. It is enough to stock up on rackets and a rubber ball for the game.

The essence of the game is to exchange racket strikes on the ball by each player in turn. It is important to hit the ball so that the opponent finds it difficult to hit back. It is necessary that the ball hit in the area between the soundboard and the line of touch. You can hit the ball not only against the face wall, but also against other walls. The exception to this is a serve – it is always a hit to the face wall.

The pitcher chooses the right or left quadrant of the serve and after each successful strike the quadrant changes. It is possible to hit the ball both from the summer and from the first bounce of the ball off the floor. The shot after the second bounce is not counted.

The most preferred zone for a successful game is the central zone, also referred to as zone T. After the shot, players prefer to return to the center, since there it is easier to control the court and make productive strikes. It is important to have the ability to change the flight of the ball at the last moment – this makes it difficult to play the opponent and allows the player to get the coveted points.

Depending on the rules, the game may consist of three or five sets. Basically, the score is up to 11 points. If the score is tied at the end of the game, participants continue to play up to 12 or 13 points. The first one to score a set number of points wins.

Given the size of the playing area, interference is not uncommon, and the point is replayed in the event of a protest. And if an opponent blocks the line of strike or obstructs the swing of the racket, he loses the point.

Training

If you have held a tennis racket before, learning to play squash will be easy. The main thing is to learn how to hit the ball on target. First of all, you need to equip a court measuring 9.75 m by 6.4 m. Balls are sold in sports stores and are slightly different from tennis balls in softness.

For starters, it is not necessary to buy an expensive racket. It may not fit you, break from enthusiasm or hit the ball the wrong way, for example, when the ball flies “against the wall”. At first, opt for a racket weighing up to 150 grams.

Pay attention to the balance indicator. This indicates where the racket’s center of gravity is shifted. For beginners a racket with a neutral balance is preferable (the indicator is 350 to 360 mm). In the process of improvement, you will understand your strengths and weaknesses and then you will be able to choose a racket that fits your playing style best.

Rackets can be drop-head or oval in shape, and it takes practice to find out which shape will allow you to play effectively. The head area of the racket can affect the game. The larger the area, the better the ball hit, but on the other hand, it provokes hard hits and it is easy to lose control of your game.

The strings of a racket are a vulnerable part of it. The main parameters are thickness and tension. A racquet with thin strings will give you a strong blow, but such a string will break faster. But the principle is the same: a stronger strike means worse control.

Squash balls differ in elasticity. They are marked with dots. Two yellow dots mean an extra slow ball. They are played in championships. Then there are the super slow and the slow balls. There is even a special high mountain ball marked with an orange dot.

For beginners, the blue ball is recommended. It is 12% larger than its counterparts and, therefore, is easier to hit.

Clothing is also important. It should be comfortable and easy to wear. Since you will have to move a lot, pay special attention to footwear. When choosing it, pay attention to the following characteristics:

• lightness;
• stability of the sole (It should be wide, low, a little higher at the heel. It is important that the sole is solid and preferably light, so as not to leave dark stripes on the pad);
• heel cushioning (This will help to avoid injury);
• density of the upper surface (give preference to rubberized material);
• strength and stiffness of the toe and back parts.

This exciting and dynamic sport is suitable for children and adults alike. Squash is called the safest, despite the fact that the whole process takes place in motion. The risk of getting injured during the competition is minimal.

Origins

One day many, many years ago, students of an elite British school in Harrow, waiting for their turn to play tennis, decided to warm up a bit by bouncing a ball off the walls of a building. Funnily enough, this unpretentious workout pleased its young inventors so much that they began looking for any opportunity to play the game without a name at the time.

The first squash court was built in the same Harrow in 1860.

At first, squash remained exclusively a student game, but gradually it began to gain popularity and in private clubs and among the officers of the British Armed Forces. This is probably due to the fact that the discoverers of squash have long ceased to be students, and became regulars, for example, the same London Royal Automobile Club.

After the first Squash Association appeared in the United States, and the first official rules of the game were introduced there. Then the British Tennis and Racquet Association organized its squash committee, and a little later, the world was introduced to the British Squash Association, which took over entirely the reins of the predecessor.

By the way, squash remained an elite sport until the middle of last century. Today squash is popular all over the world, and not just in Britain or the United States. Nowadays, the following organizations are responsible for the rules of this game.

• WSF (World Squash Federation);
• PSA (Professional Squash Association);
• WISPA (Women’s International Squash Players Association).

All in all, squash is now known in almost every country in the world. Studies of medical professionals have proven that the game has beneficial effects on the human body. Since squash requires dynamism, accuracy and attention, players stay in good physical shape, experience the healthy excitement as well as the positive effects of this game on the mood and well-being.