10 Essential Squash Drills to Improve Your Skills

Are you looking to take your squash game to the next level? If so, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we will explore ten essential squash drills that are guaranteed to improve your skills on the court. Whether you’re a beginner looking to build a solid foundation or an experienced player aiming to enhance your technique, these drills will help you develop your agility, speed, accuracy, and overall performance. So grab your racket and let’s dive into these effective squash drills that will take your game to new heights.

Warm-up Drills

Jumping Jacks

Jumping jacks are a great warm-up exercise to get your blood flowing and loosen up your muscles before starting your squash drills. Here’s how to do them:

Stand with your feet together and your arms by your sides.
Jump up while spreading your legs out to the sides and raising your arms above your head.
Land gently as you bring your legs back together and lower your arms to the starting position.
Repeat this motion for a desired number of repetitions, typically around 10-15.

Jumping jacks help to increase your heart rate and improve your coordination, making them an ideal exercise to include in your squash warm-up routine.

High Knees

High knees are another excellent warm-up drill that targets your leg muscles and helps improve your overall agility on the squash court. Follow these steps to perform high knees correctly:

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your arms hanging by your sides.
Begin jogging in place, lifting your knees as high as possible while pumping your arms.
Aim to bring your knees up to waist level or higher with each step.
Continue this jogging motion, alternating legs, for a set duration of 30 seconds to 1 minute.

High knees engage your core muscles, strengthen your hip flexors, and promote good running form, all of which are essential for squash players looking to enhance their skills.

Butt Kicks

Butt kicks are an effective warm-up drill that targets your hamstrings and quadriceps while also increasing your heart rate. Here’s how to perform butt kicks correctly:

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your arms positioned at your sides.
Begin jogging in place, focusing on kicking your heels up towards your glutes with each step.
Maintain an upright posture and engage your core throughout the exercise.
Continue this jogging motion, alternating legs, for a set duration of 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Butt kicks help to improve your running stride, increase flexibility in your lower body, and prepare your muscles for the dynamic movements required during a game of squash.

Including these warm-up drills in your squash training routine will not only reduce the risk of injury but also enhance your performance by priming your body for the intense activity that lies ahead.

Forehand Drills

Forehand Drive

The forehand drive is a fundamental shot in squash that helps in generating power and accuracy. Here are some drills to improve your forehand drive:

Wall Rally Drill: Stand facing the wall and hit forehand drives repeatedly. Focus on maintaining a consistent swing and hitting the ball at the same spot on the wall each time. This drill helps in developing control and accuracy.
Target Practice Drill: Set up targets on the front wall and aim to hit them with your forehand drives. Start with larger targets and gradually decrease their size as you improve. This drill enhances your precision and helps simulate game situations.
Ghosting Drill: Practice your footwork and forehand drive technique by performing ghosting exercises. Move around the court as if you were playing a game, imagining different scenarios and hitting forehand drives from various positions. This drill improves your shot execution under pressure.

Forehand Volley

The forehand volley is an essential shot for quick reactions and maintaining control at the front of the court. Try these drills to enhance your forehand volley skills:

Solo Volley Drill: Stand close to the front wall and hit forehand volleys without allowing the ball to bounce. Focus on a short and compact swing, keeping the ball low and close to the sidewall. This drill improves your hand-eye coordination and reflexes.
Partner Rally Drill: Pair up with a partner and rally forehand volleys to each other. Start with slow-paced exchanges and gradually increase the speed and intensity. Focus on maintaining a solid volley technique and positioning yourself well for each shot. This drill improves your timing and control.
Volley and Drop Shot Combo Drill: Alternate between hitting forehand volleys and forehand drop shots. Practice switching between these shots quickly to improve your versatility and surprise your opponents during matches. This drill enhances your ability to read the game and make strategic shot choices.

Forehand Drop Shot

Mastering the forehand drop shot allows you to deceive your opponent and gain control of the rally. Incorporate these drills into your training routine to improve your forehand drop shot technique:

Drop Shot Accuracy Drill: Stand close to the front wall and aim to hit the ball softly, causing it to drop close to the tin. Practice different angles and heights to develop precision and touch. This drill helps you to place the ball precisely where you want it.
Movement and Drop Shot Drill: Start from the back corner of the court and move towards the front, hitting forehand drop shots at specific locations. Focus on maintaining a balanced stance and executing the shot smoothly. This drill improves your footwork and shot execution under pressure.
Conditioned Games Drill: Play conditioned games where you can only win points by hitting forehand drop shots. This forces you to incorporate the shot into your strategy and develop it as a weapon. This drill enhances your decision-making skills and ability to execute drop shots effectively during matches.

Remember to practice these drills regularly to enhance your forehand skills and take your squash game to the next level.

Backhand Drills

Backhand Drive

The backhand drive is a crucial shot in squash that requires precision and control. By practicing specific drills, you can improve your backhand drive and enhance your overall performance on the court. Here are some effective backhand drive drills to incorporate into your training routine:

Target Practice: Set up targets on the front wall of the squash court and aim to hit them consistently with your backhand drive. Start with larger targets and gradually decrease their size to enhance accuracy and focus.
Ghosting: Ghosting is a drill that involves moving around the court without a ball. Incorporate backhand drives into your ghosting routine to simulate game-like situations and work on your footwork, timing, and technique.
Cross-Court Rallies: Play cross-court rallies with a partner, focusing on using your backhand drive as the primary shot. This drill helps improve your shot placement, control, and power.

Backhand Volley

Mastering the backhand volley is essential for quick and efficient shot-making during a squash match. The following drills can help you enhance your backhand volley skills:

Wall Practice: Stand close to the wall and practice volleying the ball using only your backhand. Focus on maintaining a compact swing and hitting the ball cleanly and accurately.
Rapid Fire: Stand opposite a partner and volley the ball back and forth rapidly using your backhand. This drill helps improve your reflexes, hand-eye coordination, and the ability to make quick decisions.
Volley and Drop: Alternate between volleying the ball and executing a backhand drop shot. This drill not only helps you improve your backhand volley technique but also enhances your ability to vary your shots and keep your opponent guessing.

Backhand Drop Shot

The backhand drop shot is a deceptive and strategic shot that can give you an advantage over your opponent. Incorporate the following drills into your training to enhance your backhand drop shot:

Short Game Practice: Focus on executing backhand drop shots from the front of the court. Practice hitting the ball softly and accurately, aiming to make it land close to the side wall and die in the corners.
Lob and Drop: Hit a lob shot using your backhand and then quickly transition into a backhand drop shot. This drill helps you improve your ability to change the pace and angle of your shots, keeping your opponent off balance.
Pressure Situations: Set up game-like scenarios where you are under pressure to hit a backhand drop shot. This could involve practicing from difficult positions or playing simulated match situations. This drill helps you develop the mental toughness and composure required to execute the shot effectively in real games.

By incorporating these backhand drills into your training routine, you can significantly improve your backhand drive, backhand volley, and backhand drop shot. Consistent practice and repetition are key to refining your skills and becoming a more well-rounded squash player.

Serves and Returns Drills

Basic Serve Technique

Mastering the basic serve technique is crucial to improve your squash skills. This drill focuses on the fundamentals of serving and helps you develop a consistent and powerful serve.

Target Practice: Set up targets on the front wall of the court and aim to hit them with your serves. Start by aiming for larger targets and gradually decrease the size as you become more accurate. This drill will enhance your precision and control over the serve.
Power and Accuracy: Stand at the back of the service box and practice serving with power and accuracy. Focus on hitting the ball into the corners of the service box, alternating between left and right corners. This drill will improve your ability to serve with both power and precision.

Serve and Volley

The serve and volley technique is an advanced skill that can catch your opponent off guard. This drill focuses on combining a strong serve with a quick follow-up at the front of the court.

Serve and Drop: Serve the ball deep into the back corner of the court, forcing your opponent to return it from the back. Immediately move forward and play a drop shot, aiming to hit the ball close to the front wall. This drill will help you practice transitioning from a powerful serve to a delicate volley.
Serve and Boast: Serve the ball deep into the back corner and quickly move to the front of the court. Instead of playing a drop shot, hit the ball towards the side wall, causing it to bounce off and move towards the back of the court. This drill will improve your ability to quickly change direction and surprise your opponent with unexpected shots.

Return of Serve

The return of serve is a critical aspect of squash that can give you an advantage over your opponent. This drill focuses on improving your ability to return serves effectively.

Backhand Return: Stand in the back corner of the court and practice returning serves with your backhand. Focus on returning the ball deep into the opposite back corner, making it difficult for your opponent to attack. This drill will enhance your backhand technique and accuracy.
Forehand Return: Position yourself in the back corner and practice returning serves with your forehand. Aim to hit the ball low and close to the side wall, forcing your opponent into a difficult position. This drill will help you develop a strong and controlled forehand return.

By incorporating these drills into your training routine, you can enhance your serves and returns, ultimately improving your overall squash skills. Remember to practice regularly and focus on technique, power, and accuracy to achieve the best results.

Footwork Drills

Lateral Movement Drill

One of the most important aspects of squash is having excellent footwork. The lateral movement drill is designed to improve your ability to move quickly and efficiently from side to side on the court. To perform this drill, follow these steps:

Stand in the center of the court, ready to move.
Take a quick step to the right side of the court while maintaining a low and balanced position.
Immediately push off with your right foot and move back to the center.
Repeat the same movement to the left side of the court.
Continue moving laterally from side to side, focusing on speed and agility.

Practicing the lateral movement drill regularly will enhance your ability to cover the court effectively, enabling you to reach shots that seemed impossible before.

Ghosting Drill

The ghosting drill is an excellent exercise to improve your overall movement and coordination on the squash court. It involves mimicking the movements and shots without a ball. Here’s how to perform the ghosting drill:

Stand in the center of the court, visualizing a game situation.
Start moving around the court as if you were playing a real match, simulating shots and footwork.
Incorporate different shot types such as drives, drops, and lobs into your ghosting routine.
Focus on maintaining a good balance and footwork technique while executing each shot.
Continue the drill for a set period of time or until you feel fatigued.

The ghosting drill helps to improve muscle memory, reaction time, and overall court awareness. It is an essential exercise for squash players of all skill levels.

Split Step Drill

The split step is a fundamental skill that allows squash players to quickly change direction and react to their opponent’s shots. The split step drill helps develop this crucial skill. Follow these steps to practice the split step drill:

Start at the center of the court with your knees slightly bent and feet shoulder-width apart.
As your opponent prepares to hit the ball, jump slightly off the ground and land with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart.
As you land, bend your knees further to absorb the impact and prepare to move in any direction.
As your opponent strikes the ball, push off explosively with your feet and move towards the ball.

By practicing the split step drill regularly, you will improve your reaction time, agility, and ability to quickly adjust your position on the court.

Remember, mastering footwork drills is essential for squash players looking to improve their skills. Incorporate these drills into your training routine and watch your game reach new heights.

In conclusion, incorporating these 10 essential squash drills into your training routine is bound to elevate your skills and take your game to the next level. Whether you are a beginner looking to improve your technique or an experienced player aiming to fine-tune your skills, these drills provide a well-rounded approach to enhance your overall performance. By consistently practicing these exercises with dedication and determination, you can expect to see significant improvements in your agility, accuracy, and strategic thinking on the squash court. So, grab your racket, hit the court, and start mastering these essential drills to become a formidable force in the world of squash.