Squash carries such a wide range of fitness requirements and the best prepared
players will have a varied training program. The proportion of the different
sessions will change throughout the year. To develop aerobic endurance it is
best to do some steady state running. Cycling and swimming will help to
condition the heart and lungs, but remember that you play squash on your feet!
For base endurance you can do a long slow cycle or run of up to an hour one day,
and then on another day try a 35 minute faster effort. If you do not do much
cycling or running normally, be sure to build up gradually.
Court sprints are
a useful way to boost anaerobic endurance. They involve running a series of
lengths of the court at a fast pace and then resting briefly before repeating.
This sort of work does not have to be done on a court; short sprints can be
conducted on the athletics track with sprints over 30 to 60 meters.
For
specific speed work on court, ghosting is a useful routine whereby you run at
random (get a partner to call) to different parts of the court. The key here is
to keep the efforts short and the recovery sufficient to maintain good
quality.
Work in the gym, lifting weights or circuit training, is an
excellent way to develop strength and should be fitted into the schedule. In the
meantime, do not forget stretching before and after all sessions, to prepare for
and recover from exercise, although dedicated flexibility sessions are useful if
time allows.
