Formation of solid movement patterns and footwork are integral parts of becoming a fluid squash player. Players beginning ghosting drills should do so gradually to avoid entering into competitive situations too early.
Set up a steel target approximately 25 yards away and paper targets at distances between 3 to 5 yards on either side to provide an easy yet fun drill that helps develop movement and coordination skills.
Ghosting Drills
Ghosting drills are among the more visible squash-specific footwork exercises, yet can also be one of the most beneficial when done with intent and focus. While it’s easy to fall into the habit of simply doing ghosting drills for their pattern and sequence value alone, in order to develop tactical shot placement we must also move with and shoot the ball during ghosting exercises.
Stu presents this amazing ghosting drill progression in the video below, beginning with 10 sets of ghosting before adding hitting. This allows players to get acquainted with what to expect during a match-like return of shots as well as build endurance before moving forward to full match style training.
Setup for this progression is straightforward. Step one involves setting up a steel target 25 yards away (you can increase this distance depending on your range and skill) followed by three USPSA/IPSC targets or similar at approximately five yards apart containing different hostages with which you must force headshots at different distances on go signal. Fire at all five targets simultaneously on go signal until each has been shot from all distances with precision accuracy cadence that increases with each shot fired from different distances.
This drill is an effective way to practice recoil management as it forces you to shoot each target quickly while maintaining accuracy. As your skill improves, the speed can be increased along with adding targets – one variation we like is to shoot odd numbers once and even ones twice for added complexity and to develop a varied shot placement pattern.
An easy and effective ghosting drill involves performing a variation of the COD test on a wall. This test measures your ability to change direction quickly by placing two cones a meter apart on the wall and sprinting from each point to another before jogging back to measure your time at each of these steps. Repeat this ten times and attempt to improve your time every time!
Ladder Drills
Ladder drills are an integral component of any squash player’s training regimen. They help improve lateral movement and agility, increase shot placement accuracy and shorten reaction times while also helping protect players from injuries by ensuring they remain properly positioned on the court at all times.
Ladder training can be especially useful for players who specialize in front corner shots, as this position requires fast reflexes and responsiveness from shooters in order to make successful shots. Furthermore, front corner shots often involve fast transitions from left to right and back again which may prove challenging if players do not possess appropriate footwork.
Players looking to enhance their footwork should use a ladder with single-leg shuffle as an exercise to sharpen footwork. This exercise requires precise footwork that stimulates both legs, as well as engaging the nervous system. Stand sideways towards the ladder and lift one leg up towards waist height before quickly placing it into one box of the ladder on a count of four before repeating with other leg.
Another ladder drill used to develop lateral movement is the centipede drill. In this exercise, one foot steps in and out of each box on a three count with good body positioning and strong grip to maintain two feet on their balls when moving between boxes.
The Carioca running drill is an effective way to work on both lateral movement and core strength development. This drill entails shuffling sideways or performing a lateral shuffle while walking, increasing speed, coordination, and core strength simultaneously. You can perform this drill anywhere on a flat surface or court and it should only take 10 minutes!
For this drill, you will require a USPSA or IPSC target, pistol and shot timer. Set the target up with pelvis, chest and head silhouettes that are 5 yards away and about one yard apart from you; shoot at each of the targets once before returning to shoot each of them twice.
Jumping Drills
Plyometric exercises like jump squats and box jumps can help squash athletes build explosive power, though these should only form one part of an overall workout routine. Athletes also must develop agility and footwork through drills like ladder drills, cone drills and shuttle runs; starting slowly to increase intensity over time.
Athletes engaging in these kinds of drills can adjust their difficulty by increasing or decreasing the number of targets on a course, or increasing the distance between target and shooter. Athletes should always listen to their body when conducting resistance training as overdoing it can result in serious injuries.
Zaitoishi Shooting Drill is another effective drill to improve footwork and shot placement, taking its name from a legendary Japanese hero who was blind, yet attuned with his environment and body. Students using this drill can practice controlling their firearm by shooting against various size targets within a set time limit.
An athlete begins by positioning a target between 20 and 30 yards away from them and engaging it with a 3-x-5 postcard to simulate a headshot before closing their eyes while drawing from their holster overt or covertly and firing a shot. They then remove their eye from the gun, check to make sure that their magazine is fully seated, resume shooting until their string of shots have been completed within a certain amount of time and resume firing until their string has run its course.
This drill uses either USPSA or IDPA targets and aims to teach shooters about the relationship between cadence and distance. Students can begin by drawing five shots slowly at each target; as they advance further away they should continue engaging the target with shots as it becomes further away.
An alternate version is the EZ-Zone Drill, which can be conducted using either pistols or rifles and carried out from 5 or 10-yards away. When given the go signal, shooters engage one steel plate before shooting two shots simultaneously on two targets located either to its right or left within a short timeframe – this process repeats until all targets have been hit within the designated par time limit.
Ball Feeding Drills
As players navigate a match, it’s critical that they be ready for whatever situation may arise on the court. To achieve this goal, strong core and lower body muscles must be utilized to help players maintain balance and control as they move across the court, with footwork drills such as ladder drills or shuttle runs offering added lateral movement and agility benefits on court.
Feeding drills help players prepare to handle various situations during a match. Front corner shots require quick reactions from shooters in order to be in position to strike quickly; that is why ball feeding drills should be included as part of any training regimen.
COD (Closest-Of-Death) testing is an efficient feeder drill designed to replicate situations where there’s a trigger press but no bang is heard; this could occur for any number of reasons, from light primer strikes to recocking issues.
Set up three USPSA/IPSC targets at shoulder height a yard apart and on the go signal, shoot each target once, twice, three times. Transition immediately from shooting one target to firing four rounds on another before switching back over and firing five more on the third one – this drill helps improve shot placement, sight picture acquisition and cadence/rhythm.
While most squash players focus on footwork elements of their game, many underestimate the significance of practicing sudden change-of-direction scenarios. The COD test provides an effective means to practice change-of-direction speed in any environment on court.
Kyle Lamb developed this drill to enhance target recognition and timing. You can do it with either pistols or rifles at 10-yards; draw, holster, present to target area that includes pelvis chest head target areas before engaging them – when go signal is given engage and shoot until all 20 shots have hit target in one string with no longer than 3.5 second par times between each series of fire.