Backhand volleys are one of the most essential and impactful shots in squash. Learning how to successfully execute them can be game-changing as they take pressure off of opponents while keeping them from getting themselves into too much trouble with their groundstrokes.
Top players around the world tend to volley frequently and keep themselves light on their feet so that they are prepared for another attack at any moment.
Stance
Beginning your squash technique requires taking an effective and stable stance. This is particularly crucial when volleying as the ball can often change direction quickly and unexpectedly; having an accurate and power volley stance allows enough time for you to hit back with strength and accuracy on any return from an opponent’s shot.
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and bent knees. As soon as your opponent hits the ball, push off with both feet simultaneously with a small jump and give an immediate push-off volley to ensure you can be ready for any direction in which it goes. By then making quick decisions about which way to play volley and positioning yourself appropriately to execute it quickly.
When playing squash volleys it is essential to maintain balance so as to allow for complete control over where and how hard the ball travels. Volleying too forcefully wastes energy; moreover it is less effective than taking early strike-points with accurate shots.
To improve your volleys, practice these two volleying drills: One is hitting consecutive volleys at various distances – for instance six consecutive volleys could be hit from two or three court lengths away (and another is to “volley around the clock”, starting close to the front wall and gradually moving backward while keeping the ball moving through to back of service box.
Other volley drills include the sidewall boast, which requires great dexterity in your wrist to master and builds arm strength endurance. A popular drill for practicing this volley type is hitting several sidewall boasts on the bounce until you become comfortable doing them off bounce or into the T.
Positioning
One of the key aspects of any squash match is positioning for each shot. By taking away your opponent’s time, you will be able to dictate its rhythm – this especially holds true when volleying; an effective volley should capture the ball before it has even had time to bounce, giving them less time to recuperate before their next shot.
Good footwork will allow you to navigate quickly around the court and position yourself to make great volleys, and to develop this skill it is beneficial to practice some simple drills such as “the split step.” For this technique, stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and bend knees slightly before reacting quickly when an opponent hits the ball by pushing off with both feet simultaneously and jumping slightly – this way your body will move with any direction it travels, giving you greater response times for all shots but especially volleys! To develop this ability you could practice simple drills such as “the split step,” in which case as soon as an opponent hits it, push off with both feet simultaneously to move quickly with any direction the ball goes, thus helping your reaction time to any shot but especially the volley shot will increase significantly.
Positioning also involves anticipating where your opponent will hit the ball; by knowing this information, it is easier to play an effective volley volley, especially for backhand drives which are powerful volley shots.
To improve your ability to anticipate where an opponent will hit the ball, it can help to practice drills involving moving to various parts of the court while hitting volleys from various distances. For example, practicing from T and trying to hit crosscourt length boast volleys will allow you to develop wide shots while improving lobs as well.
Note that hitting an effective volley requires both skill and confidence – without either, hitting successful volleys can become extremely challenging.
Stroke
Backhand volley is one of the more difficult shots to master, yet essential if you want to remain as competitive as possible. A powerful backhand volley can interrupt an opponent’s rhythm by taking the ball away before it has had time to bounce – and puts you into an advantageous driving position for a rally.
Priority number one when it comes to volleying is being accurate. No matter how hard you hit the ball, if it doesn’t end up where intended. This phenomenon, known as “over hitting”, can have dire repercussions for any player and is especially dangerous when applied on serves, groundstrokes or volleys.
Once you’ve learned to be accurate, your next priority should be volleying as often as possible. Doing this allows you to take advantage of your opponent’s arm being lower than their head; making it impossible for them to reach every volley that comes within range.
As you volley, it is also crucial that you use the full depth of your racket. Aim towards the back corners for maximum power – this will not only give you extra strength to win points but will force your opponent to run harder in order to reach and keep balls from landing in front of them!
Improving the efficiency of your volley requires keeping its momentum intact from start to finish, because any sudden stops after striking the ball could make your body less efficient at recovering and speeding back up again.
Keep this in mind when volleying, and use their nervous energy to your advantage! When they’re worried or fearful of what’s about to happen, they may mishit and get themselves in trouble more easily – making even nervous rallies turn into personal victories if done with practice and determination!
Footwork
Squash is an exciting, fast-paced game and the quicker you can move into position to take a shot, the better it will go for you. One key to fast movement in squash lies with your feet: To move as quickly to reach the ball as possible, stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart and bend knees slightly to create what is known as the Split Step and quickly react for any shot you may take.
Footwork for volleying is also extremely crucial, with masterful volleyers being able to switch back and forth between front and back feet without losing their balance, keeping momentum rolling into their next shot and shortening recovery times for opponents after their last hit. In order to accomplish this feat, practicing many volleys alone is an effective way to hone your skills.
Volleying is an essential part of any player’s game and an effective way to take control of a match. By hitting accurate volleys, you can force your opponent to use up energy chasing every shot; additionally, this allows more opportunities for kill shots or sending their opponent into the corners.
Errors that often occur when attempting a volley include delaying their impact. This mistake often results from raising their arm and shoulder too far; this should always be avoided in order to maximize power in each shot.
To avoid making this error, be sure to practice with a partner and use proper technique on each volley. Doing this will allow you to perfect your swing and gain confidence in making any shot, leading to higher win/loss ratio and an enjoyable squash experience!