Squash is a game of movement. While practicing it may come later in your practice schedule, incorporating movement drills can speed up play and help you dominate the T area of the court more quickly.
Crash nicks are short, hard shots aimed low into the front corner. This tactic provides an effective defensive shot that prevents opponents from reaching an effective length and takes time away from their swing.
Position
Position is of utmost importance in squash, particularly when hitting Half-Volley shots, so players must ensure they’re in their ideal spots on the court to do this with maximum control and balance. Furthermore, their positioning must change throughout a game depending on opponent tactics and where in a match they may find themselves.
A half volley can be an intricate stroke to hit, as it requires being on the front foot and in front of the service line for maximum power on every stroke. Achieve this position ensures contact is made at the apex of its bounce – an effective tactic when trying to penetrate opponent defences.
Players should take care not to overdo this and become so close to the service line as to lose their balance. Instead, the ball should always be hit at least knee high; this will keep it in play for as long as possible and make it difficult for opponents to return it.
Players must ensure they stay low when hitting a half volley, as hitting it at waist level can instantly destroy its quality. A player should bend their knees deeply when hitting a half volley to maintain balance and create an effective connection with the ball; this will help transfer more power into their shot as well as allow for crisp, deep strokes.
Players should employ a continental grip when hitting half volleys to increase topspin on their shots and counter an opponent’s backhand. If an opponent uses their forehand as their primary return method, switching over to continental grip may add some topspin and force more aggressive strikes into each half volley, providing additional topspin with every stroke hit with greater power than usual.
Stroke
Volleying requires hitting the ball hard in order to create momentum and put your opponent off guard. For optimal success in this endeavor, your hand should reach the ball quickly, get into position quickly, and have an open racket face.
When playing half-volley shots, aim to keep the ball low to the ground, near one of the side walls and preferably into a nick. This will force your opponent to cover more ground in order to reach it and make returning more challenging for them.
As is true with all squash shots, executing the half-volley shot correctly to achieve maximum effectiveness is key for maximum success. Your body must be in an extremely low position when striking the ball; often this means bending knees almost to the floor in order to create a wide base that supports your weight when hitting the ball and thus helping with balance and control over the shot.
Hitting the ball at an appropriate height will also be key to making sure your shot is effective. Hitting too high may send it flying into the back corners, making play more challenging; or hitting too low can send it crashing straight toward the front wall for your opponent to defend.
Straight drops can be an extremely effective shot when trying to move an opponent forward and pressure them. They should especially be used when their opponent attempts to play deep shots into the back corners, which will prevent them from taking an advantageous position at the T and give you a greater chance at winning points.
This shot requires great technique, particularly with regard to its follow through. World-class players can adjust their follow through according to different circumstances so make sure to practice this shot against different opponents and experiment with various approaches until you find one that works for you.
Follow-through
A successful half volley allows the player to advance while clearing the ball – an effective way to break down an opponent’s defense and score multiple points. While difficult, hitting this type of shot or clearance requires greater skill as it must be struck before it bounces again; but doing so could give an edge in a match by eliminating low passes to their opponents.
Volleying is a difficult shot to master and requires extensive practice. Many players can hit amazing volleys at higher levels, yet rarely see one consistently hit amazing ones at that level. This may be because it takes time and practice for players at this level to develop the ability to read the game quickly and make split-second decisions when required – not something many athletes possess at an athletic or technical level.
Some coaches believe the term “half volley” to be somewhat of an oversimplification and refer to an abbreviated groundstroke, while others insist it’s more appropriately described as a type of volley. Whatever its definition may be, half volley shots remain an integral component of any player’s arsenal and can help enhance performance on court.
Note when practicing half volley that its follow-through should be shorter than a standard groundstroke, due to being played so close to the net and needing to avoid too much back and forth motion that could cause balance issues.
Follow-through should generally be straight and upward, achieved through deep knee bending and medium-long stride by the front leg. Also important for high clearing shots is keeping the racket shaft parallel or slightly angled down towards the ground.
Finally, players must be able to quickly and easily change their positioning when needed – particularly during a fast-paced game such as squash when the ball will likely rebound multiple times before reaching your feet.
Placement
When players can’t reach the non-volley line in time to hit volleys, a half-volley shot can be an effective strategy as it forces opponents backwards – making it harder for them to reset points and make plays.
One of the key components to successfully hitting a half-volley is placing the ball precisely where you intend for it to land, usually within two yards inside the baseline and near to its opposite side of the court. Aiming higher would result in out of control shots which might ricochet off of opponents’ courts and back onto your court!
Follow through when striking the half-volley is also essential, and should include deep knee bends and lunges for best results. Doing this ensures the shot lands where intended without being returned into play by opposing players.
Balance is key when it comes to hitting a good half-volley; failure to have it can result in various issues for example, hitting too high or creating too much backspin, while having an inadequate follow through could result in hitting it too late or creating too much backspin. Furthermore, having too narrow of a stance will reduce quality of shot.
Another effective shot to practice when playing squash is the boast. A boast is an aggressive shot which can create multiple angles; traditionally there-wall boasts are played very low against the front wall so as to force their opponents to cover more ground before reaching it.
Deb Harrison offers this video called, The Perfect Boast, to provide guidance on developing an outstanding, wall-to-wall boast with proper technique and balance.