Today I'm going to talk about self-efficacy, self-confidence, positive thinking, believing in yourself and how this leads to success in all areas of life, on and off the squash court. Can you really fake it till you make it? Do you believe you can win each tournament you play? If you've lost to someone previously, how can you go in believing you can win? How can you learn to see yourself as a winner? Besides winning what other ways can you build a person's confidence? When in a challenging situation do you give up or get up?
Let's take an example here. Two players are at the same level, perhaps identical technically, tactically and physically. One of these players completely believes they can win, they expect and know they will, while the other just hopes they do and will see how it goes. Who would you bet on? When the player who is confident in their ability gets into a challenging situation they will pick it up and stay positive because they have an unwavering self-efficacy that they will be successful. Clearly the person that believes they be successful has a much higher probability of actually doing this. If you're the one that lack self-confidence in your ability to be successful how can you change this? How can you hold yourself to a higher standard and be tougher psychologically? How can you play every point, game and match to win regardless of your opponent?
Quickly, I should mention what self-efficacy is. Self-efficacy is the confidence that you can accomplish a task or a goal. Dr. Albert Bandura built a self-efficacy model many years ago that divides it into 3 core components: vicarious learning, mastery experiences and social persuasions. Vicarious learning is gained by using someone similar as a model.
Let's look as some examples of these core components. If nobody thought they could beat Ramy Ashour and then all of the sudden James Wilstrop beat him, other guys on the tour would have a bit more belief that they could do this as well. They may look at how Wilstrop beat Ramy and build their gameplay around this. So even though this person has never beaten Ramy before, if they are similar to Wilstrop's level they will have gained some confidence in their peers result. In a similar example, let's say Ramy was playing Wilstrop. Wilstrop gets a good start and a lead in the first game, and maybe even wins the first game. This gives James some believe that he can beat Ramy. Of course if Wilstrop beaten Ramy in a full match previously he would be much more confident that he could do it again. Social persuasion is reassurance and belief from people around you that you can accomplish your goal. A lot of players need to hear this because they lack self-efficacy. If you keep hearing that people believe in your ability and that you can be successful, this can have a positive influence on your self-confidence.
So how can you believe in your ability to be successful if you haven't been? How do you stay positive and upbeat regardless of what happens? I believe that you should always play to win, but to improve your chances of winning your focus should not be solely on the outcome. If you believe you can win you won't get discouraged when you face obstacles such as a bad call, or a injury timeout, the ball breaking, or losing a few straight points or even the first 2 games. Look at these as challenges; the tougher the challenge the more meaningful it would be to overcome. If you don't win, well you have to believe that they next time you will. This unwavering confidence is an attitude that extends beyond the squash court. If you believe you'll get that job or that the girl will say 'yes' when you ask her out, you will probably be right. And even if you're incorrect, that doesn't mean you won't be right next time.
I had a lesson this weekend with someone that is very talented. This person has great racquet skill, but doesn't believe that he will be successful. I asked him to repeat after me, 'I will win the Canadian Junior Open.' Let's just say he didn't convince me. The point was not that I think he can win, just in the way he says I can do this and achieve something great. This got me thinking, how many of the kids going to the Canadian Junior Open actually believe they can win? There are only 8 divisions and just 8 winners. But surely more than this believe they can win. If you believe you can win when you go to a tournament, even if you don't win you will be one tough out. This was the point I was trying to make. There are less talented kids going to this event and expecting to do well and win. Losing has damaged his confidence, so how do you rebuild it?
The first thing I recommended is believing that you can win this single point. Don't get ahead thinking about the whole tournament or match. Regardless of who you play, you can beat anyone in 1 rally, even Ramy! So play to win this point and believe you can. If you don't say something positive and tell yourself you can win this one. This is a good method for staying in the moment and not getting ahead of yourself. The tougher your opponent the more difficult this will be. But it is humanly possible, win this point and then the next. Maybe in the end you'll lose on paper, but you may just have played the best squash of your life by believing and fighting for every point. With this attitude you will begin to have more success and will eventually have a mastery experience that will bolster your self-efficacy. Never give an inch, even when you're down game or match ball. If you want to know more about that, read this previous post http://www.serioussquash.com/2014/10/never-give-up.html
If we look back to Bandura's model, social persuasion is another positive way we can believe in our ability. This is why I feel it's always important to tell people what they are doing well, not just the areas they need to correct. I believe in my athletes and let them know that I do. If we give them this support and they know we believe in them it will help. Be positive and if you need to give some constructive criticism, put a positive spin on it.
There is one area here that I should clarify. You can be successful every time you play. Although we normally define success as winning and losing, it's the process which leads to this. I don't expect people to play any better than their ability, but to play their game and try their best. If you can do this for an entire match you can never lose in my eyes. This is hard for most of us to see. Try and concentrate on playing the right shot and continually making good decisions. If you do this, but make a few mistakes on your shots, that's fine. Sometimes we all make a mistake in our execution, but continue playing the right shots and you will overall be more successful. So yes, I've just talked about believing in yourself and that you should play to win. But now I am saying focus on the process and don't think about the outcome. Which is it?
Believe you can win, play to win, but don't put the pressure on yourself that you have to win. All of us that play squash will lose matches every so often. If we don't we aren't playing healthy competition. So we all need to learn how to believe we can win even after we don't. Go out an expect to play well, don't wait to play well to believe that you will. Confidence should come first and you can see it in the knock up (as I discussed the other day here http://www.serioussquash.com/2014/11/the-knock-up.html) and in a person's body language.
Learning to focus on the process is an important trait for playing consistent squash and for continuing your development as a squash player. I like asking my athletes what their strategy is? How do they like playing? When are they most successful? To play your best you need to be in the zone. When you're in the zone you can't be thinking about the past or the future. To be in the zone means to be completely absorbed in the present task. You can imagine how challenging this is to do if you're not happy with how you're playing. This is when you have to give yourself a break and have a short memory; just move on to the next point.
If you're an attacking player you will likely make a few mistakes. Look at Ramy in the finals of the World Championships. In the first game he made about 6 unforced errors against the #1 ranked player in the world. Did Ramy stop playing his game, nope! And he someone won this game. I've heard Ramy talk about how he has to fight the negative thoughts, the demons when he plays. Because he knows for him to play his best and be successful he has to keep the attack on, even after a few mistakes. You need to have a short memory, especially after you make some unforced errors or lose a match. If Ramy got tense he wouldn't have such soft hands and immaculate touch. Ramy needs to stay loose and confident no matter what or else he wouldn't play his game. If you want to play attacking squash you have to be able to stay confident and positive to play this style effectively.
I've covered a few interesting topics today. Self-efficacy and focusing on the process of the performance. Just because you haven't beaten someone before doesn't mean you won't in the future. I remember one match when I was in university and I was beating who I thought was a better player. I noticed in the 3rd game he wasn't moving right and seemed to be having some trouble with his back. I didn't keep the pressure on and let him back into he match. I eventually lost and he asked me after what happened. And I recall saying that I just didn't think I deserved to beat him yet. I didn't think I was good enough, but there I was in a winning position and I let it get away. I was in the zone and had him down and out. I can say that I did get my win a couple of years later. Although what happened at the previous tournament was disappointing it was a learning experience. I learned my lesson and it hasn't happened again since.
Last quick story. When I was a kid I remember being asked to visualize myself play. I was never able to see myself hitting good shots and winning. I don't know what it was, but I would see myself hitting loose shots and losing rallies. I don't know if this was because I had low self-confidence or that I just wasn't good at visualizing yet. I was pretty successful and a good junior but I couldn't visualize myself playing winning squash. Looking back this is something that I should have continued working on and trying to change. Instead I just didn't do it because I couldn't do it properly. I do believe that visualization is another method to improve your self-efficacy. If you can see yourself in your minds eye playing well you are more likely to go out and do so.
Do you always need to have success before you acquire confidence? Dr. Bandura and I don't believe so, but it certainly helps. Once upon a time the 4 minute mile was thought to be impossible until Roger Bannister broke it. The following year a bunch of people did. Seeing Bannister break this proved to others that it was possible. But how did Bannister do it in the first place? He proved that just because it hasn't been done, doesn't mean it won't. Play to win, focus on the process, believe in yourself no matter what and you will be more successful and a much tougher opponent.
Showing posts with label World Championships. Show all posts
Showing posts with label World Championships. Show all posts
Sunday, November 30, 2014
Saturday, November 22, 2014
World Championship Recap On Squash Mad
I wrote a report on the final of the 2014 World Championships between Ashour and Shorbagy for Alan Thatcher on Squash Mad. You can check it out here http://squashmad.com/psa/squash-mad-analysis-on-ramy-ashours-amazing-world-title-triumph-in-qatar/ . For the record it was edited a bit. I would never call Shorbagy a pretender. He's the real deal and is #1 in the world, but yes technically is probably #2. My original title was simply Drama In Doha. I'm Canadian, so of course I wouldn't say something that brash about anyone, let alone the #1 player in the world! Epic match though. If you haven't watched it, do it.
Also have to mention how strange that soccer clip was during the preview of the finals with Selby and Barker. I don't get it, they weren't in the finals! Selby didn't even play the event. Maybe they could have done a piece on something relevant to the finals!!
Also have to mention how strange that soccer clip was during the preview of the finals with Selby and Barker. I don't get it, they weren't in the finals! Selby didn't even play the event. Maybe they could have done a piece on something relevant to the finals!!
Friday, November 21, 2014
Gaultier Breakdown vs. Ashour
Today I've decided to discuss the semifinal match of the World Open between Gregory Gaultier and Ramy Ashour. The first game was one of the most entertaining games I've ever seen. It really felt like 2 full games and after 35 minutes Ashour finally took the game 17-15. Unfortunately this was it for the match. I know the first game is crucial, but it was quite disappointing if you're a Gaultier fan.
I know this first game took a lot out of Gauliter, but I'm sure he had more in him. Would the same mental collapse have taken place if he had won the game? Gaultier didn't make a push in the third game either. Ashour looked very suspect against Goaln the night before. So if nothing less, Gaultier just needed to extend the match and fight all the way through. Ashour has been out of competition and unable to train as hard for 6 months. Surely the longer the match the better for Gaultier, right?
I've seen this type of collapse from Gaultier before. He had a similar dismal performance against Shorbagy in the semifinal of the U.S. Open. I think once a top player has beaten him the next time they play he appears more fragile. If Gaultier goes down in the next match he tends to get negative and stops believing in himself. He played such a wonderful first game it's a pity he had nothing left to offer in the last two. Even if he just slowed the pace down and kept the ball in play maybe Ashour would show signs of slowing down himself.
Ashour didn't look very positive against Golan. I thought maybe he wasn't 100% healthy. Even in the 3rd game against Gaultier his shoulder seemed to be bugging him. I feel Matthew would have matched up better because psychologically he is tougher and never gives up. I know it's easy sitting here on the couch watching, but I find it surprising that a former #1 player in the world could be so easily mentally defeated. We all have a physical and mental breaking point, but in the semifinal of the World Open I can't believe it only took 1 game (yes I know it was a mega-game) to break him. This shows the importance of the mental game in squash. Ashour talked in his pre game interview about always fighting the demons, the negative thoughts that arise in his head. I don't think Gaultier was very good at that on this occasion. He almost lost in the 1st round and has a poor record against Ashour. But really, if he was ever going to beat him again it should have been tonight. In Gaultier's pregame interview he admitted that he didn't know what to expect out of the match. Gaultier didn't sound very confident to me. Ashour looked so shaky the night before. Gaultier should have picked up on that and should know that Ashour is not confident in his body or his movement.
So what can we learn from this? First and foremost is the importance of staying positive. No matter the situation, you have to do everything you can to be positive about the situation. Don't get ahead of yourself and think it's over no matter what. I don't think any amount of extra physical training or drills will help Gaultier. He just needs to be more positive when things aren't going his way and he gets behind. I also think we learned the just how important that first game can be. It can be extremely psychologically damaging when it is a long game and goes into extra points. Sometimes you feel like you played your best squash and to lose it can be disheartening. So you begin thinking there is no hope. These are the negative demons you need to fight. Instead focus on one shot and one point at a time. The tougher the situation you're in, look at it as a challenge and always believe in yourself, and that you can come back. Of course if you start doubting yourself and you don't believe you can do it you likely won't.
So who's your pick in the final? I'm a little worried about Ramy's shoulder. He really looked to be favouring it and stopped hitting the ball hard. I think Shorbagy is going to be nervous. To my knowledge he hasn't beaten Ramy before and as I said a couple of posts ago, you're not really #1 in the wold until you beat Ramy when he's healthy. I just don't think Ramy is healthy and I don't feel he'll have enough in the tank. I'm picking Shorbagy, but I think it will all come down to his nerves. If Shorbagy can relax and play his game he should win. I hope they both play like they did in the semis and if they do it should be a great match. Whoever is going to be World Champion better win that first game!
I know this first game took a lot out of Gauliter, but I'm sure he had more in him. Would the same mental collapse have taken place if he had won the game? Gaultier didn't make a push in the third game either. Ashour looked very suspect against Goaln the night before. So if nothing less, Gaultier just needed to extend the match and fight all the way through. Ashour has been out of competition and unable to train as hard for 6 months. Surely the longer the match the better for Gaultier, right?
I've seen this type of collapse from Gaultier before. He had a similar dismal performance against Shorbagy in the semifinal of the U.S. Open. I think once a top player has beaten him the next time they play he appears more fragile. If Gaultier goes down in the next match he tends to get negative and stops believing in himself. He played such a wonderful first game it's a pity he had nothing left to offer in the last two. Even if he just slowed the pace down and kept the ball in play maybe Ashour would show signs of slowing down himself.
Ashour didn't look very positive against Golan. I thought maybe he wasn't 100% healthy. Even in the 3rd game against Gaultier his shoulder seemed to be bugging him. I feel Matthew would have matched up better because psychologically he is tougher and never gives up. I know it's easy sitting here on the couch watching, but I find it surprising that a former #1 player in the world could be so easily mentally defeated. We all have a physical and mental breaking point, but in the semifinal of the World Open I can't believe it only took 1 game (yes I know it was a mega-game) to break him. This shows the importance of the mental game in squash. Ashour talked in his pre game interview about always fighting the demons, the negative thoughts that arise in his head. I don't think Gaultier was very good at that on this occasion. He almost lost in the 1st round and has a poor record against Ashour. But really, if he was ever going to beat him again it should have been tonight. In Gaultier's pregame interview he admitted that he didn't know what to expect out of the match. Gaultier didn't sound very confident to me. Ashour looked so shaky the night before. Gaultier should have picked up on that and should know that Ashour is not confident in his body or his movement.
So what can we learn from this? First and foremost is the importance of staying positive. No matter the situation, you have to do everything you can to be positive about the situation. Don't get ahead of yourself and think it's over no matter what. I don't think any amount of extra physical training or drills will help Gaultier. He just needs to be more positive when things aren't going his way and he gets behind. I also think we learned the just how important that first game can be. It can be extremely psychologically damaging when it is a long game and goes into extra points. Sometimes you feel like you played your best squash and to lose it can be disheartening. So you begin thinking there is no hope. These are the negative demons you need to fight. Instead focus on one shot and one point at a time. The tougher the situation you're in, look at it as a challenge and always believe in yourself, and that you can come back. Of course if you start doubting yourself and you don't believe you can do it you likely won't.
So who's your pick in the final? I'm a little worried about Ramy's shoulder. He really looked to be favouring it and stopped hitting the ball hard. I think Shorbagy is going to be nervous. To my knowledge he hasn't beaten Ramy before and as I said a couple of posts ago, you're not really #1 in the wold until you beat Ramy when he's healthy. I just don't think Ramy is healthy and I don't feel he'll have enough in the tank. I'm picking Shorbagy, but I think it will all come down to his nerves. If Shorbagy can relax and play his game he should win. I hope they both play like they did in the semis and if they do it should be a great match. Whoever is going to be World Champion better win that first game!
Monday, November 17, 2014
Ramy's Back!
I know they're already into the round of 16 at the World Championships so I'm a little late getting around to it. I was away during the weekend and didn't have a chance to watch any of the games until last night. Of course I had to pick Ramy's 2nd round match against Adrian Grant. Ramy is the most exciting player in the game and it's glad to see him back on court. Is he 100% healthy? I don't know, but I sure hope so.
Ramy has been out for 6 months and before that he had to pull out of a few events because of his hamstring. They said last night that it had something to do with weak glutes. The way that Ramy plays is tough on the body, even though makes it look so effortless clearly it isn't. Ramy is never out of a rally and plays more back wall boast than anyone on tour. He reads his opponent so early and can run over top players very quickly. I think Ramy has the best finishing shots of all time. Even after missing 6 months of competitive play he hit a number of roll out straight volley drop nicks against Adrian. Nobody else plays this short with such precision. Ramy hits his drop just millimeters above the tin and hits his minuscule target consistently.
Will Ramy will the tournament? I don't think so (but I hope so!) just because I don't believe he's 100% fit and healthy. When he's healthy I would never bet against him. Sorry Shorbagy, I know you're technically #1 in the world, but not until you beat a healthy Ramy!
Even Ramy not at his best, I still give Ramy a shot just because of his incredible racquet skill. I would guess that Ramy has spent considerably more time solo hitting than any other pro on tour. His drops are inch perfect, his length is as good as anyones, he has great touch on his lob, he looks to volley everything, he has an unlimited number of shots he can play plus he has the most deception and pace from such a short backswing. It's almost like Ramy doesn't have a backswing on his forehand from the front corner. Ramy also has the mental game and confidence to go with his exceptional skill set. He can make an error at a crucial stage of the game and has no hesitation about going for a nick of the next serve..of course the difference with most other players is that he'll make the next shot.
What can we learn from watching Ramy? I think the biggest thing is the importance of learning to play attacking squash at an early age. I don't see many or any of the top players change their style of play once they are already established professionals. Nick Matthew as done this somewhat but is not nearly as attacking of a player as Ramy, but who is? Ramy didn't be able to hit all of these shots without making a bunch of mistakes. I'm sure it was trial and error and watching other top players that got him to where he is now. I don't know many kids that spend enough time solo hitting to develop the touch, accuracy and strength that Ramy has. He has such a quick wrist and sends top players the wrong way and guessing all of the time. The way he plays makes senses to me and I feel it's like watching a master at work.
We may think now that there will be no other Ramy, but someone will come around again at some point and change the game and dominate it. There is always room for improvement. Clearly one way to improve upon Ramy's game is by being physically healthy and taking the proper steps to ensure he is fit and his body holds up. I also like to think how would Ramy do against himself? What would his strategy be? Can someone do what he does better? Not at the moment, but at some point someone will.
I believe in having a vision for the athletes I work with. I try and have a clear image of who they will become and what type of squash will suit their body type, style and personality. So I wouldn't try and coach everyone to play like Ramy or most kids wouldn't have any success or rallies. But if someone showed exceptional hands, was creative and had the speed to cover attacking shots than this is a player I may begin to shape and shift into someone like Ramy. This type of strategy is almost easier to coach and play. It's a go strategy. You attack from the first point at every opening. You don't let mistakes shy you away and you accuracy will improve with time. As a coach we spend most of our time working on the fundamentals. Does this mean that Ramy has spent less time working on length than the rest of the top pros? Possibly, but his control is so pin point that he can hit his targets regardless of the shot. So instead of hitting drive after drive I would have them practice more volleys and drops where the accuracy has to be even more exact than a length.
I always believe that if someone wanted to play professional squash from a young age should they not grow up and play on a 4 wall glass court with a lowered tin? Of course if they have the opportunity to do so. Wouldn't that be a bug advantage when they become a pro and play on these courts? Surely there would be some benefits to doing this. Even just getting a glass court once per week from a young age would be helpful for a future pro.
So where does the game go from here? What will the next top player be like? Will they be fitter, faster, stronger, more or less attacking? Will they be a lefty version of Ramy? I can't wait to find out. We have players like Jonathan Power and Ramy Ashour to thank for making the game so exciting. That's what I love about the game. Now let's hope that Ramy stays healthy now for a number of years. Ramy is the most entertaining player in the history of the game and when he's in a draw he makes every tournament more exciting. Let's go Ramy!!
Ramy has been out for 6 months and before that he had to pull out of a few events because of his hamstring. They said last night that it had something to do with weak glutes. The way that Ramy plays is tough on the body, even though makes it look so effortless clearly it isn't. Ramy is never out of a rally and plays more back wall boast than anyone on tour. He reads his opponent so early and can run over top players very quickly. I think Ramy has the best finishing shots of all time. Even after missing 6 months of competitive play he hit a number of roll out straight volley drop nicks against Adrian. Nobody else plays this short with such precision. Ramy hits his drop just millimeters above the tin and hits his minuscule target consistently.
Will Ramy will the tournament? I don't think so (but I hope so!) just because I don't believe he's 100% fit and healthy. When he's healthy I would never bet against him. Sorry Shorbagy, I know you're technically #1 in the world, but not until you beat a healthy Ramy!
Even Ramy not at his best, I still give Ramy a shot just because of his incredible racquet skill. I would guess that Ramy has spent considerably more time solo hitting than any other pro on tour. His drops are inch perfect, his length is as good as anyones, he has great touch on his lob, he looks to volley everything, he has an unlimited number of shots he can play plus he has the most deception and pace from such a short backswing. It's almost like Ramy doesn't have a backswing on his forehand from the front corner. Ramy also has the mental game and confidence to go with his exceptional skill set. He can make an error at a crucial stage of the game and has no hesitation about going for a nick of the next serve..of course the difference with most other players is that he'll make the next shot.
What can we learn from watching Ramy? I think the biggest thing is the importance of learning to play attacking squash at an early age. I don't see many or any of the top players change their style of play once they are already established professionals. Nick Matthew as done this somewhat but is not nearly as attacking of a player as Ramy, but who is? Ramy didn't be able to hit all of these shots without making a bunch of mistakes. I'm sure it was trial and error and watching other top players that got him to where he is now. I don't know many kids that spend enough time solo hitting to develop the touch, accuracy and strength that Ramy has. He has such a quick wrist and sends top players the wrong way and guessing all of the time. The way he plays makes senses to me and I feel it's like watching a master at work.
We may think now that there will be no other Ramy, but someone will come around again at some point and change the game and dominate it. There is always room for improvement. Clearly one way to improve upon Ramy's game is by being physically healthy and taking the proper steps to ensure he is fit and his body holds up. I also like to think how would Ramy do against himself? What would his strategy be? Can someone do what he does better? Not at the moment, but at some point someone will.
I believe in having a vision for the athletes I work with. I try and have a clear image of who they will become and what type of squash will suit their body type, style and personality. So I wouldn't try and coach everyone to play like Ramy or most kids wouldn't have any success or rallies. But if someone showed exceptional hands, was creative and had the speed to cover attacking shots than this is a player I may begin to shape and shift into someone like Ramy. This type of strategy is almost easier to coach and play. It's a go strategy. You attack from the first point at every opening. You don't let mistakes shy you away and you accuracy will improve with time. As a coach we spend most of our time working on the fundamentals. Does this mean that Ramy has spent less time working on length than the rest of the top pros? Possibly, but his control is so pin point that he can hit his targets regardless of the shot. So instead of hitting drive after drive I would have them practice more volleys and drops where the accuracy has to be even more exact than a length.
I always believe that if someone wanted to play professional squash from a young age should they not grow up and play on a 4 wall glass court with a lowered tin? Of course if they have the opportunity to do so. Wouldn't that be a bug advantage when they become a pro and play on these courts? Surely there would be some benefits to doing this. Even just getting a glass court once per week from a young age would be helpful for a future pro.
So where does the game go from here? What will the next top player be like? Will they be fitter, faster, stronger, more or less attacking? Will they be a lefty version of Ramy? I can't wait to find out. We have players like Jonathan Power and Ramy Ashour to thank for making the game so exciting. That's what I love about the game. Now let's hope that Ramy stays healthy now for a number of years. Ramy is the most entertaining player in the history of the game and when he's in a draw he makes every tournament more exciting. Let's go Ramy!!
Thursday, November 13, 2014
What Is Good Length?
Today I'm going to discuss a topic that was suggested to me by a reader. I'm going to talk about what makes good length, drives, lines or rails. I think everyone know that hitting the ball tight is important, but what other qualities make up good length? Length is the base of the game and whoever hits better length will normally win the match. They normally win because they will spend more tim in front of their opponent meaning they will be able to volley more and hit more attacking shots off loose boasts or drives.
When I was a kid I didn't value length. I basically only hit length when I couldn't attack short. I didn't realize the pressure you can create with length and that it helps to set up a better opportunity to go short. So yes, I understand that length is essential to playing a high level of squash, but what exactly defines it? Good length can be hit straight or crosscourt. The qualities of a good straight drive are different than a crosscourt obviously. With either shot the main objective is to get your opponent off the T. Depending on the caliber and location of your opponent will dictate how tight your drive or wide your width has to be.
So you get your opponent off the T with your length, that's great. But when you get to an even higher level giving your opponent too much space and time even from the back is dangerous. My second objective with length is to limit the number of options my opponent can hit. If I hit a great length they should not be able to hit crosscourt and if I hit a near perfect length they may be limited to a boast. You can see how this is a huge advantage. Now I can shift my T position and cover only 1 or 2 possible shots. I would also anticipate a looser reply and look to attack and stay on the T. If you can consistently get your opponent off the T and limit their shot options you are going to do well. But that's not all that defines someone that hits good length.
We can't always hit dying length and we shouldn't always try to. When we are out of position, under pressure, or your opponent hits a tight shot we need to play more defensive and hit a rallying drive. A rallying drive is meant to come off of the back wall and gives you more time to get back to the T. If we try to hit an attacking drive when we are in a defensive position and we don't hit our target our opponent will have an opening to attack and we won't have time to get to the T. So being able to overhit your drives when under pressure is an important quality. There are many ways in which you may have to play a length under pressure. This can be off your back foot (open stance), choking up on your racquet and shortening your backswing in the back corner when you have limited space, or trying to return a shot that is running right on the side wall. Great players can consistently hit high quality shots under pressure. Having good footwork, balance and strength is important for hitting high quality length under pressure.
So we have a good idea about what makes someone good at hitting length. Knowing when you want to hit the ball low and hard, medium pace and medium height, or high and soft are al important qualities. Many people never lift the ball from the back corners, but this is a shot I really like. Shaman is one of the best at lifting the ball from the back and getting his opponent off the T. I believe this change of pace and height is an important, but not an essential quality for being great at hitting length. People that hit everything one pace are more predictable and are prone to make mistakes when they are under pressure.
Most of what I've discussed so far as only applied to straight drives. Crosscourt drives aren't that much different. The main problem with most people is that they hit crosscourt too often and not wide enough. If you hit it too wide you may ed up with a let or even getting drilled by your opponent. This is still better than hitting it too loose and they cut it off. If your opponent knows a crosscourt is coming it has to be hit so precise or it can get your in trouble. That's why I feel that disguising your crosscourt length is essential. This is another trait of someone that hits good length. Not only are they pinpoint accurate, but they also don't become too predictable and they can disguise their shot.
A good width depends on where your opponent is standing around the T and how long their reach is. You'll even see a few of the pros play crosscourt drives through the middle to keep their opponent on edge. If you hit a great width they should have to boast. They should definitely not be able to hit a good width in response to your width.
There are a few other qualities that I haven't mentioned yet. To be top notch at length you need to be able to adapt to different courts, opponents, and balls. When a court is slow or a ball is lively it dramatically changes the game. Footwork into and out of the back corners are also extremely important to hitting good length. Also I feel that the efficiency of the movement into the corners is important. Whoever can do this smoother and expend less energy will have a better chance of winning. The backhand side (for righties) is of particular importance. This is where many rallies take place and if you hit the ball tighter than your opponent here you can always play this side when you need a point. To be a high level player you should be able to keep it very tight here all day long. Personally it's about getting your racquet head squared and running parallel to the sidewall at the point of contact. I've hit so many of these drives that I can feel the slight tension in my forearm at the point of contact and it allows me to be very consistent with my timing.
The other thing I haven't mentioned yet is another advanced skill, spin. People generally hit the ball with a slightly open racquet face on the backhand side and higher on the front wall. When you have time and space I like closing the racquet face and hitting the ball flatter and with more pace. You will see some pros hit with a slight topspin or flat racquet face quite often.
The last quality of good length is something similar I talked about earlier, disguising and being less predictable. Top players can attack well from the back corners and this makes their length more effective because their opponent has to play a higher T and cover the front as well. Although this isn't hitting length, it's a subtle thing that improves the quality of their length hitting.
Knowing when to hit which type of length takes practice. So does being able to hit the ball parallel to the side wall like Shabana. Solo practice is great and so it doing rotating drives and length games. I like using targets for different types of lengths. I also recommend doing some technical testing to see just how accurate you are. Now I'll finish off with some conditions games you can practice and an overview of the most common errors on peoples length game.
Length Based Condition Games
1) You get 1 short shot each per rally, everything else is length
2) If the ball lands short int he service box you can hit anything, otherwise you have to hit length
3) Length game, if you volley you can go short
4) Rotating drives on one side of the court (e.g., the left side). A player gets a point if they hit a crosscourt width that gets by you to the right side of the court. If you cut it off and can hit a straight drive you get a point
5) Straight game (short or deep). 5B) You can add in a crosscourt or trickle boast from the front to keep them honest
6) Straight (short or deep) vs. anything
7) Deep, deep, short 7B) deep, deep, short, shot
8) Rotating drives with option to boast for 1 player. If they get the boast back they they now have the option to boast. If they don't the other player gets the point and still has the boast
9) Everything over the service line except 1 shot per rally can be hit under
10) The player the won the last rally can only hit length, the other person can hit anything
Common Length Errors
1) Too many crosscourts
2) Crosscourts are not wide enough
3) Length is too short (especially on the forehand side)
4) Overhitting all of their drives, which doesn't create as much pressure
5) Hang too far back on the T
6) Don't use disguise
7) Unable to shorten their backswing and dig out tough balls
8) Failure to use height and vary the pace
9) Unable to play off their back foot (open stance), especially when under pressure
10) Drives are it too late and hit into the sidewall and slow the ball down
That's it for today. I hope you enjoyed the post. Thanks again to the reader who suggested the topic! I'm always open to suggestions if you have one. I'm leaving soon for another tournament with the kids so I may not have a post for a few day. The World Championships are starting today, so I should have lots to talk about. I saw a post on Twitter about how little the players make. The winner gets a little less than $50,000. After tax, maybe that's around $40,000 to be a world champion. If you make it to the quarters and lose you get a little under $10,000. Crazy low and it shows that all professional squash players do it for the love of the game. And that they will all need a job after they finish playing professionally!
When I was a kid I didn't value length. I basically only hit length when I couldn't attack short. I didn't realize the pressure you can create with length and that it helps to set up a better opportunity to go short. So yes, I understand that length is essential to playing a high level of squash, but what exactly defines it? Good length can be hit straight or crosscourt. The qualities of a good straight drive are different than a crosscourt obviously. With either shot the main objective is to get your opponent off the T. Depending on the caliber and location of your opponent will dictate how tight your drive or wide your width has to be.
So you get your opponent off the T with your length, that's great. But when you get to an even higher level giving your opponent too much space and time even from the back is dangerous. My second objective with length is to limit the number of options my opponent can hit. If I hit a great length they should not be able to hit crosscourt and if I hit a near perfect length they may be limited to a boast. You can see how this is a huge advantage. Now I can shift my T position and cover only 1 or 2 possible shots. I would also anticipate a looser reply and look to attack and stay on the T. If you can consistently get your opponent off the T and limit their shot options you are going to do well. But that's not all that defines someone that hits good length.
We can't always hit dying length and we shouldn't always try to. When we are out of position, under pressure, or your opponent hits a tight shot we need to play more defensive and hit a rallying drive. A rallying drive is meant to come off of the back wall and gives you more time to get back to the T. If we try to hit an attacking drive when we are in a defensive position and we don't hit our target our opponent will have an opening to attack and we won't have time to get to the T. So being able to overhit your drives when under pressure is an important quality. There are many ways in which you may have to play a length under pressure. This can be off your back foot (open stance), choking up on your racquet and shortening your backswing in the back corner when you have limited space, or trying to return a shot that is running right on the side wall. Great players can consistently hit high quality shots under pressure. Having good footwork, balance and strength is important for hitting high quality length under pressure.
So we have a good idea about what makes someone good at hitting length. Knowing when you want to hit the ball low and hard, medium pace and medium height, or high and soft are al important qualities. Many people never lift the ball from the back corners, but this is a shot I really like. Shaman is one of the best at lifting the ball from the back and getting his opponent off the T. I believe this change of pace and height is an important, but not an essential quality for being great at hitting length. People that hit everything one pace are more predictable and are prone to make mistakes when they are under pressure.
Most of what I've discussed so far as only applied to straight drives. Crosscourt drives aren't that much different. The main problem with most people is that they hit crosscourt too often and not wide enough. If you hit it too wide you may ed up with a let or even getting drilled by your opponent. This is still better than hitting it too loose and they cut it off. If your opponent knows a crosscourt is coming it has to be hit so precise or it can get your in trouble. That's why I feel that disguising your crosscourt length is essential. This is another trait of someone that hits good length. Not only are they pinpoint accurate, but they also don't become too predictable and they can disguise their shot.
A good width depends on where your opponent is standing around the T and how long their reach is. You'll even see a few of the pros play crosscourt drives through the middle to keep their opponent on edge. If you hit a great width they should have to boast. They should definitely not be able to hit a good width in response to your width.
There are a few other qualities that I haven't mentioned yet. To be top notch at length you need to be able to adapt to different courts, opponents, and balls. When a court is slow or a ball is lively it dramatically changes the game. Footwork into and out of the back corners are also extremely important to hitting good length. Also I feel that the efficiency of the movement into the corners is important. Whoever can do this smoother and expend less energy will have a better chance of winning. The backhand side (for righties) is of particular importance. This is where many rallies take place and if you hit the ball tighter than your opponent here you can always play this side when you need a point. To be a high level player you should be able to keep it very tight here all day long. Personally it's about getting your racquet head squared and running parallel to the sidewall at the point of contact. I've hit so many of these drives that I can feel the slight tension in my forearm at the point of contact and it allows me to be very consistent with my timing.
The other thing I haven't mentioned yet is another advanced skill, spin. People generally hit the ball with a slightly open racquet face on the backhand side and higher on the front wall. When you have time and space I like closing the racquet face and hitting the ball flatter and with more pace. You will see some pros hit with a slight topspin or flat racquet face quite often.
The last quality of good length is something similar I talked about earlier, disguising and being less predictable. Top players can attack well from the back corners and this makes their length more effective because their opponent has to play a higher T and cover the front as well. Although this isn't hitting length, it's a subtle thing that improves the quality of their length hitting.
Knowing when to hit which type of length takes practice. So does being able to hit the ball parallel to the side wall like Shabana. Solo practice is great and so it doing rotating drives and length games. I like using targets for different types of lengths. I also recommend doing some technical testing to see just how accurate you are. Now I'll finish off with some conditions games you can practice and an overview of the most common errors on peoples length game.
Length Based Condition Games
1) You get 1 short shot each per rally, everything else is length
2) If the ball lands short int he service box you can hit anything, otherwise you have to hit length
3) Length game, if you volley you can go short
4) Rotating drives on one side of the court (e.g., the left side). A player gets a point if they hit a crosscourt width that gets by you to the right side of the court. If you cut it off and can hit a straight drive you get a point
5) Straight game (short or deep). 5B) You can add in a crosscourt or trickle boast from the front to keep them honest
6) Straight (short or deep) vs. anything
7) Deep, deep, short 7B) deep, deep, short, shot
8) Rotating drives with option to boast for 1 player. If they get the boast back they they now have the option to boast. If they don't the other player gets the point and still has the boast
9) Everything over the service line except 1 shot per rally can be hit under
10) The player the won the last rally can only hit length, the other person can hit anything
Common Length Errors
1) Too many crosscourts
2) Crosscourts are not wide enough
3) Length is too short (especially on the forehand side)
4) Overhitting all of their drives, which doesn't create as much pressure
5) Hang too far back on the T
6) Don't use disguise
7) Unable to shorten their backswing and dig out tough balls
8) Failure to use height and vary the pace
9) Unable to play off their back foot (open stance), especially when under pressure
10) Drives are it too late and hit into the sidewall and slow the ball down
That's it for today. I hope you enjoyed the post. Thanks again to the reader who suggested the topic! I'm always open to suggestions if you have one. I'm leaving soon for another tournament with the kids so I may not have a post for a few day. The World Championships are starting today, so I should have lots to talk about. I saw a post on Twitter about how little the players make. The winner gets a little less than $50,000. After tax, maybe that's around $40,000 to be a world champion. If you make it to the quarters and lose you get a little under $10,000. Crazy low and it shows that all professional squash players do it for the love of the game. And that they will all need a job after they finish playing professionally!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)