The analogy with the knife and the pen is very relevant, especially for children, but not only... The sequence with the red "screen" is hilarious but makes good sense. Thank you for making these techniques affordable with such British humor ;-)
Thanks Coach Philip! This is an unbelievably useful gem of a video. I watched it about a month ago and I can't tell you how much it has improved my squash (even though I had been playing for years) and how much it's increased my enjoyment of the game. So much so that I can plausibly be called an addict given that I'm now at the court four times a week-often so doing solo drills you recommend in other videos- enjoying my newfound control of the ball. A consequence of playing so much has been my tendonitis on my right shoulder has gotten worse. The sensible thing, apparently, is to stop playing squash but I can't bring myself to do that despite all the nights I spend icing my shoulder. I've been thinking of learning to play with my left hand. My initial forays into this have been a bit disastrous as there is no flow to my game-and I'm extremely right dominant. But to give my right shoulder a rest I would like to at least try to rebuild my game with my left hand from the grip up and perhaps switch to playing with my left for awhile. Coach Philip do you have any tips for learning to play squash with your other hand?
Hi Muhammad, I am so glad my video has been useful to you. The worrying thing is your news about tendonitis. It's impossible for me to diagnose your issue from a comment, but you shouldn't have tendonitis simply from playing more squash. There must be something causing the issue. I know you don't want to hear this, but go and see a professional physio. I say "I know you don't want to hear this" because I am sure A: you have already heard it and B: you know its true, and nobody wants to be reminded of the truth. As far as starting with your left-hand is concerned, have a look at a friend of mine's channel called "The Pursuit of Squash": ua-cam.com/channels/RjtVYqEAgCw0R4i8eGytuw.html He taught himself to play left-hand. It was always a plan of mine to make a video about the same thing, but I never got around to it. What I would say is that you should consider yourself a beginner, even though you "know" how to play with your right-hand. That means doing plenty of simple control exercises to build up your forearm strength. Good luck and let me know what the physio says and how you get on with the left-hand!
@@BetterSquash Thanks Coach Phillip! I should have been clearer that the tendonitis was a pre-existing condition prior to my recent discovery of the joys of squash with a proper grip. The extra squash just exacerbated the condition. But your comment gave me the push I needed to begin proceedings to see physio and I've started scouting the area and I will see one soon. Thanks for the "The Pursuit of Squash" link. I'll check it out. And your advice on treating myself like a beginner makes sense and that's the approach I'll take. Of course if you ever decide to make that video that would be really wonderful as I find you have a rare knack for explaining these things where things just click for me. I've been shown the proper grip many many times over the years and I've seen other excellent videos on UA-cam but it didn't stick. But you managed to say just the right things for the rationale behind the grip to be easily internalized and I thank you for that.
Thanks! I've played for years and years with a 'beginners grip' probably explains my week backhand! Probably because I played tennis as a child and a western grip is preferable.
The grip is fundamental to the rest of the swing. You now have an opportunity to use the forearm as part of a better swing; a swing that provides power and control. I wish you success.
Hmmmm. So I watched this video for the 1st time yesterday. ( along with a whole host of other videos - but I figured start with the grip). 1st session today, made 2 very minor changes to my grip following the demonstration showed within this video.....and wow the immediate positive effect this has had on my backhand control is unbelievable. Great video and the perfect starting point for improving your game, without even needing to step on court. Simply brilliant - Thanks.
Well, this was a wondeful comment to wake up to. I'm so glad it helped, especially as it seemed to help immediately! I hope some of my other videos are useful for you too.
@@BetterSquash I have another session this evening, so I will test to see if yesterday was a fluke or not 🙂. I have watch a lot of your other videos over the past few days. However I don't want to make too many changes to my game at once and the grip seemed like the sensible place to start. My next objective. Once I am confident that my new grip is consistent, is to follow your watch the ball on to the strings / dont follow the ball onto the wall process. As there area number of steps to this, I think it will take a few hours play to get the rhythm of it. You know good habits take a long time to become normal, where as bad habits we can normally perfect in about 20 mins. As I am fairly new and fairly old, I will work through your content as methodically as I can. Using the mantra. Do something to improve your squash every day. Fantastic content btw. Informative, constructive, clear and logically it's all makes perfect sense. (Theory in to practice.... well that is something quite different) Thanks again C
You are absolutely right not to make too many changes in a short period of time. Starting with the grip is always are good option as it is fundamental to most things. The real key is chosing what to focus on next as each player has different needs etc. I often find a good way is one technical aspect followed by some small change in tactics or mindset. Let me know if you have any questions at any time.
So since changing grip I have played 4 more hours after the initial change. 1st hour - awful. Could not recreate the same set up as I had found and the control I thought i had gained, I lost. (Amateurs, eh!!). 2nd hour - better. I took time between shots to quickly assess my grip against how it felt and how the ball behaved after I played it. Still there were issues during the session, were I could immediately feel on impact with the ball that something was not quite right / as consistent as is should be. After this session I went back and watched the video where you talk about watching the ball on to the strings. Tbh because of the amount of steps in this process I only took from it the 1st one. Watch the ball on to the bloody strings. 3rd hour. Yes. I feel it now. Watching the ball come on to the racquet brought back that control. Especially on the serve it was like all of a sudden there was a better smoother flow to how I was hitting the ball and how it was coming off the racquet. In the hour I only made a few changes in game to my grip. The previous hour I was constantly looking for that sweet spot, but could not find it. I cant tell you that every single shot I watched on to the racquet head... because I didn't, but if it was 20% then it was I infinitely more times than I'd done it before. 4th hour. Ok. Now not only can I feel the progress, but I can see it and so did my sparring partner. After about 10 mins I did not need to adjust my grip and and was able to re-find the correct position easily. In addition I could tell straight away if my grip had lapsed as I could now feel the movement/ small vibration after the shot. The effect for me now of watching the ball on the the strings, was that now my head is automatically in a better position. The effect this had was (again this is only 1 hour of play) I was getting in to much lower positions naturally and the flow of the movement felt smooth and controlled. My biggest problem is that many of.my shots are to central and this makes it easier for my opponent. In this hour I think only 5 / 6 shots were what I would call my usual gift shots. Which meant my opponent had to move, stretch and work more which of course resulted in me being able to take control of more points and get in to better position on court. He was so peed off afterwards he just packed up, said bye and left. I will continue for now just to spend the next 3 / 4 sessions on reinforcing this in to my game and once I am comfortable this is just a natural part of my game. I will move on to other aspects and start again. In the space of 5 hours of play, my game has taken such a huge leap forward ( a sustainable leap forward) Thank you so much. Your videos have made an incredible impact already. Cant wait to see how far this can improve my game over 6 months / a year...... Many thanks again. C
Hour 5. Utter garbage. Played with sparring partner. Shots to central. Easy pickings. Ran around the court like a dog chasing a ball. 1 positive - played more volleys. Frustrated. Annoyed. Conclusion - Poor concentration to start with. Got frustrated very quickly. Mentally never recovered enough to gain any rhythm. Hour 6 - with coach. 30 mins of specific plays. Lines Front and back. Ball only in opponents box. 30 mins sparring. This was in complete contrast to Saturday session. (Not saying everything was perfect, far from it). But the control and clean contact with the ball was there. ( mostly). So that is 6 hours of play. With 3 different partners and at the moment it's up and down. But The ups are much much better than even a week ago and the downs are really brought on by frustration and lack of mental calmness. Conclusion - The technical changes are not going to be natural and constant without more time, more work and more focus. But when it comes together, I can feel and see a big improvement in my game. My next session with my sparring partner I am going to try and play the whole hour without commenting, speaking or showing signs of exasperation. I hope this will be the 1st step in improving my concentration and focus. Next round of the league is Sunday so my initial objective is to win every game. Will only do 3 hours on court this week and will rest for at least 48 hours before the league games. ( more for mental freshness than physical freshness). I am really trying to do something to improve my squash every day. Last 2 sessions I have warmed up and down. 😁
I’m coming from the “choosing your first racket video” where I asked about the tennis elbow issue. After watching this video I realized now that my problem might be a small grip…I’m gonna check that on my next practice. I’m a big time spinner too, but I only do it in between serves, never while playing. Thanks for the great content, Coach Philip!
I replied to that comment and mentioned the size of your grip. Experiment with slightly bigger sizes until you feel better. I'm glad you like the content.
And today I reviewed this video again before going to games. To me, Phillip's advice on spreading the fingers / elongating the palm does make a difference on volley shots, for it offers better support and stability to the racket. I used to place my thumb too close the middle finger, essentially forming a "ring", and no surprise racket was less stable during swing.
Think of it like learning to hold the pen and write. Almost anything she does will help her hold the pen/racket properly. However, she must constantly check that she has the correct grip, as well as ensure she doesn't get too tired doing any drill for too long. So, basically, any drill she enjoys would be a good start. Don't worry about power, focus on ball control. I would also advise some shadow swings without the ball. That will allow her to feel comfortable swing the racket using the correct grip, without worrying about hitting the ball perfectly. Hope that helps.
Subscribed. Purely commenting to support the channel. New(ish) to squash and absolutely love it. Accessible at a beginner level, but without stating the obvious there's so many layers to the game which make keeping at it interesting and motivational. I've even been dragging my sister to play, who hasn't played sport in 10 years. Ploughing through your videos and getting some great tips - thanks
Thanks for subscribing, and welcome to the squash community! Let me know if you have any questions. Fingers crossed you can convince your sister to give it a try.
Great video! A questions that sits just on between the grip and the swing: The meaning on "cocked wrist" is a bit mysterious for non natives. It says so in all English speaking instructions since for ever, but what does it really mean? You hint but perhaps there is more to it? Is it always recommended to hit with a firm and stiff wrist? That means using the arm more than the wrist. My shots get more accurate when I use the arm more and the wrist less, but when the speed is high there is to little time to move the whole arm. Pls advice. An idea re editing: when you switch between right and wrong very quickly, it could be useful to add a little Right and Wrong text in the corner. Even colour coded. Thanks for great coaching!!!
Hi Tomas, sorry for the late reply. I thought I covered it at: ua-cam.com/video/go7GWoSJQxA/v-deo.html but essentially a "cocked wrist" is where you try to bring your fingers and thumb towards your elbow. You need to use both your upper arm and your forearm in the swing. The wrist rotates and you should try to keep the wrist cocked, but accept that it will relax a little bit. Good idea about the editing, although the red and green won't help for people with colour blindness, but I should have done a better job in identifying the difference between good and bad.
So you recommend a neutral grip if I understand well, just like the "continental grip " in Tennis for a volley? I asking it as it is not very clear from the video as we see only the handle of the racket and not the face ( strings) 😁
Very comprehensive video. Very well explained. Loved it. One point - At few moments the voice over was not in sync with action. For example - While visuals played the correct swing and forearm action, the voice over was the wrong grip and its limitations.These moments were confusing.
Hello, I am glad you found it useful. I am so sorry about the voice over not being in sync. I'll check when I get a moment, although there's nothing I can do for this video, except maybe put a note in the text description.
That's a very sensible and smart thing to do. Too often when i say people should watch my videos more than once, I am accused of just trying to get higher stats, but in reality, most people only assimilate little pieces of information at a time. You know what? I think I'll write an article on this exact topic. By the way, let me know if you have any questions.
@@BetterSquash I agree, one cannot just look at something once and expect to be a pro. Question: When I serve, should I look at the ball the whole time or only the last split second and rather look at where I want to hit it? So far for every other question I had so far there was a video. But I will post further questions I get on the latest video you post. Thank you.
As you prepare to serve, look at your opponent to make sure they are not about to surprise you, then put your attention to the ball hitting your racket, then watch the ball's flight, but switch back to your opponent before they hit it. You shouldn't need to look at the front wall to where you want to hit it. Before you serve, you can look at the front wall, but you should already know where the ball needs to hit to get the kind of serve you want. If you don't, you have to practice your serve more.
I have a question... How do you manage to hit the ball near the knee on the backhand? Do you move toward the ball, and how to determine the right momentum for the impact?
The answer to both questions is purposeful practice. For example, for the first question, you go on court and hit some simple shots back to yourself while focusing on the point of impact. Try to hit the ball at different points in relation to your knee and see which works best for you. There are perfect biomechanical movements, but the reality is that for each person there will be some variation, so you need to find the things that suit you. Of course, that all depends on having good technique as a starting point. With regard to your second question, how you move to the ball depends on where you are coming from and how the ball is moving. In general, you are trying to ensure the last step is longer than the proceeding steps, so that you can transfer your momentum into the ball. if the ball is low and in the middle of the court, you can transfer most of your weight, if the ball is behind you , then you might transfer very little as you might be almost stationary when you hit it. You only learn these things from repetition on court. There is no substitute for this and knowing all the theoretical points is useless with practical application. Let me ask you some questions. Do you have any particular issue with hitting the ball? have you had any coaching?
@@BetterSquash Doing my Monday 80 minutes solo drills, I really focused on my grip. I use to hold my racket with the beginner position you describe, the palm on the "large flat" part of the grip []
Hi, I appreciate this video. Does that Xamsa racquets have 2 replacement grips on it? I feel like this is where I should be based off your video l, but I’ve heard conflicting things about two replacement grips vs just the one.
Hi, Im glad you like the video. Yes, I believe the Xamsa did have two replacement grips on it. I can't check because I don't think I have it anymore. The only important thing here is what feels comfortable for you. In general, two replacement grips are about right for most people, if the first grip is the one supplied by the manufacturer as they are generally thinner than bought repalcement grips.
Hey Phillip, great video once again, your videos are just what I'm after as a keen and improving player, a great resource. Have you done, or are you planning to do a video on what to do with your non-racket arm, it's something I don't think I am doing right but don't know what is the correct thing to do in some shots. Thanks a lot, keep them coming :D
Great video coach. One question - is it common (or, more importantly, is it helpful) to change one's grip during a rally, depending on the type of shot? For example, I find that the grip you describe works well for backhand drives, but for a volley or drop shot from mid-court I find that straightening my thumb towards the top of the racquet (more vertically up the handle) is helpful at providing additional control and racquet stability, at the expense of power. During my solo practice should I simply force myself to maintain a single grip for all of my shots (and thereby hopefully gradually improve accuracy) or can I change between these if I find this helpful?
I'm glad you like it, thanks. It's more common for higher levels of player to change grip mid-point. Purely because they have more sensitivity to the changes and can go back to their "standard" grip very quickly. I think I imagine what you do with your thumb, but wouldn't recommend it because it seems that you would lose stability. That said, without actually seeing it in action and if it does help you, then I am hesitant to say "Don't change". In general though, grip changes occur in the very back corners (move higher up the grip and perhaps make it more "open" on the backhand) and at the very front for stretched drop shots. Unlike tennis, squash players don't have enough time to change grips per shot. So, yes, I probably would recommend getting use to the proper grip (with minor variations to suit yourself) and keep that grip for 95% of shots.
I’m a lefty and sometimes have difficulty visualizing right handed instruction. I’m also ambidextrous and on occasion when digging deep to the right rail use my right hand. I’m almost as accurate as my left. Good or bad? I really dig your videos by the way and have been very good for me.
DOH! Why didn't I think to hold it in my left hand for the camera. Sorry. Switching hands is quite unusual and in general I would say to avoid it but if it works well for you then, why not? However, perhaps you should work on improving your backhand swing? I'll mention this is a follow up video.
That grip seems natural to me on the forehand, but quite troublesome on the backhand. Can you do an explanation on how you rotate the wrist if going from forehand to backhand during a rally.
Sorry if you've already answered this but do you keep the same grip for both forehand and backhand? Brilliant video's by the way. So happy to have found you!
Hi, no need to apologise for asking a valid question. Doesn't matter if it has been asked a hundred times before. The answer is "No". Some people do change their grip but only advanced players should consider doing it, because knowing when to change is actually more difficult than changing it. Just to be clear, generally, advanced players only change the grip to get balls out of the back corner that they can't get any other way. Believe it or not, with the correct grip and proper swing technique you can get nearly every out of the back corners, so focus on that. I'm happy to hear you like my videos. How long have you been playing?
I'm taking my first steps at squash, and your videos have been incredibly useful. Thank you!!! Now, here is a question for you (or anyone who might want to help) -are How good are Dropshot rackets? Someone is selling a couple of used ones, and even though I tried to google the brand and learn more about the brand, I didn't find much on this brand specifically producing squash rackets. Any help?
Glad to hear I have helped. I have never heard of "Dropshot Rackets", so I can't comment specifically. I couldn't even find a brand called Dropshot selling squash rackets. I can say this, in general, buy the major brands. They have better quality control. The exception to this is when you live in an area where somebody is selling a minor or personal brand and lots of people use them and they have a good local reputation. It's not that hard to contact a factory in China, agree a quantity, get the rackets branded and shipped, and to start selling them. The key is making sure they are high quality and to do that you normally need to order a LOT. Lastly, if you can't try a racket before you buy it, think twice before buying it. If you don't mind sharing the information, where do you live?
@@BetterSquash Excellent! Thanks so much for getting back to me, and for all your tips. I also had a hard time finding information on Dropshot Rackets, and since the selling person claimed it was a high-performance English brand, I thought I was simply trying to find the information in the wrong places. Thanks so much for your help! I live in Ecuador, in South America. Squash isn't really a popular sport here, so watching your videos has really helped me a lot!!!
Hi coach Phillip. I’m struggling with the visuals (mostly because the racquet shaft isn’t shown in most of the close ups. *I can’t work out which side of the racquet you are gripping. I can’t work out the orientation of the racquet). Is the point at the ‘V’ in thumb and index finger 1) on the narrower side wall of the grip, or 2) on the wider (flatter) main front of the grip, or 3) on the corner?
Hi, the shape of the grip is a rectangle with slightly curved corners as seen from the bottom of the grip. If you were to balance the racket on the floor with the racket head and bottom part of the grip touching the floor, with the racket head vertical, the longest sides of the grip would be vertical too. The racket face and the longest sides of the grip are in the same plane. Now, with the racket balanced on the floor, the top left corner edge is where your V should be. Maybe this video shows the racket head orientation better: ua-cam.com/video/14AHHtGga4Q/v-deo.html For the next grip video, I'll make sure I clearly show the racket head. I hope the above text description helps.
Excellent video! One comment I have is something that was told to me when I was teaching for a few months between leaving school and going to university, and had a qualified teacher sitting in on some of the lessons. I asked one of the students the answer to a question and wrote his answer on the board, and asked the other students if they thought there were any mistakes (there were). After the lesson, the other teacher told me that I shouldn't show something that wasn't correct because people have a visual memory. So I wonder whether it's a good idea to show people using the wrong grip before the right one? Just a thought, and I could be wrong!
Thank you, I am glad you liked it. with regard to your point about showing people something that is incorrect, you/they might be right. it can certainly confuse some people and give them doubts when they try to remember what they were told. In my defence, I chose to show the wrong grip because I believe that most people who watch this video already play and are holding the racket incorrectly at the moment. I wanted them to have the "Light bulb" moment, where they recognise themselves. I also felt that I wanted them to be understood, in the sense that there does seem to be good reasons for holding the racket that way when you first start. Having said all of that, it might have been a mistake to show the most common wrong grip. I'll ponder a little bit and maybe make a new video. Thanks for the food for thought.
Thanks for the response. I didn't mean to sound critical, because your videos are exellent, and my teaching tutor might have been wrong, but it could be something to think about . . .
No problem at all - I welcome criticism and feedback. I feel that if I post something public, then I have to accept all responses. You were polite and asked a fair question, so that's great. It's definitely an interesting topic.
Loved it! I've for a question. My fingers are really long and there isn't any space at all between fingers and the base of the thumb. Would you consider it as a good thing or I need to wrap something around the racquet handle? Cheers
Hi Boris, sorry for the late reply. I would certainly suggest trying another grip on top of the one that you have but don't feel that your grip has to match mine. If after trying the extra grip, yours feels more comfortable, go back to it.
Thank you coach for taking your time to teach us. Nonetheless should I emphasize that every human body is different (hand size especifically) and sometimes adapting different types of grip is valid. I personally use the grip shown in 5:50 to 6:10 in the moment of impact.. and many female players actually vary their grip especially if you see gohar, el welily and more players like nick matthew and willstrop... their second knuckle is just way too side rather than top of the grip or at the diagonal position especially when they try to play backhand side
Great video coach. I was wondering if there are situations upon which you would recommend changing a bit the angle of the grip. I have noticed that I change it unconsciously before attacking some volleys (e.g. trying to shoot for a nick). Do you think that is more likely due to an uncomfortable/wrong body position?
Hello, sorry for the late reply. I'm not sure I would "recommend" it, but I do acknowledge that some situations can benefit from a small change in grip. It's one of the things that players have to develop naturally by being put in situations by their coach and explaining the options. Then the player can decide what works best for them. However, I wouls ay that not the sort of thing I would be doing with beginners and maybe even intermediates.
Another great video thanks. Just re the position of the butt of the racket, is it ok for it to lie in the nook running down the centre of the palm or should you feel it to the left of that(for a right hander) pressing against the fleshy pad?
I'm having trouble imagining your position, but if I understand you correctly, then having the butt in the nook would seem to low. It seems like there would be a chance of the racket coming loose. Does that ever happen?
Squash Coach Phillip my racket usually stays where it is but it seems that sometimes when hitting hard it would be easier to hold ie less effort if I let the butt of the racket run down the centre of the palm in line with the wrist rather than on the left pad of the palm but I’d probably sacrifice some control with that. Someone else at my club holds it the way all the time so wondered what your thoughts on it were . Thanks anyway
You really should show the full racquet when demonstrating the grip, as in tennis videos. It must be clear how the hand relates to the flat surfaces of the handle.
I'm having trouble on this video and grip. I've implemented the grip mentioned here, moving from 'beginner's grip' to this one. But the forehand, and volleying on the forehand and serving, too, it feels so unnatural. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. It makes no sense to me. The backhand, however - this feels fantastic and so natural. Is the wrist supposed to be cocked back? Am I supposed to rotate the racket/switch grips?
Firstly, of all if it feels weird then you are probably not doing anything wrong. Changing you grip *is* weird, so don't think you are doing anything wrong. other changes need to be made, like point of contact and wrist/forearm movement. I suggest you do some shadow swings, i.e. without a ball, to really lock in that technique on your forehand. Good to hear that the backhand feels great. In general, I don't recommend changing the grip between backhand and forehand, but it does seem to work for some players.
Philip, How often does one change his grip on the course of a match or a rally. I know that I need to shift my grip upwards when trying to get the ball off a corner, or move it downwards when stretching for the ball. But during a rally, I find it very tough to even think about adjusting the grip, let alone actually doing it. How do I go about this..
I would avoid changing grip at all, unless you have to. The two cases you mention are extreme and I would doubt that either would need to be done more than once per match. If you have to do them more, then you need to look at what is happening seconds before that moment. Find the grip that suits you and don't change it.
This is something my coach continues to remind me of that I need to change my grip which will improve my game no end, but at 53 I have struggled so much that I now figure just play to enjoy and accept that I can't improve this aspect of my game.. actually unsets me but no matter how much I try I fall back to my original grip .. arrgghhhhhh.. :-(((
Yeah, it can be pretty frustrating. One thing is to always do solo practice with the correct grip. Not worrying about winning points may allow you to change your habit without too much pressure.
@@BetterSquash Thanks Philip yes you are right (again), I must allocate time within my solo practice to using the right grip. As my club has now reopened for solo practice only for now, I will try this. Many thanks
Without seeing exactly what you mean, I can't say whether this will help you in the long-term or not. Sometimes players make changes that help them immediately, but make things harder late on in their development.
Hi, yes having large hands or long fingers does make it harder to get the correct grip. What you need to do is put either an overgrip under your main grip or just some tape. Both things will increase the grips size while only slightly affecting the balance.
@@BetterSquash Thanks for the answer. Great content btw! You are HIGHLY underrated when it comes to information and videos about squash. Thanks for all the effort and time, i as a new player appreciate it. Especially that you actually reply to people as well!
@@BetterSquash I love that you used Roland-Garros as your tennis example. I grew up on clay courts. It is a dying skill here due to the high maintenance.
Sorry, still not sure about the grip angle, I guess because the handle is round. It doesn't look like you are using a continental grip, From the video I can't tell exactly what the grip angle is. In Tennis terms, are you using a Western grip?
Hi, your comment has encouraged me to think about other ways to explain the angle, although for this reply I'll have to stick to text. As far as comparing tennis grips go, and it's been 30 years since I coached tennis, but the squash grip is closer to an extreme Eastern grip. The squash racket handle doesn't have such a defined profile as most tennis handles, but it is oblong rather than round. Essentially, you want the join between your thumb and index finger to be on the left half of the grip (assuming you are right handed).
The grip I show in this video, is the standard squash grip. It's not a special or unusual way to hold the racket, so smashing the ball with an overhead shot should present not difficulty. Perhaps you can describe your issue? If you mean with the card, as in the thumbnail, you are not supposed to have the card in your grip while playing. It's just a way for you to understand which fingers are important and which are not.
I was experimenting with an action camera on a something called a gimble to make the image smooth. Unfortunately, the camera was quite cheap and the fish-eye lens was permanently fixed, so this is the result. Does look a bit weird, doesn't it?
That's a fair point. I believe that people add background music because it's a passive experience for viewers. Interestingly, I no longer use any music except in the occasional intro and in all outro sequences.
@@BetterSquash thanks for your fast reply , when i am listening to training videos i am trying to pay attention to what is being said and what is being shown , thanks for your channel , squash is a great game
The analogy with the knife and the pen is very relevant, especially for children, but not only... The sequence with the red "screen" is hilarious but makes good sense. Thank you for making these techniques affordable with such British humor ;-)
I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Too often the grip is ignored by players thinking it's too esoteric, but it makes a huge difference.
Thanks Coach Philip! This is an unbelievably useful gem of a video.
I watched it about a month ago and I can't tell you how much it has improved my squash (even though I had been playing for years) and how much it's increased my enjoyment of the game. So much so that I can plausibly be called an addict given that I'm now at the court four times a week-often so doing solo drills you recommend in other videos- enjoying my newfound control of the ball.
A consequence of playing so much has been my tendonitis on my right shoulder has gotten worse. The sensible thing, apparently, is to stop playing squash but I can't bring myself to do that despite all the nights I spend icing my shoulder.
I've been thinking of learning to play with my left hand. My initial forays into this have been a bit disastrous as there is no flow to my game-and I'm extremely right dominant. But to give my right shoulder a rest I would like to at least try to rebuild my game with my left hand from the grip up and perhaps switch to playing with my left for awhile.
Coach Philip do you have any tips for learning to play squash with your other hand?
Hi Muhammad, I am so glad my video has been useful to you. The worrying thing is your news about tendonitis. It's impossible for me to diagnose your issue from a comment, but you shouldn't have tendonitis simply from playing more squash. There must be something causing the issue.
I know you don't want to hear this, but go and see a professional physio. I say "I know you don't want to hear this" because I am sure A: you have already heard it and B: you know its true, and nobody wants to be reminded of the truth.
As far as starting with your left-hand is concerned, have a look at a friend of mine's channel called "The Pursuit of Squash": ua-cam.com/channels/RjtVYqEAgCw0R4i8eGytuw.html He taught himself to play left-hand. It was always a plan of mine to make a video about the same thing, but I never got around to it.
What I would say is that you should consider yourself a beginner, even though you "know" how to play with your right-hand. That means doing plenty of simple control exercises to build up your forearm strength.
Good luck and let me know what the physio says and how you get on with the left-hand!
@@BetterSquash Thanks Coach Phillip! I should have been clearer that the tendonitis was a pre-existing condition prior to my recent discovery of the joys of squash with a proper grip. The extra squash just exacerbated the condition. But your comment gave me the push I needed to begin proceedings to see physio and I've started scouting the area and I will see one soon.
Thanks for the "The Pursuit of Squash" link. I'll check it out. And your advice on treating myself like a beginner makes sense and that's the approach I'll take. Of course if you ever decide to make that video that would be really wonderful as I find you have a rare knack for explaining these things where things just click for me. I've been shown the proper grip many many times over the years and I've seen other excellent videos on UA-cam but it didn't stick. But you managed to say just the right things for the rationale behind the grip to be easily internalized and I thank you for that.
Thanks! I've played for years and years with a 'beginners grip' probably explains my week backhand! Probably because I played tennis as a child and a western grip is preferable.
The grip is fundamental to the rest of the swing. You now have an opportunity to use the forearm as part of a better swing; a swing that provides power and control. I wish you success.
Hmmmm. So I watched this video for the 1st time yesterday. ( along with a whole host of other videos - but I figured start with the grip).
1st session today, made 2 very minor changes to my grip following the demonstration showed within this video.....and wow the immediate positive effect this has had on my backhand control is unbelievable. Great video and the perfect starting point for improving your game, without even needing to step on court.
Simply brilliant - Thanks.
Well, this was a wondeful comment to wake up to. I'm so glad it helped, especially as it seemed to help immediately! I hope some of my other videos are useful for you too.
@@BetterSquash
I have another session this evening, so I will test to see if yesterday was a fluke or not 🙂.
I have watch a lot of your other videos over the past few days.
However I don't want to make too many changes to my game at once and the grip seemed like the sensible place to start.
My next objective. Once I am confident that my new grip is consistent, is to follow your watch the ball on to the strings / dont follow the ball onto the wall process. As there area number of steps to this, I think it will take a few hours play to get the rhythm of it. You know good habits take a long time to become normal, where as bad habits we can normally perfect in about 20 mins.
As I am fairly new and fairly old, I will work through your content as methodically as I can. Using the mantra.
Do something to improve your squash every day.
Fantastic content btw.
Informative, constructive, clear and logically it's all makes perfect sense.
(Theory in to practice.... well that is something quite different)
Thanks again
C
You are absolutely right not to make too many changes in a short period of time. Starting with the grip is always are good option as it is fundamental to most things. The real key is chosing what to focus on next as each player has different needs etc. I often find a good way is one technical aspect followed by some small change in tactics or mindset.
Let me know if you have any questions at any time.
So since changing grip I have played 4 more hours after the initial change.
1st hour - awful. Could not recreate the same set up as I had found and the control I thought i had gained, I lost. (Amateurs, eh!!).
2nd hour - better. I took time between shots to quickly assess my grip against how it felt and how the ball behaved after I played it. Still there were issues during the session, were I could immediately feel on impact with the ball that something was not quite right / as consistent as is should be.
After this session I went back and watched the video where you talk about watching the ball on to the strings. Tbh because of the amount of steps in this process I only took from it the 1st one.
Watch the ball on to the bloody strings.
3rd hour. Yes. I feel it now. Watching the ball come on to the racquet brought back that control. Especially on the serve it was like all of a sudden there was a better smoother flow to how I was hitting the ball and how it was coming off the racquet. In the hour I only made a few changes in game to my grip. The previous hour I was constantly looking for that sweet spot, but could not find it.
I cant tell you that every single shot I watched on to the racquet head... because I didn't, but if it was 20% then it was I infinitely more times than I'd done it before.
4th hour. Ok. Now not only can I feel the progress, but I can see it and so did my sparring partner.
After about 10 mins I did not need to adjust my grip and and was able to re-find the correct position easily. In addition I could tell straight away if my grip had lapsed as I could now feel the movement/ small vibration after the shot. The effect for me now of watching the ball on the the strings, was that now my head is automatically in a better position. The effect this had was (again this is only 1 hour of play) I was getting in to much lower positions naturally and the flow of the movement felt smooth and controlled.
My biggest problem is that many of.my shots are to central and this makes it easier for my opponent. In this hour I think only 5 / 6 shots were what I would call my usual gift shots. Which meant my opponent had to move, stretch and work more which of course resulted in me being able to take control of more points and get in to better position on court.
He was so peed off afterwards he just packed up, said bye and left.
I will continue for now just to spend the next 3 / 4 sessions on reinforcing this in to my game and once I am comfortable this is just a natural part of my game. I will move on to other aspects and start again.
In the space of 5 hours of play, my game has taken such a huge leap forward ( a sustainable leap forward)
Thank you so much. Your videos have made an incredible impact already.
Cant wait to see how far this can improve my game over 6 months / a year......
Many thanks again.
C
Hour 5. Utter garbage. Played with sparring partner.
Shots to central. Easy pickings.
Ran around the court like a dog chasing a ball.
1 positive - played more volleys.
Frustrated.
Annoyed.
Conclusion -
Poor concentration to start with.
Got frustrated very quickly.
Mentally never recovered enough to gain any rhythm.
Hour 6 - with coach.
30 mins of specific plays.
Lines
Front and back.
Ball only in opponents box.
30 mins sparring.
This was in complete contrast to Saturday session.
(Not saying everything was perfect, far from it). But the control and clean contact with the ball was there. ( mostly).
So that is 6 hours of play. With 3 different partners and at the moment it's up and down.
But
The ups are much much better than even a week ago and the downs are really brought on by frustration and lack of mental calmness.
Conclusion -
The technical changes are not going to be natural and constant without more time, more work and more focus. But when it comes together, I can feel and see a big improvement in my game.
My next session with my sparring partner I am going to try and play the whole hour without commenting, speaking or showing signs of exasperation. I hope this will be the 1st step in improving my concentration and focus.
Next round of the league is Sunday so my initial objective is to win every game.
Will only do 3 hours on court this week and will rest for at least 48 hours before the league games. ( more for mental freshness than physical freshness).
I am really trying to do something to improve my squash every day.
Last 2 sessions I have warmed up and down. 😁
I’m coming from the “choosing your first racket video” where I asked about the tennis elbow issue. After watching this video I realized now that my problem might be a small grip…I’m gonna check that on my next practice.
I’m a big time spinner too, but I only do it in between serves, never while playing.
Thanks for the great content, Coach Philip!
I replied to that comment and mentioned the size of your grip. Experiment with slightly bigger sizes until you feel better. I'm glad you like the content.
helpful thank you
new to squash and I needed the perseverance part to convince me to keep on using the "proper" grip. cheers
Glad I could help.
And today I reviewed this video again before going to games. To me, Phillip's advice on spreading the fingers / elongating the palm does make a difference on volley shots, for it offers better support and stability to the racket. I used to place my thumb too close the middle finger, essentially forming a "ring", and no surprise racket was less stable during swing.
Great to hear that my advice has helped. Don't forget to keep you grip loose until you need to hit the ball.
Thanks Coach Philip for a wonderful video., Any possibility that you can please share some drills that my daughter can follow to correct her grip
Think of it like learning to hold the pen and write. Almost anything she does will help her hold the pen/racket properly.
However, she must constantly check that she has the correct grip, as well as ensure she doesn't get too tired doing any drill for too long.
So, basically, any drill she enjoys would be a good start. Don't worry about power, focus on ball control.
I would also advise some shadow swings without the ball. That will allow her to feel comfortable swing the racket using the correct grip, without worrying about hitting the ball perfectly. Hope that helps.
Subscribed. Purely commenting to support the channel. New(ish) to squash and absolutely love it. Accessible at a beginner level, but without stating the obvious there's so many layers to the game which make keeping at it interesting and motivational. I've even been dragging my sister to play, who hasn't played sport in 10 years. Ploughing through your videos and getting some great tips - thanks
Thanks for subscribing, and welcome to the squash community! Let me know if you have any questions.
Fingers crossed you can convince your sister to give it a try.
Glad you injected some humour in the 1st minute when i thought the video would end there. Luckily the pause was not too long. Nice. Cheers.
Yeah, re-watching now, I think I paused for a little too long. Oh well.
Love it
Much needed video for beginners
Please make more extensive videos about forehand and backhand
Glad you like it. Full swing videos are planned.
Thanks Coacb Phillip. Perfectly explained and loads of great detail. Thanks v much.
I'm glad you liked the video. How long have you been playing?
Squash Coach Phillip I’ve been playing for just over a year. Practice every week and playing in club league matches.
It's great to hear you practice regularly.
Great video! A questions that sits just on between the grip and the swing: The meaning on "cocked wrist" is a bit mysterious for non natives. It says so in all English speaking instructions since for ever, but what does it really mean? You hint but perhaps there is more to it? Is it always recommended to hit with a firm and stiff wrist? That means using the arm more than the wrist. My shots get more accurate when I use the arm more and the wrist less, but when the speed is high there is to little time to move the whole arm. Pls advice. An idea re editing: when you switch between right and wrong very quickly, it could be useful to add a little Right and Wrong text in the corner. Even colour coded. Thanks for great coaching!!!
Hi Tomas, sorry for the late reply. I thought I covered it at: ua-cam.com/video/go7GWoSJQxA/v-deo.html but essentially a "cocked wrist" is where you try to bring your fingers and thumb towards your elbow. You need to use both your upper arm and your forearm in the swing. The wrist rotates and you should try to keep the wrist cocked, but accept that it will relax a little bit. Good idea about the editing, although the red and green won't help for people with colour blindness, but I should have done a better job in identifying the difference between good and bad.
So you recommend a neutral grip if I understand well, just like the "continental grip " in Tennis for a volley? I asking it as it is not very clear from the video as we see only the handle of the racket and not the face ( strings) 😁
I will make a new video showing the grip in better detail.
Great. 😍
Doing the highlighted mistake from last 2 years and lost couple of games. Thanks for correct gripping.
You are most welcome. getting the grip right from the beginning can really save new players a lot of headaches later on.
@@BetterSquash Indeed. Thanks for reply.
Very comprehensive video. Very well explained. Loved it. One point - At few moments the voice over was not in sync with action. For example - While visuals played the correct swing and forearm action, the voice over was the wrong grip and its limitations.These moments were confusing.
Hello, I am glad you found it useful. I am so sorry about the voice over not being in sync. I'll check when I get a moment, although there's nothing I can do for this video, except maybe put a note in the text description.
Coming back to watch this video a second time...might come for a third or fourth :)
A lot of information I think would be helpful to improve my game.
That's a very sensible and smart thing to do. Too often when i say people should watch my videos more than once, I am accused of just trying to get higher stats, but in reality, most people only assimilate little pieces of information at a time. You know what? I think I'll write an article on this exact topic. By the way, let me know if you have any questions.
@@BetterSquash I agree, one cannot just look at something once and expect to be a pro.
Question: When I serve, should I look at the ball the whole time or only the last split second and rather look at where I want to hit it? So far for every other question I had so far there was a video. But I will post further questions I get on the latest video you post.
Thank you.
As you prepare to serve, look at your opponent to make sure they are not about to surprise you, then put your attention to the ball hitting your racket, then watch the ball's flight, but switch back to your opponent before they hit it. You shouldn't need to look at the front wall to where you want to hit it. Before you serve, you can look at the front wall, but you should already know where the ball needs to hit to get the kind of serve you want. If you don't, you have to practice your serve more.
@@BetterSquash Thank you
Thanks. Great help! Despite low sound...
Sorry about that. Glad you liked the video.
I have a question... How do you manage to hit the ball near the knee on the backhand?
Do you move toward the ball, and how to determine the right momentum for the impact?
The answer to both questions is purposeful practice. For example, for the first question, you go on court and hit some simple shots back to yourself while focusing on the point of impact. Try to hit the ball at different points in relation to your knee and see which works best for you. There are perfect biomechanical movements, but the reality is that for each person there will be some variation, so you need to find the things that suit you. Of course, that all depends on having good technique as a starting point.
With regard to your second question, how you move to the ball depends on where you are coming from and how the ball is moving. In general, you are trying to ensure the last step is longer than the proceeding steps, so that you can transfer your momentum into the ball. if the ball is low and in the middle of the court, you can transfer most of your weight, if the ball is behind you , then you might transfer very little as you might be almost stationary when you hit it.
You only learn these things from repetition on court. There is no substitute for this and knowing all the theoretical points is useless with practical application.
Let me ask you some questions. Do you have any particular issue with hitting the ball? have you had any coaching?
Another top-notch video 👍
Thanks, although it feels like a mishmash of ideas and locations.
Yes the volume varies for me too.
Yeah, the sound guy (me) was an idiot.
Exceptionally useful. Best if you could do some illustrations on backhand drive for beginners.
Glad you feel it was helpful. CAn I suggest my Backhand video for you: ua-cam.com/video/hTXG-0tugUU/v-deo.html
Great Vid, Thx !
I need to work on improving my grip !
Thank you. Let me know how you get on.
@@BetterSquash Doing my Monday 80 minutes solo drills, I really focused on my grip.
I use to hold my racket with the beginner position you describe, the palm on the "large flat" part of the grip []
Hi, I appreciate this video. Does that Xamsa racquets have 2 replacement grips on it? I feel like this is where I should be based off your video l, but I’ve heard conflicting things about two replacement grips vs just the one.
Hi, Im glad you like the video. Yes, I believe the Xamsa did have two replacement grips on it. I can't check because I don't think I have it anymore. The only important thing here is what feels comfortable for you. In general, two replacement grips are about right for most people, if the first grip is the one supplied by the manufacturer as they are generally thinner than bought repalcement grips.
Hey Phillip, great video once again, your videos are just what I'm after as a keen and improving player, a great resource.
Have you done, or are you planning to do a video on what to do with your non-racket arm, it's something I don't think I am doing right but don't know what is the correct thing to do in some shots.
Thanks a lot, keep them coming :D
Not to pre-empt Coach Phillip, but he does cover that topic a little in this video: ua-cam.com/video/hTXG-0tugUU/v-deo.html
Thanks for linking to this.
Excellent video. I learnt alot
Thank you, I am glad to hear you enjoyed it.
Great video coach. One question - is it common (or, more importantly, is it helpful) to change one's grip during a rally, depending on the type of shot? For example, I find that the grip you describe works well for backhand drives, but for a volley or drop shot from mid-court I find that straightening my thumb towards the top of the racquet (more vertically up the handle) is helpful at providing additional control and racquet stability, at the expense of power. During my solo practice should I simply force myself to maintain a single grip for all of my shots (and thereby hopefully gradually improve accuracy) or can I change between these if I find this helpful?
I'm glad you like it, thanks. It's more common for higher levels of player to change grip mid-point. Purely because they have more sensitivity to the changes and can go back to their "standard" grip very quickly. I think I imagine what you do with your thumb, but wouldn't recommend it because it seems that you would lose stability. That said, without actually seeing it in action and if it does help you, then I am hesitant to say "Don't change". In general though, grip changes occur in the very back corners (move higher up the grip and perhaps make it more "open" on the backhand) and at the very front for stretched drop shots. Unlike tennis, squash players don't have enough time to change grips per shot.
So, yes, I probably would recommend getting use to the proper grip (with minor variations to suit yourself) and keep that grip for 95% of shots.
I’m a lefty and sometimes have difficulty visualizing right handed instruction. I’m also ambidextrous and on occasion when digging deep to the right rail use my right hand. I’m almost as accurate as my left. Good or bad? I really dig your videos by the way and have been very good for me.
DOH! Why didn't I think to hold it in my left hand for the camera. Sorry. Switching hands is quite unusual and in general I would say to avoid it but if it works well for you then, why not? However, perhaps you should work on improving your backhand swing? I'll mention this is a follow up video.
That grip seems natural to me on the forehand, but quite troublesome on the backhand. Can you do an explanation on how you rotate the wrist if going from forehand to backhand during a rally.
I'm not sure I fully understand what you mean, but I'll try to make a follow up video to answer questions people have and talk about some other stuff.
Sorry if you've already answered this but do you keep the same grip for both forehand and backhand? Brilliant video's by the way. So happy to have found you!
Hi, no need to apologise for asking a valid question. Doesn't matter if it has been asked a hundred times before. The answer is "No". Some people do change their grip but only advanced players should consider doing it, because knowing when to change is actually more difficult than changing it. Just to be clear, generally, advanced players only change the grip to get balls out of the back corner that they can't get any other way. Believe it or not, with the correct grip and proper swing technique you can get nearly every out of the back corners, so focus on that.
I'm happy to hear you like my videos. How long have you been playing?
I'm taking my first steps at squash, and your videos have been incredibly useful. Thank you!!! Now, here is a question for you (or anyone who might want to help) -are How good are Dropshot rackets? Someone is selling a couple of used ones, and even though I tried to google the brand and learn more about the brand, I didn't find much on this brand specifically producing squash rackets. Any help?
Glad to hear I have helped.
I have never heard of "Dropshot Rackets", so I can't comment specifically. I couldn't even find a brand called Dropshot selling squash rackets.
I can say this, in general, buy the major brands. They have better quality control. The exception to this is when you live in an area where somebody is selling a minor or personal brand and lots of people use them and they have a good local reputation.
It's not that hard to contact a factory in China, agree a quantity, get the rackets branded and shipped, and to start selling them. The key is making sure they are high quality and to do that you normally need to order a LOT.
Lastly, if you can't try a racket before you buy it, think twice before buying it.
If you don't mind sharing the information, where do you live?
@@BetterSquash Excellent! Thanks so much for getting back to me, and for all your tips. I also had a hard time finding information on Dropshot Rackets, and since the selling person claimed it was a high-performance English brand, I thought I was simply trying to find the information in the wrong places. Thanks so much for your help! I live in Ecuador, in South America. Squash isn't really a popular sport here, so watching your videos has really helped me a lot!!!
Excellent video. Now I know why my forearm hurts after playing
Thank you for saying so. If you have been squeezing all the time, that could certainly account for your forearm hurting after playing.
Hi coach Phillip. I’m struggling with the visuals (mostly because the racquet shaft isn’t shown in most of the close ups. *I can’t work out which side of the racquet you are gripping. I can’t work out the orientation of the racquet). Is the point at the ‘V’ in thumb and index finger 1) on the narrower side wall of the grip, or 2) on the wider (flatter) main front of the grip, or 3) on the corner?
Hi, the shape of the grip is a rectangle with slightly curved corners as seen from the bottom of the grip. If you were to balance the racket on the floor with the racket head and bottom part of the grip touching the floor, with the racket head vertical, the longest sides of the grip would be vertical too. The racket face and the longest sides of the grip are in the same plane.
Now, with the racket balanced on the floor, the top left corner edge is where your V should be.
Maybe this video shows the racket head orientation better: ua-cam.com/video/14AHHtGga4Q/v-deo.html
For the next grip video, I'll make sure I clearly show the racket head. I hope the above text description helps.
Excellent video! One comment I have is something that was told to me when I was teaching for a few months between leaving school and going to university, and had a qualified teacher sitting in on some of the lessons. I asked one of the students the answer to a question and wrote his answer on the board, and asked the other students if they thought there were any mistakes (there were).
After the lesson, the other teacher told me that I shouldn't show something that wasn't correct because people have a visual memory. So I wonder whether it's a good idea to show people using the wrong grip before the right one? Just a thought, and I could be wrong!
Thank you, I am glad you liked it.
with regard to your point about showing people something that is incorrect, you/they might be right. it can certainly confuse some people and give them doubts when they try to remember what they were told. In my defence, I chose to show the wrong grip because I believe that most people who watch this video already play and are holding the racket incorrectly at the moment. I wanted them to have the "Light bulb" moment, where they recognise themselves. I also felt that I wanted them to be understood, in the sense that there does seem to be good reasons for holding the racket that way when you first start.
Having said all of that, it might have been a mistake to show the most common wrong grip. I'll ponder a little bit and maybe make a new video. Thanks for the food for thought.
Thanks for the response. I didn't mean to sound critical, because your videos are exellent, and my teaching tutor might have been wrong, but it could be something to think about . . .
No problem at all - I welcome criticism and feedback. I feel that if I post something public, then I have to accept all responses. You were polite and asked a fair question, so that's great. It's definitely an interesting topic.
Loved it! I've for a question. My fingers are really long and there isn't any space at all between fingers and the base of the thumb. Would you consider it as a good thing or I need to wrap something around the racquet handle? Cheers
Hi Boris, sorry for the late reply. I would certainly suggest trying another grip on top of the one that you have but don't feel that your grip has to match mine. If after trying the extra grip, yours feels more comfortable, go back to it.
@@BetterSquash cool, thanks mate!
great video
Glad you enjoyed it
Thank you coach for taking your time to teach us. Nonetheless should I emphasize that every human body is different (hand size especifically) and sometimes adapting different types of grip is valid. I personally use the grip shown in 5:50 to 6:10 in the moment of impact.. and many female players actually vary their grip especially if you see gohar, el welily and more players like nick matthew and willstrop... their second knuckle is just way too side rather than top of the grip or at the diagonal position especially when they try to play backhand side
I am glad you like the video. Yes, players are definitely opening the angle of the grip on the backhand side.
Great video coach. I was wondering if there are situations upon which you would recommend changing a bit the angle of the grip. I have noticed that I change it unconsciously before attacking some volleys (e.g. trying to shoot for a nick). Do you think that is more likely due to an uncomfortable/wrong body position?
Hello, sorry for the late reply. I'm not sure I would "recommend" it, but I do acknowledge that some situations can benefit from a small change in grip. It's one of the things that players have to develop naturally by being put in situations by their coach and explaining the options. Then the player can decide what works best for them. However, I wouls ay that not the sort of thing I would be doing with beginners and maybe even intermediates.
That's not a knife, this is a knife 🔪🤣 Love your videos❤ Learning a lot as a newbie 🎾
Glad you are enjoying my videos. let me know if you have any questions.
GREAT VIDEO
Thank you.
excellent video!!
Thank you very much.
Another great video thanks. Just re the position of the butt of the racket, is it ok for it to lie in the nook running down the centre of the palm or should you feel it to the left of that(for a right hander) pressing against the fleshy pad?
I'm having trouble imagining your position, but if I understand you correctly, then having the butt in the nook would seem to low. It seems like there would be a chance of the racket coming loose. Does that ever happen?
Squash Coach Phillip my racket usually stays where it is but it seems that sometimes when hitting hard it would be easier to hold ie less effort if I let the butt of the racket run down the centre of the palm in line with the wrist rather than on the left pad of the palm but I’d probably sacrifice some control with that. Someone else at my club holds it the way all the time so wondered what your thoughts on it were . Thanks anyway
You really should show the full racquet when demonstrating the grip, as in tennis videos. It must be clear how the hand relates to the flat surfaces of the handle.
Yes, you are right. When I make an updated version I will ensure I do that.
I'm having trouble on this video and grip. I've implemented the grip mentioned here, moving from 'beginner's grip' to this one. But the forehand, and volleying on the forehand and serving, too, it feels so unnatural. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. It makes no sense to me. The backhand, however - this feels fantastic and so natural.
Is the wrist supposed to be cocked back? Am I supposed to rotate the racket/switch grips?
Firstly, of all if it feels weird then you are probably not doing anything wrong. Changing you grip *is* weird, so don't think you are doing anything wrong. other changes need to be made, like point of contact and wrist/forearm movement.
I suggest you do some shadow swings, i.e. without a ball, to really lock in that technique on your forehand.
Good to hear that the backhand feels great. In general, I don't recommend changing the grip between backhand and forehand, but it does seem to work for some players.
@@BetterSquash Thank you! I'll give it a go.
Philip,
How often does one change his grip on the course of a match or a rally. I know that I need to shift my grip upwards when trying to get the ball off a corner, or move it downwards when stretching for the ball. But during a rally, I find it very tough to even think about adjusting the grip, let alone actually doing it. How do I go about this..
I would avoid changing grip at all, unless you have to. The two cases you mention are extreme and I would doubt that either would need to be done more than once per match. If you have to do them more, then you need to look at what is happening seconds before that moment. Find the grip that suits you and don't change it.
Squash Coach Phillip Thank you for the prompt reply.
beneficial, thanks
You are most welcome.
Thanks for your videos! I enjoy learning from you. Keep it up!
Hi Adel, you are most welcome. Let me know if you have any questions and good luck with your squash.
This is something my coach continues to remind me of that I need to change my grip which will improve my game no end, but at 53 I have struggled so much that I now figure just play to enjoy and accept that I can't improve this aspect of my game.. actually unsets me but no matter how much I try I fall back to my original grip .. arrgghhhhhh.. :-(((
Yeah, it can be pretty frustrating. One thing is to always do solo practice with the correct grip. Not worrying about winning points may allow you to change your habit without too much pressure.
@@BetterSquash Thanks Philip yes you are right (again), I must allocate time within my solo practice to using the right grip. As my club has now reopened for solo practice only for now, I will try this. Many thanks
Don't forget you can also do this WITHOUT the ball or even against any wall. it's just to get you accustomed to the new grip.
Great content
Thank you.
Great mic! Great video
Thanks, glad you like it.
baby shark cracked me up hahaha
Glad you like it. Do do do do do do.
Should the grip be different for backhand ?
No. Some people might change, but there is no benefit if you have the correct grip to begin with.
thanks for your sharing, it's very useful for me
I'm glad I could help.
Thanks a lot.
You are most welcome.
Reddit brought me here. Great video coach !
Thanks, glad you like it.
Thank you
You are most welcome.
On a fast service I like to hold a bit more in the front. Of course we are beginner level.
Without seeing exactly what you mean, I can't say whether this will help you in the long-term or not. Sometimes players make changes that help them immediately, but make things harder late on in their development.
the noif
EXACTLY!
I feel like my fingers are too long or my racquet grip too small. Can't really adapt the same grip as you but
Hi, yes having large hands or long fingers does make it harder to get the correct grip. What you need to do is put either an overgrip under your main grip or just some tape. Both things will increase the grips size while only slightly affecting the balance.
@@BetterSquash Thanks for the answer. Great content btw! You are HIGHLY underrated when it comes to information and videos about squash. Thanks for all the effort and time, i as a new player appreciate it. Especially that you actually reply to people as well!
You are most welcome. Squash is such a niche market, but I like to think that my channel is quite well received.
So not a neutral (continental) grip like in tennis volleys?
I don't like making comparisons with tennis because the shape and size of the grip is so different from squash.
@@BetterSquash I'll try it out. Have played tennis for 40 years, but am only a beginner in squash, with no one to learn from.
I wrote these basic guide for tennis players to help with some aspects of switching over: bettersquash.com/2022/20220707.html
@@BetterSquash I love that you used Roland-Garros as your tennis example. I grew up on clay courts. It is a dying skill here due to the high maintenance.
Best video!
Glad you think so!
what that overgripe u rackquet has
That was a Xamsa replacement grip.
Awesome
Thanks.
Sorry, still not sure about the grip angle, I guess because the handle is round. It doesn't look like you are using a continental grip, From the video I can't tell exactly what the grip angle is. In Tennis terms, are you using a Western grip?
Hi, your comment has encouraged me to think about other ways to explain the angle, although for this reply I'll have to stick to text. As far as comparing tennis grips go, and it's been 30 years since I coached tennis, but the squash grip is closer to an extreme Eastern grip.
The squash racket handle doesn't have such a defined profile as most tennis handles, but it is oblong rather than round.
Essentially, you want the join between your thumb and index finger to be on the left half of the grip (assuming you are right handed).
But how do i smash the ball over head with this grip?
The grip I show in this video, is the standard squash grip. It's not a special or unusual way to hold the racket, so smashing the ball with an overhead shot should present not difficulty. Perhaps you can describe your issue?
If you mean with the card, as in the thumbnail, you are not supposed to have the card in your grip while playing. It's just a way for you to understand which fingers are important and which are not.
16:37 wow, what's up with the middle line?
I was experimenting with an action camera on a something called a gimble to make the image smooth. Unfortunately, the camera was quite cheap and the fish-eye lens was permanently fixed, so this is the result. Does look a bit weird, doesn't it?
Great!!!
Thank you.
oh dear Dude hits ball better with 2 fingers and paper , than me trying my best ,,,
Don't feel bad. I'm sure if you spent the same number of hours on court practicing as I have, you'd be just as good.
11:22 grip size
Hello, I don't understand what point you are making. What's your question or point?
@@BetterSquash Haha. It's a timestamp for me, I come back to this video sometimes and this part is useful for when I have a new racket
Arh, okay, I understand now.
good but why must everey video have background music , it adds nothing and in my view detracts
That's a fair point. I believe that people add background music because it's a passive experience for viewers. Interestingly, I no longer use any music except in the occasional intro and in all outro sequences.
@@BetterSquash thanks for your fast reply , when i am listening to training videos i am trying to pay attention to what is being said and what is being shown , thanks for your channel , squash is a great game