What a beautiful day for a change! Sun is shining, light breeze… it’s almost as if things are looking up! When we will be able to actually get back on court is still up in the air but there is light at the end of this rocky tunnel as we are inching closer to reopening.
So, keeping that in mind, before you get overly excited about whipping out the squash shoes and racquet, strap on the headband and squeeze into your shorts that has probably shrunk over the past 2 months (!), playing squash is a very intense activity and you will be doing your body a favor if you prepare yourself for the shock. We have gone over multiple short videos that you can do at home or in your driveway in the last number of weeks, and today we will cover another important squash skill: Agility.
Agility is defined as the ability to move quickly and easily. In squash terms, we are taking about quick footwork. Speed. Direction change. Squash movement is not about straight line running, in fact I would venture to guess that most of the time you spend on the court is filled with small lateral steps, long lunges, adjustment steps, split steps, sudden stops and direction changes. The quicker your feet move, the better your balance is during the movement, the faster and more efficient you will be.
Benefits are plentiful: Agility training increases stability, body control and flexibility which in turn can improve your posture and alignment and help you minimize injuries. It can certainly enhance the smoothness and coordination of your movements, help you transition from one part of the court to another which automatically will allow you to move more efficiently and, basically, be faster. You are not wasting time and energy trying to regain balance after a shot.
Regular agility training will help you build muscular strength and just like any other fitness activity, your recovery time will improve. Because you are using a greater range of muscles that what you would do if you were just running in a straight line, it can lead to greater results in a shorter period of time. And as an added bonus, you do not need much space to do this. Just a small piece of floor in your own home is more than sufficient and there are countless number of exercises you can do keeping the workout varied and interesting.
See Stu in the video below as he takes you through some basic agility exercises that you can start with. Go at your own pace, and you will be surprised at how quickly you can build up the workload. Have fun!
