10 New Year’s Resolutions for Squash Players for 2024

It’s that time of year when we are inspired to make changes. Winter has arrived in the northern hemisphere, the season is fully underway. We may be starting a new house league season or part way through our interclub league. Maybe we are just looking to get fitter and have a fun workout.

Either way, it’s the perfect time for squash enthusiasts to set their sights on personal growth and game enhancement in the coming year! 🍾✨

Please note, that we have included some affiliate links to Amazon for some books we recommend below. If you should happen to buy we will earn a small commission at no cost to you. These small commissions help contribute to offsetting the cost of running our site.

1. Improve your footwork: Squash is a fast-paced game that requires quick movements and agility. Improving your footwork will help you get to the ball faster and play more effectively. Getting your feet in the right place will also help your balance making your shots more accurate. ”Ghosting” is a process that can help you work on your footwork. Some players incorporate a swing into it, but you can also pick up balls from each corner or area instead as a way to focus solely on the efficiency of where you are putting your feet.
2. Increase your endurance: Squash can be physically demanding, so increasing your endurance will allow you to play longer and more efficiently. One of the effective ways to do this is through interval training. You can also incorporate it into your day. Fortunate enough to work at home or in an office space in place that has stairs? When you need a break, instead of heading to the coffee maker or the fridge, do a few sets of stairs instead.
3. Work on your shot selection: By developing a variety of shots, you can become a more well-rounded player and keep your opponent guessing. You can do this on your own simply by practicing shots at different heights, lengths, speeds, and angles. 
4. Practice your serves: A strong serve can pressure your opponent and give you an advantage. But if you can serve more than one way, you can keep your opponent off balance by not knowing what to expect next. Work on lob serves, hitting a serve short or different places on the wall.
5. Improve your court positioning: Good court positioning allows you to set up for shots and anticipate your opponent’s moves. One of the ways we can improve court positioning is by working on how to get out of any given shot to get back to the center of the court.
6. Develop a consistent pre-shot routine: A consistent pre-shot routine can help you stay focused and make better shots. Go into it with the idea that takes some time to get focused. What your routine is specific to you, but ask players what works for them if you haven’t considered a pre-shot routine. The best time to experiment is before practice or a fun game. Some people like to use music, visualization, or a specific set of warmups before moving onto the court. Once on court, it’s typical that players will hit up and down the wall but don’t be afraid to do some boasts or drops.  
7. Improve your mental toughness: Squash can be a mental game as well as a physical one. Unsurprisingly we also bring our emotional “baggage” on court with us. How do we handle losing against a much better opponent? How about when we are losing against a weaker opponent? How do we handle when we’re ahead? What are we thinking when we get distracted, and what sort of things distract us? What are we telling ourselves after we’ve made a mistake? Mental toughness helps you stay focused and perform your best under pressure. But it also helps us enjoy the game more. There are all sorts of strategies you can use to help you re-focus after a distraction, or stay in the present moment. Some books other squash players have recommended to start with (these are affiliate links to Amazon which helps maintain our site – only buy if you’re interested): The Inner Game of Tennis, Relentless, and Mindful Athlete.
8. Practice your volleys: Volleys are an important part of squash; playing them will reduce time for your opponent. But even if you don’t play them often, practicing them will help you improve your game because you need to get your racquet up quicker and you need better control. 
9. Work on improving your forehand and backhand technique. Unless you have taken a good number of one-on-one lessons, most club players can benefit by improving their techniques, whether it’s an improvement in pace, accuracy, or both. However, the technique is not the same for all forehands or all backhands. Practice hitting different lengths, at different paces, and at different heights on the front wall. If you don’t want to invest in lessons with a coach, or perhaps you don’t know a coach that is good enough, consider a subscription with SquashSkills.
10. Build a squash community! Organize friendly matches, find a practice group, join local leagues, or attend squash events to connect with like-minded individuals. The support and encouragement of a community can be a game-changer in achieving your squash resolutions!