Are You Actually Improving, or Just Playing More?

How often do you play squash?

Perhaps you're on court two or three times a week, playing regular league matches, having a hit with friends and generally getting plenty of squash in.

But despite all those hours on court, have you ever stopped to think about whether you're actually getting any better?

It's quite easy to fall into a routine of playing the same opponents, relying on the same shots and making the same mistakes, without really noticing that your standard hasn't changed much in years.

The truth is, simply playing more squash doesn't necessarily mean you're improving at it. Sometimes, it's more about what you're doing with the time you're spending on court.

In this blog post, we'll be looking at six things worth considering if you're serious about improving your squash, and how you can start making more of your time on court.

The Difference Between Playing Regularly and Practising Deliberately

I think one of the biggest misconceptions when it comes to improving at squash is that simply playing more of it will automatically make you a better player.

And, to an extent, I can understand why people think that.

After all, when you first start playing squash, the more time you spend on court, the quicker you tend to improve.

You gradually become more comfortable hitting the ball, your movement starts to improve, you begin to understand where you should be standing, and shots that once seemed incredibly difficult become much more manageable.

It's a great feeling, and those early improvements can be incredibly motivating!

However, I think there's a point in most players' squash journeys where simply turning up and playing regularly stops producing the same results.

You might be playing three or four times a week, getting plenty of court time and enjoying some competitive matches, but your actual standard doesn't seem to be changing very much.

Perhaps you've been playing in the same division of your local league for several seasons, regularly winning against certain opponents but consistently struggling against others.

Or maybe you've noticed that you're still making exactly the same mistakes you were making a year or two ago.

Despite all those hours on court, you don't feel as though you're actually getting much better.

I think a big part of it comes down to the difference between simply playing squash and playing squash with a particular purpose in mind.

When you're playing a normal match, your main objective is usually pretty straightforward.

You want to win!

And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that, of course.

But when winning is your only objective, you're naturally going to rely on the shots, tactics and habits that you already feel comfortable with.

Let's say you've got a particularly good straight drive, but your cross-court hitting isn't quite as reliable.

During a competitive match, you're probably going to favour that straight drive whenever you can, especially when the score gets close.

It's the shot you trust, and you know it's likely to keep you in the rally.

Meanwhile, your cross-court continues to be something you avoid whenever possible, meaning that it never really gets the opportunity to improve.

You could play another hundred matches like this and still be struggling with exactly the same shot!

This is where I think having a particular goal in mind when you step onto court becomes incredibly important.

Rather than just turning up for a friendly game and seeing what happens, why not decide beforehand that there's something specific you want to work on?

Perhaps you've noticed that your length tends to fall short whenever you're under pressure.

Instead of worrying too much about the score, you could make a conscious effort to get more height on your defensive drives and consistently hit the ball deep into the back corners.

Or maybe you have a habit of taking the ball short too early in rallies, often resulting in unnecessary errors.

Your goal for that particular session could be to play more patiently, build the rally and only attack when you've created a genuine opportunity.

You might even find yourself losing a few rallies that you'd normally win because you're deliberately trying to change something about the way you play.

But that's not necessarily a bad thing!

If you're developing a particular aspect of your game, a temporary drop in performance can be part of the process, especially when you're trying to replace an old habit with a better one.

I think it's also important that your goals are reasonably specific.

For example, going onto court and telling yourself that you want to improve your movement is all well and good, but what does that actually mean?

Are you trying to recover to the 'T' more quickly? Are you struggling to move into the front corners? Or perhaps you're losing your balance when lunging into certain shots?

These are all very different things, and identifying exactly what you want to improve gives you something much more useful to concentrate on.

Of course, I'm not suggesting that every time you step onto a squash court you need to be obsessively analysing your game and trying to improve something.

Sometimes you just want to have a good hit, enjoy yourself and get some exercise, and that's absolutely fine!

However, if improving your squash is something you're serious about, I think it's worth making sure that at least some of your time on court has a clear purpose behind it.

You don't necessarily need to spend more hours playing squash. You might simply need to start making better use of the hours you're already spending on court.

Why Playing the Same Opponents Can Limit Your Improvement

This is another one that I think a lot of club players could probably relate to.

Most of us have a particular group of people we play squash with regularly.

Maybe you've got a friend you meet every Tuesday evening, a few regular opponents in your club's box leagues, or a group of players who you tend to arrange games with whenever you've got some spare time.

And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.

In fact, having regular opponents is one of the things that makes squash such a sociable and enjoyable sport.

However, I think there's a potential problem when those are the only people you ever play against.

The more often you play someone, the more familiar you become with their game.

You start recognising their favourite shots, understanding how they move around the court and anticipating where they're likely to hit the ball in certain situations.

Eventually, you can reach a point where you know their game almost as well as your own!

Let's say you regularly play someone who loves hitting cross-courts from the backhand side.

You've played them so many times that, whenever they get into a particular position, you almost instinctively start preparing for that cross-court.

You might even find yourself moving across the 'T' before they've actually struck the ball because you're so confident about where it's going!

Now, there's nothing necessarily wrong with recognising patterns in your opponent's game. Anticipation is a hugely important part of squash, after all.

But the question is, are you actually developing better anticipation, or have you simply memorised the habits of someone you've played fifty times before?

Because when you come up against somebody completely new, those familiar patterns might suddenly disappear.

Perhaps they hold the ball longer, disguise their shots differently or have a much wider variety of options from the same position.

Suddenly, you're having to react to things you haven't really experienced in your usual matches, and you might find yourself struggling considerably more than you expected.

I think the same thing applies to the pace and style of squash you're used to playing.

If most of your regular opponents like to play long, patient rallies, you're probably going to become quite comfortable with that particular style of game.

You'll get used to the tempo, the length exchanges and the types of shots they tend to play.

But then you come up against someone who takes absolutely everything early, hits the ball incredibly hard and constantly tries to shorten the rallies.

It's a completely different experience, and you might discover that you're not particularly comfortable dealing with it.

Equally, if you're used to playing against aggressive players who attack at every opportunity, someone who simply keeps retrieving and extending rallies might cause you all sorts of problems.

This is why I think exposing yourself to as many different types of opponents as possible can be so beneficial.

Not only will you experience different playing styles, but you'll also be forced to think more carefully about your own game and how to approach unfamiliar situations.

It's also worth trying to play people who are both stronger and weaker than you.

Playing someone considerably better than yourself can be a fantastic way to highlight areas of your game that need improving.

They might expose weaknesses in your movement, punish loose shots that your usual opponents let you get away with or force you to make decisions much more quickly than you're used to.

On the other hand, playing someone who's below your usual standard can give you opportunities to work on parts of your game that you might not feel comfortable attempting against stronger opponents.

Perhaps you could focus on taking the ball earlier, trying to control the 'T' more effectively or developing some of those shots that you normally avoid when the pressure is on.

Of course, you can still learn plenty from regularly playing the same people, particularly if you're both actively working on improving and your matches are becoming more competitive over time.

I'm certainly not suggesting that you abandon your regular hitting partners!

But I would encourage you to make an effort to arrange games with some different players every now and again.

I also appreciate that this isn't necessarily something everyone finds easy.

For some people, approaching someone at their club who they don't know particularly well and asking whether they'd fancy a game can be a little nerve-racking.

You might worry about whether they'll want to play you, whether you're at a similar standard or whether they'll find it a bit strange that you've approached them out of the blue.

But I think it's worth remembering that plenty of other squash players are probably in exactly the same position!

They might be looking for new people to play themselves, and there's a good chance they'd benefit just as much from playing someone different as you would.

So, if there's someone at your club who you've never played before, why not ask them if they'd fancy a hit sometime?

You might end up finding a great new hitting partner, making a new friend and learning something about your squash in the process!

Worst case scenario is that they say no, and I'm sure they'll still be nice about it. If they aren't, then they're not the sort of person you want to be playing with anyway!

Identifying Your Weaknesses Rather Than Just Focusing on Your Strengths

I think it's fair to say that most squash players have a pretty good idea of what they're good at.

Perhaps you've got an excellent drop shot, you're particularly quick around the court or you've developed a really consistent backhand drive.

Whatever it is, you'll probably find yourself relying on those strengths quite regularly, especially when you're playing competitive matches.

And why wouldn't you?

If something works particularly well for you, it makes sense to use it!

However, I think the problem comes when players become so comfortable relying on their strengths that they start neglecting the weaker areas of their game.

And, in my opinion, this can be one of the biggest things holding somebody back from improving.

Let's say you're someone who has a particularly strong forehand but struggles to hit accurate lengths on your backhand side.

Perhaps whenever the ball comes towards your backhand, you find yourself hitting it a little short, struggling to keep it tight to the side wall or occasionally catching the side wall too early.

Against some opponents, you might be able to get away with this reasonably comfortably.

Maybe they're not particularly good at taking advantage of loose lengths, or perhaps your forehand is strong enough that you can still dictate plenty of rallies.

But as you start playing stronger opponents, that weakness is likely to become increasingly difficult to hide.

A good player will recognise that your backhand is vulnerable and might start directing more and more balls towards that side of the court.

Suddenly, you're spending most of the match defending from your weaker corner, struggling to establish any control and rarely getting an opportunity to use that excellent forehand of yours.

It's a frustrating situation to find yourself in, but it highlights something I think is really important.

Your strengths might be what help you win matches, but your weaknesses can sometimes determine the level of opponent you're capable of competing against.

And I don't think this only applies to your actual shots either.

There are so many different elements of squash that contribute to how effective you are as a player.

Your movement, fitness, anticipation, racquet preparation, decision-making and even your ability to stay composed during difficult rallies can all have a huge impact on your performance.

Perhaps your actual hitting is pretty good, but you regularly struggle to recover to the 'T' quickly enough after playing a shot.

This might mean that you're constantly arriving late to the next ball, which then makes your shots less accurate and gives your opponent even more opportunities to put you under pressure.

You could spend hours working on your swing, but if your movement is what's causing the problem, you might not see the improvements you're hoping for.

Similarly, you might be incredibly fit and capable of chasing down almost every ball, but perhaps your shot selection isn't particularly good.

You might regularly attempt difficult attacking shots from defensive positions, giving away unnecessary points when a straightforward length would have kept you in the rally.

In that situation, getting even fitter might not make nearly as much difference as learning to make better decisions on court.

This is why I think it's important to take an honest look at your game every now and again and identify the areas that are potentially holding you back.

And I appreciate that this isn't always particularly enjoyable!

Nobody really likes admitting that they're not very good at something, especially when it's a sport they've been playing for years.

It's also quite natural to spend more time doing the things you're already good at, simply because they're more enjoyable and make you feel like you're playing well.

If you've got a fantastic drop shot, for example, it's probably much more satisfying to keep hitting those lovely little winners into the front corners than to spend time working on your slightly unreliable backhand length!

But unfortunately, the things we enjoy practising the least are sometimes exactly the things we need to improve the most.

Now, I think there's an important distinction to make here.

Just because you should be aware of your weaknesses and actively working to improve them, that doesn't necessarily mean you should be constantly thinking about them during competitive matches.

In fact, I'd argue that doing so could actually have the opposite effect to what you're hoping for.

Let's say you've been working on improving your backhand drive because you know it's one of the weaker parts of your game.

If you step onto court for an important league match and spend the entire time worrying about how unreliable your backhand is, you're probably not going to feel particularly confident whenever the ball comes towards that side.

You might start hesitating, overthinking your technique or becoming frustrated with yourself whenever you make a mistake.

None of which is particularly helpful when you're trying to play your best squash!

Instead, I think it's important to recognise that there are different priorities when you're practising and when you're competing.

During practice, you should be prepared to acknowledge your weaknesses, challenge yourself and spend time developing the areas that need attention.

But when you're playing an important competitive match, your main priority should generally be to make the most of the abilities you currently have.

That means trusting your strengths, playing to your game plan and trying to make sensible decisions based on what's happening in front of you.

Of course, that doesn't mean you should completely avoid your weaker shots whenever you're competing. Sometimes you'll have no choice but to play them, and learning to handle those situations is part of becoming a better player too.

But there's a big difference between accepting that certain parts of your game still need work and allowing those weaknesses to dominate your thinking throughout a match.

I think the ideal approach is to use your practice time to develop your weaknesses and your competitive matches to make the most of your strengths, while still being prepared to adapt when necessary.

And hopefully, as you continue improving those weaker areas, you'll gradually find that you've got even more strengths to rely on!

The Importance of Structured Practice

Now, I've already touched on the importance of having a particular goal in mind when you're on court, but I think it's also worth talking about how you actually go about working towards those goals.

Because, unfortunately, simply knowing what you need to improve doesn't necessarily mean you're going to improve it!

You could be fully aware that your backhand length needs some work, for example, but if you're not spending any time specifically developing that shot, it's unlikely to suddenly become much better on its own.

This is where I think having some structure to your practice sessions can make a massive difference.

And when I say structured practice, I'm not necessarily suggesting that you need to spend hours on court with a coach, following some incredibly complicated training programme.

Of course, having a good coach can be incredibly beneficial, especially when it comes to identifying technical issues and making sure you're developing good habits.

But there are plenty of things you can do with a regular hitting partner, or even by yourself, to make your practice sessions more productive.

I think the key is making sure you're incorporating a good mixture of different types of training rather than simply doing the same thing every time you step onto court.

Let's take that backhand length as an example again.

One of the simplest ways to start working on it is through solo hitting.

You could spend fifteen or twenty minutes hitting straight drives on your backhand side, concentrating on keeping the ball tight to the side wall and getting it to land consistently towards the back of the court.

Rather than just hitting the ball backwards and forwards, though, I'd recommend giving yourself a particular target.

Perhaps you're trying to get ten consecutive drives to land behind the service box while remaining close to the side wall.

It sounds pretty straightforward, but depending on your standard, you might be surprised by how difficult it actually is!

And if ten is too easy, increase the number or make the target area smaller.

The idea is to challenge your accuracy and consistency rather than simply getting through a certain number of shots.

However, there's an important limitation to practising like this.

When you're solo hitting, you generally know exactly where the next ball is going to come from, and you've got plenty of control over the pace and positioning of each shot.

Unfortunately, that's not quite how squash works when you've got an opponent trying to make your life as difficult as possible!

This is why I think repetitive drills with a partner are another incredibly important part of developing your game.

You could have one player feeding or hitting consistently into your backhand corner while you work on returning the ball with accurate length.

Now you're having to move into position, prepare your racquet, strike the ball and recover, rather than simply standing in one place and hitting.

It's a much more realistic way of developing the shot, particularly when your partner starts varying the pace and height of the feeds.

But I think it's important to take things a step further than this too.

Because there's a big difference between hitting a good backhand length during a predictable drill and being able to produce that same shot when you're under pressure in a competitive rally.

This is where conditioned games can be particularly useful.

For example, you could play a game where you're only allowed to hit straight drives until one player creates an opportunity to attack, or where you earn an additional point for hitting a particularly accurate length.

You could even play a game entirely on the backhand side of the court, forcing both players to work on their length, movement and control in that particular area.

The important thing is that you're now introducing some of the unpredictability and competitive pressure that comes with actually playing squash.

You're no longer just trying to execute a technically good shot. You're trying to execute it while moving, making decisions and dealing with somebody who's actively trying to beat you.

And that's a very different challenge!

Of course, regular competitive games still have an important place in your training too, as they give you an opportunity to put everything you've been working on into practice without restrictions.

I think the ideal approach is to have a combination of all these different elements, with each one helping you develop something slightly different.

It's also worth remembering that squash isn't just about hitting the ball well.

Fitness, strength, movement and endurance all play a massive role in how effective you are on court, particularly as matches become more physically demanding.

You might have fantastic technique, but if you're struggling to recover between rallies or becoming exhausted halfway through the second game, you're probably not going to be able to make the most of it.

Incorporating some ghosting, strength work and appropriate cardiovascular training alongside your hitting sessions can be hugely beneficial, particularly if your fitness is something that's currently holding you back.

Obviously, exactly how much of each type of training you should be doing will depend on your current standard, fitness, available time and what you're actually trying to achieve.

But I think my main point is that a good practice session doesn't necessarily need to be particularly complicated.

Even an hour on court that combines some focused solo hitting, a few repetitive drills and some competitive conditioned games could be far more productive than an hour spent simply hitting balls around without any particular structure.

And if you're serious about improving, it's definitely worth considering whether your current training is actually giving you the opportunity to develop the skills you're trying to improve.

Why Improvement Becomes Harder as You Get Better

I think this is another really important thing to understand, especially if you've been playing squash for quite a few years.

The better you become at squash, the more difficult it generally becomes to make noticeable improvements.

And I think this is something that can be incredibly frustrating for players who are used to making fairly consistent progress.

When you first start playing, there are usually so many different things you can improve that almost any time spent practising can make a noticeable difference.

You might learn how to hit a reasonably accurate straight drive, improve your understanding of the 'T' or simply become more comfortable moving into the back corners.

Those improvements can have a massive impact on your game because you're developing skills that you previously didn't really have.

But as you become a more experienced player, those fundamental skills are already reasonably well developed.

You can already hit a decent length, move around the court reasonably efficiently and understand how to construct a rally.

So, instead of making enormous improvements by learning something completely new, you're often trying to make relatively small refinements to skills you've already spent years developing.

And those refinements can take a surprising amount of work!

Let's say you're a beginner who regularly hits their straight drives into the middle of the court.

Improving your technique and learning to keep the ball closer to the side wall could make an enormous difference to your results almost immediately.

However, imagine you're already a very competent club player whose straight drives are generally accurate and consistent.

You might now be trying to improve the consistency of those drives when you're under pressure, or make them just a little tighter and more difficult for your opponent to intercept.

These might sound like fairly small improvements, but achieving them consistently can require an enormous amount of practice and attention to detail.

And the difference they make might not always be immediately obvious.

Perhaps your backhand length is now slightly more accurate than it was six months ago, but you're still playing in the same league division and getting similar results against your regular opponents.

It's easy to look at that situation and feel as though all your practice hasn't really achieved very much.

But that doesn't necessarily mean you haven't improved.

It might simply mean that the improvements you're making are becoming smaller and more difficult to notice.

There's also another factor that I think is particularly important here.

The people you're competing against are often improving too!

Let's say you've been playing in the same local league for several years, and you've spent the last six months putting a lot more effort into your training.

Your movement has improved, you're hitting better lengths and you're generally feeling more comfortable during rallies.

But despite all that, you're still finding yourself having close matches against many of the same opponents.

Well, perhaps they've been working hard on their games too!

If both players are improving at a similar rate, the results between them might not change very much, even though they're both playing at a noticeably higher standard than they were previously.

I think that's something worth remembering when you're trying to judge your own progress.

Another challenge is that the better you become, the more difficult it can be to identify exactly what's holding you back.

As a beginner, it might be fairly obvious that your movement needs work or that you're struggling to hit the ball consistently.

But when you're a more experienced player, the difference between your current standard and the next level might come down to something much more subtle.

Perhaps you're taking the ball slightly too late in certain situations, recovering a little too slowly after attacking or making just one or two poor decisions at important moments in a game.

These aren't necessarily things that are easy to recognise yourself, which is another reason why getting feedback from a coach or somebody who understands the game can be so valuable.

Of course, none of this means you should simply accept that you've reached your maximum potential and stop trying to improve.

Far from it!

I think it's more about recognising that improvement isn't necessarily going to happen at the same rate throughout your squash journey.

There will probably be periods where you feel as though you're making fantastic progress, followed by others where you seem to be working just as hard without seeing much change.

And that's a perfectly normal part of developing as a player.

The important thing, in my opinion, is to remain patient, continue challenging yourself and recognise that even relatively small improvements can make a big difference over time.

How to Measure Progress Beyond Simply Winning Matches

I think this final point is particularly important because, ultimately, most of us tend to judge how good we are at squash by looking at our results.

How many matches are you winning? Have you moved up a division in your club's league?

These are all perfectly reasonable ways of measuring your standard, and there's no doubt that results can tell you quite a lot about how you're performing.

However, I don't think they always give you the full picture.

You could be making some genuinely significant improvements to your game without necessarily seeing those improvements reflected in your results straight away.

And if winning matches is the only thing you're using to measure your progress, that can become incredibly frustrating.

Let's say you've been working particularly hard on improving your movement around the court.

You've spent time ghosting, focusing on your recovery and trying to become more efficient when moving into the front corners.

After a few weeks, you start noticing that you're reaching certain shots a little earlier, arriving in more balanced positions and generally feeling less rushed during rallies.

That's a fantastic improvement!

But perhaps you still lose your next league match 3-1 against somebody you've struggled to beat in the past.

Does that mean all the work you've put into your movement hasn't achieved anything?

Of course not!

You might still have plenty of other areas to improve before you start consistently beating that particular opponent, but the progress you've made with your movement is still valuable.

I think one of the best things you can do is start paying attention to the smaller details of your performances rather than simply looking at the final score.

Are you hitting better lengths than you were a few months ago? Are you making fewer unforced errors? Are you finding it easier to retrieve difficult shots or recover after long rallies?

Perhaps you're now able to maintain your accuracy towards the end of a tough match, whereas previously you would have started making mistakes as soon as you became tired.

Or maybe you've developed a much better understanding of when to attack and when to simply keep the ball in play.

These are all signs that your squash is developing, even if your league position or rating hasn't changed very much.

One thing I'd recommend is making a few notes after your matches or practice sessions, particularly if you're actively working on improving a specific area of your game.

It doesn't need to be anything particularly complicated.

You could simply write down what you felt went well, what you struggled with and whether you noticed any improvements in the things you've been practising.

Over time, you might start noticing patterns that you wouldn't necessarily have recognised otherwise.

Perhaps you regularly mention struggling with your backhand when you're under pressure, but after a few months of focused practice, that particular issue starts appearing less frequently in your notes.

That's a pretty encouraging sign that the work you're doing is starting to pay off!

Another thing I think can be incredibly useful is asking other people for their thoughts on your game.

Sometimes we're so focused on our own performances that we don't necessarily recognise the improvements we're making, or the weaknesses that might still be holding us back.

But somebody watching from outside the court might notice things that you've completely overlooked.

If you've got a coach, they're obviously a great person to ask, but you can also get some really useful feedback from your regular hitting partners or other experienced players at your club.

You could ask somebody you've been playing regularly whether they've noticed any differences in your game over the last few months.

Perhaps they'll tell you that your length has become much more difficult to attack, that you're moving around the court more efficiently or that you're making fewer mistakes during longer rallies.

Equally, they might point out something that you hadn't even considered, giving you another area to think about working on.

Of course, not every player is going to be able to give you particularly detailed technical advice, so it's worth keeping that in mind too.

But even something as simple as hearing that you're becoming harder to play against can be a really encouraging indication that you're moving in the right direction.

Another option is to record yourself playing every now and again, provided your opponent and club are happy for you to do so.

Watching yourself play can be a surprisingly eye-opening experience, particularly if you've never done it before!

You might notice that your movement isn't quite as smooth as you thought it was, or that you're standing further away from the 'T' than you realised.

And if you record yourself again a few months later, you'll have something to compare your current performance against.

I think this can be particularly useful because it gives you an opportunity to actually see the changes you've made rather than relying entirely on how you feel during a match.

Ultimately, winning matches is obviously important, and if you're playing competitive squash, improving your results is probably one of your main goals.

But I think it's worth remembering that better results are often the outcome of lots of smaller improvements coming together over time.

And recognising those improvements along the way can make the whole process of getting better at squash a lot more enjoyable!

Final Thoughts: Are You Actually Getting Better?

I think the biggest takeaway from everything we've discussed is that there's a pretty significant difference between spending a lot of time playing squash and actually making an effort to improve at it.

You could be playing four or five times a week, getting plenty of exercise and enjoying some fantastic matches, but that doesn't necessarily mean you're developing your game as much as you could be.

Of course, there's absolutely nothing wrong with playing squash simply because you enjoy it.

For plenty of people, having a good hit with friends, getting some exercise and enjoying the social side of the sport is exactly what they're looking for.

And that's a perfectly good reason to keep playing!

However, if you're somebody who's actively trying to become a better player, I think it's worth taking a moment to consider whether the way you're currently spending your time on court is actually helping you achieve that.

Are you challenging yourself? Are you working on the weaker areas of your game? Are you practising with a particular purpose, or are you simply turning up and doing what you've always done?

You don't necessarily need to completely change your routine or start training like a professional player.

Sometimes, even relatively small changes to how you approach your squash can make a noticeable difference over time.

And perhaps most importantly, don't become too disheartened if the improvements you're making aren't immediately reflected in your results.

Getting better at squash takes time, and progress isn't always as straightforward as we'd like it to be.

So, the next time you finish a squash session, rather than simply thinking about whether you won or lost, perhaps ask yourself a slightly different question.

Did I do anything today that's going to help me become a better squash player?

Because if you're regularly finding ways to answer yes to that question, I think you're probably heading in the right direction!

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