Before any exercise or sport, you must prepare your body correctly to perform the task. Therefore you need to ensure that you warm-up and stretch appropriately. You may say that you have often gotten onto the court and easily played without needing extensive warm-ups, but you significantly increase your likelihood of injury. So how do you warm-up?
Regardless of the type of play, you must warm up before engaging in a squash game, and the best way is by combining warm-up exercises such as ghosting, skipping, hamstring stretch walking, and such. Included is the importance of adequately stretching out your joints and muscles.
There are many ways you can warm up for a squash game, whether it be a casual one with friends or a tournament. The idea, though, is to properly prime your body for what is to come so that you reduce the chances of injury. We have an entire rundown of how you ought to be warming up and stretching out before you begin to play, so be sure to read on to find out more.
Warming Up For A Squash Game
Squash involves extensive lunging, sprinting, and altering one’s trajectory. To properly prepare your body for this high-intensity sport, you need to do a thorough and carefully methodical warm-up that ensures that you are ready and prepped for the game. You want to gradually increase the intensity of the warm-up and not be too hasty.
It is wise to warm up for at least 5 to 10 minutes before you enter into dynamic stretching. Below are examples of what your warm-up should look like, along with all the necessary exercises you may wish to perform to get ready. Obviously, there are time constraints at times, and certain individuals may not be able to perform all the exercises, so use your discretion.
Your entire warming-up process, including stretching, should take between 20 and 30 minutes. You need to raise your body’s core temperature and get your muscles supple and activated before you begin to play. Here is a breakdown of what your warm-up routine should look like, and then we shall recommend exercises to get your heart rate up and your blood pumping.
- Spend 5 minutes doing light excise such as jogging around the court. If you cannot get onto a court, keep a skipping rope in your bag and do some light skipping.
- Then begin to increase the intensity of the exercises; you want to engage in movements that elevate your heart rate and even get you sweating slightly.
- Do dynamic stretching.
- Warm up the squash ball by driving it down the wall and then start a light rally with the other player; now you are ready to play, but you need to get your body prepped for the required movements of the game, and the ball has to be warmed in any case.
Some advanced exercises that should be performed at between 50% and 75% of your maximum working heart rate and physical effort include:
- Heel to buttocks running
- Lunge walks with a trunk twist
- Ghosting
- Side shuffles
- Bunny hops
- Suicides
- Knee-to-chest jumps
- Stair runs (if there are stairs available)
- Crossover runs/ Karaokes
When And How You Should Stretch Before A Squash Game
Firstly you must warm up your body for at least between 5 and 10 minutes before you start stretching to ensure that your muscles are warmed up and feeling relaxed (remember, it is a warm-up and the point is not to break a significant sweat). Once this is completed, begin with dynamic stretches and then move on to static ones, or leave the static stretches for after the game.
If you are playing multiple games and there is excessive time between them, stay warm and stretch again before getting back onto the court. Dynamic stretches will help your body prepare for the rapid and extensive movements you will engage in. Static stretches, often best left until afterward, are there to improve flexibility and help you cool your muscles down.
Stretches To Do Before A Squash Game For Legs
Our legs make up a big part of our squash game, and they do plenty of work; they need to have explosive power and speed and be able to make sudden and quick stops, turns, and changes in direction. They are your foundation, and after warming them up, you could cause an injury that is most common to occur in the ankle or knee joint without stretching them properly.
Dynamic Stretches To Do Before A Squash Game
- Leg Swings Forward and Backward: You may want to stand on the corner of a wall where the wall extends to your left and right or find anything that you could use to lean forward against. You then want to swing your legs back and forth in a continuous and fluid motion. You can swing higher as you become more flexible and are adequately warm.
- Leg Swing Side Ways: Here, you will want to do something similar to the previous exercise, but you will stand with the wall to your side, start with your leg dangling at your side, and then swing it up sideways. Note that you may need to make sure your groin and hips are warmed for these movements.
- Lunges: Standing with your legs together, step forward with one leg and keep your torso upright while bending both your knees. Your front leg should have a 90-degree bend in it. You can either lunge far so that your back leg is semi-straight and your heel is off the floor, or you can have it also bend and tap your back knee to the ground as you come down.
- Side Lunges: Like with the front lunges, you want the top half of your body to remain upright. Stand with your legs together and extend your one leg out to the side. Your other leg will remain straight, and keep that foot flat on the floor. You want almost to reach a “Spider-man” pose; your knee will bend, and the angle of your leg will be less than 90 degrees.
Static Stretches To Do Before A Squash Game
- Hamstring stretch standing: Stand with your feet next to one another and squat down slightly, have a slight bend in your one leg while keeping the other entirely straight. Stretch forward and see how far you can stretch down your leg; try and touch your toes. Then like with all the other leg exercises, change legs.
- Hamstring stretch sitting: This can be done in one of two ways; you can sit with both your legs out straight in front of you and try to touch both your feet, or you can do one leg at a time. If you choose to do the legs individually, bend your one leg so that your foot rests against the straight leg and lean forward to grasp your foot.
- Hamstring Supine: Lie Flat on your back and back in a straight position, and keeping your one leg flat on the floor, pull the other one upwards, trying to keep it as straight as possible. If you want to extend the stretch, have someone help you and get them to push the raised leg toward your torso gently.
- Quadriceps stretch: Standing with your legs together (you may need a wall to help maintain balance), lift one leg to the back, and pull it towards your glutes. To further the stretch, push your hips slightly forward.
- Groin Stretch: Place your feet more than shoulder-width apart and squat down; keep your torso as upright as possible. Press your elbows against your knees, pushing them out, and try to sit into the stretch.
- Gluteal stretch: Lie on your back and raise your knees toward your torso; keep one leg bent forward and the other against it at a 90-degree angle. If you are doing your right leg, your foot should be pointing to the left. Then take hold of the other leg and slowly pull it toward your chest.
- Calf stretch-gastrocnemius: Stand with your arms firmly against a wall in front of you. Split your legs, one slightly to the back and the other more forward. Keep a slight bend in the front one and keep the back one straight. The aim is to stretch out the calf in the back leg.
Stretches To Do Before A Squash Game For Your Trunk
As strange as this may sound, your trunk also needs to be stretched out as it performs many movements, particularly when it comes to swinging your racket. So do not neglect it, and be sure to engage in the suggested stretches, even the ones you may perceive as strange.
Dynamic Stretches To Do Before A Squash Game
- Cat stretch: The cat stretch is simple enough, but you do not want to do the movement too quickly or hastily. Get into a position where you are on your hands and knees and keep your back straight. Then arch your back up and then change direction and arch it downward. You can also alternate between the two in a circular motion.
- Side trunk: Remain in a standing position for this movement and raise the opposite arm to the direction you intend to bend. Then bend over sideways and stretch forwards with the raised hand to get a good stretch in that arm’s side of the body.
Static Stretches To Do Before A Squash Game
- Spinal twist: Lay on the floor, flat on your back and have your legs straight; then twist your trunk so that one leg extends over the other and try to keep it as straight as possible. Your legs should form a 90-degree angle. Your glutes should also feel a bit of a stretch from this movement.
- Knees to chest: This is a straightforward exercise but can be pretty effective in stretching out the back, especially the lower to middle parts. Lie on the floor, on your back, and bring your knees up to your chest. Rap your arms around your knees and pull them as close as possible.
- Back extension: This is also often referred to as the cobra pose and should be down in a slow and controlled manner. Lie face down on the floor, with your hands directly below your elbows, while keeping your legs straight. Then push up with your arms so that your back arches.
Stretches To Do Before A Squash Game For Arms And Upper Body
Your arms and upper body are the driving force behind your squash swing, and apart from needing them to be strong and resilient, you need to stretch them out appropriately to ensure that you do not damage your shoulder or elbow joints, or wrists.
Dynamic Stretches To Do Before A Squash Game
- Arm swings: Stand with your body, making a “T” shape with your trunk and arms. Then begin to rotate your arms forward in small circles, grow the range of motion, and make large circles. Then stop and repeat the same process, but swing them backward.
- Shoulder rolls: Stand up straight and slowly lift your shoulders as high as possible, shift them around forward, and rotate them toward the back in a circular motion. Once again, you will repeat the same process, but this time is going backward.
Static Stretches To Do Before A Squash Game
- Back rotation stretch: Standing with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, cross your arms over your upper body in a “V” shape. Twist your upper body to the one side, so you experience a stretch in your entire back on the one side, and then alternate to the other.
- Shoulder posterior: Cross your one arm straight across your body, grip it firmly with the other hand, and give a slight pull. This will help stretch out your shoulders and traps.
- Shoulder overhead: Bend your arm overhead and put it behind your back. Try to get your hand to touch as far down on your back as possible. Use the other hand to grip the elbow and help extend the stretch; this will stretch out your shoulders and lats.
- Chest stretch: Find the edge of a wall; place your hand on the wall at a right angle and pointing upwards (above the height of your head), and then press firmly. You then want to shift your body forward and allow your pectoral muscle to really stretch out.
- Wrist flexion and extension: Keep your hand straight for the first exercise and press it down forward, gripping it with the other. For the extension, you want to take hold of your hand from the palm side and pull it back; for this movement, you can allow your hand to bend slightly. Be careful and gentle with your wrist joints and ensure they are appropriately warm.
- Neck front, side, and back stretch: Standing straight and looking forward with your neck in a neutral position, bend it to the front, both sides, and the back.
Conclusion
When it comes to squash and other high-intensity sports, which put a lot of strain on the joints and muscles alike, there is a definite need to warm up properly. You should strongly consider going through these motions thoroughly before getting on the court to play a game, as it will reduce the chances of injury and allow you to perform better. So be safe and warm up properly.
References
- https://www.topendsports.com/sport/squash/warm-up.htm
- https://www.barclayphysicaltherapy.com/Sports-Activities/Squash/Stretching-Guide-for-Squash/a~5038/article.html
- https://www.topendsports.com/medicine/stretches/index.htm
- http://www.squashgame.info/squashlibrary/7/8
- https://sportscentaur.com/how-to-warm-up-a-squash-ball/
- https://sportscentaur.com/a-comprehensive-guide-to-the-squash-warm-up/
- https://www.squashpoint.com/blogs/blog/the-importance-of-a-proper-warm-up-for-squash/