06 October 2022 / 3-Min Read / Translate
THIS WAS AN APRIL FOOL’S JOKE VIDEO I MADE BACK IN 2020
I am posting it now as an article just for entertainment. By all means try the tips detailed below, but don’t take them seriously. There’s a video version of this article at the bottom of the page.
When mass-produced rackets became popular, they all had a disclaimer on the side of the racket as shown below. When graphite and composite rackets became available, they still had that disclaimer. By the mid to late 1990s, that disclaimer had disappeared from rackets, but they still weren’t guaranteed not to break.
Due to the nature of squash...blah, blah, blah.
Even modern rackets, which in general are much stronger than ever before, occasionally break. But with a little ingenuity, some string and 5 minutes of work, you can almost stop that from happening.
This took me about 2 minutes to carefully wrap the strings around the frame.
Take a length of string and wrap it around the top corners of your squash racket. As you can see from the image above, you don’t need to do too much, just the part of the frame that normally hits the wall. Of course, do this on both top corners of the racket. I just wrapped the last part of the string under previous parts and pulled tightly, but for a more permanent solution, use a little super glue.
Adding the string, will change the weight and balance of the racket. it will become a little head heavier than it was, and you will need to see whether this is a big enough difference to warrant the extra protection. Some players have told me that the extra weight has helped them hit the ball better, but I haven’t noticed anything difference when I used it.
Changing your grip can be one of the most challenging things players have to do regarding the technical aspects of squash. You might have spent many many hours holding the racket in a certain way and then be told that you need to hold it in another way. It’s like being told your signature is wrong and you need to sign your name differently!
So what can you do to ease that transition? Well, go to bed and sleep holding the racket! I know that sounds crazy, but it allows your subconscious mind to fully accept the change. Yes, you will eventually drop the racket in your sleep, but the time it is in your hand is invaluable.
No, it's not sleeping beauty, it's me.
If you want to avoid the racket falling out of your hand, then simply tape your hand to the racket. Again, that sounds crazy, but I guarantee it will shorten the time required to become comfortable with the new grip. Try it, you will be surprised at how well it works.
A lot of players complain that their feet get uncomfortably hot when playing squash, and what do you do when things get too hot? Yes, that’s right, you cool them down. What’s the fastest and easiest way to do that? The freezer! Place your squash shoes in the freezer for about 30-60 minutes before you are due to play.
Straight out of the freezer.
Of course, if you have a long journey to reach the courts or you are playing a tournament, you could first put them in the freezer and when you leave, place those reusable icepacks in or around the shoes. If you have multiple matches on the same day, be sure to repack the shoes immediately after playing.
Some players report the grip of the shoe is better when the shoes are very cold, but just like the string being better to hit the ball, I can’t say I have noticed any difference.text 3
Okay, so there were my secret tips. Don’t share them with any of your squash playing friends because you don’t want to give them an advantage. If you try any of the tips, be sure to leave a comment on the video below.