Will playing squash mess up tennis strokes?
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35ft6
Legend
Only if you let it. I can tell when a person plays a lot squash because on the tennis court they have the tendency to "clap" their arms, like a scissor motion, on the forehand. Squash is good for fitness, footwork, explosiveness, and general hand racket awareness, but technique wise you shouldn't let squash influence your tennis.
Marius_Hancu
Talk Tennis Guru
PM_ said:
not true. educate yourself on how to do a proper search:
Go to the Advanced Search page:
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/search.php
keywords: squash
Search Titles Only
Forum: Tips/Instruction
and you will find 5 threads, including:
Will squash hamper with my tennis game?
How to combine Tennis with Squash?
you probably can also test with:
Search in the Message Body
...
but it might be less focussed.
:neutral:
killer
Semi-Pro
I've been playing badminton two days a week, with a day of tennis in between and a couple of days after. Though i do find that there is a bit of an adjustment in terms of the speed of the game, the type of movement necessary and the strategy, Ireally feel that as far as technique goes it's simply a matter of focus: remind yourself that you need to use a lot less wrist in tennis than you do in either squash or badminton, and really focus on that particular part of your technique when you first step on the court. You should be just fine.
Marius_Hancu
Talk Tennis Guru
PM_ said:
anytime I can be of help.
I play a fellow who is a very good squash player, he has some several squash tournaments and one thing I notice is that his strokes, particulary his backhand are quite "wristy". The result was his forehand is OK and his backhand is effective to the extent it is always a low slice. He cannot hit a topspin backhand at all. Overall I think playing squash may help your footwork and conditioning but it will not help your tennis strokes much, if at all.
If tennis is you main sport, I don't think any of the racket sports will effect your game. Now if your just beginning to learn to play tennis - you might not have yet established your game. The change of "similar sports" might not help your development. If you play alot of tennis, or have played tennis for a long time, I don't think it will do any harm...
Tennis_Monk
Hall of Fame
Beyond a level, other racquet sports do start posing Influence. The effect depends on the person. I play Badminton,Golf along with Tennis. I am a very good player of Badminton. Just started picking up Golf and now fairly good at Tennis. As my tennis game started improving (especially the TopSpin Forehand) , my badminton game went off a bit (instead of being aggressive i try to Loop the Shuttle as if it was a tennis forehand when i am out of position in badminton). It took me a while to figure it out, but i am confident i can get over it.
On the Plus side, Badminton , I feel, needs more reflexes and it also helps being more explosive and assist in footwork. It definitely helps strengthen wrists.
Above all any racquet sport will improve hand-eye coordination and general fitness.
On the Plus side, Badminton , I feel, needs more reflexes and it also helps being more explosive and assist in footwork. It definitely helps strengthen wrists.
Above all any racquet sport will improve hand-eye coordination and general fitness.
ionutzakis
Semi-Pro
I play both, squash during the winter season. I find out that it has improved di granda my forehand, but completely messed my 2bh. It destroyed my foot movement for the backhand.
It's harder the first time you combine then, after a while you'll be alright.
It's harder the first time you combine then, after a while you'll be alright.
SystemicAnomaly
Bionic Poster
PM_ said:
If your tennis game is pretty well grooved, you really shouldn't have too much of a problem picking up another racket sport. Your body may be a bit confused at first but after a few weeks (or maybe even a few months) it should be quite easy to switch back & forth between the 2 sports. Watch out tho', I believe that standard squash rackets are longer than standard tennis rackets and their sweetspots are further from your hand.
I've only tried squash a couple of times but I play tons of badminton and I used to play a lot of racketball as well. After just a few months of badminton, I was finding that it actaully helped my tennis game rather than hindering it.
SystemicAnomaly
Bionic Poster
Once you've got your squash skills up to speed, you might want to look into Rackelton: http://www.racketlon.com/index.htm
Way back in the early 1980s there was a competition of world class players from 5 different racket sports. Bjorn Borg and Mary Hogan (racketball) may have been involved in this. Each player player competed in all of the sports except for his primary sport (therefore Borg played everything but tennis). I believe it was a squash player that won this competition... one of the Kahn family, I think.
Way back in the early 1980s there was a competition of world class players from 5 different racket sports. Bjorn Borg and Mary Hogan (racketball) may have been involved in this. Each player player competed in all of the sports except for his primary sport (therefore Borg played everything but tennis). I believe it was a squash player that won this competition... one of the Kahn family, I think.
Marius_Hancu
Talk Tennis Guru
I think so ...
ionutzakis said:
Consider shifting to a one-handed backhand?
My 12 years of competitive badminton and a year or so of racquetball was likely one of the major reasons that when I picked up tennis (which I have now been playing for 2 years) the 1hbh felt a lot more natural and comfortable.
Bungalo Bill
G.O.A.T.
habib said:Consider shifting to a one-handed backhand?
My 12 years of competitive badminton and a year or so of racquetball was likely one of the major reasons that when I picked up tennis (which I have now been playing for 2 years) the 1hbh felt a lot more natural and comfortable.
In this case, Habib is saying something to be considered. Have you tried a onehander?
Habib, I would like to talk to you about additional findings on Federer. I realize we got off on the wrong foot and we argued and argued. But I honestly did find your physics analysis interesting.
I wanted to discuss something about Federer's wrist to see if you agree. Let me know if you want to.
Mahboob Khan
Hall of Fame
If because of some reason you cannot play tennis (rain, no court, etc), playing squash for fitness will be ok. While playing squash try to use tennis's technique (if possible). You may not win squash matches this way but it will keep you active because something is better than nothing.
sexmachine
Rookie
hey dude, i aint a pro or nothin but i play a lot of squash and it really help my tennis, awareness, speed, mobility round the court and my backhand, but because there's more wrist then arm and body on strokes it can lead to bad habits, jus b aware and it shouldn't b a problem....
Mountainman
Rookie
Yes, other sports can affect tennis game.
If a person decides to pick up another racquet sport in place of tennis, it can affect that person's tennis game. I think it is called retroactive or proactive interference. Why mess up those reflexes after years of playing tennis? Using a different analogy, why learn Spanish then French, then tested on Spanish, vice versa? Reflexes are developed after years of playing a sport. Adoption of another sport requires new reflexes, and no two sports have the same reflexes. Therefore, "squash will affect tennis".
An average number of people will develop a negative influence if they adopt a new sport.
It is rare for a person to gain a positive influence.
Answer this question: Why do top athletes stick to one sport? A basketball player would not play shotput. Hockey to golf. Baseball to golf. Table tennis to tennis = definitely a No NO!
35ft6 said:
If a person decides to pick up another racquet sport in place of tennis, it can affect that person's tennis game. I think it is called retroactive or proactive interference. Why mess up those reflexes after years of playing tennis? Using a different analogy, why learn Spanish then French, then tested on Spanish, vice versa? Reflexes are developed after years of playing a sport. Adoption of another sport requires new reflexes, and no two sports have the same reflexes. Therefore, "squash will affect tennis".
An average number of people will develop a negative influence if they adopt a new sport.
It is rare for a person to gain a positive influence.
Answer this question: Why do top athletes stick to one sport? A basketball player would not play shotput. Hockey to golf. Baseball to golf. Table tennis to tennis = definitely a No NO!
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