Gripping the Racket
Holding
the racket correctly is very important in squash. But, did you know
that the speed of your wrist and power can be enhanced with a slight
adjustment to your grip.
The standard grip says to hold the
racket at an angle as if shaking someone's hand. It also says to hold
the middle of the grip. Combining both keeps your swing steady.
But, sometimes a fast wrist is needed for a quick kill or a
quick reflex shot; and sometimes a player needs that extra power to
drive the ball deep into the corners. If you've ever fallen into this
sort of a situation, which I'm sure all of you have, then a little
grip adjustment could give you an edge.
If you hold the grip
up high or choke up, you'll notice a faster wrist immediately.
Practice hitting the ball with adjusting your grip. Hit a few shots
in the middle grip position, then hold the grip higher. You'll notice
a faster and lighter racket head. This is ideal for a quick volley
and digging out those hard to get deep back wall shots. The higher
grip shortens your swing radius helping to make your wrist roll
through a shot more comfortably. The more comfortable your wrist, the
faster you'll snap it. Use the high grip for all tight shots from the
back corners to delicate drops. For drops a quick wrist isn't needed,
but the higher grip helps your racket handling to hit the winner.
Keep practicing alone and now hit the ball while holding the
end of the grip. You'll notice a shift in weight to the head of the
racket. This will increase power. I always slide my hand down to the
end of the racket for that crushing power sometimes needed. But,
since the racket feels heavier, I use it when I have time to take a
full swing at the ball.
If you practice adjusting your grip,
it'll become subconscious during match play. The best titanium or
graphite rackets will never improve your wrist or power game unless
you know how to do it yourself.