The Boast
and Drive exercise, where Player A frontcourt straight drives and Player B
backcourt boasts is the most important pairs exercise in squash.
For
Beginners
Initially, when you are learning this practice, it can help to feed yourself
with the ball occasionally before hitting it to your partner. This helps to
get it under control. Get into a rhythm. Once you have established this, the
drives can be made more difficult.
For
Intermediate Players
This is a
marvellous exercise with which to practise technique, movement and shots.
Don’t just go through the motions. How you set up your shots affects the
control you have over the ball and hence your accuracy. Concentrate on one
thing at a time.
For the
straight drive: prepare as you move to the boast, turn your trunk a little,
turn your shoulder and take the racket back; try to get into position early
so that you are waiting for the ball; leave room so that the ball comes
between you and the side wall. Let the ball come behind the right angle so
that you can angle it into the side wall. Be aware of your target area (a
tight shot will hit the side wall behind the service box and a full length
will force your opponent to take it off the back). Alter each shot so that
you gradually become more and more accurate.
For the
boast: Pick one boast to practise at a time. Try to play the two-wall boast
to die rather than sitting up off the side wall.
For
Advanced Players
Start
your practice by concentrating on setting up your shots properly and getting
them grooved into your target area. Start gently and then build up the pace.
Next practise pushing back from your shots and recovering position on the T.
From the back court recover to a ready position on the T. From the front
court push backwards to the T.
Once your
shots are grooved and movement is rhythmic, practise some variations –
straight lobs, full length and dying length drives. Give your opponent the
problem of deciding whether to take the ball before or after the back.
Play a
simple condition game where each drive must land behind the back of the
service box, within its width, and each boast must hit the front wall below
the service line.
1. Player A boasts;
2. Player
B straight drives;
3. Player A boasts;
4. Player B straight drives.
With
practice and experience Player A will quickly swivel out of the shot set-up
position and attempt to recover a ready position on the T (that is astride
the half court line in front of the imaginary line joining the back of the
service boxes), before setting off to boast on the opposite side.
