Adjusting Your Grip To Improve Speed And Power:

Holding the racquet 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 racquet 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 players 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 racquet 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 racquet 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 racquet. This will

increase power. I always slide my hand down to the end of the racquet for

that crushing power sometimes needed. But, since the racquet 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 racquets will never improve your wrist

or power game unless you know how to do it yourself.