Having said this, it wouldn't be difficult to adapt the session for badminton and tennis players as well.

This type of session is becoming more popular at the top level of squash and is used by both National Coaches, Alex Cowie and Paul Wright, to get their top international players sharp for big matches. The nature of the session means that you have to be fit first. It isn't a workout to build up fitness at the beginning of the year but the final icing on the cake, hopefully to give that winning edge.

The basic idea of the session is to mix a series of routines with conditioning work in the form of 'ghosting'. For those not familiar with the jargon, ghosting is a drill where no ball is used; instead, the player runs around the court, getting into position and playing an imaginary shot. Naturally, the player will start and go from the T, the principal position in the centre of the squash court. From here, you move to position for the shot and back in quick fashion, before immediately going to the next position. As you will see, the style and speed of ghosting can and does vary throughout the session.

One of the beauties of the session, particularly from the routines point of view, is its flexibility. The skill routines can be chosen by the player and coach to suit individual requirements. Normally a wide variety of routines are incorporated, but should a player be struggling with a particular aspect the game, for example, volleys, then routines focusing on that aspect of play can be used more often.


How the session works
To start with, the player will ghost all over the court at a steady pace as a warm-up for 2 minutes. The player moves around the court to each corner but going through the T each time. The coach or partner will be timing this accurately.

Next, a routine is played. For example, the feeder plays a boast, the player plays a cross-court drive, the feeder plays a straight drop and the player responds with a straight drive. This routine
(hopefully continuous!) goes on for 2 minutes before changing sides for another 2 minutes.

Next is a l-minute ghost, this time at a medium pace, a little faster than before, with the coach calling out the destination corners in random order. This will be immediately followed by a new routine, perhaps volleys. The feeder, for example, can just give straight volleys for the player, 2 minutes on the forehand and 2 minutes on the backhand.

Things then speed up as the player has to perform a 3/4 court ghost for 45 seconds. A 3/4 court ghost means that the player runs from the T to the front forehand corner, back through the T to the back forehand corner, keeping the player on the right-hand side of the court.

The next routine will follow and can be a boast/drive routine for 2 minutes and boast/drive/drive for another 2 minutes.

The next ghost is faster still and lasts just 30 seconds. You run from the T to in front of the forehand service box, back and on to just behind the back of the backhand service box. This can be followed by more routines, for example, boast/cross-court/volley drives, with 2 minutes on each side.

The most explosive ghost comes in mid-session. For 20 seconds you move just a step to either side of the T but very quickly. If your coach is kind, the next routine may be a little easier, perhaps volley kills, 2 minutes on the forehand and 2 minutes on the backhand. This is in preparation for a repeat of the fast 20-second ghost, which is followed by the next routine. This one could be short drop shots from both a short and long position, to keep you moving on the court.

Now the ghosts start to get longer again; there is a repeat of the 30 second effort but the sides are reversed. Another routine is needed, so the coach feeding at the front can deliver so the player first plays a cross-court drop, followed by a straight drop, again 2 minutes either side. This is followed by the longer 45-second 3/4 court ghost, but the opposite way to before. The last routine can be kills off the bounce when a feeder serves a high shot for the player to kill, 2 minutes on the forehand and 2 minutes on the backhand. Then a l-minute ghost all around the court followed by a slower 2-minute ghost to act as a gentle cool-down.

This will give an intense session for just over 40 minutes (a common court time), utilising both skill and fitness, leading to a well-deserved shower, followed smartly by fluid and carbohydrate replacement!
Lucy Soutter