Millman Experience Home Training during the Coronavirus.
( This article should be read in conjunction with the following Training video on YouTube : https://youtu.be/5tfN7wq29_o )
Hi folks,
Whether or not you are in mandatory or self imposed quarantine, you can use this time to work on both your understanding of our game and your fitness, efficiency and performance levels.
Movement is the key to squash, but there is a lot to understand before you can become a great mover.
- All movement in squash must be related to the ball – whether an actual ball or a visualized ball.
- Human beings have managed to survive until now using 2 key co-performing but separate perception systems:
A) Primary focus – which we use to focus on urgent and immediate matters at hand – in Squash this is the ball.
B) Peripheral focus – with which we continually scan our surroundings for other non immediate but possible threats – in squash this includes everything other than the ball – the walls, the lines, the spaces that you might want to attack, your opponent, the ref – literally everything other than the ball.
As I mentioned above – these perception systems are co-performing – in other words the work simultaneously as a marriage and we are reliant on that marriage for our survival.
They must, however, never be interchanged.
You must never allow Primary focus to leave the ball ( for the opponent’s body language or the T or the front wall – all of which are disasters for your attachment to and engagement with the ball).
You must never allow Peripheral focus to follow the the ball ( you will lose track of where you are standing and end up too close to one or other side wall or the front wall).
- When you practice movement training, you must correctly use your Primary focus to continuously engage with the ball, while simultaneously using your Peripheral awareness to constantly maintain detailed awareness of your surroundings – where you are – and the proximity of your opponent – and where the spaces around you are.
- When you practice movement training, you must choreograph your movement to allow you the ability to defend the entire court WHILE YOU ARE REGAINING A STRATEGICALLY DEFENSIVE POSITION. WHILE – NOT AFTER. Because your opponent can strike the ball anytime after you strike it. They don’t have to wait til you are comfortably back in position. For this reason you must make sure that your choreography ensures that you don’t cross your legs over as you recover ( you will see this in the video) precluding your ability to defend certain areas of the court.
- When you practice movement training, you have the ability to train multiple fitness systems. Now, I am a squash coach. I have a decent amount of knowledge about fitness systems and in some very squash specific areas, I may have more awareness than fitness professionals. BUT, I always recommend that you work with trained fitness professionals when it comes to understanding anatomical and bio-mechanical knowledge. However, when you see the ghosting routines in the video that are designed for STRENGTH ENDURANCE, I know they are effective and that, if you do them, you will dramatically improve your movement efficiency over the course of a long match. I also demonstrate a number of ghosting routines that increase your cardio vascular and muscular requirements when compared with regular ghosting routines – especially the BACKWARDS ghosting routing which is a far more demanding workout for your legs and heart as compared with other routines. If you are trying to train for SPEED you must take very long breaks between sets – at least 3 minutes – and your ghosting routine sets should be very short (10 sec) x 6 reps.
Summary:
When ghosting or doing combined shot and ghost work:
- Continuously relate to the ball ( whether real or imaginary).
- Understand how your Primary and Peripheral focus systems work.
- Use Primary focus to engage with the ball at the same time as using your Peripheral awareness to constantly scan your whereabouts and surroundings.
- Choreograph your movement to enable you to adequately defend the court at all times.
- Train multiple fitness systems ( consult with a fitness professional to understand how to use these routines in a planned fitness program).
Routines:
1.Shot and a ghost: 1. Drive 2.Volley 3. Drop 4 Drop-volley 5 Short drive retrieve V shape pattern. 30-50 shots dependent on fitness and ability – you and your partner alternate feeding.
2.4 or 6 shot regular ghosting pattern. Speed ( 10 secs x 6 with 3 minute breaks for max recovery) v Cardio Vascular (1 minute on 1 minute rest x 4,6,8, 10 or more dependent on fitness and ability)
3.4 or 6 shot backwards ghosting pattern. Speed v Cardio Vascular
4.Ghosting pyramid with the above.
5.Easy choreography Backhand and Forehand 1 minute on 1 minute rest – as many as you feel is warranted. 10 sets will start Strength Endurance training.
6.Multiple station easy choreography.
- One shot ghosting: 1. Forehand drive shot/ backhand hunt, 2 Backhand drive shot/forehand hunt, 3 Forehand deep retrieve/forehand hunt, 4 Backhand deep retrieve/forehand hunt. ( These are very good for STRENGTH ENDURANCE)
- V shape patterns 1. Drops, 2, Volleys 3, Drives, 4 Deep retrieves. ( Both CARDIO AND STRENGTH ENDURANCE. Can also be done for speed per the 10 secs x 6 reps x 3 minute rest).
Have fun and work hard. We will see you on the flip side of Corona virus!
All the best from the Millman Experience.
The Millman Experience 