In the high-paced world of squash, speed is a vital asset. The ability to reach the ball quickly, recover between shots, and stay explosive throughout a rally can be the difference between winning and losing.
While fitness and footwork are crucial in Squash, targeted power drills can significantly enhance your on-court speed.
Let’s elaborate on how effective power drills can help you move faster, react quicker, and outmanoeuvre your opponent.
Why Power Drills?
Power drills are designed to develop explosiveness, acceleration, and deceleration control—all critical speed components in squash. Unlike endurance training, these drills focus on short bursts of intense effort, mimicking the stop-start nature of a squash rally.
Key Power Drills for Squash Speed
1. Ghosting with Resistance Bands
Purpose: Builds explosive power and directional change
How to Do It:
- Attach a resistance band around your waist, anchor it to a fixed point, or have a training partner hold it.
- Ghost to various points of the court as if chasing a shot—front left, front right, back corners, and centre.
- Push off powerfully with each movement, working against the resistance.
Tip: Focus on maintaining a low, athletic posture. Keep movements sharp and decisive.
2. Lateral Cone Shuffles
Purpose: Improves side-to-side quickness
How to Do It:
- Set out 3–5 cones horizontally spaced 1 metre apart.
- Shuffle side-to-side, touching each cone and staying low.
- Perform sets of 20–30 seconds at maximum intensity.
Progression: Add a racket and mimic swing motions to make the drill squash-specific.
3, Explosive Step Lunges
Purpose: Develops leg power and recovery speed
How to Do It:
- From a standing position, lunge forward powerfully, pushing off the front foot to return to the starting stance.
- Alternate legs for 10–12 reps each side.
- Add dumbbells or a medicine ball for extra load.
Tip: Emphasise the explosive push off—this mimics lunging for a drop shot and returning to the T.
4. Speed Ladder Drills
Purpose: Enhances foot speed and coordination
How to Do It:
- Use an agility ladder and perform various patterns: one-foot in each square, two-foot hops, lateral movements, etc.
- Focus on speed without sacrificing form.
- Variation: Finish each pattern with a short sprint or shadow swing.
5. Box Jumps and Depth Jumps
Purpose: Builds lower-body explosiveness
How to Do It:
- For box jumps, jump from the ground onto a sturdy box, landing softly.
- For depth jumps, step off a box and explode upwards as soon as you land.
- Perform 3–4 sets of 5–8 reps.
Warning: Make sure you warm up properly—these are high-impact drills.
6. T-Drill with Reactive Partner Call
Purpose: Develops reactive speed and explosive court coverage
How to Do It:
- Start on the T. Have a partner (or coach) call out a corner—“Front right!”
- Sprint to that corner, ghost a shot, and return to the T.
- As soon as you arrive back, another call is made.
- Continue for 30 seconds to 1 minute per set.
Focus: Sharp direction changes, low centre of gravity, and quick recovery to the T.
7. Medicine Ball Slams + Court Sprint
Purpose: Builds upper and lower body explosiveness; simulates point-starting energy
How to Do It:
- Hold a medicine ball and slam it to the floor with full force.
- Immediately sprint to the front wall, ghost a shot, and return.
- Repeat 6–8 times with full effort.
Variation: Use the ball for overhead throws instead of slams to engage core and shoulder explosiveness.
8. Multi-Directional Bounding
Purpose: Trains explosive court coverage and balance under pressure
How to Do It:
- Start at the T. Perform explosive bounds (long, powerful steps) to each corner of the court.
- Focus on control and soft landings.
- Return to the T before changing direction.
Tip: Think of this as exaggerated movement training to develop strength in your push-offs.
9. Reactive Drop Step Drill
Purpose: Improves first-step explosiveness and directional readiness
How to Do It:
- Stand in an athletic stance. Have a partner point or shout a direction (left, right, forward, back).
- As quickly as possible, take one explosive drop step and push off in that direction.
- Reset to centre and repeat for 30 seconds.
Why It Works: Squash movement begins with that first quick step. Training it in isolation makes your initial reactions faster in match play.
10. Short Burst Shuttle Sprints
Purpose: Enhances short-distance speed and anaerobic capacity
How to Do It:
- Set markers every 1–2 metres from the T to each wall (e.g., 1m, 3m, 6m).
- Sprint to each marker and back in sequence: 1m and back, 3m and back, etc.
- Perform 2–3 sets of 3 reps.
Variation: Use a racket and simulate striking motions during each touch point to keep it squash-specific.
How to Structure a Power Speed Session
- Warm-Up (10 mins)
- Dynamic stretches (hip openers, leg swings, torso twists)
- Light ghosting or skipping
- Activation drills (glute bridges, wall drives)
- Main Set (20–30 mins)
- Choose 3–4 of the power drills listed.
- Do 3–4 sets of each drill
- 30–45 seconds work / 30–60 seconds rest (depending on intensity)
- Maintain maximum effort—quality over fatigue
- Cool Down (10 mins)
- Gentle ghosting or rally tempo movement
- Static stretches (hamstrings, quads, calves, hip flexors)
Additional Tips to Maximise Speed Gains
Track Progress: Use timing or video to monitor improvement in explosiveness and reaction times.
Focus on Recovery: Power training is demanding—allow rest days and fuel your body properly.
Mix in Match Play: Use conditioned games (e.g. “2-shot rally” or “short service box”) to apply speed gains under pressure.
Don’t Neglect Core Strength: Explosive movement depends on trunk stability. Incorporate planks, Russian twists, and anti-rotation exercises.
Be Consistent: Even 2 focused power sessions per week will yield noticeable improvements within 4–6 weeks.
Integrating Drills into Your Routine
To get the most out of power drills:
- Include them 2–3 times per week in your training schedule.
- Do them before endurance or match play when your legs are fresh.
- Focus on quality over quantity—these drills are about intensity, not duration.
Turn Power Into Dominance
Improving your speed on court isn’t just about running faster—it’s about explosive starts, sharp changes of direction, and quick recovery to the T. Power drills are a practical, time-efficient way to gain that edge. With consistency and focus, you’ll soon reach shots earlier, dominate the rally, and play with greater confidence.
With dedicated power drills, you’ll not only chase balls down faster but also recover quicker, change direction with purpose, and impose your tempo on the match.
Make speed your weapon. Train smart. Move sharply. Win points before your opponent even reacts.
Train hard. Move faster. Play smarter.