You've probably been told by more than one (or twenty-one...) people that you outta stretch a bit after training and playing. Solid advice. But what specific stretches, why, and for how long each? Instead of all this confusion, how about a beer instead?!? So the physical recovery gets it's usual dismissal. And you KNOW you should do better, but...you know... Instead of suggestions, options, and more confusion, here are 3 Great Stretches to help you feel awesome after putting in some hard work. Let's start here in the passive zone, and then you can get into other more active recovery methods (like spin-downs, rolling, etc.) if you care to. Each of these stretches are 1-leg at a time so you can feel the difference between sides. Hold each for 60 seconds at a 7-out-of-10 intensity (feel a great stretch, but don't be uncomfortable so that it's a mental challenge to hold them). Get deeper into each position as stretch progresses. And you'll feel more confident day-over-day with these which will give you even MORE range. But remember - there's no award for getting into the bend-iest position, so follow the details and get the best stretch for yourself. Hamstrings. Groins. Glutes. And because these stretches feel so darned good, I've added a bonus one that you've seen before for good measure. That great Quad / Hip Flexor gem. 8 minutes total. Be the weirdo after your match who can both talk AND stretch. Start a timer, and enjoy doing yourself a solid. Click the Like button if these helpful, and Comment if you have anything you want to share or ask about. 🔥 Enjoy! Coach DV

Strength. Depth. Stability. All things you see from great players when they're at full stretch in the corners during a hard match. And if you watch carefully, more often then not, they're also low and stable when they're NOT under pressure 🫣. So much structure and control ALL THE TIME, coming from a very strong and stable lower body foundation 🤘. If you find yourself too vertical when you're hitting, running through your retrievals, or falling out of your shots, these 3 Leg Drills can help. They challenge 1-leg at a time, and depending on where you're at with your strength history and ability can be challenging (or humbling) in their own way. Start light AND slow. Add speed when you're comfortable. Then load. The 1st is the most simple, and easiest to load up. A standard Split Squat with a Front Rack DB Hold. The 2nd is the most dynamic. A Back Lunge with Balance at the Top. And the 3rd is the deepest, biggest range, and most underrated. The RFE (rear foot elevated) Split Squat. Click the Like button if these are your jam, and Comment if you have anything you want to share or ask about. 🔥 Enjoy!

You data can give you a LOT of high-value feedback beyond the single-session collection. One hard court session with 70% of your time above 80%HRmax is a big day of cardio stress, but your match fitness improvement doesn't rely on only ONE day; it relies on ALL OF THEM. Look at the pictures below. This is my data as an ambitious 40+ player. Data is a central part of my training, but also my coaching as well. The first is one month of data. When you can sum up your entire week of data, you can see total training duration, % time in key intensity zones, and what type of training is taking up your time. This is critical to understanding your current performance, and identifying what tweaks you need to make to your training plan to improve! The second is the year-to-date data. 8 months of data, presented in total training duration and intensity zones per month. You can see the month-over-month the variation in time and intensity, which can help you understand your past training quality and volumes and, more importantly, adjust your training plan moving forward to maximize your progress. It can also give you total # of sessions, average duration, and even the overall time spent in each intensity zone (e.g, 60 HOURS of time above 80%HRmax). And while all of this can be a bit overwhelming if you try and ingest it all at once, that doesn't mean it's too complicated or not valuable. You wouldn't eat all 3 meals and snacks and drink all the water you need for the day ALL AT ONCE before 6am...but you do need it all to maximize your day ;) Like this post if you like this stuff! And add your questions or contributions in the comments below as you have them. Thanks for being a part of the Squash Strength & Fitness crew 🤟🥳 Coach DV

If you keep wingin' it with your squash training, do you think you'll start seeing improvement? Maybe soon...ish? Any time now, perhaps? 🫣 Working on what you think about can't be the best way to improve. Take a step back, be honest with yourself, and identify where you need to be spending your time to start seeing the progress you know you can make. The best planning tool you can find for your squash strength & fitness is in the Member Zone classroom. This tool is for players AND for coaches to use so everyone can maximize their time and efforts. 💪 And it is free for you, the Squash Strength & Fitness community. 🥳 So, go to the Classroom and find it in the Member Zone. More awesome stuff is coming your way soon. Plan. Train. Win. Thanks for being a member! Coach Derek

Squash players are famous for their post-match recovery, but it's more on the "social" side of aisle 🫣😬. Here's a really great stretch if you're interested in adding a bit of freedom into your knees and hips. I've added this - along with 3 other stretches - after every training session, and it's a bona fide winner. It's low effort, high reward. *Hold for 60 sec each side. *Repeat more than once if you like how it feels. *Use a folded towel if you can't track down a yoga block. *You can kneel on a padded chair or bench instead, but it'll take more effort (which I don't love spending after I'm done). Enjoy!