Popular the world over, squash offers a chance to hook up with friends while putting in some serious workout time on the court. All you need is a squash racquet, a squash ball, a court — and someone to play.
Finding a Squash Club
Many people choose to join a local squash club, or racquets club. Here, it will be possible to have a course of lessons, or tuition with an expert. Many squash clubs also hold informal club nights, where you can play against a range of different players. There will also be a squash ladder, a form of competition where you move up or down the ladder as you win or lose matches.
Equipment
A squash racquet can be bought quite cheaply, or secondhand, and a squash ball costs around £2.50. It is a good idea to wear loose, comfortable sports clothing and a pair of trainers with a good grip - preferably with a white or yellow non-marking sole.
Public Courts
In the UK, local councils provide public courts at community lesiure centres. These can be booked easily and quite cheaply, a typical court costing £5.60 for a 45 minute session. Split between two players, that's less than £3.00 a game. Most squash games last either 45 or 50 minutes.
Squash Balls
Squash balls are small rubber balls, about the same size as a golf ball. They come in a number of different speeds. Blue is the slowest, yellow the fastest. Beginners should begin with a blue or red ball, yellow is a much harder and faster ball to play with. Most balls are dark grey, their speed is indicated by a coloured dot at one end.
The Court
A squash court is a rectangular box, longer than it is wide. Most have white or off-white walls, with the lines painted on in red. The floor is wooden and springy. Some modern courts have a glass back and walls. All championship matches are played in these glass courts so that spectators can see the action easily.
The Game
The game of squash is different to other racquet sports like badminton and tennis, because players hit the ball against the walls of the court. The ball is allowed to bounce once on the floor before your opponent must return it. Squash is one of the fastest games in the world, because the players are constantly on the move. Much of this movement is short, jerky movements that require both strength and stamina.
World Squash
Squash is played at an international level all over the world. The Squash World Championship is held every year, and squash is played at the Commonwealth Games. Squash however is not classed as an Olympic Sport.
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