hi viper - meant to comment on this one earlier

a rita said you should warm up earlier - before going on court.
when on court for the hit up focus on the areas where you think you may be falling down

eg for me i focus on the following

• get my feet moving - every hit i make i try to position myself correctly (and quickly)
• i try to get the correct early preparation
• i try to hit cleanly through the ball to get some timing
• I try, initially at least, to make volleys
• i watch the opponent and their swing carefully  to start picking up their hitting cues.

in theory, when i start the game i am tuned in with what i need to do. you really have to be very purposeful in the hit up.

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viper - it is important not to try too hard to win the "hit up" too.  Presuming you have warmed up well, and more so in winter, and got your heart-rate up to 120bpm before going on court, the initial on-court time is then used to get the rhythm and feel out your opponent's form.  Also,  get used to the lighting, floors, walls and ceilings and adjust your height (target points) to obtain your objectives, ie good length, lobs.

Sometimes we get too focussed on ourselves, when we have already done good training and know we can hit good length, and nice high soft lobs, so once the competition match starts it is just the fine tuning.

About concentration - it is about the process of the fine tuning.  What?

• Establish the target on the front wall
• Establish the target on the side wall for boasts
• Get the feel of the soft touch for drops, and lobs
• Decide if the opponent is strong overhead, or backhand/forehand.
• Does opponent have a short or long game.
• Can they mix it up.

None of the above applies all at the same time, so don't get analysis by parallysis, just take one rally at a time and evaluate.  Then, just take the most important aspect into account for the next rally.

Keep those eyes wide, hum a tune as Heather Mackay suggested, enjoy the game.

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Yes, I know what do you mean - I am the same one :) I usually play first 10m badly, trying to get into rhythm. I play my best in the end of the match. I am trying to work on my concentration.

Btw, today I´ve tried the "lower" forehand swing, as showed in "Squash Tips" post. Great ! I feel much better in the back corner now ! Still need to work on power, though.

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