• What you eat and drink leading up to a match, directly affects your performance.
• Only eat a meal that can be digested before you play. Different foods have different digestive times. (Could be up to 3 hours or more).
• Suitable pre-game meal foods:

• Although a meal high in Protein can help muscles perform more efficiently, you mustn't eat anything too heavy just prior to your match.
• Carbohydrates are converted into energy most easily. Include foods with a low glycemic index (GI) so that there is a slower release of energy.
• High GI foods can result in over production of glucose or insulin (or both) a side effect of which is lethargy, sometimes in under a hour.
• Fully hydrate before playing. (Clear urine is usually a sign of full hydration).

Nutrition and Sports Performance
Protein (2 servings +daily)

• Meat, fish, poultry, nuts, peas and beans
• These foods have nutrients required for growth and repair.

Dairy Foods (2 servings + daily)

• Milk, cheese, yoghurt, ice cream
• These foods contain fats which are the large fuel sgorage depots contained in muscle and fat tissue. 
• They are an essential part of the diet.

Cereals/Grains (4 servings + daily)

• Bread, cereal, rice, spaghetti
• Carbohydrates provide the most economical source of energy and the preferred fuel in intensive exercise.

Fruits and Vegetables (4 servings + daily)

• Apples, oranges, salads, potatoes and corn
• Carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals are essential parts of the enzyme systems which metabolise carbohydrates and fats.
• Minerals are essential in the proper functioning of nerves and muscles.

The number of servings listed will only supply essential nutrients and represent a balanced diet.  Extra servings containing extra calories will be required to meet full training needs.
Water

• Two-thirds of body weight is water.
•  The critical chemical reactions for providing muscular energy take place in water.
• Water provides an important function in transporting metabolic by-products to the lungs and kidneys and heat to the surface for dissipation.

Pre-Game Meal
Two to three hours before a match a high carbohydrate, low fat meal accompanied by abundant fluid is desirable.

A guide to your meal choices:

• Prepare yourself mentally to follow your desired game plan (eg. Volley where possible, change the pace, etc)
  
• If the level of arousal(eg. too anxious?)  is too high - try deep breathing, relax and get rhythm especially in the hit up.
• Visualise your technique (eg lob serve - feet positioning, ball toss, front all target etc)
• Set/adapt your game plan according to what you know about your opponent.
• Stay focussed prior to the game (don't let pre game interaction upset or distract you)

Being successful

• Each competition presents different challenges and has different demands.
• Preparing to perform adds a sense of control.
• Relieving tension, enhancing concentration and building confidence.
• Visualise some problems you expect to encounter the day before the actual match.
• Visualise how you will successfully handle the problems to include a perfect performance.

The following ideas may assist your mental ability to perform well.

A guide to your behaviour is:

• Shook hands before and after the match.
• Comments were supportive
• Accepted the Ref's decisions
• Showed honesty and courtesy
• Acknowledged good play

• The physical match preparation consists of three main elements.
• General body warm up
• Specific muscle stretches
• Sport specific warm up
• Undertake all three warm ups to be fully physically prepared for your match.
  
• Continue your mental preparation at this time to perform at your best.

• Any light to moderate physical activity
  
• Get up a light sweat or heart rate of 60 - 70% mhr.

• More detail on warm up activities.

• Once a warm up has been completed, players should then stretch the major muscle groups used in Squash.
• Each stretch should be held for at least 10-20 seconds(no “bouncing”)
  
• Completed at least 2-4 times.
• Held until a slight burning sensation can be felt.
• Never stretch torn or injured muscles
•  Read more on stretches

• Stretching specific muscles is essential to help reduce muscle tear injuries and to allow you to have maximum flexibility during a game.
• A warm up by itself will not prepare you for the extra stretching that is required in some situations and when you may move awkwardly.
• Stretching beforehand will help reduce the chance of muscle related injuries. Stretching after the game will help your overall flexibility as this will stretch the muscles more than the pre game stretch due to vigorous movement during the game.
• More advanced forms of stretching can be undertaken but this would normally be done in a special stretching or flexibility session.

• A Squash skill warm up should include a series of ghosted court movements.
•  A range of racket swings.
• A combination of the above.
• You can increase the intensity as this progresses.
• During the entire warm up, mental rehearsal or other psychological preparation for the match.

• A Sport specific warm up can have a positive effect on your performance.
• It is vital prior to a competitive match .
• It can be replaced in a practice game with a short period of lower intensity play (say building up over 5 - 10 minutes).
  
• A period of controlled dynamic movement is very useful in peparing for a competitive game and to help reduce injury risk.
• This is also a useful time for mental rehearsal.
• Undertaking this warm up will help refine the muscle memory into a groove.

• A "hit up" before a competition match lasts 5 minutes.
• Standing on either backhand or forehand side, players hit the ball to each other for 2.5 minutes then change sides.
• This is a chance to get used to the court conditions and the ball.
• Get a feel for the pace of the ball and try to establish a good length.
•  If you have not seen your opponent play before, try to pick up any technical weaknesses they might have.
• Try to get your movement and swing into a "groove" - be purposeful.
  
• Attempt plenty of volleys in the hit up.
• Mental rehearsal of your hit up routine can ensure that you carry out all the desired tasks in the hit up.