resistance training considerations for the sport of squash

Resistance Training Considerationsfor the Sport of SquashJason Bennie, Con Hrysomallis, PhDVictoria University, Melbourne,Victoria, Australia

© National Strength and Conditioning AssociationVolume 27, Number 3, pages 30–38

Keywords: squash; resistance training; weight training; periodiza-tion; sport specific

The sport of squash is popularthroughout the world, with 15million players in 149 nations

competing regularly. In the UnitedStates, the U.S. National Squash Federa-tion has 8,000 members, but there areover 500,000 recreational players na-tionally (16). Participants in squash re-quire proficiency in an array of parame-ters, such as aerobic and anaerobiccapacities, local muscular endurance,strength, power, flexibility, speed, andagility (11). There is presently little lit-erature regarding resistance-trainingprograms for the sport. The followingreasons have been proposed: weighttraining will produce excess muscle

mass, reduce flexibility, and increasestress on the joints; and the notion thatthere is limited transfer between tradi-tional weight-training exercises andsquash performance (2, 3, 19). Resis-tance training has not been perceived asan important form of training. As such,it has been neglected in programs, evenat the elite level (2, 3, 14, 19, 20).

The aim of this article is to present a peri-odized, resistance-training program forthe sport of squash. The program will in-corporate functional resistance-trainingexercises that take into consideration themovement patterns and specific demandsof the sport. A progressively overloaded,safe, functional resistance-training pro-gram will be presented for coaches andplayers to consider incorporating in theirtraining regimes.

Factors for Exercise SelectionParticipation in squash play requirestotal body movements. Considerationfor exercise selection is based on move-ment patterns, muscle groups used,types of contraction, motor patterns,and speed of motion. The trunk acts dy-namically by generating power throughrotation and acts statically to providestability for the limbs to work efficient-ly. The lower limbs enable the locomo-

tion of the body around the court,which involves multidirectional run-ning at various speeds, lunging in multi-ple directions to reach balls, and explo-sive, sideways jumping (1).

Participation in the sport requires pre-dominantly power- and strength-basedactivities. Therefore, the muscular andmetabolic endurance needs are probablymore efficiently enhanced by actualsquash play and training. As a result, itwas decided not to prescribe high vol-umes and repetitions of weight exercisesthat are typically associated with muscu-lar endurance. This approach has alsobeen used in other sports such as swim-ming (12). Consequently, the exerciseschosen in this program will be primarilypower and strength based. This will in-volve moderate-to-heavy loads withshort-duration activities conducted atslow-to-moderate speeds (excluding theplyometric exercises), with moderate-to-long recovery intervals.

Progressive OverloadDuring this program, exercise specifici-ty, loads, and volumes will be progres-sively overloaded in an attempt to gainoptimal results for the athlete. Follow-ing the overload, there will be a recoveryperiod.

s u m m a r y

This article presents a periodized re-

sistance-training program for the

sport of squash. The program incor-

porates functional resistance-train-

ing exercises that take into consid-

eration the movement patterns and

specific demands of the sport.

30 June 2005 • Strength and Conditioning Journal

When designing programs, there isconsiderable difficulty in determiningthe optimal amount of progressiveoverload. Indeed, setting training loadsfor athletes is considered one of themost challenging tasks to confrontcoaches across all sports. This is partlybecause there is little to no data avail-able that specify the exact loads needed.Also, there is significant individualvariability among athletes in responsesto training (10). Although one particu-lar training load may be considered op-timal for one athlete, other athletesmay be overtrained or, conversely, un-dertrained. This has important impli-cations for team or squad training, assetting one training load may cause arange of responses among members.Therefore, care must be taken whensetting training loads. The authors rec-ommend individualized programs andsupervision of training sessions, cou-pled with athlete ratings of the intensi-ty of the session (e.g. 1 to 10) and regu-lar review and revision of the programs.

Rest and Recovery The strength and conditioning specialistand the coach should be aware of an ath-lete’s exercise tolerance and recovery ca-pacity to ensure that injury or overtrain-ing does not occur. In an attempt tooptimize training results, a 4-week load-ing cycle will usually be applied. Thefirst week will involve a low load; thesecond week, a moderate load; the thirdweek, a high load; and the fourth weekwill involve unloading (low-to-moder-ate load).

This method of loading is commonlyused in program design and provides foran overload stimulus, followed by a re-covery phase. The goal of such a loadingpattern is to facilitate adequate recoverybefore moving on to the next, increas-ingly challenging phase.

SpecificityThe exercises in this program havebeen designed to mimic the demandsof squash, thus enabling optimal

transfer between the weight room andsquash play. In theory, the more simi-lar the training activity to the sport,the greater the likelihood of a positivecarryover to performance (17).

Challenging issues arose when design-ing the exercise program. In particu-lar, upper-body exercises make it dif-ficult to adopt the concept ofspecificity. For example, exercises—such as dumbbell flys performed on abench or medicine ball (MB), chestpasses on a stability ball—do not re-flect the specific demands of a squashstroke to the same extent as, for exam-ple, using a weighted squash racket.The issue of using weighted imple-ments to increase specificity was ex-plored. For example, a standingdumbbell exercise that mimics thesquash stroke was considered. Also,exercises using heavier rackets wereconsidered. Exercises such as these arecontroversial. It is believed that theycan result in altering the technique ofthe athlete (17). The lack of researchand other safety concerns are addi-tional reasons to exclude such exercis-es, and no research exploring the ef-fects of weighted implements onsquash performance could be located.Indeed, from research conducted onother sports, such as baseball (15),there is no conclusive proof thatweighted-implement training is effec-tive. The increased risk of injury tothe shoulder region should also beconsidered because exercises such asthese might produce unwanted stresson this already heavily used region.

The lower-body and core exercises areconsidered specific for the sport ofsquash. The exercises mimic the de-mands of each body section respective-ly (e.g., multidirectional lunging withvarying heights and standing, rotation-al exercises performed with cable pul-leys and MBs). The exercises pre-scribed will follow a continuum frombasic to specific, creating exercises thatresemble squash play after strength

base and anatomical adaptations haveoccurred.

Core Conditioning and Plyometric TrainingCore muscles play an important role inproducing powerful, efficient squashstrokes. These muscles provide stabilityand a dynamic platform to transfer themotions of the upper and lower body.Although there is no direct evidence,core conditioning is suggested to resultin greater force production and reducedrisk of injury (13). If inadequatestrength levels exist in the abdominaland lower-back muscles, then the trans-fer of momentum initiated from thelower body through the midsection tothe upper body during the squash swingmay become less efficient (19). The ex-ercises chosen in this program reflect theneeds of squash play, and as a whole,they are conducted in either a standingor lunging position and involve someform of truck rotation. Medicine ballsand cable pulleys are used to add speci-ficity to the exercises.

Squash is a demanding sport that re-quires high degrees of coordination,speed, agility, and power. Therefore,plyometric exercises have obviousbenefits and may transfer to, and en-hance, squash play. Behm (4) sug-gests that these exercises can be usedto improve multidirectional, courtmobility; flexibility; and racket-headspeed.

Periodization of ProgramThe potential benefits of periodiza-tion include (a) enabling a safe andoptimal progressive overload of theprogram, (b) attenuating plateaus inperformance, (c) decreasing risk of in-jury, and (d) adding variety to thetraining (5). Overall, the aim of peri-odization is to bring the athlete topeak performance during the competi-tive season.

The process of dividing strength andconditioning program up into phases is

31June 2005 • Strength and Conditioning Journal

commonly used to establish a conciseframework for training progression.This program has been divided up into 5phases:

• Phase 1: adaptation.• Phase 2: strength training.• Phase 3: specific training.• Phase 4: complex training.• Phase 5: maintenance.

The exercises, training parameters, load-ing patterns, and rationales for eachphase are outlined below. The resistance

(5, 8, 18), plyometric (7), and core (13)exercises are designed with reference tomaterial that appears in the literature.

Training StructureIt is assumed that an athlete partaking inthis program has had some experience inweight training. The following sequencewill generally be adopted where applica-ble:

• Warm-up: 8–10 minutes of low-in-tensity, aerobic-based warm-up withlight stretching.

• Plyometric exercises: conducted inPhases 2, 3, and 4 only.

• Resistance exercises. • Core component.

Phase 1: AdaptationDuring this phase, the athletes aresubjected to a low-intensity squashtraining regime. The focus is on (a)acquiring squash-specific skills (cor-recting or developing new tech-niques), (b) developing a base level ofstrength, flexibility, and aerobic andanaerobic endurance, and (c) goal set-


Table 1Phase 1 of Periodized Program

Instructions Loading pattern Exercises Description

Re

sist

an

ce c

ircu

it

Rest: 1 min between sets;2–3 min between circuits.

Speed of execution: slowand controlled.

Perform exercises 7 and 9with light loads.

Week 1Mon, FriNo. of circuits: 2Reps: 10–12

Week 2Mon,Wed, FriNo. of circuits: 3Reps: 10–12

Week 3Mon,Wed, FriNo. of circuits: 4Reps: 10–12

Week 4Mon, FriNo. of circuits: 2Reps: 10–12

1. Lunge2. Chest press3. Squat4. Prone row5. Leg press6. One-arm row7. Internal shoulder

rotation (light load)8. Calf raise9. External shoulder

rotation (light load)

1. Lunging forward with DB by side.

2. DB on flat bench.3. Barbell (BB) in squat rack.4. DB on flat bench.5. DL on a 45° machine.6. DB with knee and hand in

contact with bench.7. Cable pulley.8. Standing BB.9. Cable pulley.

Co

re e

xerc

ise

s

3 sets of 15 reps for exercises 1, 2, and 4.

3 sets, maximum reps for exercise 3.

1. Back hyperextensions2. MB side throws3. Abdominal crunch using

an SB4. DB side bend

1. Using a standard Roman chair,flex downward from the waist,arch upward past parallel.

2. Standing, swing the MB to theside of the body, forcefully release MB against the wall.Catch MB on the return, and repeat the movement.

3. On SB, perform the exercisethrough the full range of motion.

4. Standing with DB in right hand.Bend sideways until DB reachesknee line. Repeat left side.

Note: MB = medicine ball, SB = stability ball, DB = dumbbell, DL = double leg.

ting (identifying tournaments to peakfor).

This phase occurs directly after the off-season. The goal is to progressivelyadapt the various body structures to thedemands of weight training. The processof performing circuits that alternate be-tween lower- and upper-body parts isprescribed to allow recovery. A repeti-tion range of 10–12 has been imple-mented to moderately target strengthand power gains in athletes but not sub-

ject them to excessive loads before theyare properly conditioned (6). Plyomet-ric exercises are not prescribed duringthis phase.

The resistance exercises in Table 1 are lim-ited in technical demand and specificitybut provide the athlete with an overallconditioning of the core section. The pur-pose of the exercises chosen is to targetsimilar muscle groups and the grossmovements used for squash. This phaseshould be viewed as a building process for

more explosive and specific exercises inthe future. Traditional load assignmentsuse a percentage of 1 repetition maximum(1RM) or RMs (6, 8). However, thesemethods many not be suitable for many ofthe exercises in this program because ofthe number of exercises executed with sin-gle limbs, with weight lifted above thehead or in front of the body, and withmultidirectional lunges. Exercises such asthese could be unsafe to perform withnear-maximal loads because that mightincrease the risk of injury. As such, the




Ply

om

etr

ic c

ircu

it

Rest: 2 min between sets.

Perform exercises on ayielding surface (e.g., a rubber or suspended floor).

Coach and athlete must select box heights, cone distances, and MB weightsthat are challenging but still allow for proper, safetechnique.

Week 1, Mon, FriNo. of circuits: 2; Reps: 10




1. Drop from box2. DL cone hop3. Split jump squats4. MB chest pass

1. Drop from box and “freeze.”2. Jumping laterally over cones.3. Lunge position, jump explosive-

ly upward; change legs.4. Lying on floor. MB dropped

toward chest, caught, andpushed explosively upward.

Re

sist

an

ce e

xerc

ise

s

Rest: 1–2 min between sets.

Speed of execution:moderate.

Week 1, Mon, FriNo. of circuits: 3; Reps: 8–10

Week 2, Mon,Wed, FriNo. of circuits: 4; Reps: 8–10

Week 3, Mon,Wed, FriNo. of circuits: 5; Reps: 8–10

Week 4, Mon,WedNo. of circuits: 2; Reps: 8–10

1. Lunge2. Lunge onto box3. DB chest fly4. DB prone fly5. Leg Press6. Arabesque one-arm row

1. Traveling with DB by side.2. DB by side; front foot fixed on

box; lunge forward.3. Flat or incline bench.4. Flat or incline bench.5. SL on a 45° machine.6. DB with arm fixed on bench.

Co

re e

xerc

ise

s

3 sets, 15–20 reps. 1. Back hyperextensions2. MB side throw (lunge

position)3. Cable wood chopper4. Reverse wood chopper

1. Same exercise as in phase 1,but on SB.

2. Same exercise as in phase 1,but hold the lunge position.

3. Pull the cable pulley diagonallyacross the body from high tolow.

4. Pull the cable pulley diagonallyacross the body from low tohigh.

Note: MB = medicine ball, DL = double leg, DB = dumbbell, SL = single leg.

emphasis should be on correct techniquewith challenging loads.

Phase 2: Strength TrainingThe purpose of this phase is to increasethe specificity of exercises and to in-crease the strength base. This is obtainedby increasing the load from the previousphase. The exercises in this phase be-come more specific, enhancing the pos-sibility that the increased force outputwill transfer to a squash-specific situa-tion. A combination of low-level plyo-

metric exercises and resistance trainingis prescribed during this phase.

Also during this phase, athletes beginplaying in squash competitions. Al-though on-court performance duringthis phase is important at this point, themajority of high-profile tournamentsare scheduled for later in the year.Therefore, off-court training is still con-sidered a high priority. This permits theathletes to develop further squash-spe-cific on-court skills and strength and fit-

ness levels, with the predeterminedtournaments being of major focus laterin the year. The training emphasis ischanged from developing general per-formance capabilities to enhancingsquash skills (e.g., increasing the com-plexity of on-court drills) and sport-spe-cific fitness parameters (e.g., specificspeed, agility, and strength training).

The plyometric exercises in Table 2 at-tempt to mimic squash play. For exam-ple, exercise 1 involves practicing stop-




Ply

om

etr

ic c

ircu

it

Same as phase 2. Week 1, Tue, FriNo. of circuits: 3; Reps: 8–10

Week 2, Tue, FriNo. of circuits: 4; Reps: 8–10


Week 4, Tues, FriNo. of circuits: 2; Reps: 8–10

1. Drop to lunge2. SL cone hop3. Cycled split squat 4. DL, multidirectional hop5. MB chest pass

1. Drop from box; land and “freeze”in lunge position.

2. Same exercise as in phase 2 but SL.

3. Jump explosively upward fromright to left leg.

4. Hurdles placed on a hexagon;stand in center; jump in direc-tion randomly selected bycoach; return to center. Repeatuntil all points of hexagon arecovered.

5. Same exercise as in phase 2 but lying on SB

Re

sist

an

ce e

xerc

ise

s

Rest: 1–2 min between sets

Speed of excitation:moderate.

For safety purposes, takecare with these exercises.Select a weight that permitssafe execution.




Week 4, Tues, FriNo. of circuits: 2; Reps: 8–10

1. Traveling lunge2. Lunge onto box3. 8-point lunge4. SA chest fly5. SA prone fly

1. Weight above head.2. Same exercise as in Phase 2 but

with weight above head andvary box heights.

3. DB by side. Lunge forward,forward diagonally, backwarddiagonally, and backward;repeat all with other leg.

4. DB on flat or incline bench.5. DB on flat or incline bench.

Co

re e

xerc

ise

s

3 sets of 15–20 reps for eachexercise.

1. SB back hyperextensions(twist)

2. MB side throw (varyheight of throws)

3. Cable wood chopper (in lunge)

4. Reverse wood chopper(in lunge)

1. On SB, twist sideways.2. Same exercise as in phase 2,

but throw the MB from differentheights.

3. Same exercise as in phase 2 but in the lunge position.

4. Same exercise as in phase 2 but in the lunge position.

Note: SL = single leg, DL = double leg, MB = medicine ball, SA = single arm, SB = stability ball, DB = dumbbell.

ping suddenly. Exercises 2 and 3 incor-porate multidirectional jumping. Exer-cise 4 involves explosive upper-bodymovement.

The resistance exercises for the lowerbody are based on lunging, which is themost common form of lower-bodymovement in squash. Multiple direc-tions, various heights, and movinglunges all mimic the demands of squashplay. The upper-body exercises are basedon the squash stroke. The exercises haveprogressed in specificity, for example,chest press to fly and prone row to fly.

The core conditioning exercises dis-played in Table 2 are progressionsfrom the previous core exercisephase. Exercise 1 changes to an un-stable environment. Exercise 2 is asport-specific position. Exercises 3and 4 mimic the core requirementsfor both the forehand and backhandstrokes.

Phase 3: Specific TrainingThe purpose of this phase is to increasethe specificity from the previous phase.Both the load and speed of executionremain the same as in the previous

phase. This approach was chosen so theathlete is not subjected to increasedstress that could arise from excessiveloads. The emphasis should be on per-forming the prescribed number of repe-titions with correct exercise technique.The previous phases ensure anatomicaladaptations and the establishment of astrength base, enabling the progressionto increasingly demanding and specificplyometric and resistance-training ex-ercises.

On-court performance is the squashfocus during this phase. Players are sub-




Co

mp

lex

tra

inin

g:r

esi

sta

nce

an

d p

lyo

me

tric

exe

rcis

es Session outline

Perform resistance exercise.

Rest 30 sec.

Perform plyometric exer-cise.

Rest 3–4min.

Repeat prescribed numberof times.

Week 1Tue, FriNo. of circuits: 3Reps: 6–8




1. a. Resistancetraveling lunge with rotation.

b. PlyometricJump to lunge with continuous split squat.

2. a. Resistance8-point lunge

b. PlyometricSL, multi-directional cone hop

3. a. ResistanceSA fly on stability ball (SB)

b. PlyometricSA MB drop, catch, andthrow

1a. Weight held in front; rotatetrunk with every lunge step.

1b. Drop from box; land in lungeposition, and explode up-wards.

2a. Same exercise as in phase 3but with weight above thehead.

2b. Same exercise as in phase 3but with SL.

3a. Same exercise as in phase 3but on SB.

3b. Lying on SB; small MB (1 kg)dropped onto hand in fly position; ball caught, andpushed back upward explosively.

Co

re e

xerc

ise

s

3 sets of 15–20 reps 1. SB back hyperextensions(twist + weight)

2. MB side throw (varyheight of throws)

3. Cable wood chopper (in lunge)

4. Reverse wood chopper(in lunge)

1. Same exercise as in phase 3 but done while holding weight.

2. Same exercise as in phase 3,but increase the weight of theMB.

3. Same exercise as in phase 2,but increase resistance and varythe height of the lunge.

4. Same exercise as in phase 2,but increase resistance and varythe height of the lunge.

Note: SL = single leg, SA = single arm, MB = medicine ball.

jected to increasingly demanding train-ing drills, with less time devoted toother aspects of training. Resistancetraining is reduced during this part ofthe training program.

The plyometric exercises shown in Table 3reflect the shift toward a more specific pro-gram. For example, the exercises chosenreflect squash play with dynamic lungingand stopping in a lunge position. Single-leg activity such as multidirectional jumpsand using the upper body explosively in achallenging environment are included.

The lunge variations in Table 3 to the re-sistance exercises have become morespecific (e.g., multidirectional and vary-ing heights) and demanding (e.g.,weight above the head), requiring stabi-lization and strength to hold the variouspositions. The upper-body exercises arenow performed using a single arm, in-creasing the specificity.

Overall, the core conditioning exercisesincrease in technical demand and physi-cal requirements. The specificity hasalso increased; for example, MB throwsfrom different heights.

Phase 4: Complex TrainingThe complex method is a combinationof heavy weight training and plyomet-rics. Complex training is suggested to bean effective way of developing transferbetween explosive exercises performedin a weight-room setting and sports-spe-cific performance (7). The exercises aregrouped together so lower-body resis-tance and lower-body plyometric areperformed together. Complex trainingshould only be performed when a solidbase of conditioning has occurred.

During this phase, the squash focus is onthe upcoming tournament. High-intensi-ty training drills are prescribed to mimicthe demands of the high-level match play,with relativity low levels of volume incor-porated to allow for adequate recovery.Advanced drills and modified match playare used for on-court training.

The resistance and plyometric exercises inTable 4 mimic the movements and energysystem requirements of high-intensitysquash play. Exercise 1 involves heavy, re-sisted, traveling lunges with trunk rota-tion, followed by explosive lunges withupward movement to practice getting outof the lunge position powerfully. Exercise2 involves weighted lunges in multiple di-rections followed by multidirectional,single-leg cone hops. Exercise 3 involvesresisted upper-limb movements followedby ballistic drop-and-catch motions, sim-ilar to the squash stroke.

The core conditioning exercises in Table4 have remained the same as those in theprevious phase. However, heavier loadsare assigned during this phase, enablingthe exercises to become more demandingand for further overloading to occur.

Phase 5: MaintenanceIt is recommended that resistance trainingshould cease 5 to 7 days before a majorcompetition (6). This phase is periodizedto coincide with the week leading into atournament and the week following;therefore, during this phase, limited resis-tance and plyometric exercises are pre-scribed. The majority of training time willbe spent on the squash court honingmatch-play skills and on-court tactics.Players could participate in a low-intensityplyometric circuit; for example, a group ofplyometric exercises conducted in the pre-vious phases could be incorporated intoon-court training. This may maintainmuscular power and speed without requir-ing the athletes to undertake further resis-tance training before a major tournament.However, it is suggested that caution betaken with the amount and type of exercis-es undertaken; for example, approximate-ly 50–60 foot contacts should be per-formed, and single-leg exercises should belimited. Excessive plyometric exercises un-dertaken in this phase could lead to post-exercise soreness, which, in turn, could af-fect a player’s physical capacity.

Training Structure. A typical trainingstructure should follow these guidelines:

• General warm-up: light jogging,running drills, and the like.

• Stretching: movement specific stretches.• Plyometric exercises.• Squash training.• Cool down.

For the second week of the maintenancephase (i.e., the week following the tour-nament), there will be no resistancetraining. Low-intensity, low-impact ac-tivities that are generally away from thesquash court are prescribed (e.g., mas-sage, cycling, swimming). This willavoid any risk of overtraining complica-tions from the recently increased work-load of tournament play.

Yearly ProgramIn-Season Squash Periodization Consid-erations. The squash season in Australiais played primarily from Februarythrough to October. During this period,players are very active in training, clubcompetitions, and tournament play.Also, depending on the level of the ath-lete, overseas travel may be required forparticipation in tournaments in Europe,Asia, and North America.

Covered in the following section is an ex-ample of a yearly periodized resistance-training program. At the beginning ofeach year, a player identifies a number oftournaments for which they wish to peak.This program is designed with the as-sumption that the player has identified 4tournaments throughout the year. Tour-nament 1 is in the first weekend in March;tournament 2, the first weekend in May;tournament 3, the second weekend in Au-gust; and tournament 4, the third week-end in September. The yearly program isthen broken into series of macrocyles,which are outlined in Table 5.

Macrocycle DetailsGeneral Preparation Stage. The aim ofthis phase is to develop base strengthand conditioning levels. Emphasis willbe on developing technique to allow formore specific exercises and conditioningto be undertaken later on. Volume, in-


tensity, and exercise specificity will begradually increased throughout thisphase to permit safe progression.

Preparation I–VI. There will be a shifttowards sport-specific exercises and in-creasing the intensity of training. Thiswill enable the sessions to mimic squashtournament play.

Competition. The week of the competi-tion will see a significantly diminishedworkload, thus, reducing the risk of over-training and soreness. Therefore, in thisstage, all focus is shifted towards gameplay. Tournaments are usually playedthroughout a 4-day period with up to 8games possible during that time. Thenumber of games, quality of opponents,intensity, and duration of play makethese tournaments physically and men-tally demanding on the athletes. There-fore, the coach and the strength and con-ditioning specialists must be sure theathlete is prepared physically to permitoptimal performance during this period.

Transition (In Season). During the weekfollowing the tournament, the playerwill be assigned a lighter workload, withactivities distinct from squash generallyprescribed. This will minimize any over-training complications from the recentlyincreased workload of tournament play.

Transition (Off Season). At the end of theyear, the player will be assigned to a 4- to8-week transitional period (at the dis-cretion of the coach and the athlete).During this stage, the athlete is advised

to pursue low-impact and low-intensityfitness activities generally unrelated tosquash (e.g., cycling, swimming, orgolf ). This allows for recovery from thepreceding season, providing a mentaland physical break from the consider-able demands of training.

Periodization of the Resistance-Training ProgramDividing the resistance-training pro-gram into 4 microcycles is to permittraining in association with previouslyidentified tournaments. This is intendedto maximize on-court performance bycarefully planning each stage to coincidewith the tournaments. Outlined belowis each microcycle with the rationale andpurpose for the prescribed sessions.

The first microcycle is a building stage,enabling a smooth transition into theincreased demands of weight training.This phase is divided into two 8-weekblocks. The first 8 weeks have Phases 1and 2 scheduled. The second block sees4 weeks of Phase 3, followed by 4 weeksof a combination of Phase 2 and 4.During this period, 2 training sessionsa week are prescribed, conducted onTuesdays and Thursdays. The Tuesdaysessions involve Phase 4 (complextraining that includes a combination ofhigh-intensity and specific plyometricand resistance exercises). The Thursdaysessions involve Phase 2 (resistance andcore exercises only, with no plyometriccomponent). This 2-day programbreaks the week into power andstrength days. This permits the athlete

to conduct high-intensity training thatclosely resembles game play, followedby lower-intensity sessions that main-tain strength gains made in the previ-ous stages. Before and after the tourna-ment, there is a 1-week maintenancephase the details for this are outlined inPhase 5.

The emphasis of the second microcycleis on maintaining the intensity of train-ing. Phase 3 is prescribed during thefirst 3-week block. This is followed by acombination of Phase 2 and 4. Thethird microcycle allows strength basesto be rebuilt during 4 weeks of Phase 2.Following this, the intensity is gradual-ly increased until the upcoming tour-nament. During the final microcycle, acombination of Phase 2 and 4 is pre-scribed. It is assumed that a solidstrength base has been obtainedthroughout the season, and this micro-cycle allows the high intensity to bemaintained throughout this period. Anend-of-season transitional period endsthe cycle.

ConclusionThis program provides a practical ex-ample of how resistance training can beincorporated into a squash player’straining program. Exercises have beenselected and developed with considera-tion towards progression and specifici-ty. Currently, a number of elite squashplayers have been prescribed similarprograms, and thus far, the exercisesand loading patterns have provided theathletes with a challenging, safe, and


Table 5Overall Periodized Resistance-Training Plan

Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct

Macrocycle General Prep Prep 1 C Prep II C Prep III C Prep IV C

ResistancePhases

P 1 P 2 P3 P 2 + 4 P 5 P 3 P 2 + 4 P 5 P 2 P 3 P 2 + 4 P 5 P 2 + 4 P5 Off-season

Microcycle 1 2 3 4

Note: C = Competition; P = phase.

practical program. Finally, it is hopedthat this article will provide the stimu-lus for further inquiry into this previ-ously overlooked area of resistancetraining. ♦

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Jason Bennie is an honors student in ex-ercise physiology at Victoria University.

Con Hrysomallis is a lecturer in anatomyand resistance training. He is also involvedwith the strength and conditioning ofprofessional Australian football players.


Hrysomallis

Bennie

resistance training considerations for the sport of squash

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