© National Strength and Conditioning Association
Volume 27, Number 3, pages 30–38
Keywords: squash; resistance training; weight training; periodiza-
tion; sport specific
Resistance Training Considerations
for the Sport of Squash
Jason Bennie, Con Hrysomallis, PhD
Victoria University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
summary
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.
he sport of squash is popular
T throughout the world, with 15
million players in 149 nations
competing regularly. In the United
States, the U.S. National Squash Federa-
tion has 8,000 members, but there are
over 500,000 recreational players na-
tionally (16). Participants in squash re-
quire proficiency in an array of parame-
ters, such as aerobic and anaerobic
capacities, local muscular endurance,
strength, power, flexibility, speed, and
agility (11). There is presently little lit-
erature regarding resistance-training
programs for the sport. The following
reasons have been proposed: weight
training will produce excess muscle
30
mass, reduce flexibility, and increase
stress on the joints; and the notion that
there is limited transfer between tradi-
tional weight-training exercises and
squash performance (2, 3, 19). Resis-
tance training has not been perceived as
an important form of training. As such,
it has been neglected in programs, even
at the elite level (2, 3, 14, 19, 20).
The aim of this article is to present a peri-
odized, resistance-training program for
the sport of squash. The program will in-
corporate functional resistance-training
exercises that take into consideration the
movement patterns and specific demands
of the sport. A progressively overloaded,
safe, functional resistance-training pro-
gram will be presented for coaches and
players to consider incorporating in their
training regimes.
Factors for Exercise Selection
Participation in squash play requires
total body movements. Consideration
for 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 through
rotation and acts statically to provide
stability for the limbs to work efficient-
ly. The lower limbs enable the locomo-
June 2005 • Strength and Conditioning Journal
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-based
activities. Therefore, the muscular and
metabolic endurance needs are probably
more efficiently enhanced by actual
squash play and training. As a result, it
was decided not to prescribe high vol-
umes and repetitions of weight exercises
that are typically associated with muscu-
lar endurance. This approach has also
been used in other sports such as swim-
ming (12). Consequently, the exercises
chosen in this program will be primarily
power and strength based. This will in-
volve moderate-to-heavy loads with
short-duration activities conducted at
slow-to-moderate speeds (excluding the
plyometric exercises), with moderate-
to-long recovery intervals.
Progressive Overload
During this program, exercise specifici-
ty, loads, and volumes will be progres-
sively overloaded in an attempt to gain
optimal results for the athlete. Follow-
ing the overload, there will be a recovery
period.
When designing programs, there is
considerable difficulty in determining
the optimal amount of progressive
overload. Indeed, setting training loads
for athletes is considered one of the
most challenging tasks to confront
coaches across all sports. This is partly
because there is little to no data avail-
able that specify the exact loads needed.
Also, there is significant individual
variability among athletes in responses
to training (10). Although one particu-
lar training load may be considered op-
timal for one athlete, other athletes
may be overtrained or, conversely, un-
dertrained. This has important impli-
cations for team or squad training, as
setting one training load may cause a
range of responses among members.
Therefore, care must be taken when
setting training loads. The authors rec-
ommend individualized programs and
supervision 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 specialist
and 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 to
optimize training results, a 4-week load-
ing cycle will usually be applied. The
first week will involve a low load; the
second week, a moderate load; the third
week, a high load; and the fourth week
will involve unloading (low-to-moder-
ate load).
This method of loading is commonly
used in program design and provides for
an overload stimulus, followed by a re-
covery phase. The goal of such a loading
pattern is to facilitate adequate recovery
before moving on to the next, increas-
ingly challenging phase.
Specificity
The exercises in this program have
been designed to mimic the demands
of squash, thus enabling optimal
June 2005 • Strength and Conditioning Journal
transfer between the weight room and
squash play. In theory, the more simi-
lar the training activity to the sport,
the greater the likelihood of a positive
carryover 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 of
specificity. For example, exercises—
such as dumbbell flys performed on a
bench or medicine ball (MB), chest
passes on a stability ball—do not re-
flect the specific demands of a squash
stroke 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 standing
dumbbell exercise that mimics the
squash stroke was considered. Also,
exercises using heavier rackets were
considered. Exercises such as these are
controversial. It is believed that they
can result in altering the technique of
the athlete (17). The lack of research
and other safety concerns are addi-
tional reasons to exclude such exercis-
es, and no research exploring the ef-
fects of weighted implements on
squash performance could be located.
Indeed, from research conducted on
other sports, such as baseball (15),
there is no conclusive proof that
weighted-implement training is effec-
tive. The increased risk of injury to
the shoulder region should also be
considered because exercises such as
these might produce unwanted stress
on this already heavily used region.
The lower-body and core exercises are
considered specific for the sport of
squash. The exercises mimic the de-
mands of each body section respective-
ly (e.g., multidirectional lunging with
varying heights and standing, rotation-
al exercises performed with cable pul-
leys and MBs). The exercises pre-
scribed will follow a continuum from
basic to specific, creating exercises that
resemble squash play after strength
base and anatomical adaptations have
occurred.
Core Conditioning and
Plyometric Training
Core muscles play an important role in
producing powerful, efficient squash
strokes. These muscles provide stability
and a dynamic platform to transfer the
motions of the upper and lower body.
Although there is no direct evidence,
core conditioning is suggested to result
in greater force production and reduced
risk of injury (13). If inadequate
strength levels exist in the abdominal
and lower-back muscles, then the trans-
fer of momentum initiated from the
lower body through the midsection to
the upper body during the squash swing
may become less efficient (19). The ex-
ercises chosen in this program reflect the
needs of squash play, and as a whole,
they are conducted in either a standing
or lunging position and involve some
form of truck rotation. Medicine balls
and 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 obvious
benefits and may transfer to, and en-
hance, squash play. Behm (4) sug-
gests that these exercises can be used
to improve multidirectional, court
mobility; flexibility; and racket-head
speed.
Periodization of Program
The potential benefits of periodiza-
tion include (a) enabling a safe and
optimal progressive overload of the
program, (b) attenuating plateaus in
performance, (c) decreasing risk of in-
jury, and (d) adding variety to the
training (5). Overall, the aim of peri-
odization is to bring the athlete to
peak performance during the competi-
tive season.
The process of dividing strength and
conditioning program up into phases is
31
 Table 1
Phase 1 of Periodized Program

Instructions Loading pattern Exercises Description

Rest: 1 min between sets; Week 1 1. Lunge 1. Lunging forward with

2–3 min between circuits. Mon, Fri 2. Chest press DB by side.
No. of circuits: 2 3. Squat 2. DB on flat bench.
Speed of execution: slow Reps: 10–12 4. Prone row 3. Barbell (BB) in squat rack.
and controlled. 5. Leg press 4. DB on flat bench.
Week 2 6. One-arm row 5. DL on a 45° machine.
Resistance circuit

Perform exercises 7 and 9
with light loads.
Mon, Wed, Fri 7. Internal shoulder 6. DB with knee and hand in
No. of circuits: 3 rotation (light load) contact with bench.
Reps: 10–12 8. Calf raise 7. Cable pulley.
9. External shoulder 8. Standing BB.
Week 3 rotation (light load) 9. Cable pulley.
Mon, Wed, Fri
No. of circuits: 4
Reps: 10–12

Week 4
Mon, Fri
No. of circuits: 2
Reps: 10–12
3 sets of 15 reps for 1. Back hyperextensions 1. Using a standard Roman chair,
exercises 1, 2, and 4. 2. MB side throws flex downward from the waist,
3. Abdominal crunch using arch upward past parallel.
3 sets, maximum reps for an SB 2. Standing, swing the MB to the
exercise 3. 4. DB side bend side of the body, forcefully
Core exercises

release MB against the wall.

Catch MB on the return, and
repeat the movement.
3. On SB, perform the exercise
through the full range of
motion.
4. Standing with DB in right hand.
Bend sideways until DB reaches
knee line. Repeat left side.

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

commonly used to establish a concise
framework for training progression.
This program has been divided up into 5
phases:
• 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 each
phase are outlined below. The resistance
(5, 8, 18), plyometric (7), and core (13)
exercises are designed with reference to
material that appears in the literature.
Training Structure
It is assumed that an athlete partaking in
this program has had some experience in
weight training. The following sequence
will generally be adopted where applica-
ble:
• Warm-up: 8–10 minutes of low-in-
tensity, aerobic-based warm-up with
light stretching.
• Plyometric exercises: conducted in
Phases 2, 3, and 4 only.
• Resistance exercises.
• Core component.
Phase 1: Adaptation
During this phase, the athletes are
subjected to a low-intensity squash
training regime. The focus is on (a)
acquiring squash-specific skills (cor-
recting or developing new tech-
niques), (b) developing a base level of
strength, flexibility, and aerobic and
anaerobic endurance, and (c) goal set-

32 June 2005 • Strength and Conditioning Journal

 Table 2
Phase 2 of Periodized Program

Instructions Loading pattern Exercises Description

Rest: 2 min between sets. Week 1, Mon, Fri 1. Drop from box 1. Drop from box and “freeze.”
No. of circuits: 2; Reps: 10 2. DL cone hop 2. Jumping laterally over cones.
Perform exercises on a 3. Split jump squats 3. Lunge position, jump explosive-
Plyometric circuit

yielding surface (e.g., a
rubber or suspended floor).
Coach and athlete must
select box heights, cone
distances, and MB weights
that are challenging but
still allow for proper, safe
technique.
Week 2, Mon, Fri 4. MB chest pass ly upward; change legs.
No. of circuits: 3; Reps: 10 4. Lying on floor. MB dropped
toward chest, caught, and
Week 3, Mon, Fri pushed explosively upward.
No. of circuits: 4; Reps: 12
Week 4, Mon, Fri
No. of circuits: 2; Reps: 10

Rest: 1–2 min between sets. Week 1, Mon, Fri 1. Lunge 1. Traveling with DB by side.
No. of circuits: 3; Reps: 8–10 2. Lunge onto box 2. DB by side; front foot fixed on
Resistance exercises

Speed of execution: 3. DB chest fly box; lunge forward.

moderate. Week 2, Mon, Wed, Fri
No. of circuits: 4; Reps: 8–10
Week 3, Mon, Wed, Fri
No. of circuits: 5; Reps: 8–10
4. DB prone fly 3. Flat or incline bench.
5. Leg Press 4. Flat or incline bench.
6. Arabesque one-arm row 5. SL on a 45° machine.
6. DB with arm fixed on bench.

Week 4, Mon, Wed

No. of circuits: 2; Reps: 8–10

3 sets, 15–20 reps. 1. Back hyperextensions 1. Same exercise as in phase 1,

2. MB side throw (lunge but on SB.
position) 2. Same exercise as in phase 1,
Core exercises

3. Cable wood chopper but hold the lunge position.

4. Reverse wood chopper 3. Pull the cable pulley diagonally
across the body from high to
low.
4. Pull the cable pulley diagonally
across the body from low to
high.

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

ting (identifying tournaments to peak
for).
This phase occurs directly after the off-
season. The goal is to progressively
adapt the various body structures to the
demands of weight training. The process
of performing circuits that alternate be-
tween lower- and upper-body parts is
prescribed to allow recovery. A repeti-
tion range of 10–12 has been imple-
mented to moderately target strength
and power gains in athletes but not sub-
ject them to excessive loads before they
are properly conditioned (6). Plyomet-
ric exercises are not prescribed during
this phase.
The resistance exercises in Table 1 are lim-
ited in technical demand and specificity
but provide the athlete with an overall
conditioning of the core section. The pur-
pose of the exercises chosen is to target
similar muscle groups and the gross
movements used for squash. This phase
should be viewed as a building process for
more explosive and specific exercises in
the future. Traditional load assignments
use a percentage of 1 repetition maximum
(1RM) or RMs (6, 8). However, these
methods many not be suitable for many of
the exercises in this program because of
the number of exercises executed with sin-
gle limbs, with weight lifted above the
head or in front of the body, and with
multidirectional lunges. Exercises such as
these could be unsafe to perform with
near-maximal loads because that might
increase the risk of injury. As such, the

June 2005 • Strength and Conditioning Journal 33

 Table 3
Phase 3 of Periodized Program

Instructions Loading pattern Exercises Description

Same as phase 2. Week 1, Tue, Fri 1. Drop to lunge 1. Drop from box; land and “freeze”
No. of circuits: 3; Reps: 8–10 2. SL cone hop in lunge position.
3. Cycled split squat 2. Same exercise as in phase 2
Week 2, Tue, Fri 4. DL, multidirectional hop but SL.
Plyometric circuit

No. of circuits: 4; Reps: 8–10
Week 3, Tue, Fri
No. of circuits: 4; Reps: 8–10
Week 4, Tues, Fri
No. of circuits: 2; Reps: 8–10
Rest: 1–2 min between sets Week 1, Tue, Fri
No. of circuits: 2; Reps: 8–10
Resistance exercises
5. MB chest pass 3. Jump explosively upward from
right to left leg.
4. Hurdles placed on a hexagon;
stand in center; jump in direc-
tion randomly selected by
coach; return to center. Repeat
until all points of hexagon are
covered.
5. Same exercise as in phase 2
but lying on SB
1. Traveling lunge 1. Weight above head.
2. Lunge onto box 2. Same exercise as in Phase 2 but

Speed of excitation: 3. 8-point lunge with weight above head and

moderate.
For safety purposes, take
care with these exercises.
Select a weight that permits
safe execution.
Week 2, Tue, Fri
No. of circuits: 3; Reps: 8–10
Week 3, Tue, Fri
No. of circuits: 4; Reps: 8–10
Week 4, Tues, Fri
No. of circuits: 2; Reps: 8–10
4. SA chest fly vary box heights.
5. SA prone fly 3. DB by side. Lunge forward,
forward diagonally, backward
diagonally, and backward;
repeat all with other leg.
4. DB on flat or incline bench.
5. DB on flat or incline bench.

3 sets of 15–20 reps for each 1. SB back hyperextensions 1. On SB, twist sideways.
exercise. (twist) 2. Same exercise as in phase 2,
Core exercises

2. MB side throw (vary but throw the MB from different

height of throws) heights.
3. Cable wood chopper 3. Same exercise as in phase 2
(in lunge) but in the lunge position.
4. Reverse wood chopper 4. Same exercise as in phase 2
(in lunge) but in the lunge position.

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

emphasis should be on correct technique
with challenging loads.
Phase 2: Strength Training
The purpose of this phase is to increase
the specificity of exercises and to in-
crease the strength base. This is obtained
by increasing the load from the previous
phase. The exercises in this phase be-
come more specific, enhancing the pos-
sibility that the increased force output
will transfer to a squash-specific situa-
tion. A combination of low-level plyo-
metric exercises and resistance training
is prescribed during this phase.
Also during this phase, athletes begin
playing in squash competitions. Al-
though on-court performance during
this phase is important at this point, the
majority of high-profile tournaments
are scheduled for later in the year.
Therefore, off-court training is still con-
sidered a high priority. This permits the
athletes to develop further squash-spe-
cific on-court skills and strength and fit-
ness levels, with the predetermined
tournaments being of major focus later
in the year. The training emphasis is
changed from developing general per-
formance capabilities to enhancing
squash skills (e.g., increasing the com-
plexity of on-court drills) and sport-spe-
cific fitness parameters (e.g., specific
speed, agility, and strength training).
The plyometric exercises in Table 2 at-
tempt to mimic squash play. For exam-
ple, exercise 1 involves practicing stop-

34 June 2005 • Strength and Conditioning Journal

 Table 4
Phase 4 of Periodized Program

Instructions Loading pattern Exercises Description

Session outline Week 1 1. a. Resistance 1a. Weight held in front; rotate

Complex training: resistance and plyometric exercises

Tue, Fri traveling lunge with trunk with every lunge step.
Perform resistance exercise. No. of circuits: 3 rotation. 1b. Drop from box; land in lunge
Reps: 6–8 position, and explode up-
Rest 30 sec. b. Plyometric wards.
Week 2 Jump to lunge with 2a. Same exercise as in phase 3
Perform plyometric exer- Tue, Fri continuous split squat. but with weight above the
cise. No. of circuits: 4 head.
Reps: 6–8 2. a. Resistance 2b. Same exercise as in phase 3
Rest 3–4min. 8-point lunge but with SL.
Week 3 b. Plyometric 3a. Same exercise as in phase 3
Repeat prescribed number Tue, Fri SL, multi-directional but on SB.
of times. No. of circuits: 4 cone hop 3b. Lying on SB; small MB (1 kg)
Reps: 6–8 dropped onto hand in fly
3. a. Resistance position; ball caught, and
Week 4 SA fly on stability ball (SB) pushed back upward
Tue, Fri explosively.
No. of circuits: 2 b. Plyometric
Reps: 6–8 SA MB drop, catch, and
throw

3 sets of 15–20 reps 1. SB back hyperextensions 1. Same exercise as in phase 3

(twist + weight) but done while holding weight.
2. MB side throw (vary 2. Same exercise as in phase 3,
Core exercises

height of throws) but increase the weight of the

3. Cable wood chopper MB.
(in lunge) 3. Same exercise as in phase 2,
4. Reverse wood chopper but increase resistance and vary
(in lunge) the height of the lunge.
4. Same exercise as in phase 2,
but increase resistance and vary
the height of the lunge.

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

ping suddenly. Exercises 2 and 3 incor- The core conditioning exercises dis- phase. This approach was chosen so the
porate multidirectional jumping. Exer- played in Table 2 are progressions athlete is not subjected to increased
cise 4 involves explosive upper-body from the previous core exercise stress that could arise from excessive
movement. phase. Exercise 1 changes to an un- loads. The emphasis should be on per-
stable environment. Exercise 2 is a forming the prescribed number of repe-
The resistance exercises for the lower sport-specific position. Exercises 3 titions with correct exercise technique.
body are based on lunging, which is the and 4 mimic the core requirements The previous phases ensure anatomical
most common form of lower-body for both the forehand and backhand adaptations and the establishment of a
movement in squash. Multiple direc- strokes. strength base, enabling the progression
tions, various heights, and moving to increasingly demanding and specific
lunges all mimic the demands of squash Phase 3: Specific Training plyometric and resistance-training ex-
play. The upper-body exercises are based The purpose of this phase is to increase ercises.
on the squash stroke. The exercises have the specificity from the previous phase.
progressed in specificity, for example, Both the load and speed of execution On-court performance is the squash
chest press to fly and prone row to fly. remain the same as in the previous focus during this phase. Players are sub-

June 2005 • Strength and Conditioning Journal 35

 jected to increasingly demanding train-
ing drills, with less time devoted to
other aspects of training. Resistance
training is reduced during this part of
the training program.
The plyometric exercises shown in Table 3
reflect the shift toward a more specific pro-
gram. For example, the exercises chosen
reflect squash play with dynamic lunging
and stopping in a lunge position. Single-
leg activity such as multidirectional jumps
and using the upper body explosively in a
challenging environment are included.
The lunge variations in Table 3 to the re-
sistance exercises have become more
specific (e.g., multidirectional and vary-
ing heights) and demanding (e.g.,
weight above the head), requiring stabi-
lization and strength to hold the various
positions. The upper-body exercises are
now performed using a single arm, in-
creasing the specificity.
Overall, the core conditioning exercises
increase in technical demand and physi-
cal requirements. The specificity has
also increased; for example, MB throws
from different heights.
Phase 4: Complex Training
The complex method is a combination
of heavy weight training and plyomet-
rics. Complex training is suggested to be
an effective way of developing transfer
between explosive exercises performed
in a weight-room setting and sports-spe-
cific performance (7). The exercises are
grouped together so lower-body resis-
tance and lower-body plyometric are
performed together. Complex training
should only be performed when a solid
base of conditioning has occurred.
During this phase, the squash focus is on
the upcoming tournament. High-intensi-
ty training drills are prescribed to mimic
the 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 play
are used for on-court training.
36
The resistance and plyometric exercises in
Table 4 mimic the movements and energy
system requirements of high-intensity
squash play. Exercise 1 involves heavy, re-
sisted, traveling lunges with trunk rota-
tion, followed by explosive lunges with
upward movement to practice getting out
of the lunge position powerfully. Exercise
2 involves weighted lunges in multiple di-
rections followed by multidirectional,
single-leg cone hops. Exercise 3 involves
resisted upper-limb movements followed
by ballistic drop-and-catch motions, sim-
ilar to the squash stroke.
The core conditioning exercises in Table
4 have remained the same as those in the
previous phase. However, heavier loads
are assigned during this phase, enabling
the exercises to become more demanding
and for further overloading to occur.
Phase 5: Maintenance
It is recommended that resistance training
should cease 5 to 7 days before a major
competition (6). This phase is periodized
to coincide with the week leading into a
tournament and the week following;
therefore, during this phase, limited resis-
tance and plyometric exercises are pre-
scribed. The majority of training time will
be spent on the squash court honing
match-play skills and on-court tactics.
Players could participate in a low-intensity
plyometric circuit; for example, a group of
plyometric exercises conducted in the pre-
vious phases could be incorporated into
on-court training. This may maintain
muscular power and speed without requir-
ing the athletes to undertake further resis-
tance training before a major tournament.
However, it is suggested that caution be
taken 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 be
limited. 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 training
structure should follow these guidelines:
June 2005 • Strength and Conditioning Journal
• 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 maintenance
phase (i.e., the week following the tour-
nament), there will be no resistance
training. Low-intensity, low-impact ac-
tivities that are generally away from the
squash court are prescribed (e.g., mas-
sage, cycling, swimming). This will
avoid any risk of overtraining complica-
tions from the recently increased work-
load of tournament play.
Yearly Program
In-Season Squash Periodization Consid-
erations. The squash season in Australia
is played primarily from February
through to October. During this period,
players are very active in training, club
competitions, and tournament play.
Also, depending on the level of the ath-
lete, overseas travel may be required for
participation 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 of
each year, a player identifies a number of
tournaments for which they wish to peak.
This program is designed with the as-
sumption that the player has identified 4
tournaments 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 is
then broken into series of macrocyles,
which are outlined in Table 5.
Macrocycle Details
General Preparation Stage. The aim of
this phase is to develop base strength
and conditioning levels. Emphasis will
be on developing technique to allow for
more specific exercises and conditioning
to be undertaken later on. Volume, in-

Nov Dec Jan
Macrocycle General Prep
Resistance P1 P2 P3
Phases
Microcycle 1 2
Note: C = Competition; P = phase.
tensity, and exercise specificity will be
gradually increased throughout this
phase to permit safe progression.
Preparation I–VI. There will be a shift
towards sport-specific exercises and in-
creasing the intensity of training. This
will enable the sessions to mimic squash
tournament play.
Competition. The week of the competi-
tion will see a significantly diminished
workload, thus, reducing the risk of over-
training and soreness. Therefore, in this
stage, all focus is shifted towards game
play. Tournaments are usually played
throughout a 4-day period with up to 8
games possible during that time. The
number of games, quality of opponents,
intensity, and duration of play make
these tournaments physically and men-
tally demanding on the athletes. There-
fore, the coach and the strength and con-
ditioning specialists must be sure the
athlete is prepared physically to permit
optimal performance during this period.
Transition (In Season). During the week
following the tournament, the player
will be assigned a lighter workload, with
activities distinct from squash generally
prescribed. This will minimize any over-
training complications from the recently
increased workload of tournament play.
Transition (Off Season). At the end of the
year, the player will be assigned to a 4- to
8-week transitional period (at the dis-
cretion of the coach and the athlete).
During this stage, the athlete is advised
Table 5
Overall Periodized Resistance-Training Plan
Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Prep 1 C Prep II C Prep III
P2+4 P5 P3 P2+4 P5 P2 P3
3 4
to pursue low-impact and low-intensity
fitness activities generally unrelated to
squash (e.g., cycling, swimming, or
golf ). This allows for recovery from the
preceding season, providing a mental
and physical break from the consider-
able demands of training.
Periodization of the
Resistance-Training Program
Dividing the resistance-training pro-
gram into 4 microcycles is to permit
training in association with previously
identified tournaments. This is intended
to maximize on-court performance by
carefully planning each stage to coincide
with the tournaments. Outlined below
is each microcycle with the rationale and
purpose for the prescribed sessions.
The first microcycle is a building stage,
enabling a smooth transition into the
increased demands of weight training.
This phase is divided into two 8-week
blocks. The first 8 weeks have Phases 1
and 2 scheduled. The second block sees
4 weeks of Phase 3, followed by 4 weeks
of a combination of Phase 2 and 4.
During this period, 2 training sessions
a week are prescribed, conducted on
Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Tuesday
sessions involve Phase 4 (complex
training that includes a combination of
high-intensity and specific plyometric
and resistance exercises). The Thursday
sessions involve Phase 2 (resistance and
core exercises only, with no plyometric
component). This 2-day program
breaks the week into power and
strength days. This permits the athlete
June 2005 • Strength and Conditioning Journal
Jul Aug Sep Oct
C Prep IV C
P2+4 P5 P2+4 P5 Off-
season
to conduct high-intensity training that
closely resembles game play, followed
by 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 maintenance
phase the details for this are outlined in
Phase 5.
The emphasis of the second microcycle
is on maintaining the intensity of train-
ing. Phase 3 is prescribed during the
first 3-week block. This is followed by a
combination of Phase 2 and 4. The
third microcycle allows strength bases
to 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, a
combination of Phase 2 and 4 is pre-
scribed. It is assumed that a solid
strength base has been obtained
throughout the season, and this micro-
cycle allows the high intensity to be
maintained throughout this period. An
end-of-season transitional period ends
the cycle.
Conclusion
This program provides a practical ex-
ample of how resistance training can be
incorporated into a squash player’s
training program. Exercises have been
selected and developed with considera-
tion towards progression and specifici-
ty. Currently, a number of elite squash
players have been prescribed similar
programs, and thus far, the exercises
and loading patterns have provided the
athletes with a challenging, safe, and
37
 practical program. Finally, it is hoped
that this article will provide the stimu-
lus for further inquiry into this previ-
ously overlooked area of resistance
training. ♦
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