Squash racket ABC

All you should know about squash rackets

The Head:

Squash rackets with an„open“ head

• Plus: much power, big sweetspot
• Minus: moderate control and und accuracy.

Squash rackets with a bridge in the head

• Plus: good control and precision
• Minus: partial less power.

The Grip:

If you choose a grip which is either square, round, short or long is not the main objective criteria. It’s a subjective decision of the player himself, what he prefers. Sometimes this also depends on the habitual grip position (if its wrong or right does not matter in this concern).

The Strings:

• The strings which will be provided by the factories do not have ideal characteristics for the individual player. Although these strings are not very elastic either. The main reason for dispatch rackets with strings, is the safeness. A already strung racket is less breakable.
• Every racket will get much better characteristics, if it will be strung with a special and individual string, which boosts the players abilities.

Terms of Squash Rackets

Power:

Specifies how much the racket frame supports to accel the ball.

Control:

• Shows, the reaction of the ball after the strike and shows how praise the racket forwards the ball. Generally a hard and stiff frame supports the control of the ball.
• Disadvantage: less power

Comfort:

Its the ability of the frame and the string to absorb the impact of the ball and to reduce the vibration to a minimum. This will protect the arm.

Handling:

The handling describes the possibility to get the racket quickly to the desired position to strike the ball. The handling of a racket is depending on the weight and the balance. Generally a light and „grip heavy“ racket should support a quick strike. Disadvantage: the control and the power might be less.

Balance:

• Head heavy: more power and control, less handling
• Grip heavy: better handling, less power and control.

Stiffness/Flexibility:

The harder the frame, the better the power and control. Disadvantage of a hard frame is the ball impact. This could be optimised with a string which is adjusted to the racket and the players abilities.

Weight:

A heavy frame provides more power but it will reduce the handling. The normal weight of a racket is between 130 and 205g, depending on the material.

Advise: mostly manufacturer’s data shows only the weight of the „plain frame weight“, without strings and grip.