Pickup

1. Find a place to play. The most logical place to play, would be the LSE squash courts. We have 2 in the basement, and 1 on the 2nd floor. To book, go to the gym and show your membership card before reserving a slot.

2. Get a squash lesson. Come down for squash trainings and let the resident professionals give you tips free of charge. Why pay for a expensive coach, when we can give you almost as good tips to begin with.

3. Find a regular sparring partner. Find another beginner or another slightly better player with whom you can play with on a regular basis. You and your partner can help each other improve by commenting on each others technique and strategy.

4. Spend an hour or more on the squash court a week by yourself! Squash is a great game for self-improvement. Because it is played against four walls, you can always get onto the court by yourself and "drill yourself". Start out with the most basic drill: hitting the squash ball for "length" along the forehand and backhand walls, (the so-called "rails"). For more drills, once again, ask the pros.

5. Watch good squash. Attend a local tournament or "A" league match and watch some 5.0 - plus players competing. You will get a good idea of the game's strategy and tactics by watching some good competition, and you will get inspired to improve some more. In LSE, the first team standard is about 3.5 to 4.0, which is pretty good since it's free!

6. Attend to stretching and conditioning. No matter your age or level of play, you will enjoy the game better if you spend time on stretching and conditioning. Stretching before and after you play is essential for this game, which is characterized by 45 minutes or so of intensive bursts of activity. You pro can show you the best stretching exercises for squash. Doing some jogging, wind sprints or other conditioning on a regular basis will also help you enjoy the game more. Some players "play to get in condition". This works too, but its not the best approach.

Well, that's a lot to think about, but if you follow these six simple steps, you will be well on your way to enjoyment of a great lifetime recreational and competitive games - squash!

(Adapted from www.squashtalk.com)