Squash Training: Ghosting, Court Movement, Conditioning and Strength

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Six-thirty in the morning, an empty court, the lights still humming. No ball, no opponent. Just you, moving from the T to the front left corner, a shadow swing, back to the T, then the back right. Again, and again, until your legs burn and your breathing is ragged. That’s ghosting, and every serious squash player knows it. Squash fitness is its own thing: hard bursts in every direction, almost no time to recover, and a racket skill you have to keep sharp while you’re exhausted. This page covers how to train for it at any level: court movement and ghosting, interval conditioning, strength, and how to put a week together.

What a squash match asks of your body

Researchers who measured top-level players in simulated matches found an average heart rate of 92% of maximum, and players spent about 69% of the match above 90% of their max. Rallies averaged 18.6 seconds. About a third were under 10 seconds and another third lasted more than 21 seconds. The ball was in play for about 70% of the match. The authors called squash mainly a high-intensity aerobic sport with a big anaerobic component. In other words, you need a big engine and the ability to sprint, stop and turn over and over. Studies of England’s national squad found that the best players stood out on repeated squash-specific sprints and change-of-direction speed. Another study of ranked professionals linked a squash fitness test score to aerobic fitness, repeated-sprint ability and change-of-direction speed.

Squash is also hard on your legs. After a one-hour match, trained players’ maximum quadriceps strength had dropped by 16%. Strong legs help you keep good movement late in the fifth game, and they matter for your knees too (see squash injuries).

Court movement and ghosting

Good squash movement is economical: a split step as your opponent hits, a push toward the ball, a balanced lunge, a stroke, and a quick recovery to the T. Ghosting trains that pattern without a ball, so you can focus on footwork, balance and speed. A study of elite men’s squash after the rule changes found that modern play leaves less time to return shots. The authors designed ghosting patterns to match it, with more movement to the front and middle of the court in short, attacking rallies. When researchers tracked pros through a two-week training block, their ghosting sessions averaged about 35 minutes. Heart rates reached the same top zone as match play and conditioning.

A simple way to start (a typical coaching format, not a prescription):

• Six corners: number the front, middle and back corners on each side. Move from the T to a corner, shadow the stroke and recover to the T. A partner can call corners at random so you react, not memorize.
• Work and rest like a match: sets that last about as long as a rally (10–30 seconds), with short rests. One study used an on-court ghosting routine of 10 sets with 30 seconds’ rest between them as its performance test.
• Quality first: stop the set when your lunges get sloppy. Tired, bad movement is how ankles and knees get hurt.
• Footwork off court: a ladder like the SKLZ Quick Ladder is a handy warm-up for quick feet. Our best speed training equipment guide has more.

Interval conditioning

Because rallies are short but come one after another, interval training fits squash well. In the pros’ two-week study, off-court conditioning sessions (about 37 minutes) had the highest movement load per minute. Coach-led group sessions on court had the highest total loads of all, higher even than match play. Match play on its own did not give the biggest training dose. So a mix works best: some on-court drills, some ghosting, some off-court intervals, and matches.

• Aerobic base: steady running, cycling or rowing builds the engine that lets you recover between rallies. Club players often get the most from this.
• Intervals: short hard efforts with short rests, on a bike, rower or court, once or twice a week in the build-up to the season.
• Repeated sprints and turns: court sprints with a turn (touch the front wall, back to the T) train the change-of-direction speed that separates better players.

A chest-strap heart-rate monitor like the Polar H10 makes this easier to manage. You can see whether hard sessions are really hard and easy days really easy. More on that in the best squash wearables.

Strength training for squash

Strength work helps squash players in three ways: power for the first step, legs that hold up for a long match, and more resilient knees, ankles, back and shoulders. A sensible program, two sessions a week out of season and one in season, covers:

• Legs: split squats, lunges in different directions, step-ups and calf raises, for the lunge and push-off squash is built on.
• Power: jumps and bounds in small doses, landing softly. In England’s national program, senior players beat the youngest tier on reactive-strength, sprint and change-of-direction tests.
• Trunk and hips: side planks, anti-rotation presses and hip bridges, for a body that stays low and twists.
• Shoulder and forearm: band rotations and rows with a set like the THERABAND resistance bands, for the racket arm and the upper back. Our resistance bands guide compares others.

Juniors: the American Academy of Pediatrics says supervised resistance training is safe and useful for children and teens when the focus is on technique, with qualified supervision and gradual progress. Older players: strength and calf work are especially worth it, along with a check-up before hard training if you have heart risk factors (see injuries).

Putting a week together

The IOC’s consensus on load and injury is clear that injury risk comes from total load: training plus matches, packed schedules, travel and life stress. Big jumps are riskier than steady progress. For a club player who plays two or three times a week, one ghosting or interval session and one or two short strength sessions is plenty. Keep at least one full rest day. Before a tournament, cut back on volume and keep a little intensity, so you arrive fresh. A sample week in the season:

Day	Club player	Competitive junior / college / elite
Mon	Match or league night	On-court group session + strength
Tue	Strength (30–40 min)	Solo drills + ghosting
Wed	Rest or easy bike	Match play + mobility
Thu	Drills + short ghosting	Off-court intervals + strength
Fri	Rest	Light hitting, rest from load
Sat	Match	Matches / tournament
Sun	Easy aerobic + strength	Rest

Kids and teens need real rest too: the AAP recommends at least one to two days off a week from organized sport and time away from a single sport during the year. More on that on our youth squash page.

Warm-up before you hit

AAOS’s warm-up advice for tennis players fits squash too: a few minutes of light cardio, then stretches, before you start hitting hard. Cold muscles are more easily hurt. For squash, that means 5 to 10 minutes off court before you step in: easy jogging or skipping, leg swings, walking lunges, a few progressive sprints, then some gentle ghosting. Then use the knock-up to warm the ball and your strokes. It’s especially important before a match, because the official on-court warm-up is short (see match day).

Back to the squash hub, or see how other racquet players train on our tennis training page.

Squash training questions

What is ghosting in squash?

Moving around the court and shadowing your strokes without a ball, usually from the T to the corners and back. It trains footwork and squash-specific fitness at the same time. Studies of pros show it can push heart rates as high as match play.

How fit do you need to be to play squash?

You can start at a social level and get fitter as you play, but squash gets intense quickly: top players average over 90% of their max heart rate in matches. If you’re new to hard exercise, build up gradually. If you have heart risk factors, check with your doctor first.

Is running good training for squash?

Yes, for the aerobic base that helps you recover between rallies. But squash also needs repeated sprints and quick turns, so add intervals and court work. Running alone won’t train the lunge and change of direction.

Should squash players lift weights?

Yes. Leg, trunk and shoulder strength help you move powerfully and hold your form late in matches, when leg strength measurably drops. Learn the technique first, progress gradually, and for juniors, train with qualified supervision (AAP).

How many times a week should I ghost?

For most club players, one or two short sessions a week is plenty alongside matches. Competitive players do more, as part of a planned week. Stop each set when your movement gets sloppy, and keep rest days in the plan.