How can I get more power in my squash shots?

• Posted on 19 November 2019
• By Peter
• Posted in power squash, squash power, squash racket shape, squash racket weight, squash string pattern, squash strings, teardrop racket
• 2

Learn all the "not working out" ways to get more power in your squash game!

The obvious answer is to take lessons and harness compound speed from hinge movements....... but you know, that takes too much work and time!

Good racket features for power:

- Net frame weight of 115- 125 grams, and I mean NET frame weigh. Some manufacturers states a weight that has no relation to reality. Only trust NET frame weight. This is a good medium weight that will keep up your swing speed, but not so heavy that slows you down. Too light weight gives a good swing speed, but the racket does not have enough plow-through force on impact.

- Teardrop racket shape. There are some powerful rackets that are not teardrops, but then the power comes from other features. The longer the main strings, the more powerful the racket is.

- Wide string pattern. The closer the strings are together, the less power. Some of the most powerful string patterns are 12 x 14 (main x crosses).

- Low string tension. Some pro- players string their rackets as low as 14 pounds for maximum power. More common string tension for power is 20- 25 pounds- that is if you string on a computerized stringing machine.

- Powerful strings. The thinnest strings are the most powerful ones, but in general gauges 18 and 19 are most common. There is also a huge variation in string types and manufacturers. North American made power strings are: Ashaway Supernick XL Micro, Ashaway Ultranick, Head Ultranick and Xamsa PM-18. European made power strings are: Tecnifibre 305, Tecnifibre Bi-phase. Japanese strings: Not worth mentioning, as most are only moderately powerful and focus more on comfort.

- Flexible and thinner beam (frame). This is a feature that is hard for customers to evaluate, but the stiffer the racket the more control and of vice versa. Sometimes the easiest thing to look for is the absence of a thick and boxy frame. Typically a thinner frame will provide a little more of a whip effect.

- "Super grommets", power ring (a beam that the string is wrapped around at the bottom), and other similar things are usually gimmicks. If they have any function, they are really only lowering the effective tension in the racket. You would have the same power effect by lowering the stringing tension in a regular frame.

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