In every sport, positioning is everything and racquetball is no different. In racquetball, being in the right place at the right time is critical to giving yourself the best chance of getting to the ball a majority of the time and doing something with it once you get there, whether to defend or to score. Generally, the person who owns and controls center court has a greater chance of winning the match. This strategy is key. (more…)
In sports, the past is gone and the future never comes, so in racquetball you have to learn that there is only one ball, one shot, one serve, and one point at a time. Time is always now. That is truly the real beauty: every shot you hit only happens in the now. (more…)
Detectives investigate a situation and gather information before they can make a determination of what happened or what they need to do to solve the mystery. A “racquetball detective” is no different. You, the racquetball detective, must analyze your opponent’s strengths and weaknesses as well as your own strengths and weaknesses, which will determine the game plan you need to put together in order to beat your opponent. Here’s a simple formula: (more…)
Controlling the match means playing more methodically while aware of what’s happening around you on the court. You don’t rush or hit aimlessly. Every shot you take and every move you make on the court has purpose or an objective. This is a strategy that clearly elevates your level of play. Here are a few tips for controlling the game: (more…)
Last month I discussed the importance of routines as we are creatures of habit and perform best when there are no surprises. In order to obtain optimal performance levels, you need a pre-performance routine, which improves your accuracy, consistency, and timing. Now I’ll describe how to take it up to the next level to create a ritual, which is a specialized routine. (more…)
Control center court: Being in the center-court box puts you in the best position possible to get a majority of the shots. Keep your opponent out of center court: If you keep the other player out of your space, they are not in the best position to get to a majority of the shots. You can accomplish this by putting the balls in the corners and hitting lots of down-the-line shots. Watch the ball at all times: By watching the ball, you gain valuable information and more time so you can better determine your opponent’s shot and react faster to
Breakfast means "break the fast". That is what breakfast is all about, but too many people/players do not eat breakfast at all or do not eat enough breakfast especially if they have a match in the morning. If you expect your body and mind to perform at its best you must eat. Here is what Diana recommends for breakfast: Breakfast of Champions consists of whole grain cereals, fruit and juice, or eggs, toast and fruit, or hot oatmeal, yogurt, and fruit. All of these good wholesome foods turn into muscle glycogen. Stay away from white flour, white sugar, chemicals, fats
One must train the mind for "Championship Racquetball." The strongest sense we have is our feeling state, what we call our 'Emotional State". If it feels great, we continue doing it. If it does not feel good, we stop the pattern. So you have to feel great out on the court all the time. The greatest performances come from a state of enjoyment. We take risks, take chances, and are more creative in this state. If you are not enjoying racquetball, why are you playing? Your ideal state is always happy, calm, relaxed, and in control. No worries. Your passion
CHANGE OF DIRECTION SPEED is an often overlooked element of movement skills, but it is the most important in racquetball. There are four types of change of direction speed that we’ll work on: side to side, forward and backward, turning and running, and jumping. Now that we have addressed moving faster, let’s talk about moving more efficiently. In this sport, if you move quickly, but not efficiently you will often overrun the ball or jam yourself. This is a major problem since you will not be able to develop consistency, accuracy, or power, leading to frustration. The key factor in
Athletes thrive on consistency and routine. We are creatures of habit and perform best when there are no surprises. In order to obtain optimal performance levels, you need a pre-performance routine. (more…)
