Training Methods for Squash Backhand Drive Accuracy: a Systematic Review

Yap, Wei Ren (2021) Training Methods for Squash Backhand Drive Accuracy: a Systematic Review. Final Year Project (Bachelor), Tunku Abdul Rahman University College.

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Abstract

Squash is an intermittent racquet sport with moderate to high-intensity involving various characteristics such as game length, rapid movements, court surfaces and dimension, strokes, and so on. These unique characteristics are what make a squash match both physiologically and psychologically demanding. With majority of studies involving performance training focused on improving the physical aspects, the hitting accuracy has been reported to receive less to none attention and thus should be focused more on, especially when hitting accuracy can be utilized strategically to put the opposition in a disadvantageous situation. Besides, many consistent findings have been reported in various match, motion and kinematic analysis that the drive skills may represent all other skills, with more playing and winning rate particularly on the backhand drive, indicating its importance. Therefore, the aim of the current study is to review on backhand accuracy training methods in order to determine the most suitable and used method for backhand drive hitting accuracy. In accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses Statements (PRISMA), a total of 10 articles were identified and included in the review, in which involved training methods like imagery training, continuous rally, pressure session, ghosting/squash simulation protocol, audio-visual learning and visual training. With the most common training being imagery training, all other training obtained from the reviewed articles have found to be effective in training hitting accuracy. Due to different parameters in respective trainings, comparison could not be made to identify the most effective trainings among them. Therefore, as a recommendation, experimental study can be made to compare the effectiveness of different training methods.