My Game: Workshop James Willstrop
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MY GAME: WORKSHOP JAMES WILLSTROP travelling and playing in Chicago Do you have key tactics when planning, some pre-thought is a James Willstrop, Yorkshire’s former world and Richmond [Virginia, USA]. It you play? good thing. no.1 and current England international, is difficult then to put in Each time you go into a match it talks to Squash Player Editor Ian consistent training because you has got to be with some What are the parts of your have to travel and rest before preparation, knowledge or some game you are trying to develop? McKenzie about many aspects of his events. You can’t work too hard idea of what you want to try and Doyouwantanotherbook?That game and his goals two days before an event. In the do. It doesn’t have to be is an impossible thing to answer. last two or three weeks I’ve got complicated. It can be a few There is always some little into a routine again, which is a words, but it should be clear in change right down to just What is your favourite shot? lovely thing. You get to stay at your head. If you want to go changing the pace of a certain Any shot that wins a rally. One home and concentrate on some more deeply into it, you could shot. that suits me well, though, and I real dedicated training – at least write down the strengths and feel comfortable playing is the acoupleofsessionsaday. weaknesses of your opponent; Why did you decide not to play backhand drop shot. Often I play Sometimes you will do more how you will play him, what in the El Gouna International? it down the left flank, but really I volume but easier work – for things you will be thinking, how I’ve just been playing a lot and I can play it from anywhere, example yoga, solo you will react if particular things think it was the right decision not including from the back. practice and happen – sort of pre-empting it to go. At Canary Wharf I was stretching – so that all. I tend not to write stuff lagging a bit physically. When you What is your favourite practice? it will not exhaust down, but you can. Sometimes I play for a month and a half One I use a lot when working you. But then on make notes. They have to be people think you are fit, but I with Malcolm [Willstrop, James’ another day I short. In squash you have no think I lose something. I saw it father and coach] is ‘threes’. It may do an hour time. It is frantic. You are in the coming. We have a big summer is a bit unusual, but it gives me of absolute high heat of battle. There is no way with the British Open and the time to practise particular intensity and may you can keep thinking about Commonwealth Games. They are things. You play a game with not do a lot more that day. Each loads of things. You need a clear miles more important than three players each having a turn day is different. outlook and a clear plan. As an anything else. I would love to [A plays, then B, then C, then A example, if I went in against have gone and played El Gouna, again and so on]. The non-striker Do you have a heavy day of someone who had a fantastic but I needed to sacrifice that and has to back out of the way a bit, training and a light day? forehand volley nick, I would put my efforts into these two, but it is not difficult. I like it Not at the moment. I am five know to keep the ball away from give myself a training block and because there is spontaneity days heavy and the weekends that and get it wide there. I give myself time at home. about it. are the time to recover, a bit like could write that down – say atournament.Inanotherperiod ‘width on the forehand side’ or What are your goals for the rest What work do your practice Imaydotworeallytoughdays,a ‘don’t give opportunities on the of the year? sessions involve? recovery day and then go again. forehand side’. Maybe use key To keep playing, keep injury-free Itrytomixmysessions.Each words so you are not and keep enjoying what I am day is completely different. Often Inpracticegamesarethere encumbered with lots of stuff doing. I feel lucky to be able to with Malcolm I will work on the particular things you try to do? while you are trying to play a play and I love what I am doing. I hitting of the ball. That’s the This changes from time to time. match. I’ve tried different ways, want to get myself into position priority with him. He sets up the Sometimes if you have been like just walking on court, but to play events and to try and sessions really well and works concentrating all week on really some sort of plan or better myself. I want to play well people into them. It is different particular things you just want to structure is useful. For me, a every day with different people let yourself go and play. On and different practices. Malcolm another day it may be a good uses a lot of practices that other idea to play a practice game and people don’t use – the ‘threes’ home in on the things you are I’ve explained is just one of trying to work on. Sometimes I them. He brings in different might want to, for example, conditions. Yes, we do routines, work on my ability to break like ‘alley work’ [rallying down one side], but it is a bit more spontaneous with him – he encourages players to develop through games. Another example is ‘two against one’. Sometimes we What work does your fitness Sheffield every week. just play training involve? He monitors what I am the game up. On another I may games. I’ll work This is a bloody hard sport and doing. He sets my focus on something really with the players most of the squash sessions sessions for me and plans specific. Say if I am not happy and, if possible, win the British who are there. He has the involve some physical them out. Mainly I work with with my backhand length off the Open, the Commonwealth ability to work very good players discomfort. There is crossover. Mark, but a lot of athletes back wall, I could go into a Games and the World in with lesser players and make Some of the squash sessions now are looking at other match and try to focus on that. Championship. But really, in conditions that work for with ‘Camps’ [David Campion] or things as well as gym work – essence, I am trying to make everyone – this week I have Malcolm are very physical for example yoga, rehab with the What opportunities do you look myself a really good squash been working with Sarah Kippax indeed. You have to push your physio, treatments, massage, forinamatch? few simple ideas or player. and Madeline Perry. The body because you are going to anything you can do to make Every shot is taken on its key words can work – for standard thing is no barrier at coach Chris Robertson] last feel it in a match against Nick yourself better. merits. example ‘get length’, ‘keep calm Do you have a tip for the all. I work with whoever he puts week. Their sessions [at Halifax Matthew, Ramy Ashour, [Amr] between points’. This just ambitious player? me on with and the sessions are or Manchester] use more Shabana, [Mohamed] Elshorbagy How many sessions do you What are your strengths as a means I have a plan when I go Improvement at squash takes a great. I see David Campion a structured routines. I work with or [Greg] Gaultier. I work on do a week? player? on court and I know what the lot of practice, so work hard and couple of times a week and was David on court and maybe he strength and conditioning in the It depends on the time of year. Mental toughness, racket skills key ideas are, and know what I practise hard. Watch the best with him and ‘Robbo’ [national will push me physically. gym with Mark Campbell in In February and March I was and tactical awareness. am trying to achieve. Some players play. 24 James Willstrop executes his favourite shot, the backhand droop 25.