How to Improve Racquetball Skills

Passers by can hear the loud "whack" sound of a racquetball court before they get close to the glass-encased room. The sound means that people are getting a whole-body workout as the tiny ball whizzes from racquets to walls and back again. The goal of the sport is to keep the ball moving, to not get hit by the ball and, of course, score the most points. The racquetball player who follows the steps will improve his skills.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Know that placement involves how well you play the ball. Hit the racquetball low to the ground when you hit it back to the front wall. Understand that the move makes the ball bounce quickly. Focus on staying a foot or two from the front wall while hitting the ball low. Plan on a lot of victories while giving up fewer errors with this strategy.

2. Pay attention to your opponent's location. Your opponent will find it tougher to run down the ball when you put the ball where they cannot get to it.

3. Develop finesse in playing drop shots which bounce off the front wall. Strive for shots that don't rebound back far into the court. Know when to play a drop shot when your opponent is too far back in the court. Expect to get more winners when finesse improves.

4. Time the ball so you can hit it out of the air and maybe off a few walls. Understand that the strategy makes it tougher for the other person to keep track of the ball. Play into the corners to make people play the forehand and backhand often while running.

5. Focus on your hold on your racquet. Make sure the racquet is perpendicular to the floor to ensure that the racquetball travels to the front wall without touching the floor.

6. Hold the racquet at a slight upwards angle to have fewer errors from hitting the floor before getting to the front wall. Let your opponent make the errors. Force them to play the stronger game to win.

7. Anticipate. Learn where your opponent usually hits the ball from where they usually stand. Use anticipation of their next move to start moving in that direction sooner. Expect to be there before the ball arrives.

8. Watch your opponent and her angle before she hits the ball. Use that knowledge to know where she plans to send the ball. Know that using these strategies means less scrambling and running on your part and that you will be able to make higher quality shots and therefore win more games.

Tips & Warnings

• Realize that ball placement brings in the mental side of racquetball.
• Novice players usually fail to hold the racquet's face up enough. Remember the top of the racquet should be slightly angled toward the back wall.
• Avoid hitting the floor when trying to get the ball low on the front wall because the miss will cause you an error.

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