Racquetball or Squash: Which is the tougher game?
BICENBKS
in Michigan 10X. I've always been interested in all racquet
sports, not just table tennis. I love racquetball, and am well
aware that it is more physically demanding than tennis.
I have a friend from South Africa who used to play racquetball,
but now loves squash and only squash. He sent me a
squash video of Park & Nicol and the rallies were incredibly
long, much longer than racquetball. Table tennis also has
short rallies due to the extreme spin on the ball. My feeling
is that racquetball is by far the more difficult game than
squash, because racquetball (like table tennis) has tremendous
spin. Squash appears to have very little spin, and a much smaller
court.
Mike Baber
Kevin Young
BICENBKS wrote in message <20010114160630...@ng-cf1.aol.com>...
>He sent me a
>squash video of Park & Nicol and the rallies were incredibly
>long, much longer than racquetball.
Mike,
I know folks who have changed in both directions. The couple who have
changed to racquetball from squash are far more intelligent and interesting
;^)
They do say racquetball is a greater workout but I believe that is a
function of the level you play at. Beginner squash players have short
rallies where beginner racquetballers can have quite long ones. The reverse
is true for the pro's. For me at least, nothing is more boring than
watching each pro squash player hit the ball 20-30 times while they wait for
some kind of advantage.
Squash courts are 21 feet wide and something like 33 feet long???
Getting ready to build one, should check the blueprints. I will say that
the Professional Squash Associations portable court is nicer than the USRA's
racquetball one.
Welcome to the newsgroup.
-Kevin-
www.racquetballkevin.com/faq.html
Aaron Dowling
can tell you that squash is a far more demanding game physically and
mentally then racquetball. Squash rallies are much longer and incredibly
hard on your knees and all muscles in you legs. While racquetball is a
lot more demanding on your upper body. I found that squash is a finesse
game and it requires a lot more thinking to beat your opponent. After 3
years of playing squash I was "at best" a low B player, and after 2
years of racquetball I am an above average A player. But, I much prefer
racquetball over squash, because if you can hit a good shot your
opponent has no hope in hell of retreiving the ball, which is not
necessarily the case in squash.
I find there are a lot more squash players in my community at least
10:1. Therefore the competition would be much greater in squash here
than in racquetball, and this may have something to do with my rise in
the racquetball ranks.
Anyways they are both great games and I would suggest playing both.
Aaron
Steve
>10:1
It's the opposite here.
Steve (SEFSTRAT)
webpage: http://members.aol.com/sefstrat/index.html/sefpage.html
Aaron Dowling
early eighties. I was not playing either sport then. But I'm from
Canada, and squash has really taken off here.
BICENBKS
Canada? Powers? I still think racquetball
seems far more difficult. The mere fact
that so many rallies in squash are 20 to
30 hits indicates to me that the margin
for error is far higher. The serve looks
esp. easy to return (when compared
with racquetball). It seems to me that
racquetball has much more speed and
spin, and that the ball is far more lively and unpredictable. Also, squash
players don't
have to deal with the "roll out".
Mike Baber
LBSky
games. I am an Open level racquetball player, but I play squash twice a week
for cross training and fun.
In terms of difficulty, it all depends what you define "difficult".
Racquetball is definitely a more aggressive, go-for-the-kill game. It requires
a bit more speed and quicker reactions.
However, there is absolutely no comparison in the conditioning factor. I can
play over 2 hours of open level racquetball without getting completely
fatigued. In less than 45 minutes, I can get an equivalent squash workout. It
is downright grueling. Imagine doing suicide drills, star drills, etc.
continuously for 45 minutes and that is about how it feels.
In racquetball as you get better, the rallies get shorter. IN squash they get
longer.
In addition, there are lots more types of shots in squash.
I have also found that squash "looks" a whole lot easier than it actually is.
I still prefer racquetball. It's my game and I love it! But I have gained a
respect for squash as an extremely difficult game and a really great game!
The other thing I have found is that despite being much more grueling, squash
is actually easier on my body. It is smoother with less "hurky jurky" off
balance motion. So I tend to get injured less.
Just my analysis for what it is worth. Give it a try some time! I think you
will like it and find it a real challenge!
Lori Lepow
Team Ektelon
Orlando, Florida
BICENBKS
I think a lot of it has to do with the
nature of the ball. In racquetball, the
ball is far more lively and far more
capable of spin. In squash, the ball is less lively and far more predictable.
We used to sometimes play racquetball
with a (deflated) paddleball, which made
it far harder to put the ball away. My best
friend, Mike Rose (2X 35's US Tennis #1)
was able to be competitive with me then,
whereas with a racquetball (much more
like table tennis), I could beat him very
easily. Probably nobody here has played
racuetball with a paddleball, but you can
imagine how the rallies are extended.
It reminded me much more of squash.
Mike Baber
self
> Lori,
>
> I think a lot of it has to do with the
> nature of the ball. In racquetball, the
> ball is far more lively and far more
> capable of spin.
Not complaining, just trying to help - if you are using MS Exploder you may
want to go to
Tools >>
Options >>
Send >>
News Sending Format > >
Plain text options >>
and set your wrap text (carriage return) for ~ 76 chars.
This makes your messages less like a newspaper column, and a little easier
to parse.
Greg Stoner
Wallbanger
I couldn't agree more with your comments. I am both the Racquetball and
Squash Pro at my local Club and typically play 2 hours of Squash every
Monday/Thursday/Saturday, then play Raquetball on
Tuesdays/Wednesdays/Sundays (usually take Friday off). I have been playing
squash for over 10 years now, picking the game up while I was in Belgium on
a 3 week business trip. I really enjoy the game of squash because you can
play a lower level player and still get a great workout, due to the "dead
ball" and long rallies, focusing on hitting good length and width shots down
the rails.
I maintain a website for Racquetball and Squash players that you might want
to check out. My primary game is still raquetball (I have been a member of
Team Ektelon for 12 years), but I devote time to and promote both sports
focusing on increasing participation in my club and the local area here in
the DFW area. From a cross training viewpoint, you can't beat Squash... it
will definately get your heart rate up!
Mike
"self" <nos...@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:b3t96.454$Sw3.2...@news3.mia...
Glen Loucks
being heckled by a couple of squash players. "What a bunch of whiners
and complainers", one said. "You never see that in squash!" (Ya Right)
"Squash is to chess what Racquetball is to checkers" the other torted. I
responded, "Squash is to for-play what Racquetball is to Orgasm!" They
moved on to hassle someone else.
Every one tries to compare the two games. Compare Tennis to
Badminton??? All racquet sports have great qualities. You can achieve
a great workout form any of the sports. Your body builds up an immunity
to anything if you do it enough. I can get a workout from table tennis
and none from squash. It all depends on how much you want to exert in
whatever you do.
Enjoy each sport for what it is and don't compare. Bang on.
