Intermediate Players

Learning correct technique is about establishing new muscle memory patterns. Reproducing the correct action in practice establishes and reinforces your muscle memory. If you have to consciously think about all of the body movements involved in hitting a backhand drive then you would not be able to perform this complex task with any degree of success. At the intermediate level I focus on achieving technical proficiency in the six shots of the game. To achieve this, a lot of carefully controlled hitting is required. After years of teaching I believe that when developing muscle memory and "feel", the intelligent use of the Squash Cannon enables a rate of improvement that you cannot get close to matching without the use of one.

Teaching stroke replication with the Squash Cannon allows me to:

  • Constantly demonstrate the correct technique to you. Visual reinforcement is very important and at the very first stage of practice we will alternate hits - you will hit one shot and then observe while I hit one shot.
  • Maintain rhythm in a practice. Without a Squash Cannon then every time one of us does not hit accurately then the practice goes dead while we retrieve the wayward ball. The rhythm is lost. Sports educators are now broadly beginning to emphasize the importance of rhythm in sports, although dance teachers have long expounded its benefits. I believe that when practice is continuous it is far more enjoyable and produces a significantly steeper learning curve.
  • Physically manipulate your swing. For instance I can stand behind you and hold your racket in the correct start position until you start the downward stroke.
  • Give you more shots in a shorter space of time - thus maximizing your time on court.


    • My job, as you hit the steady stream of balls fired from the Squash Cannon, is to help you "feel" what you are searching for while training your own muscle memory. I have to let you know via positive reinforcement when you are getting it right. This is because when you start out training your muscle memory, everything you are working on is likely to "feel" awful, awkward, or unnatural. Often this is the sign of change and a good sign, but without my external reinforcement in the early stages then you have no real idea of what the correct stroke should feel like.

    As you gradually internalize the feel of the correct stroke then I will begin to step back and let your brain take over. As you hit your shots then with every successful delivery that results in the intended objective the conscious mind experiences positive reinforcement. This positive feedback is also experienced by the subconscious mind, which solidifies the muscle memory patterns. When the subconscious takes over, the brain
    is free from technical clutter and can begin to focus on tactical considerations. At this point
    it's time to wheel the ball machine off the court and use patterned drills and conditioned games to integrate correct technique with good tactics. Remember techniques become skill when they can be selected or adapted to meet the specific demands of the situation. Without this important integration you will never progress to the advanced level.

    "During the time that Mark has coached me, I have been struck by a number of things. First, Mark is always immediately able to identify the deficiencies in my game or technique. Secondly, from my own experience of teaching, I would say that Mark's most important coaching attribute is his ability to respond to the individual's needs by simplifying an exercise or technique to the extent necessary for that person. In this way it becomes easier to gain confidence and perfect the technique before building it into a realistic game setting. Furthermore, the sessions are always great fun, and Mark is able to play down to my level without ever being patronizing."

    David Ormerod, Professor of Criminal Law, Nottingham University, February 1998.

    "It's been a real pleasure taking lessons with Mark for the past four years. Mark has an amazing disposition on the court and air of many talents that always keeps lessons fun and engaging. In lessons we often focus on improving specific skills using the squash cannon. This creates a energetic lesson that really cements proper stroke technique in a controlled setting. Mark's mastery of teaching squash is finding what works best for each individual and eliciting a confidence that almost immediately manifests in game play."

    Lowell Robinson , Project Director of the San Francisco Exploritorium

    "Mark is a truly gifted teacher, and a real pleasure to work with. He has an uncanny ability to deconstruct one's stroke or shot, and explain it in a way that is both intuitive and easy to understand. Then, with the help of the ball machine, he readjusts your shot over and over again until you get it. It is very difficult to change old habits, but with the repetitions and practice he provides using the ball machine, and with his creative and individualized approach to teaching, he is able to do absolute wonders."

    Yvonne Wu, Associate Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics, University of California.