I hope it was a great season for you with piles of matches, lots of laughs, only some slight niggles you were able to deal with, and some rallies to talk about with your pals. If you're like most, you're drifting into the summer here hoping to stay on court a bit but likely take a competition break. Letting the tank refill over some sunshine and fresh air, so to speak. Do it, please!! Recharge the battery and replenish that squash spirit. Your body will thank you for it. But you may also be thinking, "I'm always so behind in the fall when I get back out there. I'm winded by the 3rd rally, and I don't love being annoyed until early November with my self". Ya...fair enough. There's a few things you can do, but one of them is your biggest bang for buck WITHOUT QUESTION. If you are carrying a bit of extra weight, this is physically (and physics-lly!) the biggest limit to your current fitness AND your future on court. Force = mass x acceleration. More mass means you need to produce more force to get the same acceleration...off the T and off the ball, over and over and over and over again each really, each game and each match. Force requires energy, and this is coming from your fitness (aerobic and anaerobic energy systems). So... More body mass = more fitness demand. And if you take the summer away from the court, enjoy the sunshine with a few more cocktails and ice cream, then your fall likely looks like: MORE body mass = MORE fitness demand...which you don't have available b/c, you know, time off. And being heavier means more impact every time you accelerate, change direction, get into stretch...you name it. Yikes. So if there's ONE thing you should do this summer to help you be in the best condition for next season...and every season thereafter...it's to make sure you're not carrying any extra weight around. I'm starting a Weight Loss and Fitness program for ambitious and competitive adults, which includes everyone here. The first offer, Weight Loss for Winners, is a group coaching program for men with a 5 lbs in 5 Weeks challenge that starts next week. Deadline to sign up is today!

All testing and fundamental programs are free and open-access available to everyone, everywhere. Here's what you get with no opt-in or membership the Squash Strength & Fitness community: 1. Strength & Fitness Testing --> the flagship, 5-event on-court testing battery that every squash player should complete. 2. Fundamental Bodyweight Strength & Power --> a 6-week lower body strength & power program. 3. Fundamental Core Strength --> a 6-week core strength program. 4. Fundamental Match Fitness --> a 6-week interval cardio program. Membership is next level because it's F-R-E-E 🥳 and - let's be honest - because members are awesome. Just hit the "JOIN GROUP" button, sign up, and here's what you'll get IN ADDITION to what's already listed above: 1. Member Zone --> awesome stuff for members like exercise videos, planning tools, and DIY strength & fitness guidance. 2. Dumbbell Strength Basics --> a 6-week whole-body strength program using only dumbbells. 3. Ghosting with Nick Sachvie --> court movement fundamentals coached by Nick Sachvie. 4. Advanced Bodyweight Strength & Power --> a 6-week next-level lower body strength & power program.