Tennis and squash involve learning serves, backhands and forehands and, just as important, movement around the court. Good players make it look easy, while beginners can feel like lumbering elephants until they figure out the rhythm of the pros. "Good court movement will bring together all aspects of your basic game," writes former squash champion Philip Yarrow in "Squash: Steps to Success." Moving well allows you to position yourself better for your shots as well as covering those of your opponent, he notes.
Split Step
Both squash and tennis start with the split step, similar to the ready position for soccer goalkeeping, volleyball service reception, martial arts and many other sports. To do the split step, take a little bounce or hop so that you end up with your feet shoulder-width apart, balanced on the balls of your feet and knees bent slightly.
Controlling the T
In squash, movements after the split step are designed to have you "control the T," a spot two feet behind the T-shaped junction of the half-court line and the short line. After a shot takes you to the frontcourt or backcourt, shuffle or stride back to the T. Tennis also has a T at the intersection of the service line, parallel to the baseline, and the center service line, which divides the left and right service boxes. The tennis T does not make a good place to await your opponent's next move; it is too far forward on the court, as is the backcourt, between the service line and the baseline. The so-called "recovery" position in tennis is behind the baseline, on a slight diagonal to your opponent to be able to cover an extremely angled shot to your right or left or anything in between.
Squash Steps
Movement on a small squash court, measuring 21 by 32 feet, combines quick, short steps; shuffles; and long strides to the ball, Yarrow writes. Like a boxer, your goal is to take little shuffles in the direction of the ball and go for the punch with your final long steps, often finishing with a lunge that extends you low to the floor. Swing the racket to hit the ball, use your core strength to pop out of the lunge and take little steps back to the T.
Tennis Sprints
Squash rallies, especially at the pro level, can feature long rallies with explosive elements as players move to return shots with wildly varied vectors, heights and ball speeds. Tennis at the elite level features equal explosiveness and longer runs to cover the singles court, 27 feet wide by 39 feet long, with an additional 21 feet behind the baseline to handle balls that land in the last few inches of the backcourt. At the pro level, movement is considered more important than stroke quality. French Open winner Mats Wilander told ESPN.com's Greg Garber, for example, that "the best players in the world are the best movers." Players sprint, decelerate, push off, lunge and chop step -- rapidly tapping each foot in a wide stance, as baseball shortstops do -- so as to move instantly when the rally is returned. As in squash, reading the court and anticipating your opponent's shot help you move economically, as well as quickly.
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