Six visual lessons
Squash shots: see the path, choose the moment.
Watch six short, consistent trajectory lessons and learn when to play each shot, where the opponent should be and how to recover.
In short
Choose from the ball available, your balance, the opponent's position and the open space. Decide whether the aim is to rally, set up, finish or escape, then clear safely and recover for the likely reply.
Published by Squash Dog, a trading style of Fagan Consulting Limited. Reviewed 6 September 2026
Coverage note
Six source-aligned editorial lessons are published now, one from each category. The canonical catalogue contains 37 lessons, so 31 remain in production. The diagrams are representative tactical explanations, not governing-body endorsements or a substitute for a qualified coach.
How to choose a shot
- Read how the ball is arriving: height, pace, bounce, wall tightness and court area.
- Check that you are balanced and have a safe view, access and swing.
- Notice where the opponent is moving and which space they have left.
- Choose an intention: sustain the rally, build pressure, seek a finish or escape pressure.
- Anticipate the most likely reply before you strike.
- Clear safely and recover towards an appropriate T position, adjusted for the likely reply.
Outcome labels
| Label | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Rally | Prioritise control and make the opponent play again. |
| Setup | Create pressure or a weaker next ball. |
| Possible finisher | May end the rally, but plan for a good retrieval. |
| Emergency | Use time, height or angle to escape pressure and recover. |
Serves and returns: 1 of 5
Begin with a controlled return that reduces the server's attacking options.
Drives and lengths: 1 of 8
Use straight depth and wall tightness to move the opponent behind you.
Boasts and angles: 1 of 9
Change the angle when a straight ball is unavailable or the opposite front corner is open.
Drops: 1 of 5
Use touch from a balanced front-court position to make the opponent move forward.
Kills and nick attempts: 1 of 6
Attack a genuinely loose ball, but retain enough balance to cover an excellent retrieval.
Lobs and height: 1 of 4
Use height to pass a forward opponent, buy time and move the next contact towards the back.
Recovery is a decision, not a dot
The T is the usual base because it shortens the average route to the next ball, but recovery is not automatic. First clear the opponent's direct access and swing, keep watching, then choose a balanced position that covers the most likely reply. A boast or drop often calls for a forward bias; a deep straight ball may call for a slight bias towards that side.
Start with three patterns
For a manageable first sequence, learn the straight deep return, straight attacking length and straight lob. Together they introduce depth, wall tightness, height and recovery without encouraging a rush for winners.
Forehand and backhand
Each lesson uses one base side so that the series stays visually consistent. The same approved geometry can be mirrored for the opposite side. A mirror view is not counted as another shot lesson.
Primary sources
Visible teaching is drawn from the cited source set and Squash Dog's canonical specifications. Source alignment is not personal review or endorsement by those organisations.