Barry Dodson Blog on Squash-Blogs.de

“Get fit to play Squash, do not play Squash to get fit” is one of the first things that I learnt through the English coaching system. The meaning and quality of fitness has changed considerably since then and the path to it has become more complex and time consuming. But as for Geoff Hunt, Jonah Barrington, Jahangir and Jansher Khan, it is so essential if one wants to make it to the top.

Two of the most well known and successful coaches that Germany has ever seen were “Keith Griffiths” and “Kevin Karam” were able to fashion a great number of successful players. Why? Fitness what else, ask any of their prodigies and I am sure that fitness was top of their training program, along with building or renovating houses?

The new standard of fitness in German Squash is now being set by Simon Rösner who decided some years ago to become a Squash Professional. Since then he has constantly worked on his fitness and it has become his way of life. Further German players developing a fitness life style are surely Jens Schoor, Rudi Rohrmüller, Pamela Hathway and Sina Wall. Stefan Leifels as I said before shall surely continue his lifestyle as long as he stays injury free and motivated. Hansi Seestaller, Johannes Voit, André Haschker and Daniel Hoffmann have all shown at times a level of very high fitness and therefore had their successes, but what could have been if Oliver Post, Patrick Gässler, Markus Voit and Marco Deeg, had worked for and achieved the fitness to match their potential.

So with the first German Ranking tournament taking place this weekend we can take a peak at what everybody has been up to during the summer. Whose preparation is going well for the start of the Bundesliga at the beginning of October? But do not worry if that fitness is not there yet, one still has until April 2009 and the next German National Championships to finally accomplish that dream.