Racquetball is one of the best ways to get in shape. You beat the daylights on a little colored rubber ball, sweat like there’s no tomorrow, and work out without even thinking about it. You can get fit, burn calories and up your game fast. I know because it’s my favorite way, this side of alpine skiing, to get in and stay in shape. I call it “the free workout” because you don’t even realize you’re officially working out when you get carried away by the fun and excitement of this amazing game. And the learning curve is fast because almost every shot you take is on the line, unlike in tennis. You will improve quickly.
I’ve been playing for 35 years. And while it’s harder to get to as many shots as before, it’s well worth the trouble. What bother? It’s a fun game. I play singles, although I know the day will come when I will have to reduce the wear and tear on my knees and back by playing doubles. But my goal is to keep playing until I can’t anymore, which I hope never is.
I admit to having to wear a knee brace, but I got over it 10 years ago. I also use the lightest and strongest racket available, which these days is a Wilson. I use the same brand of gloves and glasses. Now let me emphasize just how important good polycarbonate glasses are to your overall safety and confidence when gaming. That is your most important team. Don’t skimp here.
You can set up with all the gear you’ll need to play your best for under $100, but you won’t need to buy replacement items for a long time, unless you’re trigger-happy enough to blow up your racquet. against walls when you get frustrated from hitting the floor an easy kill too many times. I too got over that a long time ago.
The game is fast. It will improve your hand-eye coordination in a pinch. You will become much faster than you ever thought possible. The more you play, the better you’ll get at killing shots your partner has no chance of landing, while learning to play tough shots off the wall, ceiling, and anywhere else they can come from in an instant.
It is a game where scoring can only occur while you have the serve. You will want to develop several different serves to keep your opponent off guard. If you try to kill every shot and serve you make with all the strength you can muster, you’ll end up hurting your elbow or shoulder. So save the heat for when you really need to hit that corner or passing shot, or when you feel like you need to try and out-score your partner on the winning serve. Just remember, the harder you hit the ball, the more chance it has to come off the wall for your partner to hit if you don’t hit it where you want it to. That, my friends, is the bottom line: the location of the shots. Some days you have it, others you don’t.
Remember above all else: racquetball is a game. It’s not important who wins and who loses as long as you have fun playing the game, and that’s the easiest part. It’s tremendous fun if you refuse to lose your cool and realize that you’re doing the best you can regardless of the outcome, which you often will.