James Willstrop on plyometrics training

England’s James Willstrop is the world No.5 squash player. The 25-year-old star of the high-energy racquet sport chatted to spikesmag.com about the importance of plyometrics as part of his overall training.

Squash is a physically demanding sport do you have to carry out a lot of running as part of your training?

JW: I don’t do much running. Perhaps years ago (I would have done a lot of running) but the way training has evolved squash is a very specific sport. I’m not saying running wouldn’t be good, because it can good for general fitness and cardio, but it just lacks specificity. We do a lot of endurance work but more specific to the squash court.

Can you give some examples?

JW: If you want to do a hard endurance session a lot of squash is about running in short bursts and twisting and turning. The most specific thing would be to do ghosting work where you are basically hitting the ball without actually hitting the ball. You can do intervals in a minute or a minute and a half because squash takes in both those areas because it is endurance and explosive. That (session) would be more specific to squash.

Don’t you do any running?

JW: Very rarely. The only time I ever run is when I go trail running in Colorado. I find it much safer in terms of impact. Trail running offers stepping, side-stepping a lot of awareness of your body and stability which is incredibly important for squash because your body is being dragged around the court.

What about plyometric work?

JW: Definitely, it is very, very important. I do plyometrics alongside strength work. I jump onto boxes and jump. This helps me because I do a lot of forward and backward movement trying to go take control of the middle of the court into the T area. I work very hard on plyometrics because it is not very natural to me.

How many times a week?

JW: I do some sort of plyometric training during my warm ups. I often incorporate it into my strength training, so if I do a weight’s session I’ll often do a plyometric exercise. Often it is intermingled into different sessions.

Did you much athletics when you were younger?

JW: It is a sport which really interests me. My physio, Alison Rose (former physio to double Olympic champion Kelly Holmes), is into athletics and I keep informed through her. I really enjoy watching athletics and see a lot of athletes around at the EIS (English Institute of Sport) in Sheffield. I think they are unspoilt and I watch the big meets if I can.

Do you do much athletics when you were younger?

JW: I was never really quick enough to be a sprinter, but I remember doing the 400m, 800m and 1500m and I enjoyed those. I remember coming second at school, I’m a big bloke I’m not really a runners’ build. I was okay, and I was pretty decent at cross country. I had a go at shot put and javelin. I don’t think I stood out but the middle distances were my best events.

Did you have track and field heroes when you were younger?

JW: During the early 1990s I remember watching Liz McColgan and Linford (Christie) and Sally Gunnell were winning their Olympic gold medals. I’ve always watched all sports and I remember Carl Lewis being the best in the world.  

***Tomorrow read about Swedish sprinter Lena Berntsson who has represented her country in weightlifting.

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