What do I gain from warming up before playing a match?

Since squash is an incredibly hard and explosive sport, it is very important to warm up before going on the court. Standing to hit the ball for a few minutes before starting a match is not really a warm-up, but more to warm up the ball and get your strokes right.

Heating can be done in a myriad of different ways and it is very individual what works for the individual. However, it is always a good idea to start quietly with a little easy running, street boy running or similar to slowly prepare the body for waking up. Once you've got your legs moving, it's a good idea to work on the most important muscle groups: calves, thighs, back and arms. Also feel free to do some squash-related movements, such as a little shadow squash (ghosting). It's also a good idea to take a few sprints or some quick ghostings just to get your heart rate up. You usually get more out of breath the first time your pulse gets high than the next few times, and it's nice to get over it before you're in the middle of a combat situation.

A little light stretching of the large muscles is a good idea to end the warm-up with. However, the stretch should not be held as long as after playing, but only approx. 10 seconds.

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The warm-up is important, but many tend to forget it, even though most know it's a good idea. Firstly, you play better, as the body is active and secondly, and probably most importantly, the risk of injury is significantly reduced.