Talent is not merely enough to put you on top of the game. You must first acquaint yourself with some of the basic stuffs about your chosen sport. In this case let's take some time off to know a thing or two about racquetball.

The sport is presented in varying number of players which can reach up to four. A two-player game called singles is the usual format. It is also termed as one-up wherein two individuals go head to head for the entirety of the competition. The four player format is coined as doubles. This features two pairs going against each other.

There is another form of racquetball that is called cut-throat or ironman. This is a three-player game which means that two person compete with a single individual. Players take alternating turns at service chores. Service is then received by the other two individuals who will play as a unit.

California or in-and-out is also a three-player game. This involves two persons going head to head while the third competitor waits in the back court. A rally takes place with the winner coming out to serve the waiting player. The loser then serves as the player on stand-by.

Sevens is another variation of the three-player format. It showcases a single player going against a pair that will play as a team. If the pair reaches 7 points first the game reaches conclusion but if the single player makes it to 7 first the game continues up to 14. If again the individual playing solo moves up to 14 points first the game heads up to 21. The game ends regardless of who gets to 21 first. 

Now that you have an idea of how game play goes on let's have an understanding on how points are earned. Put in mind that points are only awarded to the serving player or serving team in doubles talk. They can be achieved by pulling away with a rally win after a successful serve.

A player loses a rally in certain instances during game play. This can happen if the ball bounces on the floor more than once before the player is able to strike it. A point is also lost if the ball does not come in contact with the front wall during the rally. Another scenario would be if the ball goes overboard into an out-of-bounds surface such as the spectator's gallery, wall opening, or any area that deviates from normal playing field.

Furthermore, a slow ball can also cost a player a rally particularly if it hits another player due to the lack of velocity required to reach the front wall. A hit striking another player due to the actions of the other player or his partner is another no-no. Penalized hindrances can also be a cause of losing a rally. Other actions that may place the player on the losing end of a rally are carrying the ball using the racquet, not utilizing racquet cord for wrist safety, switching of racquet hands during the actual rally, and allowing the ball to hit the uniform or other body part.

According to USA Racquetball rules matches are slated as best of three games. The first two games entail competitors to reach 15 points in order to win while the third game demands 11 points. USA Racquetball standards do not include winning by a margin of at least two points in each game which make it different from its Canadian counterpart.

Playing any kind of sports always entails risks of injuries. Racquetball is one sports activity that can be risky considering the speed of play and the equipments used (racquets and balls).

However, it is a given that sports injuries - serious, superficial or life-threatening - can always be avoided, if you take precautions. Aside from the protection gears you have to wear, the following are some reminders for you to deal with your racquetball-related injuries. 

Eye protection

Racquetball is considered a "lightweight" sport compared to others which can produce some terrible life-threatening injuries. On the other hand, it is one of the most injury-prone sports because of the speed of the ball traveling inside the small confines of the playing court.

Ninety-five percent of these injuries consist of being hit in the eyes by the ball. Interior bleeding in the eye socket, lacerations, bleeding eyelids, abrasions, swollen eyes - these are some of the most common eye injuries.

Wearing proper eye gear prevents serious injuries to the eye. Be sure to check if your goggles are properly recommended by the American Standard of Testing and Materials, and the Canadian Standards Association. 

Feet protection

Racquetball is one game where you do a lot of running. It follows that you have to take care of your feet all throughout the game.

Ankle sprains can sideline you for at least a week and disrupt your activities. Achilles tendon injuries are rare but they need proper medical care.

Blisters and calluses occur most often if you have the wrong footwear or if they are a new pair and had not been broken in yet. Don't throw the old pair until you have the new ones fit your feet just right. Afterwards, you can play a hard game with them.

Elbow protection

They may call it tennis elbow, but this injury also happens to racquetball players. (Only 5% of all cases happen to tennis players.)

Symptoms consist of pain around the elbow joint, with tenderness occurring on or below the bony bump. Natural expansive arm movements (even simple grip movements) can cause pain and aggravate the injury. Follow your doctor's advice.

Next, check with your racquetball expert for improper technique in racquet handling. Is your grip wrong? What about the size and type of your racquet? 

Shoulder protection

Shoulder injury is caused by using the shoulders - and not correctly using the side of the body - in swinging your racquet. These injuries usually develop from a past fall or a slam on the wall.

Remember: Use the whole side of the body in swinging the racquet, NOT the shoulders.

Knee protection

All the running and pivoting around on your feet is tough on your knees. In racquetball, all types of knee injuries are possible.

These injuries are sneaky, too. They begin with a dull ache somewhere around the sides or back of the knee right after playing. Later on, the pain comes in before, during, and after your play.

Get yourself an expert to teach you the right stretching and conditioning program for your knees. (While you are at it, you might as well include all the necessary conditioning moves for all the body parts that complement your racquetball playing.)

Racquetball is supposed to be fun. Avoid injuries before they can happen.

Racquetball is one indoor ballgame that any able-bodied person can play. The rules are simple, the gears are lightweight, and the playing field is small enough to control. The best part is the fun playing the game.

Just like any other sports, you need to have some gears and equipments to fully enjoy the game. Some are essentials and some are basically for protection against untoward incidents.

Racquets

The game is basically hitting a rubber ball with a racquet. Get a racquet that fits you - one that feels right. Light rackets give more control while a heavier one increases your striking power.

Get one that has a small grip that allows more flexibility for your wrist. The handle should make your middle and ring fingers almost touch the base of your thumb.

Rectangular racquets make it easy to hit balls moving along the walls. A tear-shaped racquet has a larger striking area to catch and hit the ball.

Shoes

Racquetball is a grueling stop-and-run game so you simply need the best pair of shoes suited for the sport. The wrong shoes (and socks) can cause severe and painful blisters on your feet.

Go for shoes that grip the floor securely. Thick padding near the top prevents the foot and ankle from slipping. (Racquetball clubs and gyms require lighter-colored soles so they will not leave marks on the court floors.)

These shoes come in high-top, mid-cut and low cut. High top pairs protect weak ankles. The mid-cut shoes are for extra support, while the low cut versions are the lightest.

Racquetball shoes take the most beating compared to those in other sports, what with all the constant friction in the stop-and-run movements. This means your pair can last to about 3 to 6 months, depending on the frequency of your play.

One word of caution: Do not try to repair the damage on your shoes with tapes or anything. It can lead to unexpected injuries.

Spend some money. After all, racquetball shoes are not that expensive. Understand that this is one game where you need to get a new pair of footwear regularly.

However, do not throw your old pair away until after your new pair had been broken in. Use them in your "heavy" games. Use the new pair in your "lighter" games, until they feel comfortable.

This way you can avoid getting blisters and calluses using the new pair of shoes that is still factory-hard and not that flexible yet.

Eye protection

For a game that has a flying ball moving incredibly fast, your eyes (your most vulnerable body part) become dangerous random targets. Racquetball games require goggles to protect your eyes, no ifs and buts about it.

They should be made of unbreakable plastic and need to be adjustable. (After a time, perspiration lubricates them and needs to be set securely again and again during the game proper.)

Gloves

Gloves make your grip on your racquet more secure. They should also be flexible. They help keep your hold on your racquet for those hard ball impacts.

They also help do away with blisters and calluses on your hands. (Tip: the more expensive ones are better against sweat and slippage.)

These are the gears you need to play racquetball. All you need now is to go out and play.

Racquetball as a healthy indoor sport is getting to be popular once again, this time the number of enthusiasts growing slowly but steadily. Gym courts are now filled up and tournaments, clubs and leagues are sprouting once more.

For beginners and those virtual greenhorns to the game who want to improve their games, here are some tips on some very important basics on racquetball. One of these is the all-important way of getting a grip on your racquet handle.

Finger formation

Without the right knowledge on the proper and consistent grip of your racquet, you will remain clueless to the real feel of what a racquet is. The end result can be serious control problems in the future.

For beginners, this can be a source of great frustration that can drive one away from the game altogether.

An important point is having the proper grip size on your racquet - a ¼ inch or so of space between fingers and palm. This happens quite often to women who are sold racquets with grips too large for their hands.

Handshake formation

Your grip on your racquet should begin with a V formation of your thumb and forefinger. Make it so like you are going to do a handshake, only this time you are going to do it with your racquet.

Most often, beginners hold their rackets like they are holding a baseball bat or a club. The wrong way of holding it is to create a round hand shape (the tips of the forefinger and the thumb meet) around the handle instead of the "V" formation of the thumb and forefinger.

Clock formations

From your perspective, the forehand stance would look like a one o'clock position while the backhand would look like an eleven o'clock position.

Here is a little demonstration.

Hold the racket like you are shaking hands with somebody, only that you are holding the handle of your racquet. Looking straight at your thumb you will see that together with your forefinger, they form a "V".

Again, for demonstration purposes treat your thumb as the 12 o'clock position. The forefinger is at 1 o'clock position in the forehand perspective.

In the backhand perspective, your thumb is still at the 12 o'clock position. This time, however, your forefinger is now in the 11 o'clock position.

The swings

From this backhand perspective, you can swing your racquet in a regular motion. The grip should make it so that the racquet face is parallel with the sidewall of the court.

If you will not change the swing from forehand to backhand, the racquet face will be slightly tilted backwards and hit the ball with an under-spin, just like in tennis. (You will have to torque your wrist if you want to hit the ball flat.)

Another grip to head off potential problems would be placing your forefinger up the grip pointing towards the racquet face on the forehand stroke, inhibiting a wrist snap.

On the backhand stroke, place your thumb on the handle as though you are pushing an imaginary button. This will hold back again proper wrist snap and causing a pushing stroke.

Racquetball is not rocket science, as the cliché goes. However, just like any other sport, you need to practice and play to perfect your winning moves. 

Racquetball is an active indoor sport played using a hollow rubber ball in a court, which could be indoor or outdoor. In general, the sport is viewed as similar to tennis and handball because many of such games' rules are incorporated into racquetball. However, the truth is that this sport is unique. How did it originate?

Joe Sobek, a US-based professional handball and tennis player, is credited for inventing the game in 1950. He introduced the game initially during the Greenwich YMCA. During that time, Mr. Sobek had still not thought of a catchy name for the sport. The development of racquetball was an outcome of his quest for a fast-paced type of sport that was both easy to learn and to play. During that time, racquetball was created as an alternative to the popular game of tennis.

Two years after, in February 1952, he founded the NPRA or National Paddle Rackets Association. At the same time, Mr. Sobek codified the game mechanics and printed them in the form of a booklet. This new sport was quickly adopted to emerge as a popular indoor sport. Through continuous promotion, the popularity of racquetball further increased. The new game was then supported by up to 40,000 handball courts within the country's JCCs and YMCAs, where racquetball could be formally and appropriately played.

It was in 1969 when the International Racquetball Association was established. The group used a name as coined by professional tennis player Bob McInerney. That same year, the group assumed the roles of the National Paddle Rackets Association. In 1973, US Handball Association president and founder Robert W Kendler had a dispute with the directors of IRA. Mr. Kendler then created two other organizations for racquetball. IRA has remained as a dominant organization promoting the sport.

IRA was recognized by no less than the US Olympic Committee as the national governing body for racquetball in the country. The sport hit its peak in popularity in 1974. That year, it was estimated that there were up to three million racquetball players in the country alone. At the same year, IRA organized the first ever racquetball professional tournament. The organization then went to become a founding member of the International Racquetball Federation. It marked the spread of the sport's popularity from the US to other parts of the globe.

Because of the increasing popularity of racquetball, clubs and courts for the sport have been built and founded. Numerous sporting goods makers have started commercial production of racquetball-specific equipment. The growth and popularity of racquetball went on until the earlier part of the 1980s. However, its prestige diminished in the later part of that decade when racquet clubs started conversion into physical fitness clubs due to shifting preferences of people and changing demands.

Before the start of the 1990s, total number of racquetball players in the US alone has reached to approximately 5.6 million. The sport was warmly accepted by sports fanatics particularly those based in the United Kingdom. Thus, racquetball has become a popular ball sport not just for Americans but also for British sports aficionados.

One of the many advantages of racquetball is the availability of playing courts. There seems to be one in every high school gym or some park.

Unfortunately, outside weather is sometimes not on your side. Or sometimes, your usual public courts might just be too hot for your playing comforts.

What are your alternatives? A private gym is one great idea if you want to join for the sole purpose of having a convenient, year-round access to racquetball courts. However, there are some considerations to check out before you join in one.

First, let us look at the disadvantages.

Fees

One of the big complaints about private members-only gyms is the price. Some would allow you to sign up for a racquetball-only membership.

The sad part is you will still have to fork out a pricey initiation fee that can run up to hundreds of dollars. This is on top of your monthly due which is around $10 to $40 depending on the area where you live.

Availabilities

This can get tricky. Your gym might only have a limited number of courts. During peak business hours, you may have to wait for a vacant court even if you had scheduled your play time in advance.

The busiest times are early morning, early evening and lunch time. The best times on weekdays are between 8 and 10 a.m., 1 and 4 p.m. and after 7 p.m. avoid morning hours on weekends. Afternoons or evenings are good.

If your gym has seasonal racquetball leagues and you are not participating, you will have a tough time getting a court for the whole season.

Here are the advantages of joining a gym.

Conveniences

If your gym does not offer racquetball-only memberships, you will have to buy a full membership. Happily, this grants you access to an array of fitness classes, weights and cardio machines.

They may even have you use their basketball courts, the sauna and the swimming pool. Using these additional facilities will help you get in better shape to play racquetball. Some gyms also offer free child care allowing you and your partner to enjoy your game.

Friends

Many gyms have racquetball leagues. If you are new in town, joining the league affords you to meet fellow players and new friends.

These guys are just as die-hard as you are in the game and they are more than willing to share their insights and pointers.

Facilities

One good thing about exclusive gyms is the quality of the courts - clean, and regularly well-maintained. They are often located indoors to make sure members can play all year round. Since you are paying good money, damages on the floor are quickly repaired.

Choices

Before committing to anything, you can look around for free, public racquetball courts in your area as well as the popularity of the sports. Check online any facilities that offer discount play and other perks.

As always, identify your pros and your cons in choosing gyms to play racquetball. If you sign in, make sure you understand your gym contract so you get the most for your money while enjoying your favorite sports.

Racquetball is a very rewarding game. It gives you overall enhancement on and off the court. Thus dedication and hard work should be given in order to mold yourself into the best competitor you can possibly become.

Let's take a look at some ways in which you can raise the quality of your game. Service is important in this sport so there should be emphasis on good stroke techniques and effective ball drop. Added power can aid you in your bid for a stunning ace. In order to achieve good velocity use shoulder rotation, hips, and wrist snap accordingly.

On the defensive side returning a serve is as vital as executing one. Remember to keep your racquet fixed at the center front of your body using a backhand grip since most serves are directed to the backhand side. Also in order to ensure a good return your body should be oriented to the side wall not the front wall.

Forehand and backhand are basic shots that can boost your offensive charges. In order to execute a good forehand be sure to align your elbow with the top of your shoulder while your forearm is parallel to the floor with the elbow joint forming a 90-degree angle. The fundamental of a backhand involves the arm reaching towards the back wall with the arm slightly bent as if making a bow shape. The elbow should be pointed towards the side wall and away from the body making sure that racquet release is done with the free hand. The weight of the body should be directed to the back portion of your foot.

It's significant to be aware of the basic anatomy involved with racquetball moves. The elbow should be at least 8 to 12 inches away from the body when making a lead. Ball contact is executed at the furthermost point of extension. At the exact point of contact the ball should slightly pass the inner thigh while the racquet face is oriented to the front wall and the bottom frame parallel to the floor. Step into the ball with the lead foot in a straight manner at the same moment the stroke is performed.

There should be consistent wrist snap upon contact and a follow through directed towards the front wall. A good follow through can ensure that at the end of the stroke the hips are facing the front wall and the racquet head is flipped over facing the floor. Power sources can be specified into primary and secondary forces. The primary force is triggered by elbow preparation in coordination with the hips. It is supported by a secondary power coming from leg drive.

Shot selection is a key element. Employ the ceiling shot when the ball is chest high or higher. Execute a kill shot if the ball is below your thigh. Whenever the opponent is behind you make a pinch on the same side as that of your opponent. If you find him right in front of you end the rally with a stunning passing or ceiling shot.

Consistency brought racquetball titlists to the pinnacle of success. You can start your road to consistency by executing each service session with the same kind of motion and stroke. By doing so, you also develop an unpredictable attack rendering the opponent guessing as to what appropriate response should be delivered.

Are you working in a physical fitness facility or a club membership for sports aficionados? If racquetball is not yet offered in your facility, you might start the idea of introducing it to members and catering to existing fanatics and players of the ballgame. You would surely not go wrong with it. Racquetball has always been among the popular ballgames around other than handball and tennis.

Do you intend to introduce the game in your facility? Here are the top guidelines that could give you practical and effective ideas to do so.

1. Go on with your plans if your facility is under a manager who is very sensitive to the special and specific needs of startup programs. The manager should be open to allow certain considerations to build the court for racquetball and arrange concessions for program dates and times, especially because there might be conflicts with the interest of several existing members.

2. Before you proceed, make sure your facility has a membership base that comprises of a significant number of people who are interested in playing racquetball. If the members are already contented with their personal fitness activities like weights, tennis, dance, aerobics, and so on, you might find it difficult to introduce and startup a new sports program like racquetball.

3. It would help if the facility is allowing non-members to participate even at a nominal additional fee. Members could take the opportunity to bring with them friends and family members who might be truly interested in playing the ballgame.

4. Convince other staff instructors to take initial efforts to offer programs around schedules of your prospective member-participants.

5. Strive to know your facility's membership. Determine the members' seasonal habits. Adults might be more inclined to play golf at some season, kids might be busy at school, and others might not like to take too much physical activities at certain months of the year.

6. Promote your racquetball program. It would help if you would put up signs and posters in the facility area that has heavy traffic. Make flyers and distribute them to members. You may ask the help of several other facility staff in pushing the program to members. You may also use the facility's program guides and newsletters as a way to reach more members.

7. Facilitate free clinics on times and days that the program would be offered (at least during initial days). During the free clinic, get members' names and contact information that you may use to get in touch with them to promote your racquetball program further.

8. Use the ?mom network' of youth programs. Moms of those kids often interact with each other to talk about their children's activities.

9. Try to be flexible. Remember that most of the best and most popular programs in your facility now were actually ?accidental.' If registration for your program is lackluster, do not lose hope and keep your determination.

10. Adapt a program plan that facilities growth.

When you aim to introduce racquetball as one of the ballgame programs in your facility, remember not to surpass or step on toes of the facility's other departments. Keep an open relationship with other key facility staff as well as members.

It would not take too much for you to realize that racquetball and mentoring are matched for each other. There is definitely no guarantee that a student or mentee would even like the ballgame at all. Fortunately, racquetball is almost instantly and abruptly addicting as a sport. If you are an instructor who likes to play the role of a mentor, playing racquetball at least weekly with your mentee would be an easy and instant way for you to remove any barrier between yourself and him.

The main goal you should set when mentoring a racquetball player or beginner is to encourage him to get more involved into the sport. It would be hard to mentor a mentee who is not really that interested into the sport. But as a good mentor, you could shift that view and make the mentee like and love the ballgame eventually. Encouragement is very important. You could do so by emphasizing and highlighting the person's potential. You may also analogize the game with practical life experiences.

Every mentoring program should focus at showing mentees that someone truly cares. The relationship between the mentor and the mentee should be beyond the game, but there should be no malice to it. You could show your mentee that you care if you give him good advice about his other life aspects, especially if your advice is sought. It would also help if you would constantly show your compassion and interest in his development. It may not be exclusive to racquetball, as mentioned.

Help the mentee further develop socially and emotionally. Racquetball could be a good outlet for doing so. You may arrange for racquetball games with other mentors and players. This way, you and your mentee would get to socialize with other racquetball players. In terms of emotions, motivate your mentee to make him further love the sport. Explain how racquetball is very enjoyable and why you think it is better than other ballgames. Also explain to your mentee how racquetball superstars are serving as role models to other players not just within the sports but also in other aspects. As a mentor, you should also set yourself as a good role model or example.

It is important to keep your cool whenever you are mentoring. Some mentees would not be comfortable being shouted at. Do not force the sport into the mentee. You have to always show patience and compassion even if your cool is being tested. As mentioned, it would help if you would develop a positive relationship with the mentee. You may opt to treat each other as friends rather than as mentor and mentee. Hang out with him for some time and make him feel that you are a person he could always approach.

If you want to be a formal racquetball mentor, you may enlist in formal racquetball mentoring classes and trainings. Attending such programs could help you understand the game and the players more. You would learn a lot more insights about understanding your mentee's perceptions, views, and beliefs.

The correct swing in racquetball can make or break your game, whether you are an amateur, a longtime player or even a pro. Some of the good players know how to do the right swing after years and years of play, although they could not explain how it works.

For a novice, learning to be better needs an understanding of the swing's mechanics, the reasons why and sometimes the trade secrets of the good players - all the while learning them physically as well.

The whip

Correct swing techniques are best studied under a competent instructor. In the absence of one, know at least the how and why of things.

The analogy starts with a whip standing in for your body. The whip's tip is your wrist, the cord your arms, the handle your shoulders and the wrist flicking the wooden handle representing your hips.

The wrists

The wrist snap is the last component of your swing. It should therefore be loose to be able to snap back and forward. When swinging at a ball, keep it cocked just until the right moment the ball nears the racquet, and snap it.

The forearm

 While the wrist is cocked, bend your forearm back until it forms the letter "L" with the upper arm. Then, swing it in a top-down motion and into a side arm movement like you are skipping a stone over water.

Upper arm and shoulders

Make your shoulders square, the blades pressed in, pointing your elbows at an imaginary ball in front. Then do your swing in slow motion, pulling your arm out and around with your shoulder.

Pull it with your shoulder and pull your forearm with your upper arm. The elbow should be moving ahead of the forearm and wrist. 

Another tactic is to lead with your elbow and snapping the wrist at the right time. Simply aim the bottom of the racquet handle towards the front wall during the swing. When your arm runs out of length, the wrist will snap automatically.

The legs

The start of the swing is in your legs. The energy there is carried all the way to your wrist. Learn to create a pulling motion to power your kinetic links beginning with your legs. (Try to see how it feels to swing with your arms without the legs powering them.)

Forward step

Each time you swing, you need to step forward. It lowers your center of gravity. If you are running backwards for a lob, run back one more step further than needed. Wait for the ball, and then step forward to hit it.

Wave motion

Taking the analogy with the whip, a swing is really all about managing the wave movement in the body. The key points are the legs, the pulling hips, square shoulders and the elbow.

After practicing these little tips, how would you know you are doing a master swing?

If you are hitting the ball very hard without forcing your arm muscles to do all the work, if you can hit a forehand and backhand splat shot without straining your arm muscles, and there is fluid movement in your body as you do your swing - then, you would know you have it.

Racquetball can be fun. Part of that is knowing and applying the science of it.