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Squash the healthiest sport of all: Forbes
By: Khalid A-H Ansari
August 1, 2004

Squash the healthiest sport of all: Forbes
By: Khalid A-H Ansari
August 1, 2004
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Take a bow, all you Squash players — young and not-so-young!
The game you indulge in is the “healthiest” sport of all, according to FORBES, the authoritative business/financial magazine of the U S of A.
Squash has been placed on the pinnacle in a survey of the ‘Ten Healthiest Sports’ published by the magazine.

Apart from Squash, the top 10 sports in final rating order were: Rowing, Rock Climbing, Swimming, Cross-Country Skiing, Basketball, Cycling, Running, Modern Pentathlon and Boxing.

The citation for Squash, which registered an overall score of 22.5, ahead of rowing (22.0), reads: The preferred game of Wall Street has convenience on its side, as 30 minutes on the squash court provides an impressive cardio respiratory workout.

Extended rallies and almost constant running builds muscular strength and endurance in the lower body, while lunges, twists and turns increase flexibility in the back and abdomen.

“For people just getting into the game, it’s almost too much to sustain, but once you get there, squash is tremendous,” says Paul Assaiante, head coach of the five-time defending national collegiate champion men’s team at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut.

Assaiante recommends a regimen of yoga, sprinting and distance running for preparation.”

However he warns, “Be wary of groin pulls, torn Achilles tendons” and (as we all know) “your opponent’s racquet.”

The ratings were based on consultations with fitness experts, coaches, personal trainers, competitors and exercise physiologists as well as “ a dash of personal experience.”

The four basic physiological components of fitness were rated on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being “excellent”, 4 “darn good”, 3 being “good”, 2 “not bad” and 1 “nothing special.”

The survey also quantified the injury risk, rated on a scale of 1 to 3, with 3 being “low”, 2 “so-so”, and 1 being “high.”

“Calorie burn” is based upon the energy expenditure of a 190-pound person over 30 minutes and is rated on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being 450-plus calories, 4 being 400-450 calories, 3 being 350-400 calories, 2 being 300-350 calories and 1 being 250-300 calories.

“Calorie burn” rates are from the American College of Sports Medicine. Wherever possible, the rates selected were for “moderate” or “similar intensity”

The Forbes survey is almost by way of rejoinder to an “attack” on Squash in an article in the Times newspaper of London by table tennis player Matthew Syed, as also a critical piece suggesting that it is a “dangerous”
sport.

Leading players and personalities from the world of Squash have unanimously condemned the article.

Neal Santelmann explains in an article in the magazine that “each of these sporting activities is a great way to get you fit - and keep you there”.

But he also adds a caveat to those who would try out these sports: “The list is best pursued with calculated abandon to reduce their risk of injury, as well as in cross-training combinations to cover all of the basic physiological components.

“Of course physiological benefits, injury risks and calorie burn can vary widely depending upon the technique, vigour, care and enthusiasm with which you pursue the sport.” — (Source: FORBES magazine).

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		Black Knight Junior Mixed League Standings, statistics and schedules Squashnut Site Squash the healthiest sport of all: Forbes. Take a bow, all you Squash players — young and not-so-young! The game you indulge in is the “healthiest” sport of all, according to Read more.... Looking to sign up for a Squash Ontario Tournament ? Click Here Laste edit date: August 17th, 2010