Squashing the cold

Article by Eugene Lombard

Out of breath, heart racing, muscles aching and tired. Absolutely defeated. It feels like I’ve just run the 400m relay; twice! No, I’ve not gone jogging or sprinting for that matter. I have just finished two rounds of squash.

Outside leisure activities will soon be something of the past once the cold weather sets in and winter envelopes us. This is especially concerning for those of us who prefer exercising outdoors. But not to worry, fortunately we live in Xian and the city offers a surprising amount of indoor activities; one of them being Squash.

The sport has been a long-standing favorite of mine purely based on how demanding it is. It tests you on many levels. Agility, speed, stamina, technical skills and of course fitness. It gives you an incredible workout in a very short space of time. It’s fast paced and gets the heart racing from the get go. And no, you don’t have to be a pro to play. The game is very easy to get the hang of and the rules are straight forward. It’s all about having fun.

Currently there is only one establishment in Xian offering squash. Enter TECH Gym.

It’s situated in the Greenland Business District in the south of Gaoxin and located in a fairly popular spot. The location is filled with restaurants, coffee shops and a few bars, which gives you the convenient option of grabbing a bite or a drink after a workout.

The gym has two pristine squash courts, so you’d rarely be waiting in line for a game to finish. They offer rackets and balls and have a very professional personal coach on hand. And should you have no partner, coach Lee would be more than happy to step in and challenge you on a few sets.

When arriving at the courts, you really get the impression of what a squash club should represent; television screens showing Squash matches, a small lounge area to catch your breath between sets and a great health bar to quench that thirst you’ll most definitely develop throughout your session.

TECH offers a truly top-notch Squash facility which I’d highly recommend to anyone who enjoys ball sports or just likes exercise in general.

Even if you’re not one for long cardio sessions or don’t like cardio at all, I can highly recommend Squash. Yes, it might feel like your heart is jumping out of your chest, but it’s exciting and you’re so focused on hitting that little rubber ball in to oblivion, you won’t even notice you’re getting tired.

So, don’t hit the covers and hot chocolate when the cold arrives, venture out to TECH and give Squash a try. Who knows, you might just grow to love it.

Eugene is an avid city cyclist living in Xi’an.
If not cycling he’s drinking coffee or beer.