Volleyball and Squash are obviously two different sports, yet they’ve got some similarities like the field both sports are played in, the high playing pace as well as the intensity of playing …
That’s why some amateurs are wondering whether it is possible to use volleyball shoes for a sport like squash as well.
Indeed, it is possible to use volleyball shoes in squash. Most of your squash moves should not be significantly impacted. This is especially true if you are practicing mainly on an amateur level. Nevertheless, on a professional level, the recommendation is to use squash specific shoes as these are 100% compliant with the particularities of the sport.
In this short Post, I breakdown the pros and cons of each type of shoes and what you should know before actually using volleyball shoes in a sport like squash!
Using volleyball shoes for squash (Pros and Cons)
Pros
- Lightweight: The volleyball shoes are extremely lightweight. This gives the player the freedom to move swiftly around the court. Both volleyball and squash demand players to play dynamically. Hence lightweight nature of volleyball shoes can be an advantage for a squash player (Example: Check These Lightweight Volleyball Shoes)
- Great grip: Gripping plays an important role in both sports. This helps the players to avoid any slip injuries. Volleyball shoes offer extraordinary grip which enables the player to stay stable throughout. Hence using volleyball shoes can offer a good grip to the squash player as well.
- Comfort: Comfort is a crucial element. One must consider this aspect while buying his shoes. The game might go on for a very long time, hence good comfort is essential.
Cons
- Lack of lateral support: Volleyball involves moving front and jumping, but lacks lateral movements. The volleyball shoes are designed in a way that they offer support for such movements only. Hence lack of lateral support can be an issue that a squash player may face while playing in volleyball shoes.
- Less cushioning: Squash players may feel that there is less cushioning available in volleyball shoes. This is because the cushioning needs to be evenly distributed in squash shoes. Volleyball shoes offer major cushioning on the heel part to provide the player with a comfortable landing after a jump.
Difference between volleyball and squash shoes
Though these two sports are played in an identical environment, there are several small differences between both shoes.
- Volleyball shoes are designed to provide enough comfort to make movements like jumping and sliding. Such movements are not really needed in squash. Indeed, while playing squash, a player needs to run and move in every direction swiftly.
Quick Recommendation: There are some shoes available in the market that have most of the features needed in both sports. For example, these quality sport shoes belong to this category and could be used for both sports without really any significant issues.
- Lateral support is yet another aspect that differentiates the shoes for these two sports. Lateral support is an essential element for any squash player, whereas it is not needed for a volleyball player.
- Shoe composition is also somewhat different in both of these shoes. On one hand, volleyball shoes are extremely light and offer the player to move anywhere and everywhere very freely. Whereas the squash shoes are a little heavier on the heel and side area. This offers more stability to the player.
- Rubberized sole: though both the sports require shoes with rubberized sole, the requirement of this is even more in squash. The squash shoes must have a very strong sole so that the player can move quickly without fearing a potential risk of falling. A good sole ensures that the player sticks to the ground well and moves without sliding.
You can also learn about the difference between volleyball and pickleball shoes!
Squash moves to avoid volleyball shoes
Many players do use the same shoes for squash and volleyball, but it is not advisable to do so. There are some particular moves that one must avoid if he wears volleyball shoes to squash. This is because of the risk involved. Some moves may put the player at the risk of injuries. Following are the moves that one must avoid:
- Side movement: The lack of lateral support in the volleyball shoes creates a problem for the squash player. The player needs to move swiftly sideways and in every other direction to score. Due to missing lateral support, the player may face some issues. The movements may not be that smooth and the player may also trip down. This can cause injuries in the ankle and knee area. So, if a player wears his volleyball shoes to squash, he needs to be cautious while making any such movements.
- Relying on sliding: The volleyball shoes offer a little freedom for the player to slide and tackle the ball. This is somewhat beneficial in volleyball because the players are able to take advantage of it. But in the case of squash, this move can be a disaster. Any act of sliding may lead to the player falling. This can cost him a point and will get him at a major disadvantage.
Can you use squash shoes for volleyball?
Both sports require shoes with great comfort and movability. Though both of these sports are played on indoor wooden courts, there are some differences between the shoes of both of these games.
Despite many differences, many people often wear volleyball shoes to squash and vice versa. But should one ideally consider that or not? Well, there is a lot of reason why this isn’t advisable.
If a player wears squash shoes to his volleyball match, then he’ll face some advantages and some disadvantages as well.
Squash shoes are manufactured in a way that they offer perfect playing conditions to the squash athlete only. Squash involves dashing towards the ball, stopping, hitting the ball, and then coming back to the center.
All these motions are to be done with sheer stability. One cannot afford to slide or slip during any of these. This is where the role of squash shoes kicks in.
They have a very adhesive sole which ensures that the players stick to the ground and don’t slip. But this is not the case in volleyball.
The player needs to run and dive to save the ball from touching the ground. If the sole is so adhesive, it’ll slow down the movements to some extent.
The second thing is the cushioning. The cushioning in squash shoes is evenly distributed all over the shoe. Whereas in the volleyball shoes, it’s concentrated towards the heel part.
This is done to ensure that the player doesn’t injure his ankle or knee after spiking the ball. The side cushioning in squash shoes make the shoe unnecessarily heavy for the volleyball player.
There are not much of side movements involved in volleyball and hence this is not something a volleyball player requires. This just adds to the weight of the shoe affecting the speed of the player.
Shoe type that can be used for both disciples
Both the sport has their requirements. A player needs to adhere to these in order to bring in his maximum efficiency.
For instance, in volleyball, a player needs shoes that provide him with maximum comfort and freedom to move and dive at any point in time.
Whereas in squash, the player must choose shoes that offer him stability and full control over the court. Finding an ideal mix of these qualities is a tough job. If one has to find a shoe that is ideal for both disciples then he has to do a lot of research.
The shoe must be the best of both worlds. The shoe must be lightweight but at the same time provide enough cushioning to avoid any injuries.
It must provide free movement but also provide stability. These are just examples, to find such a shoe is tough. If one needs to choose a shoe which is good for both the sport then he will have to compromise at some point.
Such shoes can be worn only during practice sessions or some friendly matches. If a person is going for a professional match, he must ensure that he has proper attire for that match.
At last, make sure that you choose your shoes after a lot of research. Invest in good quality shoes as these will have a direct impact on your performance.
A shoe that fits you well and provides everything that you need for your sport will elevate your gameplay to a great extent.
Final Thoughts …
This question that I’ve tried to answer in this article is the problem of so many people (including me) who like being involved in so many sports …
Of course, it is overwhelming to acquire specific equipment for each sport you are involved in, especially if you’ve got a tight budget!
That’s why, the recommendation (if your budget allows that) is to buy the right equipment for your main sport (in this case, should be volleyball) and then you can use some of those gear in other sports as far as this doesn’t represent a significant risk for you or risk for being damaged for your equipment!
Finally and to expand your awareness about this topic, you probably should learn about what makes professional volleyball shoes so special!