Racquetball

[a1t3r3g0]

I went down to the gym today with my roommate, and after a quick workout - he's just getting started and I don't want him to over do it, or just to be bored while I keep going - we decided to play some racquetball. Boy is it fun! We both really suck and didn't even dare to start an actual game and keep score, but it was a lot of fun and took a lot of energy.
I had to take my shirt off I was starting to sweat so much, otherwise my shirt would have been soaked! I also took off the goggles because they were really limiting to as what I could see, and neither of us were playing very hard so I figured I was safe, and I was.

[iAmSpartacus]

yeah, I tried racketball before... just messing around. I still wore my glasses because I don't have goggles and can't see a thing elsewise. How do you actually keep score or win?

[a1t3r3g0]

I'm not 100% sure myself how score is kept, but I did do a quick google search on it, and it seems that it's kinda like tennis with walls... one person serves it and it can only bounce on the ground once before the other person has to hit it back. If the receiver misses it or gets hit, the server gets a point. If the server messes up the other person doesn't get a point, but does get to serve..



Or something like that

[Plan9Senior]

I love raquetball. So much damn fun If I remember right, only the person serving can score a point. If the person serving loses one round, then it switches to the other person so that he has a chance to serve and score. The matches usually are to 11 points.

[a1t3r3g0]

Scoring
Scoring is done the same way as in volleyball. Only the server can score points. The server scores one point for winning a rally. The receiver gets a "sideout" for winning a rally and serves the next rally. The first person to 15 points wins the game (no need to win by two). A match is the best two games out of three, and the third game (if necessary) is played to 11.


Serving
The server must begin the service motion in the service zone (click here for diagram). The server drops the ball, allows it to bounce on the ground once, and hits it towards the front wall. The serve must hit the front wall, MAY hit one side wall, and must land on the ground between the service zone and the back wall.

Any of the following will result in a "double fault" or loss of serve:

• The server swings and misses the ball.
• The served ball does not hit the front wall first.
• The served ball hits the server on the way back.
• Two consecutive single faults.

Any of the following will result in a "single fault":

• The served ball hits the front wall and then the ceiling.
• The served ball hits the front wall and then the back wall before the ground (long serve).
• The served ball hits the front wall and then the ground before passing the service zone (short serve).
• The served ball hits the front wall and then two side walls before the ground (3 wall serve).
• The served ball passes so close to the server that the receiver could not see it on the way back (screen serve).

Rallying
Players alternate hits. The player who is hitting the ball must hit the ball before it bounces twice on the ground. The ball may be into any wall and/or the ceiling, as long as the ball reaches the front wall before hitting the ground. If a player hits the other player with the ball, the rally is replayed. If a player touches the ball while it is the other player's turn to hit, the first player loses the rally.


Safety
Always wear racquetball goggles when playing. If you decide to get serious about the game, you'll find that all tournaments require them, so you may as well get used to them now. Also, if you feel you may hit your opponent with your racquet or the ball, please stop your swing! It's much better to play the point over than to take your (former) friend to the hospital.

[Bobaphat]

I love raquetball and have been playing since I was around 12 or so with my dad and after that in college. I don't get to play much anymore because my current gym doesn't have a court, though I am moving soon so maybe I will find somewhere to play soon :-). In any circumstance, I would seriously recommend wearing your goggles. Raquetballs can move very quickly when hit correctly and have been known to blind people and worse. I have been hit in the face and have hit people in the face and believe me when I say, you don't want to be on the receiving end of that without having some protection. It may suck a bit, but you will get used to it before long.

[Shifter59]

NEVER TAKED OFF YOUR GOGGLES, i play regularly and i have gotten smacked so freakin hard in the face, or caught a ball in the eye with them on, it's impossible to avoid a fully hit ball, if it hits you hard enough in the eye, it can suck it out upon bouncing off

[digby]

I'll reiterate the googles warning. They've already saved me my right eye once. I'd never step on the court without them. Racquetball is the greatest sport ever. I'm planning only playing the the US Open this November in Memphis. I'll probably be eliminated in the first round, but my club is paying for it, so who cares?

[a1t3r3g0]

Yeah, I bought some goggles of my own that allow for much better vision. It was so hard to play with those tiny ones that they have at the gym!

[NatureBoy]

I joined my local fitness club because they had racquetball courts. I joined the league there, but they couldn't get their heads out of their asses to put together a coherent ladder, so I quit. I still play with the wife every now and again, though. She's getting better!

[costello]

im going to have to agree. racquetball is amazing. hit the ball as hard as you want without the consequenses of hitting it over a fence, chasing it a long way, etc.! my roomate and i have been playing pretty consistently for about 2 years and we have improved leaps and bounds. if anyone is in the tucson area and looking for a beat down pm me .

[gremlinx8]

I play raquetball with my boyfriend. It's a lot of fun, but I'm not very good at it. I guess I need more practice.

[Rodney]

Raquetball was a huge fad back in the '70s; it was an outgrowth of handball and was played on the same courts, but was a lot easier to play and learn than handball, and a lot more fun as an aerobic workout than jogging. There were racquetball clubs everywhere; then it all sort of died back, and I haven't know anyone for years who plays racquetball (but then, most of my friends are in their 40s). Glad people are still playing it.

[metalgeek]

Yeah, I like racquetball, can't understand why people prefer to play squash..
sad thing is, many of the new gyms, and newly remodled ones take ouit there raquetball courts..

[victorjara]

Please keep on those goggles. I took a direct hit in the eye socket in the 70s which pushed my eye back into my head, a bit. The result was deteriorating vision in that eye over the next 30 years. Now, I can barely see detail at all with that eye. The opthomologist calls it a trauma injury.

[Clark]

I just started playing 3 weeks ago. I love the sport. It is a grate workout and the time flys by. I have fond the next step of my wieght loss program.

The first time I played I had no goggles I got buzzed right by the ear. I went out an got goggles before the next time I played.

[Jay_Jay]

I play with my girlfriend evey so often, I've got some bad knees so I can't play for too long, but its a bundle of fun. I learned not only to wear googles, but a cup as well (I guess I was turned the wrong way)

[Bossnass]

Originally Posted by metalgeek

Yeah, I like racquetball, can't understand why people prefer to play squash..
sad thing is, many of the new gyms, and newly remodled ones take ouit there raquetball courts..

Raquetball is great for people who can't handle squash.

(I play both... just so happens that I find squash to be way more intense and a better workout)