Physical Preparation for the Season
by Greg Owen - Optimal Sports
 What form of training is necessary for a sport that is one of the longest in duration, yet all the skills are explosive - bowling, throwing, running between the wickets, fielding etc, while in between these bursts there is generally standing still, walking, jogging and recovering?
Having been a strength and conditioning coach at the highest level for over 10 years I can confidently say that lean muscle mass, aerobic endurance, strength, and explosive power are the core principles for training a cricketer. Todays game is a lot faster and more explosive than ever before and therefore a well developed strength and conditioning programme is essential to every cricketer.
Many people believe that cricketers shouldn't lift weights, but this is not the case. A bowler, batsman or fielder needs to improve their overall athletic ability by getting stronger, and more explosive. A high aerobic endurance system generates energy and resists fatigue so cricketers can perform effectively for the duration of the game. The benefits of a good aerobic endurance system are:
o It enhances the capacity to repeat short bursts of activity over an extended period of time
o It fuels the skill set so there is the energy to bat, bowl and field
o It reduces the chances of injury as muscles do not fatigue so quickly
o It enables an athlete to maintain mental focus throughout a game
Cricket is not a continuous steady state sport - there are frequent changes in running speed and intensity of effort, plus various dynamic strength and power movements like batting, bowling and fielding the ball at pace. Players, therefore, require a mix of aerobic and anaerobic energy to sustain performance.
Below is what I would consider to be an ideal training week for a club cricketer for this time of the season.
Monday - 45 min continuous run
Tuesday - Strength
Wednesday - 30 min high intensity interval training
Thursday - Strength
Friday - 30 min speed training
Saturday - Game
Sunday - Rest
1 x 40-50 minute continuous run
2 x strength training sessions (body weight or in the gym)
1 x 30-40 minute interval training (work for 20-60 second, rest for 20:60 seconds)
1 x 30 minute speed session
Attention also needs to be placed on proper sleep, nutrition, core training and in-season programming.
To discuss how Greg and Optimal Sports can help you and your team best prepare for the season email Greg Owen greg@optimalsports.co.nz or visit www.optimalsports.co.nz.
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