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9 Ways to improve your cricket fitness
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Filed in: Cricket (/category/cricket) Fitness (/category/fitness)
Recently I was lucky enough to speak to Michael Tweet Like
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Boyle (http://www.michaelboyle.biz), one of the (http://twitter.com/share)
foremost experts sport strength and conditioning in America.

Michael was kind enough to give me a series of tips for cricketers at any
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level who want to improve their game by being stronger, faster and more
powerful.
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1. Train for speed and power. Cricket is a sport built on fast, powerful
movements. Michael was quick to point out that this is what you need
to train: "Long runs won't help with cricket. Neither will the light
weights and lots of reps crap. Train like a speed and power athlete."
2. Workout at least twice a week. Recreational cricketers often have
limits on their training time. Outside of skills practice Michael
recommends two total body workouts per week. This will give you the
most bang for your buck even when you don't have a moment to spare.
3. Don't avoid 'functional' training. For Michael, Functional training is
not about balls and bands and balance: "It's about concepts that make
sense". He explains these concepts in his book
(http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/redirect.html?
ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.co.uk%2FFunctional-
Training-Sports-Superior-Conditioning%2Fdp%
2F073604681X&tag=harrowdrive-
21&linkCode=ur2&camp=1634&creative=6738) with the basic idea that
all training is based on the way your body is used during competition
(http://www.pitchvision.com/get-fit-for-cricket-by-playing-cricket-
almost/).
4. Eat for endurance. Michael is also quick to put aside the need for
cricketers to develop endurance for long days in the field. "Train for
speed and power. Eat for duration." That means looking at how well
you are fuelling yourself: "Check out John Berardi's stuff and look into
Cytofuse."
5. You can never have enough speed or power. I have never heard a
commentator say a player is too fast or powerful for cricket. It's an
excellent aim to become the best at both in your club. This is an idea
Michael believes in too: "The most important factor in sports in
strength, second is speed. Most people don't have enough of either."
6. Beware of CNS fatigue. Central nervous system fatigue may occur in
athletes who have been training hard for 2 years or more. put simply,
no matter how hard you train improvements don't come. If you are in
this situation Michael has simple advice: "I think less will be more for
some experienced trainees."

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7. Bowling isn't done with the arms. "Bowling is done with the legs and
core, not the arms." He tells me. Power is certainly from the ground
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up (just try throwing a ball in a canoe if you don't believe that) then
is transferred through the core. That means inefficient legs, trunk and
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shoulders means slower bowling. Again the answer is simple: "The key
is to train the lower body."
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8. Use a medicine ball. Michael calls medicine ball training plyometrics
for the upper body. A med ball is a worthwhile investment for anyone
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who throws or bowls to prevent injury and improve power. You can
get a DVD on training with a med ball from Michael's site.

9. Stand out from the crowd. Michael has worked with baseball players
? and boxers whose sport has no culture of fitness training. His advice is
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to keep educating. That means standing out from the crowd: Warming
 up and cooling down even if nobody else will and making time for
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fitness in between games.

This is sound advice from a coach who comes from outside of cricket but
with a spotless reputation. Michael has many years experience of getting
the best from athletes in a range of sports.

To get more on his approach to training check www.michaelboyle.biz

(http://www.michaelboyle.biz) and buy his "Functional Training for Sport
(http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%
2F%2Fwww.amazon.co.uk%2FFunctional-Training-Sports-Superior-
Conditioning%2Fdp%2F073604681X&tag=harrowdrive-
21&linkCode=ur2&camp=1634&creative=6738)" book: A comprehensive
guide to improving your athleticism.

Copyright miSport Holdings Ltd 2008

Author: David.Hinchliffe | Mon, 05/03/2007 - 12:09 Tweet Like

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Comments

by Why you need to drink more than squash (http://www.pitchvision.com/why-you-need-to-drink-more-

than-squash/) (not verified) | Sat, 31/03/2007 - 20:59

[...] coach Mike Boyle personally recommended the product as he uses for his teams. Mike
loves it so much he has it as a spray drink in his training facility for elite [...]

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reply (/comment/reply/2396/7350)

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by What do cricket players eat and drink? (http://www.pitchvision.com/what-do-cricket-players-eat-
and-drink/) (not verified) | Mon, 07/05/2007 - 06:49
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[...] If you want the best cricket tips every day, try subscribing for free to my RSS feed.
 Thanks for visiting!Food and cricket performance
(http://www.pitchvision.com/#/review) goes hand in hand. Thats a principle
Mike Boyle pressed home to me in our recent discussion. [...]

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reply (/comment/reply/2396/7351)


by 7 fast bowling principles (http://www.pitchvision.com/7-fast-bowling-principles-you-may-not-have-
considered/) (not verified) | Thu, 12/07/2007 - 12:57
? (http://www.pitchvision.com/frequently
[...] play because it has a direct pay off on the pitch. Even hopelessly busy lives can find
 (http://www.pitchvision.com/forum)
time for a couple of bodyweight training sessions a week or turning up an hour earlier on
match day to get warmed [...]

reply (/comment/reply/2396/7352)

by The complete guide to cricket fitness : Play Better Cricket (http://www.pitchvision.com/the-

complete-guide-to-cricket-fitness/) (not verified) | Tue, 24/07/2007 - 06:46

[...] How to cool down How to choose a gym Training for cricket in the gym 10 Common
training mistakes Mike Boyle on cricket fitness Training on matchdays Avoiding overtraining
Fitness for older [...]

reply (/comment/reply/2396/7353)

by Cricket fitness professional needed : Play Better Cricket - (http://www.pitchvision.com/cricket-

fitness-professional-needed/) (not verified) | Fri, 28/12/2007 - 13:51

[...] coach and friend of harrowdrive Michael Boyle has a site dedicated to the best in
strength and conditioning and is looking to [...]

reply (/comment/reply/2396/7354)

by mauro monti (http://www.moscherinisindaco.it) (not verified) | Thu, 21/02/2008 - 20:44

coach and friend of harrowdrive Michael Boyle has a site dedicated to...
------------
where is it please?

reply (/comment/reply/2396/7355)

by David Hinchliffe (http://) (not verified) | Fri, 22/02/2008 - 07:10

hi the site is here: www.strengthcoach.com (http://www.strengthcoach.com)

reply (/comment/reply/2396/7356)

by An introduction to playing better cricket : Cricket coaching (http://www.pitchvision.com/an-

introduction-to-playing-better-cricket/) (not verified) | Wed, 11/06/2008 - 11:38

[...] not sure if strength coach Michael Boyle coined the above phrase, but I first heard it

http://www.pitchvision.com/9-ways-to-improve-your-cricket-fitness/ 9/3/2015
PitchVision Page 4 of 5
from him. It simply means the first job of anyone [...]

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by guest (not verified) | Wed, 23/07/2008 - 05:46

 http://ishare.rediff.com/filevideo-Running-away-from-the-treadmill-id-67...
(http://www.pitchvision.com/#/review)
(http://ishare.rediff.com/filevideo-Running-away-from-the-treadmill-id-67312.php)

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http://ishare.rediff.com/filevideo-Why-dumbbells-are-for-dumbbells-id-67...
(http://ishare.rediff.com/filevideo-Why-dumbbells-are-for-dumbbells-id-67320.php)

 This is how cricketers are trained for fitness by Greg Chappell and Ian Frazer.

? (http://www.pitchvision.com/frequently
unique?

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reply (/comment/reply/2396/9150)

by David.Hinchliffe | Wed, 23/07/2008 - 09:35

I think that is unique in cricket, but the actual practices are not new (then again, nothing
really is in fitness terms). I think it is an excellent way to train as part of a proper training
plan.

It certainly is not all cricketers should be doing for fitness. It's all about context. What is
the aim? Where have you come from and where are you going?

reply (/comment/reply/2396/9153)

by Guest (not verified) | Wed, 23/07/2008 - 11:59

Thats being politically correct. Its not unique its called unstructured bullshit setting up for
injuries. These coaches have lost their minds. Happens when cricket coaches get into
fitness training.

reply (/comment/reply/2396/9154)

by David.Hinchliffe | Thu, 24/07/2008 - 09:15

Why unstructured?

reply (/comment/reply/2396/9174)

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