Swiss Ball Side Hold

Cricket Specific Benefits This exercise conditions the bowler in the frontal plane and eccentrically. This plane is often the plane that the bowler will injure themselves in. Directions Place the ball next to the wall and then lie sideways over the ball with the top leg straight and the bottom leg bent at the knee. From here lean over the ball placing both hand s above your head Hold this position Ensure that you only side bend and do not rotate with this movement.

Supine Crawler

Cricket Specific Benefits

This exercise teaches the cricketer to use the deep stabilising muscles of the shoulder (external rotators) in an open chain movement and integrated with the core. This type of efficiency is required for stabilising the shoulder when throwing and catching and to develop power from the arms and wrist.

Directions

In a face-up position with arms bent and elbows pointing to either side, place a Swiss Exercise Ball under each upper arm and elbow.

Make sure the balls are the same size. Place feet on floor with knees over ankles, and hips, shoulders and knees aligned. Slowly extend right arm, allowing ball to roll slightly away from you. Release and repeat left side. This is an advanced exercise

Tornado Ball Crunches

Cricket Specific Benefits

This exercise conditions the outer unit muscles of the anterior region of the body, namely the rectus abdominus. It teaches integration of arm power with coree power which is key for a bowler and also the eccentric part of the movement aids in eccentric control of the spine which is key in the wind up motion of the bowler before he releases the ball.

Directions

From a seated position hold the tornado ball with both hands. Powerfully throw the ball over the head keeping hold of the rope and slam it into the floor behind you.

As soon as you have hit the floor, very powerfully and quickly use your abdominal muscles to sit up as you powerfully throw the ball over your head and slam it down between the feet.

Single Arm Dumbbell Snatch

Cricket Specific Benefits

This exercise will maintain the power and straight-line stability and alignment that the bowler needs throughout the season. The exercise provides the bowler with an asymmetric, unilateral load that he must move powerfully while maintaining good posture. The one-arm dumbbell snatch has a longer pulling range of motion than comparable two-handed lifts and therefore the technical concern of "dropping underneath" isn't as great. This variation of the snatch essentially evolves into a "grip and rip" lift. It satisfies a wide spectrum of goals to suit almost anyone's needs. The one-arm barbell snatch places tremendous demands on the entire posterior chain, blowing up every muscle from the hips and spinal erectors to the anterior deltoids and general core. Because the lift is performed one-handed, incredible demands are also placed on balance, control, and stabilizing muscle groups. First time users will notice the impact on the central nervous system and the explosive nature of the lift will activate muscles normally resistant to recruitment. It's not a terribly complicated lift technically, but will force you to put forth a nauseatingly hard effort. It can be performed from a "hang" position at knee level although with practice you can gradually work down to the floor position. Directions Start in the dead lift position holding a dumbbell in one hand from the floor Take a deep diaphragmatic breath and pull the navel toward the spine Drop into a "neutral" position with the buttocks pushed back and the back tight at roughly a 30 to 45 degree angle. From this position the lift commences by driving the hips through powerfully and hoisting the bar upward. As the hips come through, the weight continues upward and has a feeling of "unloading" with the momentum it generates. (I can't emphasize how important the "hip thrust" is in this movement. Most of the power and momentum and the actual hoisting of the bar overhead come from driving the hips forward.)

As the hand begins to rise above the head, begin to dip under the bar slightly, "punch" the hand through to straighten out the arm, and finally stand up. Bar speed is a must when performing this lift and training loads when starting will be surprisingly light so don't go overboard in the beginning! Start light!

Walking Reverse Lunge with Twist

Cricket Specific Benefits

Many a time the keeper when collecting the ball has to reverse lunge and twist to receive the ball. This exercise conditions him or her for this movement and also conditions the hips and thighs for the demanding flexion and extension throughout a day in the field!

Directions Hold a 3kg ball with both hands over to the left side of the body.

Draw the navel toward the spine and step backwards with the left leg while rotating the ball over the head with straight arms to the hip on the right side of the body. When stable, step back with the right leg and rotate the ball over to the left hip. Repeat this five times on each side

Progressions Walk forwards as well as backwards Has a partner feed a ball as you reverse lunge and you have to catch it and feed it back on each repetition.

Supine lateral ball roll

Cricket Specific Benefits The supine lateral ball roll plays a part in conditioning all the outer unit slings discussed in chapter two. Basically, it improves many things in your body at one time! Paul Chek calls it a big bang exercise for this reason. It will significantly improve cricket performance by conditioning the posture, balance and core strength of the player. It will also increase shoulder girdle strength, neck stability and muscular reflexes, which serve to stabilise the player when off balance. I.e. when playing a drive on one leg.

Directions Place the middle of your back on top of the ball, and relax the head on the ball Elevate the hips until the torso is flat and the knees are directly over the ankles. Make sure the tongue is placed in the roof of the mouth behind the front teeth to create a muscular sling, which activates the deep stabilisers of the neck. With the arms held straight out from the shoulders and the palms facing up, slowly roll laterally; allowing your feet to move with the body as you roll, yet always keeping the hips in line with the knees and shoulder. The dowel rod across your chest will indicate to you if you are managing to hold your arms and hips parallel to the floor. Be careful also not to flex your neck. Only go to the point that you can hold the alignment for 2 seconds.

Progressions Just make the exercise more challenging by simply going further out off the ball or holding the need position for longer

Middle Hamstring Stretch

Put your right heel on a support and then pull your right foot back toward you.

Then tilt your foot so that the inner edge comes uptoward your groin. Press your palms onto your thigh, flatten your back, pull your shoulder blades back and lift your chest abd chin tuck your head. Keeping this position begin to lean forward until you feel a stretch behind your calf, knee and thigh. Now tnese the msucles at the top of your thigh and push down though it.

This stretch is likel to feel uncomforatble!

Outer Hasmtring Stretch

Put your right heel on a support and then pull your right foot back toward you.

Then tilt your foot so that the inner edge comes uptoward your groin.

Press your palms onto your thigh, flatten your back, pull your shoulder blades back and lift your chest abd chin tuck your head.

Keeping this positionmove your hands half an inch toward the outside of your thigh and rotate your torso about 30 degrees toward that side.

Then rotate your leg to the inside

Keeping this position begin to lean forward until you feel a stretch behind your calf, knee and thigh.

Now tnese the msucles at the top of your thigh and push down though it.

This stretch is likel to feel uncomforatble!

Inner Hamstring Stretch

Put your right heel on a support and then pull your right foot back toward you.

Then tilt your foot so that the inner edge comes uptoward your groin.

Press your palms onto your thigh, flatten your back, pull your shoulder blades back and lift your chest abd chin tuck your head.

Keeping this positionmove your hands half an inch toward the inside of your thigh and rotate your torso about 30 degrees inwards.

Then rotate your thigh slightly outward

Keeping this position begin to lean forward until you feel a stretch behind your calf, knee and thigh.

Now tnese the msucles at the top of your thigh and push down though it.

This stretch is likel to feel uncomforatble!

Fascial Groin Stretch

Kneel on the floor and walk your knees out to the sides almost as far aprt as you can get them.

The knees should be bent a 90 degree angles. Chin tuck your head

Point your toes out to the sides and pull the feet up strongly toward the sins.

Press the insides of your heels into the floor and feel your hips sink downwards.

Keep you back straight and chin tucks and slowly walk your knees out a little bit more until youre close to maximum stretch.

Now press your hips toward the floor by tightening your buttocks.

Be cerful nto to arch your back or relax your foot position.

To come out of the stretch walk the knees back toward each other carefully

Warrior Stretch

Step or lightly jump your feet 3 1/2 to 4 feet apart. Raise your arms parallel to the floor and reach them actively out to the sides, shoulder blades wide, palms down.

Turn your right foot in slightly to the right and your left foot out to the left 90 degrees. Align the left heel with the right heel. Firm your thighs and turn your left thigh outward so that the center of the left knee cap is in line with the center of the left ankle.

Exhale and bend your left knee over the left ankle, so that the shin is perpendicular to the floor. If possible, bring the left thigh parallel to the floor.

Anchor this movement of the left knee by strengthening the right leg and pressing the outer right heel firmly to the floor. Stretch the arms away from the space between the shoulder blades, parallel to the floor. Don't lean the torso over the left thigh: Keep the sides of the torso equally long and the shoulders directly over the pelvis. Press the tailbone slightly toward the pubis. Turn the head to the left and look out over the fingers.

Stay for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Inhale to come up. Reverse the feet and repeat for the same length of time to the left.