5 Basic Performance Enhancing Exercises that every Cricketer should Master

When we talk about exercise, it is always the best option to start with getting the basics right. What many cricketers neglect is the fact that they speed up too much in their training programs by lifting heavy but at the cost of compromising the exercise technique. Ultimately, what we get to see as the outcome are “bad body postures, injuries & lack of ability to perform in the match”. Sometimes, you must have seen cricketers criticizing the gym for not being the best place to train for cricketers. In that case we can somewhat agree by saying

“Not every clinic has a good doctor, the same way not every gym has a good trainer”

This article is going to focus on the beginners and the cricketers who don’t get their workout plans right and hence not see any improvement and calling for trouble in the future. These exercises may sound to you very easy but when performed using correct form and technique can do wonders for you. Let’s get started.

1.Push Ups:

Muscles involved: – Chest, Shoulders & Triceps

 Pushing is the most common movement that our body likes to perform. That’s the reason why our body learns this movement quickly compared to other upper body exercises. “Have you ever noticed why we subconsciously always push a door in the first instance rather than pulling it?

 To perform a push up one has to first follow the hand placement (in the line of your shoulders) and start doing it at a higher angle from the floor. The next progression should be to perform the movement on their knees. As soon as one starts gaining strength then he can start performing the push up exactly parallel to the floor.

 2. Pull Ups:

Muscles involved: – Back & Biceps

The most common upper body movement after pushing is pulling. But compared to push up the pull-up is a lot more difficult exercise to perform. Especially, for taller individuals as they have long levers (longer bones attached to a joint) compared to short individuals.

To learn and master a pull up one must start by performing a Australian pull up where the angle is greater than 90 degree from the floor and as you get strong enough you can start going perpendicular to the floor. There are also resistance bands available which will help you to pull your bodies upward due to its elastic effect. They are purchasable online as well as in some stores

3. Squats:

Muscles involved: – Quadriceps, Gluteus & Hamstrings

 A squat used to be a very natural & daily exercise for Indians until we adopted the English toilet. Even, doctors have reported that due to the use of English toilets and sedentary lifestyle there has been a lack of flexibility in the lower body which inhibits a person to squat. Due to this a lot of individuals suffer from stiff muscles & joints at a very young age. This may tell you how important it is to include squats in your exercise program. Squatting is also a very functional activity in cricket such as wicket keeper, silly point, short leg, slip fielders and even the players inside the 30 yard circle are walking towards the batsmen in a half squat position when the bowler is about to bowl.

Many cricketers get the technique of squatting wrong. It is very important that the spine must be neutral while squatting (as shown in the image above) and thighs must be at least parallel to the floor. Once you master the squat you can start going even deeper. I will keep making articles on progressions of every exercise that I have mentioned in this article.

4. Deadlift:

Muscles involved: – Gluteus, Quadriceps, Hamstrings & Erector Spinae (Lower back)

 “Ever felt pain in your lower back after lifting something off the ground?”

 If yes, then maybe you are doing it wrong and deadlift is the exercise for you. The name of the exercise simply comes from “lifting dead weight off the floor” hence, deadlift.

A deadlift may look like a lower body exercise but it basically trains your whole body including muscles in the lower back and your traps. Deadlift is also a bible for you if you are looking to gain strength and muscle size especially in the off season.

5. Plank & Reverse Plank:

Muscles involved in plank: – Whole anterior chain (front) of body & gluteus.

Muscles involved in reverse plank:- Whole posterior chain (back part) of body.

 These two exercises are very important because they prepare you to train for many complex movements such as handstands, front lever, elbow lever, L sit & V sit. If you don’t have a strong abdominal strength you may lack in terms of accuracy while bowling, throwing or may suffer lower back pain which may be due to you being weak in these two exercises & doing exercises with a wrong technique. These two exercises also improve stability which is required while performing all movements on the cricket field. A stable body provides you with the ability to hit the shots well, bowl & throw faster and at a greater accuracy level.

 

 

“Please Note:- All the above mentioned exercises should be performed under expert guidance or after following the proper instructions given in the article”

Once, you master these exercises (10-15 clean repetitions of each exercise in one set) then you can progress to difficult variations which I will be talking about in my upcoming articles. By then, I hope you develop the strength and interest to perform these exercises so that you become a super athlete like Virat Kohli and other international cricketers one day.