Cricket Exercises

Cricket games can last for days, so in order to be successful in the sport, you must train properly. Depending on what position you're playing, you'll have different exercises that will benefit you. Bowlers need to have strong upper bodies, batsmen should have solid core muscles and fielders need agility and explosiveness. With the right exercises and proper dedication, you can become the best cricket player your heart desires to be.

  1. Stretching

    • Like any sport, stretching is necessary in order to perform at the highest standards.

      Standing High-leg Bent Knee Hamstring Stretch: Stand with one foot raised onto a table. Keep your leg bent and lean your chest into your bent knee.

      Lying Knee Roll-over Stretch: While lying on your back, bend your knees and let them fall to one side. Keep your arms out to the side and let your back and hips rotate with your knees.

      Elbow-out Rotator Stretch: Stand with your hand behind the middle of your back and your elbow pointing out. Reach over with your other hand and gently pull your elbow forward.

    Strength Training

    • Single Leg Squat: The squat is one of the exercises that benefits athletes of almost any sport. Take it a step further and train one leg at a time. This is a great way to develop strength, balance and sprint speed. There are loads of ways to do this exercise, with weights or without, so pick something that challenges you.

      Medicine Ball Throws: Core stability is essential, not just for athletes, but for everyone. In this case, you need strong core muscles so you can twist your trunk and drive power through your hips. The key is to use a light ball (3 pournds or so) and throw hard.

      Chin-Up: This is a fantastic back and upper body exercise, but can be hard to do for some people. The key is to start slowly and work your way up to more strenuous workouts. It's essential to incorporate them into your workout because they work so many upper body muscles at the same time.

    Explosiveness

    • The best way to work on your explosiveness is by running sprints. Most sprints in cricket matches last anywhere between six and 40 meters. Focus your sprints around these distances. There are three types of starts you will likely encounter in a cricket match. Do a set of sprints starting in a standing position. Do a set starting in a running position, and then do a set starting from a lying position (as if you have just dived for a ball.) Try doing three 5-meter sprints for each position and work your way up as you get more comfortable. Once you can complete these drills in normal training, do the drills wearing all your pads and carrying your bat.

    Agility

    • Running through a rope ladder is one of the best ways to improve your footwork and agility for cricket matches. There are a number of different exercises you can accomplish with one rope ladder. Start by simply running through the ladder by taking one step in each square. Step into one square with your left foot and then step into the square right next to it with your right foot. Keep going in this "1, 2; 1, 2" method until you complete the run. Once you master this, you can work up to more advanced runs.