19 Ways to be a healthy cricketer | Cricket coaching, fitness and tips

19 Ways to be a healthy cricketer

This is the final part of the "Healthy living for club cricketers" series. To go to part one click here.

Most people agree on the reasons behind being healthy and even the ways to stay motivated. Where there is a lot of conflict is in the methods themselves.

The web is an especially difficult place to find answers. Anyone can post an opinion and even present it as fact. Even the highly trained experts disagree on what is right and wrong depending on their experience.

I'm coming from the angle of a coach and cricketer who has not only lived a less healthy life and prefers the healthy one. I have seen the benefits of healthy lifestyle changes in myself and people I have coached over the years both as a personal trainer and cricket coach.

You will no doubt be able to find plenty of people who disagree with me. Some may even be better qualified and experienced than I am in the field of health. That's really not the point of this article though. I'm not after a war of words. These are my views based on what I have seen, split into several easy to read categories.

My advice is to pick one you are not doing and try and make the change of habit in the next 30 days. Hopefully you have the tools to do so.

Exercise
 
  1. Train for strength/power 2-3 times a week. This can by bodyweight training or the gym or both.
  2. Interval train 2-3 times a week. Running is best, especially during the season.
  3. Stretch every day and while you stretch visualise success.
  4. Increase your general activity away from exercising: walking the dog, playing with kids, doing housework and the like.
Recovery and relaxation
 
  1. Take an hour a day to 'decompress': relax, think and read something that takes you away from the stresses of the day.
  2. Take up foam rolling.
  3. Do something you enjoy away from cricket to challenge your mind and body in new ways. This could be anything from doing the crossword to playing another sport.
  4. Every day, do something nice for someone without being prompted. It can be someone you love or a stranger.
  5. Drink more water it's a great recovery drink (8 glasses a day is good to aim for).
Nutrition
 
  1. Follow Precision Nutrition.
  2. Eat 5 portions of green, leafy vegetables a day.
  3. Increase your intake of omega 3 fats from oily fish or other sources.
  4. Only eat whole food, cut out the processed stuff.
  5. Switch to green tea.
  6. Try a new fruit or vegetable every week.
  7. Don't eat anything that contains flour unless it's after exercise (that includes bread and pasta).
Sleep
 
  1. Get at least 8 hours of sleep a night.
Supplementation
 
  1. Take fish oil every day.
  2. Consider creatine and protein powder if you have a sound diet.

It's also sensible to factor in a break from these rules now and again. A pizza once a week is not going to make you fat if you eat healthy the rest of the week. Missing a training session or two every couple of months is not going to railroad your fitness plans. Whatever you are doing, take time to take a break now and again (as long as you stay about 90% compliant).

What are you doing this year to be healthier? Leave a comment and let me know.

Image credit: d_vdm

 

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Comments

what all to do in a gym?????????

I'm not sure I understand the question.

Hey guys,

Well i am 16 years old and i have started working on my strength these days. I don't have access to a good gym right now, so i am just doing a few sets of dumbbells...and push ups etc. ..i want to work on my stamina by jogging in the morning or something..but the problem is that i am currently living in Finland and its really cold, dark and lots of snow....so i haven't been able to motivate myself enough to start jogging regularly.

By the way..i would like to say that this is a really good site to help cricketers around the world! found it a couple of days ago and will become a regular reader now!

Vishal

David honestly id rather not go to the gym as I dont believe in lifting weights to that extent but i dont have a problem with dumbells. Sodo you have any exercises beside pushups and situps that I can get stronger from while using my own body weight?

Well how you train is your choice of course. I do question your language a bit. Weight training for cricket is not a matter of belief but of scientific fact. What is it you don't believe? That said, bodyweight is an excellent option look here for ideas

I tried registering but i am facing trouble logging in..i have sent a mail to support@....
hopefully will get a reply to that.

hey thanks..but i tried again and it worked this time....so all cool now..great to be part of this site Smiling

i am doing gym and core exercise from last 1 year................but my pace is not increasing........................what to do????????

pace can not be increased with muscles only....your run up ..bowling action and follow through are just as important..maybe you are having a problem with one of those ....your other hand is also very important....say you are a right hander...the left hand does the job of taking you forward after delivering the ball...you have to make sure that your left hand goes past your left leg when you are bowling..and it just doesnt stop at it..i know many bowlers just stop at their left leg and dont take their hand further behind....so the only way is to either talk to your coach or someone whom you play with...or try putting up a video ..so that we can see...

those are just my views on increasing pace..i am also struggling at the moment with the same problem

Dats a relly good tip u gave hi Vishal.
Ashish, sumtimes u just need to be gifted to be a relly fast bowler. Wat Vishal told u is right and it will help u inc ur pace a bit but do u use ur wrists wen u bowl? dats sumthing relly important. U can make ur wrists stronger but im not sure if datll help u too much. Using ur wrists should be natural to u. if not den maybe u can work on dat but i think ull only decrease ur speed until u master it.
Work on ur runup. I have a problem wid dat too and ill be working on it soon. and also ur action. try different actions if u want and whichever one u feel most confortable in, use it. and yes u need a good runup.

and yes follow through is relly important as well

Grade A stuff. I'm uqunestionblay in your debt.