Training and Preparing for Cricket

Cricket probably incites thoughts of nothing more than paddle-like bats and old-fashioned Englishmen in the minds of most Americans. On this side of the pond, most of us see it as a vague bit of history or culture pertaining to another nation; obscure to say the least. With the adoption of baseball as America's favorite pastime, cricket faded into the background of sports culture and was thought to be gone for good. It seems it was merely on hiatus, though, as it's popularity is making a comeback here in the States. Excellent news, since it turns out to be a rugged and exciting way to spend downtime. While your skill and fitness requirements will mostly be determined by how good or inexperienced your team or league is, having a basic level of fitness to begin with is best for the individual cricket player.

Building a Base Level of Endurance for Cricket

A cricket game does not operate at a consistent pace; it requires sudden surges of power and energy throughout the duration, which means endurance should be a top priority for all cricket players. Proper endurance will ensure a cricket player is able to let out short bursts of energy as needed, prevents muscles from becoming fatigued, and allows the athlete to concentrate on the game rather than the state of their energy level. In order to obtain a top endurance level, both the aerobic and anaerobic systems must be developed. Running is an ideal cricket training method, as you can develop both systems at the same time. The aerobic system should first be developed. Running for extended periods of time at 40% to 60% effort on a level surface is a suitable place to start, and of course may be done outdoors on a track or your gym's treadmill if you want to track your exact distance. Have your trainer work with you to see where your target heart rate is and help you determine when you have sufficiently developed your aerobic fitness.

Use Interval Training to Improve Your Anareobic System for Cricket

When it comes time to train your anaerobic system for cricket, the simplest way is to give a higher level of energy output for short periods of time on your runs. Having your trainer doing the run with you will greatly increase your success through motivation and ever increasing challenges. You may also do it alone; bring a stopwatch and sprint for one minute several times throughout your run. When practicing this, it is important to maintain your initial speed after the sprints, which means you must not over-exert yourself by sprinting too hard or having an aerobic pace you can't maintain. On the cricket field, your anaerobic system will kick in throughout the cricket game, such as when smashing a four, accelerating, and changing directions quickly.

Choosing the Right Cricket Bat

Aside from physical fitness, there is also the issue of knowing how to select your cricket bat. Lately more and more experienced cricket players (that is, players who already know the size, weight, and what they want from a cricket bat) are opting for online purchases in order to afford higher quality cricket bats, since online vendors are usually able to offer a better deal. New cricket players need not place too much importance on higher quality cricket bats, though, since the special features of those bats can really only be utilized by seasoned players. A few precepts for selecting your cricket bat: First, make sure your bat is the proper length. Get in your cricket batting stance and place the toe of the bat you're considering on the outside of your back foot and tilt it to the inside of your front leg. The proper cricket bat will be able to rest on the inside of your leg, without crossing over the top of it. Next you must choose the weight of your cricket bat. As a rule for beginners, remember that lighter will serve you better. While there is no definitive way to know exactly what the proper weight will be for each person, holding and moving the bat around will give you a general feel and tell you what's most comfortable. Finally you will select the grade of wood the cricket bat is made out of. All bats are made out of willow (either English or Kashmir) and are rated on a G1+ to G4 scale, with G1+ being the highest and the only grade professionals use. Cricket bats can get astronomical in cost depending on the wood rating, you should know that it won't make a great impact on a beginner's skill level. Cricket players seem to agree that once your cricket skill set is good, it's time to get a higher quality cricket bat. However, since few can afford the best, you should set a budget for yourself, look around for good deals, and see what the highest grade wood you can afford.