What To Do During The Off Season

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loopylegspinner

loopylegspinner

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The season has just ended here in England, and I'm wondering what I can do to help prepare for next season. I'm a 12 year-old leg spinner who plays for the village 2nd XI (there aren't any junior teams around here) and our club doesn't do winter nets, so I'd like to find a way to improve myself even though I have no access to anywhere that I can bowl with a cricket ball.
Unfortunately, there don't seem to be many fitness guides for spin bowlers on the internet, so I was wondering what you guys do during the off season?
 
loopylegspinner said:
The season has just ended here in England, and I'm wondering what I can do to help prepare for next season. I'm a 12 year-old leg spinner who plays for the village 2nd XI (there aren't any junior teams around here) and our club doesn't do winter nets, so I'd like to find a way to improve myself even though I have no access to anywhere that I can bowl with a cricket ball.
Unfortunately, there don't seem to be many fitness guides for spin bowlers on the internet, so I was wondering what you guys do during the off season?
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This is what I do:

1. nets, either side of christmas is the best time to learn new skills. If your club don't do winter nets, find a club that do!
2. indoor cricket - great fun, keeps your hand in.
3. specific fitness work, like strength and conditioning training or running. There will be a guide on pitchvision, I am sure of it.
4. play another sport that will keep you fit, in my case I play squash.
 
I practice! I'm not having it that you have no access to anywhere you can bowl a cricket ball. Find somewhere! A bit of outfield, some astroturf, tennis courts... anywhere. Doesn't have to be a cricket ball, either.
 
loopylegspinner said:
The season has just ended here in England, and I'm wondering what I can do to help prepare for next season. I'm a 12 year-old leg spinner who plays for the village 2nd XI (there aren't any junior teams around here) and our club doesn't do winter nets, so I'd like to find a way to improve myself even though I have no access to anywhere that I can bowl with a cricket ball.
Unfortunately, there don't seem to be many fitness guides for spin bowlers on the internet, so I was wondering what you guys do during the off season?
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Hockey balls on tarmac/concrete. Ask micoach for fitness stuff David Hinchcliffe's the man with the plan. Yeah or as SLA says just stay active, football, swimming, badminton, press-ups, walk and run everywhere rather than take the car?
 
micoach said:
L Liz Ward : For sure!

Question for me is this: what is your goal?
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I'd like to improve my game in any way possible whether that be by improving physical fitness, mental fitness, something else or lots of things.
I have been thinking of a basic plan of things that I could do to help my all round cricketing ability. Here it is...



​
​
Monday​
​
​
Skill​

30mins – Put on gloves and pads, start playing the on drive (checked follow through). Focus on correct technique, video some of it to assess the technique. Plus Rugby training.
​
​
Tuesday​
​
​
Skill​

45mins – Put on gloves and pads, have the ball fed to you by a person or machine and drive it with correct technique stump-side of a marker that has been placed at mid-on. Plus rugby training.
​
​
Wednesday​
​
​
Mental​

30mins (ish) - Follow instructions given on this page:
http://www.pitchvision.com/how-to-be-relaxed-and-confident-at-the-crease/
Plus Cross-country running
​
​
Thursday​
​
​
Physical​

60mins – Go on Wii fit and do lots of calorie burning exercises. Also go to gym at school and do calorie burning exercises.
​
​
Friday​
​
​
Mental​

30mins (ish) - Follow instructions given on this page:
http://www.pitchvision.com/how-to-be-relaxed-and-confident-at-the-crease/
Plus Rugby match and football training.
​
​
Saturday​
​
​
Physical​

60mins – Go on Wii fit and do lots of calorie burning exercises. Also go to gym at school and do calorie burning exercises.

Sunday​
​
Break​
​
​

​
 
LLS, the biggest concern looking at that schedule is why a 12 year old (who looks to be reasonably active and doing plenty of sport) feels the need to do calorie burning exercises - its fine for those of us who 'need' to burn a few more calories but you are probably be doing enough in your daily life through school and your other activities.

As a general point, I think you would get far more benefit from doing either some yoga (you may be supple now but thats the time to start doing it) or some specific leg spin stuff (if you cant get outside to bowl, just underarming at a wall for 10-15 mins a day will help with the 'feel' that is so important to leg spin). I know there are some on here who don't like the underarm drills as its not 'bowling' but I think they can be useful to those learning their craft as its easy to set up, you can see the outcome and it isolates the wrist/fingers so there is less to think about, give it a go and see how it works for you.

Best of luck and drop back sometime to let us know how its all going
 
I agree, but I couldn't find or think of anything else to do during the fitness part of the week. However I've just found this on pitchvision:
http://www.pitchvision.com/how-2-workouts-a-week-can-make-you-a-better-spinner/
So now my schedule for Thursday and Saturday is a lengthy warm up, 15-20mins; then 20mins of interval running/swimming (depending on what space I have access to); 10mins of shoulder workout; then 5mins cool down.

Also, I have managed to join a club that do winter nets, they start on the second Tuesday of January and last until the start of April when outdoor nets begin!
 
loopylegspinner said:
I'll try a bit of yoga as well and see if I enjoy it.
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I went to a class just the once and loved it, but it's time and aggro getting there and keeping it up that scuppers me, but just going the once with someone who does it full on was useful and one of the things I came away with which I was really impressed with was the relaxation aspect of it. The other things I liked were the balance aspects. Hold on, actually I liked all of it!!! I'd be very impressed if you tried it and liked it, I don't think it's one of those things that younger people can be easily engaged with unless of course you're really on your game and taking it seriously. It might be useful to know that player x or y uses it and extols its benefits, but I'm not that aware of anyone that ever has?

With all these things; exercises, yoga, stretching, the thing that always puts me off, is the time aspect of it, but there is so many benefits to be gained.
 
someblokecalleddave said:
I went to a class just the once and loved it, but it's time and aggro getting there and keeping it up that scuppers me, but just going the once with someone who does it full on was useful and one of the things I came away with which I was really impressed with was the relaxation aspect of it. The other things I liked were the balance aspects. Hold on, actually I liked all of it!!! I'd be very impressed if you tried it and liked it, I don't think it's one of those things that younger people can be easily engaged with unless of course you're really on your game and taking it seriously. It might be useful to know that player x or y uses it and extols its benefits, but I'm not that aware of anyone that ever has?

With all these things; exercises, yoga, stretching, the thing that always puts me off, is the time aspect of it, but there is so many benefits to be gained.
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Definitely. One of my friends' parents teaches yoga, so I might be able to get a couple of trial lessons free of charge...
 
loopylegspinner said:
Definitely. One of my friends' parents teaches yoga, so I might be able to get a couple of trial lessons free of charge...
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I would if only once. I thought it was funny when I went, I didn't do yoga beforehand, but even though I'm 53, I can do all sorts of stretches, the splits, walk around on my hands, headstands, elbow stands and I've got reasonable balance and I'm flexible and agile. So when I turned up the bloke asked me what I wanted to do and what level I thought I might be at, told him the above and he kinda looked at me as if to say as Mate you play cricket, as if you're going to be able to do this stuff and he said he'd do his usual class with his regulars and tone it down if need be. Needless to say when his regulars got going I was able to do everything they did and a lot of the time with far more ease! But it was good to see that I was up to their level.

I'm just sitting here now thinking about what I can write in my blog and I'm thinking about this same subject. I've noticed that I don't really get going with my bowling till late in the season - July. I've noticed it seems to be associated with generally being more active as the summer arrives and with me getting out and about with my kids. The conclusion I'm drawing is that I lose so much of my fitness, stamina and strength over the summer it then takes that long to catch up. In the past I've tried to carry on bowling throughout the winter using hockey balls, but the last two years, partly due to injuries I've done that less. With no injuries this year, I'm still relaxing and doing virtually nothing and I'm wondering what I might do or when should I start. I'll certainly make a start straight after Christmas this year and try and get a four month lead-in.
 
someblokecalleddave said:
... It might be useful to know that player x or y uses it and extols its benefits, but I'm not that aware of anyone that ever has?...
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Dave, how about this link
http://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/news...s-ryan-giggs-and-yoga-for-his-ashes-inclusion

it actually wasn't the link I was looking for, as I remembered something about Justin Langer being an advocate of yoga which I have now found here:
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/10/29/1099028215578.html

interesting quote about Warne right at the end.

Flexibility is great, but yoga is so much more than that and for me, the balance and 'body awareness' gains are the real benefits to a cricketer, particularly in teenagers who are still like sponges when it comes to learning new things. LLS, if you get the chance to talk to your mate's parent before a class, ask for core and balance exercises first, although obviously yoga can have 'whole body' and as Dave says, relaxation, benefits.
 
TonyM said:
Dave, how about this link
http://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/news...s-ryan-giggs-and-yoga-for-his-ashes-inclusion

it actually wasn't the link I was looking for, as I remembered something about Justin Langer being an advocate of yoga which I have now found here:
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/10/29/1099028215578.html

interesting quote about Warne right at the end.

Flexibility is great, but yoga is so much more than that and for me, the balance and 'body awareness' gains are the real benefits to a cricketer, particularly in teenagers who are still like sponges when it comes to learning new things. LLS, if you get the chance to talk to your mate's parent before a class, ask for core and balance exercises first, although obviously yoga can have 'whole body' and as Dave says, relaxation, benefits.
Click to expand...

Nice link Tony, that's pretty inspirational, knowing that even Warne gave it a go and some of the worlds best use it as part of their training programme.
 
someblokecalleddave said:
I'm just sitting here now thinking about what I can write in my blog and I'm thinking about this same subject. I've noticed that I don't really get going with my bowling till late in the season - July. I've noticed it seems to be associated with generally being more active as the summer arrives and with me getting out and about with my kids. The conclusion I'm drawing is that I lose so much of my fitness, stamina and strength over the summer it then takes that long to catch up. In the past I've tried to carry on bowling throughout the winter using hockey balls, but the last two years, partly due to injuries I've done that less. With no injuries this year, I'm still relaxing and doing virtually nothing and I'm wondering what I might do or when should I start. I'll certainly make a start straight after Christmas this year and try and get a four month lead-in.
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For me I find if I don't bowl for, say, a couple of weeks my standards start slipping and it will usually take me an hour in the nets to get my mojo back. Whereas if I'm practicing frequently I can start bowling well straight away in the nets. So I try and keep up regular practice all year round until the snow and sub-zero temperatures come, at which point it stops being fun.
 
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