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pro sports club<br />
fitness center<br />
Get Fit & Have Fun with<br />
Cricket<br />
By Ashan A. Korala, Personal Trainer<br />
Do you want to shake things up and make your workout more<br />
exciting? Learn or rekindle your passion for cricket. Arguably<br />
one of the most popular sports in the world, cricket is the perfect<br />
game to keep you motivated and make exercise fun. It’s also<br />
perfect for promoting teamwork.<br />
For those not familiar with the game, cricket is very similar to<br />
baseball. The game is played on an open field with two batsmen<br />
who stand in the middle and are able to hit the ball in all<br />
directions. They work in partnership to score runs, which are<br />
earned by both batsmen running across the 22-yard pitch. If<br />
a batsman hits the ball over the boundary of the field, six runs<br />
are awarded. If the ball rolls past the boundary, four runs are<br />
awarded. They continue to bat until the opposing team gets them<br />
out by either hitting the wickets (poles behind the batsman) or<br />
catching an airborne ball. The objective is to gain as many runs<br />
as possible within the given amount of bowls (pitches). The<br />
bowler (pitcher) must maintain a straight arm and the ball is<br />
allowed to bounce once off the ground. The bowler is allowed six<br />
attempts before he must trade with a teammate.<br />
Dead Lifts<br />
A new era of the sport called Twenty20 cricket has become<br />
extremely popular among individuals new to the sport. These<br />
matches consist of one inning per side with a maximum of 20<br />
“overs” per inning (one over is a set of six balls bowled). Because<br />
of the limited amount of overs, the players are forced to take<br />
more risks by trying to score more runs.<br />
Cricket is a great form of exercise. It requires core strength,<br />
power, agility, hand-eye coordination, and body awareness. It’s<br />
a great way to cross train and challenge your body to recruit<br />
muscles in different movement patterns than you’re accustomed<br />
to. This is the best way to break through plateaus and continue<br />
to see results from your time spent working out at the club.<br />
Cable chops<br />
Before heading out on the pitch, first build the skills you need.<br />
The agility, core strength, and power that cricket requires can be<br />
honed with some key movement skills and power gained from<br />
exercises such as cable chops/lifts, dead lifts, hang clean, and<br />
Pallof press with a lunge complex. When you’re ready to start,<br />
make an appointment with a personal trainer for a physical<br />
assessment and FMS (Functional Movement Screen), as well as a<br />
customized program designed for you. This will also help sharpen<br />
your reflexes and reduce your chances of being sidetracked by a<br />
“rib tickler” (an injury).<br />
The new physical demands from playing cricket can be a great<br />
way to break through a plateau, stay motivated to exercise, and<br />
prevent injury. Get moving, explore a new game and a new set of<br />
exercises, and practice team play this spring with cricket. See you<br />
at the pitch!<br />
Ashan grew up playing cricket, mostly in Twenty20 tournament style.<br />
He is predominately a fast bowler. His personal training has helped<br />
improve his speed and agility to carry him at bat and while fielding.<br />
Pallof press with a lunge complex<br />
Photos: Gerald Pope; istockphoto.com<br />
18 <strong>PRO</strong> PULSE MAY \\ JUNE 2013
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