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[Sully]

Firstly a merry christmas to every one and a happy new year.

To all the younger guys wanting to bowl quicker - I once asked Wasim Akram how I can get my 14 year old brother to bowl quicker. He said ''Just tell him until he is about 18-19 to bowl as fast as he can forget line and length he can work on that later. If he is destined to be a proper fast bowler he will become one if not then at 18 he will know whether to become fast medium, or fast. When I mean fast i mean geuninely fast.  when you are fully developed thats when you do weight training for endurance and a little more speed.''    Hope that helps the teens. Also I recommend ''the art of fast bowling'' by Dennis Lillee, it is a fantastic read and it has everything you need to know.

To the elder members i'm 27 now but 4 years ago I got in to weight training and power lifting.  I think you will find I have never bowled quicker even when I was 19 which up until recently was the quickest I have ever bowled as I used to play every day and used to have a smooth action.  the trunk muscles according to Dennis Lillee are where most of your speed comes from then the shoulder and arm.  also he said the trunk rotation is very important for speed. 

Deltoid excercises are good, but Rotator cuff excercises are even better but PLEASE allow 3 days recovery for this as I tried to get too greedy and did my rotator cuff excercises a day before actually playing. I missed alot of this season.

Oh and for the record I bowl around the 65-70mph range I got clocked at 63mph when i was 19 with no run but i feel quicker now.  Hardly going to scare test batsmen but its ok at the level I play!

[bucko2007]

Everyone is speaking so generally. For a start if you are 14 I would just concentrate on improving your technique and rhythm. But knowing me when I was 14, you will not listen to this and think it is impossible to improve your technique significantly...
So much is about coordinating your wrist release, weight transition and follow through so that the maximum force is produced at point of delivery.
Most top bowlers train with weights, you can tell... Ok Saj Mahmood isn't necessarily a "top" bowler, but he is ripped to shreds. But weight training isnt necessarily about bowling faster, its about injury prevention and removing muscle imbalances that develop from bowling. Bowling is such an unnatural action, and the more you practice it the more your body adapts by compensating with irregular movements. Weight training helps remove these imbalances by generally strengthening your body. Flexibility is one of the most important things about bowling quick. Of course weight training allows increased power on release, especially from your pec and posterior deltoid (the posterior deltoid is a major muscle used in driving your arm down on release and follow through)... but if you do not have flexibility you will not be able to generate the arm speed...
But if you are 14, I wouldn't worry too much about these things... you don't realise how much u r growing already

[sultanofswing]

Read Ian Ponts Fast Bowlers Bible. A lot of helfpuf stuff in there!

[Churchy1989]

Thought i would give a little advice i was given from one of our clubs former players who plays against county and international players.

Number 1, gripping the ball, only have 3 points of contact on the ball, the more points of contact the slower the ball will release from your hand (i.e. dont rest fingers on the side).

Number 2, Run up, i go for a 8 and 8 run up totalling 16 once you hit the last 8 of your run up you accelerate to the crease, if you have a long run up and dont accelerate, its a pointless run up, wasting your energy.

Number 3, Core, your core is your key muscle when bowling, strengthening your core, obliques and lats will improve your bowling speed.

Number 4, off-season, buy a resistance band, practice bowling, keeps your muscle memory.

*i am not a Cricket Trainer, these are what have been advised to me. May not work for everyone.

[edge]

Number 1, gripping the ball, only have 3 points of contact on the ball, the more points of contact the slower the ball will release from your hand (i.e. dont rest fingers on the side).

Interesting thought that, cheers for sharing! Hadn't considered it before, makes sense though.

[Tailendfielder]

I dont pretend to have any real knowledge but surely building fast twitch muscle fibres doing anaerobic exersize is far more suited for bowling as fast as possible (as pointed put not always ideal). Similar to rugby training. Legs and core would be huge as is launching medicine balls into the ground and wall, wood chopping/ sledgehammering tyres and other such explosive circuit training. Body building like arnie would b useless. Training stamina (high reps, low weight) would more likely slow your pace but would suit keepers and batsmen.

i agree that gym work is essential in modern higher end cricketer.

Above all, technique is key.

[Woodyspin]

There's an Ex U22s Punjab player in out league next time I see him i'll drag him away for a chat.

Can any advise on run up training? i've tried season after season to land half the foot over but every time i move my run up I land in the same position... this is clearly because my take off point is in the same place every time and i'm adjusting my run up to suit, but is there a technique to over come this?

What i'm looking to do...


What i keep doing...

[tommo256]

For all of his faults in social media, I'd also recommend Ian ponts books!

[Churchy1989]

Matt, give me your number, ill pass it on to Pato who is an amazing coach, player, person and cricketer.

Cuckfield 1's bowler!