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[LEACHY48]

Hi guys, I am a right arm fast bowler and for the past season I have been getting a lot of pain when bowling in my back but especially lower back on the left hand side mainly when I land and 'snap' forward, I really want to know whats going on, but I dont know where to start, any help would be great.

Jake

[scottish_slogger95]

Jake, what is your jump like? I used to have a problem were my jump was to vertical and not forward casuing back problems. think its called hyper strenuous.Could also be to do with your load up. Best thing to do is get a video of you bowling so people can look at your bowling action. that is were you can find what is casuing the pain. That is what my coach did for me.

[LEACHY48]

okay thanks Scott, I will see if I have one, my bound is quite big, I take off from just behind the umpire and still manage to bowl no balls sometimes, I am not really sure if that helps though, I will take a video tomorrow or friday if i dont have one, what could the problem be with the load up? I have noticed one weird thing though which my coach has looked at and says is fine because Chad keegan (his son) does the same and thats not what affected his back, but my back foot, when I land is almost at 90 degrees to the stump, i.e. my toes are facing the stump at my end?

[tim2000s]

okay thanks Scott, I will see if I have one, my bound is quite big, I take off from just behind the umpire and still manage to bowl no balls sometimes, I am not really sure if that helps though, I will take a video tomorrow or friday if i dont have one, what could the problem be with the load up? I have noticed one weird thing though which my coach has looked at and says is fine because Chad keegan (his son) does the same and thats not what affected his back, but my back foot, when I land is almost at 90 degrees to the stump, i.e. my toes are facing the stump at my end?

That's where it should be. Your back foot should be parallel to the crease and not the strip.

[LEACHY48]

ah okay thanks Tim, learn something new every day eh?

[scottish_slogger95]

Could be that you jump is to high, I used to do this and it gave me bad back problems. But the easiest way to see what is wrong is with footage of your action. Then it will become clear whats casuing the pain. but your back foot is fine

[tim2000s]

The other thing that can cause lower back issues is how your front foot lands. You aren't supposed to have your foot pointing down the strip as this allows your knee to bend, and results in stress up your upper leg and focusses it on your lower back where your pelvis and spine meet, and you tend to get pain in your muscles that support this region.

[LEACHY48]

where is your froont foot meant to point? as i think that is my problem my foot goes straight down the wicket although i have quite a front on action so if my foot was parallel to the crease then it would make me twist?

[tim2000s]

If you think about it, bowling is creating a lever around your hips. If you bend your front knee a lot as you deliver, you move that lever point, and even front on you are pivoting around your front hip. If your knee bends , you end up with your hips moving forward down the line more, which means your body has to compensate to keep the lever working properly.

[steyn92]

Front foot should be slightly open not straight down the wicket

[Buzz]

Front foot should be slightly open not straight down the wicket

I don't know that much about bowling, but if you have your front foot open in your delivery stride (i.e. pointing to the slips/gully), and you bowl "front on" that will encourage your front knee to bend, your delivery position to collaps and for the bowler to chuck the ball more than bowl it.
 
The front foot sould be pointing at worst straight down the track.

[tim2000s]

I don't know that much about bowling, but if you have your front foot open in your delivery stride (i.e. pointing to the slips/gully), and you bowl "front on" that will encourage your front knee to bend, your delivery position to collaps and for the bowler to chuck the ball more than bowl it.
 
The front foot sould be pointing at worst straight down the track.

Classically, the front foot is supposed to point somewhere between 1 and 3 on a clock face. Freddie's didn't though...

[Buzz]

I am not sure anyone should base their bowling style on big Freddie... (who doesn't appear to get on with Athers these days!! )

[Jaymo]

Try and get someone to video your action, you can probably tell from that where the stress points in your action are.

[steyn92]

Could be a mixed action?