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[RSpall]

I'm working hard in the gym but want to know of a few small exercises I can do whether it's in the gym or out to improve pace.

[WalkingWicket37]

Out of the gym I'd suggest actually bowling!
Simple

[ProCricketer1982]

I'm working hard in the gym but want to know of a few small exercises I can do whether it's in the gym or out to improve pace.

Listen to what Vettori has said recently.. He used to go in the gym and was injury prone.. he's discovered that just running and doing minimum gym work has lost him weight and he's fitter than ever... The gym is very much over rated and is pushed on people as it's a business... It's in a PT's/Gyms interest to make yout hink you HAVE to go to teh gym to be fit.

[RSpall]

I think there is a lot more to fitness than running. I've seen better athletes than vettori on the cricket field. He does his role well and is a world class bowler. Also you need to have a completely different type of fitness from being a spinner to a seamer. There is a lot more physical strain on you body being a seamer than a spinner as you can imagine, this is where the gym can help a seamer considerably. I see a lot of small exercises relating to core and hip flexion to improve where you create power from as a seamer, but want people to elaborate a bit more and let me know what's beneficial.

[ProCricketer1982]

I think there is a lot more to fitness than running. I've seen better athletes than vettori on the cricket field. He does his role well and is a world class bowler. Also you need to have a completely different type of fitness from being a spinner to a seamer. There is a lot more physical strain on you body being a seamer than a spinner as you can imagine, this is where the gym can help a seamer considerably. I see a lot of small exercises relating to core and hip flexion to improve where you create power from as a seamer, but want people to elaborate a bit more and let me know what's beneficial.

nps dude.  Go pump some iron, get some gym muscles.

[KIPPERS]

Bowl. Bowl. bowl. go for a run. The little red thing only weighs 5 1/4 ounces. Why would a hundred kilo bench press help? Your better off doing a Pilates course or Yoga.

[uknsaunders]

Fitness has its place especially if you are carrying a few pounds but nothing beats having the skills. If you can master off cutter, leg cutter, inswinger, outswinger, Yorker, slower ball with pinpoint accuracy then you can go to the gym. Otherwise learn your craft first.

[smilley792]

My advice is buy or download ian pont's pace secretss book. And follow his routines.

If you want more and want to improve muscle strength. Then I'd suggest breaking down what muscles are used in your bowling action.  And then set a schedule in the gym that improves those.

I'd stick to more resistance type exercise using bands and what not than just weights though. As these are more like to introduce speed than pure weights are.

(Not cricket related but there's a mike rashid vid on youtube. They had guys that could do ten 100kg presses in 30 seconds. They switched to a 2 week program on resistance bands. Then returned to bench were they could do 15 100kg presses in 30 seconds, they added pace to the strength)

[WalkingWicket37]

Fitness has its place especially if you are carrying a few pounds but nothing beats having the skills. If you can master off cutter, leg cutter, inswinger, outswinger, Yorker, slower ball with pinpoint accuracy then you can go to the gym. Otherwise learn your craft first.

And once you've learned it all, I'd say you're better off goin down the nets and boing to keep in practice than prancing around in front of a mirror with some dumbbells

[ijmorgan]

Wow never seen so much negativity in a thread about going to the gym, the guy only asked for a "few small exercises" and everybody is talking about 100kg bench presses and body building. As mentioned by @uknsaunders being fit and having some basic core strength can go along way to improving your cricket, whether its fielding, bowling or batting.

[ProCricketer1982]

Wow never seen so much negativity in a thread about going to the gym, the guy only asked for a "few small exercises" and everybody is talking about 100kg bench presses and body building. As mentioned by @uknsaunders being fit and having some basic core strength can go along way to improving your cricket, whether its fielding, bowling or batting.

You don't need a gym for it though.

Squats, lunges, jumping jacks, sit ups, half sits, Russian sits, twists, press ups, chin ups, bicep dips will all do the job. Obviously ere are more little ones like step ups, calf raises, single leg dips, wobble boards, military press, lateral raises etc.

[ijmorgan]

You don't need a gym for it though.

Squats, lunges, jumping jacks, sit ups, half sits, Russian sits, twists, press ups, chin ups, bicep dips will all do the job. Obviously ere are more little ones like step ups, calf raises, single leg dips, wobble boards, military press, lateral raises etc.

Nobody said you did, it's just his chosen environment to train in. It just seems everyone seems to be up in arms as soon as those 3 letters are mentioned. I go 3 times a week to the gym and mainly do calisthenics of which a lot i wouldn't be able to do at home, seems to be a massive misconception that lifting a few weights and going to the gym you will end up like Arnie.

When in fact exercise whether it be in the gym or at home with or without weights can be beneficial for everyone. I plan on playing cricket with my son when he grows up so i will need to be fit well in to my 50s.
Judging by some of the guys that play a my club who are either the same age as me or a fair bit younger i don't hold out much hope of them playing at that age, and for me the enjoyment i get from playing cricket i want to be doing it in to my 60s hopefully : )

Apologies for the slight tangent.

[KIPPERS]

Im 52 still open the bowling for my club at a reasonable standard. Happy to bowl 15 overs of swing on the bounce. Dont go to the gym but bowl for 3 hours a week in the nets and run all the senior fielding sessions.

[OwzatOllie]

Train hard in the nets.  I would say cardio is probably your friend IF you gym

[edynamo]

What is wrong with someone trying to help themselves by trying to get a decent program in the gym as one way of trying to increase pace? The game has changed in the last twenty or so years , whether we like if or not! Batters score at a higher strike rate, hit the ball harder, fielding displays are more athletic, bowlers expected to have more skills now and yes bowlers who want to bowl quick need to be fitter!