Endurance Running
- Thread starter shahidpak
- Start date
micoach
Active Member
Short answer upfront: Running 45 minutes will improve your aerobic fitness (stamina) but the crossover to cricket fitness will be less than other training methods.
Many players swear by it, saying it made them fitter than just playing. The research backs this. There is no doubt that long distance running will make you "fitter" (i.e better cardiovascular fitness).
But it's probably the wrong question. A better question is:
"will 45m running 1x per week improve my cricket fitness?"
The answer to THAT is probably not. Training has to be specific for the purpose. Running will make you better at running but when do you run 45 minutes non-stop in a cricket game? You don't. You walk, you stand, you sprint, you walk, you throw, you bowl an over, you graze... it's far more stop/start.
Additionally, running carries certain risks including reduced hip mobility and overall power. If you embark on a poorly implemented plan (such as going from zero to 45 minute running) you have a higher risk of injury.
As you can tell, I am not a fan of distance running for cricket!
But just to put the other side, I know many respected coaches who do support it. When done right it as a certain "mind clearing zen" aspect that is almost meditation. That's a great skill to have as a player in the middle. And to reiterate, it will make you fitter than doing nothing.
But I would be far happier with a cricketer your age doing some basic circuit training. This will give you all the benefits of improved endurance, with a far lower risk, plus improves strength, power and mobility! Read more about it here: http://www.pitchvision.com/fast-bowler-circuit-training
Ideally you will have access to some external resistance like dumbbells, kettlebells, sandbags or bands. However, if not, there is plenty you can do with bodyweight training such as press ups.
Start slow, 20 minutes twice a week and build up to 40 minutes three times a week over a period of weeks. Focus on good technique and it will stand you in good stead for your whole cricket career. There is no rush, you will improve.
Many players swear by it, saying it made them fitter than just playing. The research backs this. There is no doubt that long distance running will make you "fitter" (i.e better cardiovascular fitness).
But it's probably the wrong question. A better question is:
"will 45m running 1x per week improve my cricket fitness?"
The answer to THAT is probably not. Training has to be specific for the purpose. Running will make you better at running but when do you run 45 minutes non-stop in a cricket game? You don't. You walk, you stand, you sprint, you walk, you throw, you bowl an over, you graze... it's far more stop/start.
Additionally, running carries certain risks including reduced hip mobility and overall power. If you embark on a poorly implemented plan (such as going from zero to 45 minute running) you have a higher risk of injury.
As you can tell, I am not a fan of distance running for cricket!
But just to put the other side, I know many respected coaches who do support it. When done right it as a certain "mind clearing zen" aspect that is almost meditation. That's a great skill to have as a player in the middle. And to reiterate, it will make you fitter than doing nothing.
But I would be far happier with a cricketer your age doing some basic circuit training. This will give you all the benefits of improved endurance, with a far lower risk, plus improves strength, power and mobility! Read more about it here: http://www.pitchvision.com/fast-bowler-circuit-training
Ideally you will have access to some external resistance like dumbbells, kettlebells, sandbags or bands. However, if not, there is plenty you can do with bodyweight training such as press ups.
Start slow, 20 minutes twice a week and build up to 40 minutes three times a week over a period of weeks. Focus on good technique and it will stand you in good stead for your whole cricket career. There is no rush, you will improve.
someblokecalleddave
Well-Known Member
Have a look at a book called SAQ cricket by Alan Pearson. I'm totally sold on Davids approach to cricket training what we do isn't constant like a 45 minute run, there's periods of time where you become inactive - sometimes for a long time and then suddenly with a new bowler or a new batsman we're suddenly needing to sprint and stop repetitively. I do a cardio vascular thing where I only run for 20 minutes, but I do it along the streets that are lined with lampposts. What I do is power walk for the distance of 2 lampposts (75-100 yards) and then sprint as fast as I can the distance of a single lamppost - then rest a little by resuming the power walking. It kind of emulates that - need for explosive energy and speed after a period of lesser activity.
Thanks for your replies,
So it means doing something like Dave said: running for 5 mins than sprinting etc is better for cricket? And running 45 mins once a week will not help me for cricket so should i completely stop? And you said it can lead to less hip mobility and the risks of injury increase, so is endurance running BAD and how does it reduce hip mobility and power? So how can i increase power than?
someblokecalleddave
Well-Known Member
If you've got a mate or someone to train with have a go at this. Do this for 20 minutes and you'll get far more from than running constantly for 45 minutes.
http://www.mpafirsteleven.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/fitness-drill-cricket-specific.html
http://www.mpafirsteleven.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/fitness-drill-cricket-specific.html
This goes back some years but you could try it! http://www.bigcricket.com/community/threads/general-level-of-fitness-from-home.25077/#post-183590
To increase power, you need to first increase speed and strength.
To increase power, you need to first increase speed and strength.
someblokecalleddave
Well-Known Member
Let me know how you get on, my son found it a killer, I love it!Thanks for your replies i'lltry what you recommended Dave.
Andy Perkins
New Member
I agree with everything that has been said above.
Even though most sports aren't aerobic in nature aerobic endurance is stressed because people believe an efficient aerobic system promotes faster recovery.
Whilst this is true what we need to consider is are we just making the aerobic recovery of a cricketer faster but we are making them slower.
If we look at the breakdown of cricket as a sport it is a series of short sprints with about 20 seconds between balls at fast speeds. Not something that is done for a long period of time at a slow steady speed.
One of the main drawbacks of aerobic training is that it compromises speed at the cellular level, the adaptation of muscle fibre in respect to aerobic training is in direct opposition to that of anaerobic training.
In the book Training For Speed by Charlie Francis he wrote; "enough power related work must be done in the early years, ages 13 to 17 to maintain genetically predetermined levels of power related muscle fibres and promote the shift of transitional or intermediate muscle fibres to power related muscle fibres.
Given your age of 14 I think this is a vitally important statement to your development as a cricketer and also an athlete unless you harbour goals of succeeding in aerobic based sports.
My advice to you to develop a good level of fitness for cricket would be to follow something like the below.
You will notice that it isn't a very long session and my response to that is, it is far better to start small and develop conditioning for cricket then to endure potential overuse injuries and negative fibre type adaptations associated with endurance training.
As Mark Verstegen says "It's not how far athletes run in a game, but at what pace and over what time period".
Week 1-3 - 1 set of 6 runs of 20m sprints with 30 sec between runs and 2 min between sets
Week 4-6 - 2 sets of 6 runs of 20m sprints with 30 sec between runs and 2 min between sets
Week 6-9 - 3 sets of 6 runs of 20m sprints with 30 sec between runs and 2 min between sets
I like to run these drills with cricketers of similar speeds so that they can push each other. It is too easy to back off and run at a perceived 100% when you are doing this on your own. There is nothing like a bit of friendly competition to help you develop more as a player.
Even though most sports aren't aerobic in nature aerobic endurance is stressed because people believe an efficient aerobic system promotes faster recovery.
Whilst this is true what we need to consider is are we just making the aerobic recovery of a cricketer faster but we are making them slower.
If we look at the breakdown of cricket as a sport it is a series of short sprints with about 20 seconds between balls at fast speeds. Not something that is done for a long period of time at a slow steady speed.
One of the main drawbacks of aerobic training is that it compromises speed at the cellular level, the adaptation of muscle fibre in respect to aerobic training is in direct opposition to that of anaerobic training.
In the book Training For Speed by Charlie Francis he wrote; "enough power related work must be done in the early years, ages 13 to 17 to maintain genetically predetermined levels of power related muscle fibres and promote the shift of transitional or intermediate muscle fibres to power related muscle fibres.
Given your age of 14 I think this is a vitally important statement to your development as a cricketer and also an athlete unless you harbour goals of succeeding in aerobic based sports.
My advice to you to develop a good level of fitness for cricket would be to follow something like the below.
You will notice that it isn't a very long session and my response to that is, it is far better to start small and develop conditioning for cricket then to endure potential overuse injuries and negative fibre type adaptations associated with endurance training.
As Mark Verstegen says "It's not how far athletes run in a game, but at what pace and over what time period".
Week 1-3 - 1 set of 6 runs of 20m sprints with 30 sec between runs and 2 min between sets
Week 4-6 - 2 sets of 6 runs of 20m sprints with 30 sec between runs and 2 min between sets
Week 6-9 - 3 sets of 6 runs of 20m sprints with 30 sec between runs and 2 min between sets
I like to run these drills with cricketers of similar speeds so that they can push each other. It is too easy to back off and run at a perceived 100% when you are doing this on your own. There is nothing like a bit of friendly competition to help you develop more as a player.
someblokecalleddave
Well-Known Member
Have you watched English football, they spend most of the time on the floor holding writhing in apparent pain, the rest of the time they walk around and then on the odd occasion they might sprint - it's pretty depressing stuff and yet somehow that justifies them being paid millions.
The kids that live near me refuse to use football pitches, because they have to run after the ball!
Kram81
Well-Known Member
The staging and diving is one of the main things that has stopped me ever following soccer/football properly, it's borderline comical at times. Sadly it's even started to slightly creep into Aussie Footy a bit over the years with blokes getting creative in 'milking' free kicks..
I played Australian Rules Football at that age and it's pretty hard to avoid covering a lot of ground running lol. I just sort of also thought that at that age kids are usually that active at school sports, kicking balls at lunch time or whatever that they should be 'naturally' fit enough without extra training to play a game like cricket that doesn't take a massive level of fitness. Although things have probably changed a lot since I grew up in the 90s, kids being more sedentary with the net, phones, ipods, computer games so prominent...
Brian Lara
Active Member
Do you watch English football?
Isn't that how a Conservative government likes it?
someblokecalleddave
Well-Known Member
I'm just listening to the news here now and on the front pages of one of our national papers they're saying that our allegedly committed players are currently being taught the national anthem, as they don't know it. In answer to your question being English and born in 1960 with some recollection of the furore of the world cup in 1966 and then brain washed as a kid into believing we're a great footballing nation, I still find myself drawn in hope that something has changed within football, only to be disappointed again and again. A small part of me that is still affected by the brain-washing of 54 years, will be compelled to watch the world cup unfold, but you just know that with players like Gerrard in there, nothing is going to be different it will be so disappointing.
I'm not sure about the Tories? This is a demographic time bomb ticking away, this generation of kids and youths will grow up to have all sorts of physical issues and will be a massive burden on the state at a time when they will be required to be working to pay taxes to look after an enormous older population at the end of their lives.
someblokecalleddave
Well-Known Member
I've got to start doing something soon, I've been stretching - which I do all the time, but strength, stamina, power and all that stuff I'm probably at a yearly low. I've bought a bike this year, not had one for years, I love cycling, so once the weather improves I'll give that a go to start my cardio stuff off. But running round fields, not for me at the moment. Did you do the thing where you sprint sections and then jog sections or was it just constant pace running?
I tried that last time, but now i did the yoyo test if you dont know about it and have never done it ..... DO IT its very good and you can set yourself a target because it has levels, australien police and defence forces use it, and cricketers use it
someblokecalleddave
Well-Known Member
What is it? Can I find it on the interwebs?
Its a 'test'. You have to mesure 20meters (22 y) and place cones or anything at the end. You have to download an mp3 track. You have to start running between the two cones when you hear a beep sound and it speeds up with time,.... If its not clear: type on Google: topendsport Beep Test .