Reducing stiffness after nets

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mas cambios

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Reducing stiffness after nets

I'm guessing this might be something that most of us will find useful. Whenever I net I suffer from extreme stiffness for about the nest 4 or 5 days afterwards. We're are talking serious pain, all over, in most of the big muscle groups. After a few weeks it gets better, as I guess my muscles get used to playing cricket again.

I get this regardless of how active I've been over the winter and have tried a fair few things to minimise the effects; from hot baths, cold baths, cool downs, warm downs, plus a fair few others. I still wake up feeling like the tin-man though.

Is there anything I can do to help reduce the stiffness and pain (short of getting the overs and net sessions under my belt), especially as this year I want to try netting twice a week, 2/3 days apart; at the moment this just won't be possible.
 
Re: Reducing stiffness after nets

I used to get the same, but now i just stretch out all the major muscles after i get home, so i give it a bit of time and i feel much better the next day
 
Re: Reducing stiffness after nets

It's a perfectly normal reaction to stress called DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness). You can't really avoid it, especially at the start of the season and nor would you want to. It's your body making you recover fully.

Have a look here for some reduction tips:

http://www.harrowdrive.com/are-you-suffering-from-post-cricket-muscle-soreness/
http://www.harrowdrive.com/get-rid-of-fatigue-on-the-field-once-and-for-all/

I would also recommend a carb rich meal or drink as soon after playing or training as possible. Pasta, potatoes, a recovery drink like Lucozade Sport, Orange Squash or rice are all good options.
 
Re: Reducing stiffness after nets

Thanks for the links David, I sort of knew that it was something I wasn't going to be able to avoid but anything to reduce it would be a godsend.

It wasn't so bad when I was in a more active job as I could walk around more and that seemed to lessen the duration, however, sitting behind a desk means that I get little chance of that and I think the inactivity just increases the recovery time.
 
Re: Reducing stiffness after nets

You are right. I know it seems counter productive but a gentle swim or light 10-15 minute bodyweight workout can actually get the blood flowing again.

Gentle activity is good.
 
Re: Reducing stiffness after nets

I reckon 90% of athletes use contrast showers and icebaths for recovery after training or the actual event. If there was a large risk of rhumatism or anything like that they wouldnt b doing it- and we are talking about Professionals.
 
Re: Reducing stiffness after nets

nothin beats a hot shower... bit of a stretch then about 10 hours of sleep... usually feel fine the next day..

just passin that on :)
 
Re: Reducing stiffness after nets

Have netted this evening for about an hour and a half and I don't feel so bad at the moment.

Have taken some of the advice from harrowdrive and this thread so will report back tomorrow (if I can make it to the computer :p).
 
Re: Reducing stiffness after nets

Almost_Austwick said:
Have netted this evening for about an hour and a half and I don't feel so bad at the moment.

Have taken some of the advice from harrowdrive and this thread so will report back tomorrow (if I can make it to the computer :p).
Click to expand...

Well i netted up for the first time last evening (with the team). I was just trying to middle the dam ball, and just went out trying to slam the ball all over. Then the mistake came, haven't bowled in over a month properly, i shouldn't have had such a long time at full go, the shoulders and neck are unbearably painful.

I hate pre-season, all the pain, none of the gain.
 
Re: Reducing stiffness after nets

I just wanted to say that I had a contrast shower after my net session yesterday and although I am stiff, there is no pain whatsoever even though I bowled for about 1 hour.
 
Re: Reducing stiffness after nets

Jimmy, basically it is turning the showers temp up and down. Its advisable that you have it as hot as you can, without burning yourself, as it helps increase blood flow which in turn willhelp the muscles recover quicker.

3 minutes of the hot warm water. Then 30 seconds of cold, then three minutes of hot again. You need to do it to the sore, stiff areas but as Manee says, the pain is minimul, and it helps you recover a bit quicker.
 
Re: Reducing stiffness after nets

Can it be done straight after a Cricket Match and should the timeline as mentioned above for Contrast Shower be the same or are there any different timeline for after match day or after training schedule.
Can u explain it?
 
Re: Reducing stiffness after nets

3 minutes - warm
30 seconds - cold

Thats what I work off for both, i forgot to mention, between turning the cold water on, and hot off, make sure its done gradually and not straight away, then when its the coldest it can be, count out 30 seconds.
 
Re: Reducing stiffness after nets

The steps I followed were as follows:

Dynamic warm up before session
Cool down afterwards followed by a contrast shower.

I had a medium size bowl of pasta/salad after, followed by some pineapple (have also been eating it for a few days beforehand).

A gentle walk afterwards (and this morning and afternoon etc).

Whilst I still have some DOMS it's not totally unbearable and is certainly lesser than in previous years. I think the biggest difference was the dynamic stretching although it did get a few funny looks from people.
 
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