Cricket Upper Body Strength

Typically, the concentric phase comes first, although in exercises such as fly's and squats, the eccentric half comes first. The concentric contraction should take around two seconds, followed by a short pause, before the slower eccentric contraction, which should last around four seconds.

UPPER BODY

Work the upper body twice a week during the off season, once a week during the playing season. Using light weights will increase strength and stamina, not bulk.

	Single Arm Triceps Pullover. This exercise works the triceps muscle, which is crucial in both throwing the ball and batting. Supporting the working arm with your free hand, straighten your arm to lift the weight, keeping your elbow pointing upwards the whole time. Perform 3 sets of 12-15 reps with a lightweight.
	Bench Fly's. These work your chest muscles. Fly's are performed on either an incline or flat bench, using dumbbells. Slowly lower the weights, remembering not to allow your elbows to go lower than your shoulders, then bring your hands back together at the top. Perform 3 sets of 12 –15 reps with a light weight.
	Lateral Pull Downs work the muscles in your upper back. Pull the bar to the front of the body, then slowly resist as the weight pulls the bar back up. Keep your back straight and abdominal's contracted to control any forward movement from your waist. Aim for 3-4 sets of 12-15 reps. These can also be performed seated on an exercise ball, which will force you to use your abdominal muscles more.
	Rear Deltoid Pull – this works the back of your shoulder. This exercise is performed using the lower pulley of a cable machine. Do 2-3 sets of 12-15 reps with a light weight. If one arm is weaker than the other, adjust the weight accordingly. If you feel your body twisting, you should lower the weight to maintain control.
	Inclined bench Dumbbell Press – another exercise for the chest muscles. Perform 2-3 sets of 10 -12 reps using dumbbells. If you don't have access to an incline bench, or indeed appropriate dumbbells, you can substitute a flat bench and a barbell.
	Standing Biceps – for the muscles in the front of the upper arm. Performed using either a cable or free weights, the key is to keep the elbows tucked into your side, and avoid swinging of the body. You can totally eliminate body sway by working with your back against a wall, but again, focus on keeping your elbows tucked into your sides. When working with dumbbells, you can also perform a hammer curl, which is done with the thumbs upwards, rather than the palms of the hands. Perform 2 - 3 sets of 10 - 12 reps.
	Reverse Fly's – these are an excellent exercise for the upper back and rear shoulder muscles. Rest your body on a bench to give support to your lower back. Using a light weight, perform 3 sets of 15-20 reps, with a smooth, controlled action. Avoid any jerking action during the movement.
	Cable Rotator – This will help strengthen the all important rotator cuff. Sit with your right side towards a low pulley. Hold the handle in your right hand, with your arm bent at 90 degrees, forearm parallel to the floor. Rotate your arm to bring the handle across your body, pause, then slowly return to the starting position. Be sure to keep your elbow tucked against your body the whole time. Aim for 2 sets of 10 - 12 reps.