Your Cricket Leg Muscles

[manee]

I have a major problem with my leg muscles in cricket. My legs are always so stiff to the point that I cannot bowl at full capacity at any point in my first spell and I don't usually get a second one. My legs seem to be just too stiff to run in and they feel ten times their actual weight.

Does anyone have any tips for how to get them loose prior to the innings. Should I do a few short sprints or a little jog around the boundary? Any specific stretches that are found to be effective and how long should I do them for.

This is a major problem because, not only does it mean I am poor at running in, I cannot achieve correct hang-time nor am I of any use in the field during or after my spell. Should I look to strengthen my legs over the winter with weighted ankle bands and leg press exercises, or will that make things worse.

Any help would be highly appriciated because it is a major problem and simply stretching out beforehand (with things such as the hamstring stretch and groin stretch) has little to no effect.

 

[Skater]

I would advise a jog around the boundary doing the well known Knees Up technique, then doing a lot of stretches with the legs prior to the match/innings.

Also, talk to your captain about getting a second spell!

 

[Animator!]

Increase Leg strength. Various ways to do it. Running with your ankle weights on. Resistance running. Running up hill etc. Anything that will put strain on the muscles in your legs. Squats, toe lifts etc.

Also, as ridiculous as this may sound; Yoga/Pilates is very good at loosen muscles and strengthening them.

 

[Leggie]

do what some footballers do before extra time, just putting their legs up into the air and shaking, them. this increases the blood circulation and will decrease the amount stiffness during an activity

 

[sd92]

All of the above are good..running is a great technique...stretches are vital...and Skins underclothing also helps with stiffness before and after games..

 

[Almost_Austwick]

I'd suggest a thorough warm up before games. 5-10 mins of walking followed by systematic stretching regime (by this I mean toes to head or vice versa).

Don't overdo it on the pitch (keep to spells of 5 overs if you can) and stretch between overs and spells. Ideally you want to keep as mobile as possible. Also, keep warm, so on cold days wear a jumper.

After the game have another reasonable walk to help relax the muscles and get the blood to circulate and flush lactic acid out.

It's also important to get the correct amount of rest between games to allow muscles to recover. However, light jogging or power walking along with swimming will help to keep things loose.

I guess your still growing so it may be one of those things for now however it may be worthwhile seeing a doctor to make sure that your tendons and ligaments are growing as they should and that there isn't any other underlying cause.

 

[sd92]

Yes swimming is great exercise, one of the best ways, as it works the whole of your body. Could it be growing pains, i used to get them a bit, but not so much now!

 

[evertonfan]

Didn't want to start a new thread on a similar issue so i'll use this if Manee doesn't mind; Can anybody recommend any exercises to help maintain the strength of my calf muscles. I broke up from school about 10 weeks ago and my football season finished 2 weeks prior to that so in short, i've been doing next to bugger all for a good while now and starting to feel the effects. My calf muscles are generally buff because I play a lot of sports, but my recent drought has definitely had a reverse effect on them. Any help would be appreciated and sorry for hijacking your thread Manee.

 

[Almost_Austwick]

Walking\running up stairs or jogging up very steep hills might be a start.

Also, just going from standing flat footed to tip toes will work the calves.

 

[evertonfan]

Cheers Tom. The tiptoe/flatfooted thing, do you mean that I should walk like that or remain stationary?

 

[Almost_Austwick]

Remain stationary keeping the knees locked. Just go from standing to tip toes and then back down. Do it slowly for maximum effect.

Also have a look at this link for more ideas.

Are you going for legs like this:

 

[Simbazz]

One of the best ways i feel to loosen up, and this is a rugby stretch, but is still effective is take a walk around the boundry, lifting one knee (obviously the one you're not currently standing on) up to your hip hight, and stretch your leg out as far as you can keeping your toes pointed towards the sky, bring your leg down to its normal position and do the same with your other leg, should loosen you up all round. Do it slowly for maximum effect as Tom said.

 

[sd92]

Are you going for legs like this:

I don't see Matt, as Greg Valentino

 

[evertonfan]

Well I do get a lot of valentines.

I actually own a pair of ankle weights but they don't actually seem to be doing much. I must be wearing them wrong or something.

 

[sd92]

Well if you looked like Grey Valentino, you wouldn't get many...