Sunday, May 17, 2020

My Cricketing Insights 2 - Parag Paigankar (Part 2) on Preparation

This is Part 2 of Parag's sharing. More on preparation during lockdown/post lockdown.

Parag's Insights on Preparation

For Batsmen 
Training to maintain focus during lockdown/offseason

Motivating oneself during off-season and lockdowns is very tough and challenging. But one day the game will resume and so off-seasons/lockdown is the period where cricketer will have to train more harder and in a focused manner to not only keep physically fit, keep up your footwork and reflexes but also be mentally motivated to avoid sluggishness

Few tips during the lockdown period

Skipping 
I. Set alarm to get up at exactly the same time as you used to get up during the season ..say 6 am
Ii. Put on your track pant or shorts, light t-shirt and shoes. You should feel that you getting ready for a purpose

II. Skipping
a. Start with skipping with or without rope...first 10 days do 5 sets of 3 minutes each as per your limit..
b. After 7 days, increase the sets or from 3 mts per set to 5 mts or more as per one's stamina..after each set, you should feel you can not skip more.
c. Take a break of 3 mts between each set

Do skipping, including breaks for  30 minutes.
One can do skipping with or without rope
Drink sufficient (not excessive) water or lime water in between sets
Skipping develops and gives strength to lower body as well as agility n quickness

IV. Dips (Push-ups)
a. Do dips of 10 to 25 per set as per one's limit
b. Do 3 to 5 sets as per one's limit
c. Each set should be same number...if you choose do 1st set of 10 dips...then other 2 or 4 sets should be of same 10 dips
d. After every 7 days, see if  you can increase the number of dips by 2 per set then do it till you come to a minimum 25
d. Maximum dips per set are as per one's limit
e. Do not overdo in one set so that you cannot do balance sets..start with a comfortable number of dips per set so that you can do all the 3 or sets
f. Also after 10 days, increase sets from say 2 to 4 gradually as per one's limit
f. Take a break of 3 minutes in between the sets

Drink little sips of fluid in between the sets

I am not recommending use of dumbbells for biceps and triceps as it creates stiffness in muscles...Cricket needs strength in muscles and not stiffness

These 2 exercises at a minimum in the morning for 1 hour are good enough to develop upper and lower body strength

I am not recommending Abs or stomach exercises as at a young age it is not needed

These 2 exercises in the morning are indicated considering that you may not be able to go out of the house due to lockdown restrictions

Running - Long Distance/ Sprints
If you are able and allowed to go out after lockdown is over then during off-seasons, you should one day do skipping and next day go for long-distance running for minimum 20 minutes plus sprints for 10 minutes followed by Dips..

Please maintain a  constant speed while doing long-distance running. Next time, you may increase the speed as per your comfort but keep the same speed throughout 20 minutes...

How Long-Distance Running helps in Batting
Long-distance running helps in building stamina as well as improves focus to reach your goal which seems far off in the beginning but is achieved at the end...While batting long innings, this focus is very important because batsman start innings with zero and at that time 100 or 200 seems very far off. But the batsman will have to reach and pass small  milestones like 30 runs then 50, 75, 85, 90s...100 becomes reality and joyous moment that you have captured and conquered small battles in between  within yourself and with the opponent to reach your final milestone

V. Watching Experts
During the day after breakfast say between 11 to 1 p.m. for 1 hour or so, one can download and watch batting and bowling lips of your idols like Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Rahul Dravid, Virendra Sehwag, VVS Laxman, Sunil Gavaskar to name few from India and Brian Lara, Viv Richards,  Gordon Greenidge to name few from West Indies and/or whom you like to watch

VI. Evening between 4 to 6 pm for a minimum 1 to 2 hours -

a. Do stretching exercises

b. Batting drills for e.g forward defence on off stump, then middle stump, middle and off stump, leg n middle stump.. similarly back foot defence, front foot shots, back foot drives, square cut, pulls, sweep, etc.
C. While doing batting drills you need to visualize that you are facing a pace bowler or offspinner or leg spinner...also visualize inswing, outswing, flight, turn, spin while doing your drills
d. If you have pads n gloves at home,  then do the drills with your entire kit on...
e.Visualize match play while doing drills...for e.g a) how will you play short or well-pitched ball pitched on off stump and moving out or the same ball coming in.
b) Visualize in one over you will be playing front foot defence, back foot defence, front foot drive to mid-off / covers, front foot drive to mid-on/ thru midwicket, back foot punch to covers /extra covers, square cut, etc
c) Visualize short pitch ball on off stump or so, chest height and above  which you have to leave in front of your nose/ mouth,
d) Visualize ducking into short-pitched balls
e) Visualize field positions like 2 - 3 slips, gully, short leg, point, cover, mid-off, mid-on, square leg fine leg, short mid-wicket or deep mid-wicket depending which type of bowler you are facing and how to pierce the field, how to avoid giving a catch to close in /slip fielders,
f) Concentrate on you improving technique or how to avoid small unnoticeable errors for e.g your head may go up while driving, the bottom hand may come into play while off driving resulting in drive going uppish, how to quickly come in line of the ball,
g) Visualize turn, bounce, flight, pace...visualise grassy pitch or pitch with light grass or without any grass which is expected to turn from very 1st day

D) Last but not the least, strictly watch your diet...avoid oily, fried, sweets which can suddenly increase your weight but at same time, eat good nutritional food

E) Sleep early and well to have a good minimum of 7 hours of sleep
...

Wonderful advice. Thanks Parag.

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