Here is my Training Programme for the Last Week of My School Holidays:
Wednesday:
2 sets of Plyometrics as Mentioned in the fast bowlers bible
Core Stability which Includes:
1min Plank
1min Side Plank
'Bird Dog'
Gluteal Bridge
Balancing Drills
Burpies 3x25
Strength Training:
3sets x 3 reps* of clap push ups
3x20 regular Push ups
15x3 of around 15-20 kg Squats
Skills:
Improving my run-up as it is getting a bit out of rythm
Aiming to it a 'doormat of uncertainty' 15 times out of 20
*If I am tired out of this I do it on my knees
Thursday:
1 set of plyometrics as above
Speed Training:
interval runs
Agility Drills
Running Mechanics
Shuttle Runs
Bat Speed:
Player with lighter bat then heavier bat while ball is on a String
Press ups 14x15
Friday:
1 set of Plyometrics
Balance and Agility Drills
Yoga on Wii fit
Core Stability:
as above but with Weighted Squats 3x15 added
Saturday:
4km Jog
Speed Training as above
Sprinting on a excercise machine which is like a bike but you stand up with high resistance.3x1min with 1:1 work/rest ratio
Sunday:
Rest Day
Monday:
same as Wednesday but with yoga
Tuesday:
1 set of Plyometrics
Agility drills
Clap press ups 3x3
Pressups 3x20
Skill Training, working on the '4 tent pegs Drill' and '3 knee drill'
Interval Runs
Sprinting on excercise machine as above
Wednesday:
2.5km jog
Plyometrics
Circuit:
push ups,burpies,squats,sit ups 2-4-6-6-4-2

End of Holiday

Just watched end of Test match, absoloutley brilliant, i can't believe ENGLAND bowled out SA for only 130 swann was brilliant, England are going to find it tough in cape town though, but I'm looking forward to it.

I've decided to stick to the 4-week Bodyweight course that you can see on MiCricketCoach while I am at school.

Update: after doing all my fitness today I've discovered that after the Christmas Period, in which I didn't to any fitness and ate alot, I can only do 10 press ups. I also have some pain in my abdominal muscles so for the Planks and Gluteal bridges I only did 30secs. Apart form that it went very well.

I did some goals earlier in the winter and here they are.
Off-Season Goals:
-Build a strong base and core with Plyometrics
-Be able to hit a target while bowling 18 times out of 20
-Improve the mental side of my batting as I can bat well in the nets but in matches I am a nervous wreck and never get any runs(But when i am bowling I am never nervous which I think is strange)
-Improve my action Biomechanicaly and gain speed and accuracy
Season Goals:
-Get 25 wickets for the Under 13's at my school
-have an average of 15 or above
-Get up early every morning to train
-Get the 'Best bowler' award or get Cricket Colours at school.

Long-Term Goals:
-Play for England
-Become the world's No.1 bowler and all-rounder(and beat the australians every time I play them)

any suggestions you have to add to my Training Programme would be Welcome, Thanks!

P.S. I don't have access to any training equipment apart from the excercise machine mentioned above

Well, I have finished my bowling training and I have sorted out my haywire run-up with a tip from the MCC masterclass book. I'm not sure whose tip it was but I think it was Jeff Thompson but anyway it said that if you are having problems with your run up then you should run in with your eyes closed and pretend you are a train(or something like that), so I tried it and It worked.
My target practice didn't go so well, I hit the mat 11 times out of 20 but I think my target of 15 was too high because I haven't bowled for 2 weeks. So my training went pretty well.

The bowling specific interval training are really good, I just did 8x6reps and I am not tired at all, already I am feeling much fitter than at christmas.

I have finished the rest of my training without problem but I have just realised that I forgot my plyometrics. I will try and do it indoors but If I cant I had a very good agility and speed session so that makes up for it. New years resoloution: Post evrything I eat on this site.
Happy New Year!
Ant

Eating for 3rd of January:( I havent been able to record last 2days, been busy)

Breakfast:Muesli

Mid Morning Snack: Cereal bar and water

Lunch: Goats cheese Ravioli

Supper: Scrambled eggs with mushrooms(that I made myself while the rest of my family were having pizza

Training has been normal.

Eating for 4th January

Breakfast: Muesli and Toast

Mid-morning snack: nuts and water

Lunch: Homemade hot dog

Supper: Spaghetti bolognaise

Eating for 4th January

Breakfast: Muesli and Toast

Mid-morning snack: nuts and water

Lunch: Homemade hot dog

Supper: Spaghetti bolognaise

Eating for 5th January:

Breakfast: Muesli

Lunch: Tagiatelle with mushrooms

Supper: Cauliflower Cheese

Good work Ant - you sound very committed: Your diet is outstanding!

Thanks a lot DonBradmansDuck, its really nice to hear encouragment from other users.
Im sorry i havent been posting, ive had a really hectic few days with start of term getting postponed due to snow, will post soon.
Ant

Thats an amazing routine you have going for an 11 year old. I hope you achieve your goals for the season, just dont forget your still a kid so enjoy your cricket and your team mates company.

Don't worry steve i won't thanks for the tips and encouragement. My schools indoor cricket nets started yesterday. I batted really well apart from having problems on my leg side. I bowled alright
ant

Hello everyone, i am going to try and be posting everyday but forgive me if I don't, my diet has been down a bit because I am at boarding school and I havent got as much choice as at home, but I have to be honest:
BREAKFAST:
CocoPops (sorry)and croissant
LUNCH:
Beef Goulash

Then had a Football match
MATCH TEA(no choice):
Hotdog,cheese and onion crisps and a slice of cake
Supper:
3 peanut butter sandwiches

That was extremely chaotic.
Anyway My schools indoor nets started yesterday and as I was saying i was having problems on the legside, it might be because I havent batted for 5 months but I did have problems before, if you listen to one of the pitch vision podcasts one of the questions about batting against leftarmers was actually my question. But we'll see how it goes and I'll update you on it soon.
Thank you for all support from other users and good luck in your pre-season training, if anyone has any other tips then they would be very welcome.
Thanks!
ant

Be interested to see how you go Ant,

Eating for thursday;
BREAKFAST: Muesli with banana

LUNCH:
Cornish Pasty with broccoli

Supper:
Lasagne and dried banana

eating for friday
Breakfast;
Muesli with banana

Lunch
Fish Snadwich

Supper:
Chicken drumsticks. Tuna and sweetcorn

Had indoor nets. Bowled some half volleys but otherwise bowled well. Didn't bat.

I didn't have much time to write yesterday but I do have time now.
The problem with my bowling is that I have lost my really good hang time I had last season. I have Ian ponts fast bowlers bible but it doesnt include any drills to improve it. I really need to get it back as that made my rythm and my speed improve so much. Any drills anyone?

I have read thomas matcham's new approach to fast bowling and I am scrapping the bound and adding the crow-hop to my action. I hope matcham is right and it makes me quicker but if it doesn't work out I can always go back to my old action.
Ant

Hi Everyone,
I have been busy and have had a very bad diet recently due to my birthday and braces.
I got a medicine ball for my birthday which I am very happy with, does anyone know any particularly good exercises for a fast bowler.
Cheers

Great news I have been selected for my schools U13 squad to go to holland before the start of the term, we might be working with the former dutch national coach and we will be playing 3 or 4 matches against local dutch teams.
I am spending this afternoon ( about 2 hours ) working towards a sound batting technique I have spotted a few flaws in my batting and I am going through every single shot correcting them. Still looking for medicine ball excercises!
Ant

Good news! I have recently purchased the duraband complete cricket trainer. I am at school again now so im not doing as much fitness than at home. The duraband is really good and I am using it frequently. I missed the school cricket nets yesterday because i had a basketball match.
Everything else is going great.
Ant

Everything is going fairly well. My bowling is coming on brilliantly. Duraband looks like it's working, I have increased my pace and am bowling well.
The flaw is in my batting. My session in the holidays that I mention 2 posts before. My technique is improved but the problem is mental. I got hit a couple of times in the nets and since then i've been reluctant to come forward and I am slightly scared of the ball hitting me again. I'm playing really well against the spinners though. I know the drill about an friend hitting balls at you, but I can't really do that at school or at home because I'm mostly on my own training, are there any other drills that anyone could recommend.
Cheers
Ant

start of the school holidays and I started my preseason yesterday.
My training(yesterday)
Bodyweight workout, clap press ups, squats,burpees, gluteal bridges etc.
Shuttle Runs
Diet
Breakfast: Special K with banana
Lunch: Spinach with cheese, chicken, strawberries
Post Workout snack: Rice cakes with goats cheese.

Bad news: i have left my Duraband at school and will not be able to use it till I go to holland
Ant

Preseason Goals:
-Lose 2kg
-Be in peak condition for the start of the season
-Get 6 wickets and score 30runs on my preseason tour to holland
-20 consecutive clap pushups
-Master 2 slower balls, back of hand and SLOB
-Be able to consisently do accurate round arm throw
-Get used to catching a cricket ball again
-Remove all flaws in batting technique
Any suggestions on how to achieve these goals would be appreciated
Ant

Everything going well, Im off to Holland on Saturday, really excited.
Ant

Isn't 20 consecutive push ups veering towards muscle endurance and away from explosive power? From reading this site it seems to be that a bowler should be going for the latter e.g. 3 sets of 6 clap push ups...

Yep, if you can do 20 it's probably time to try something else for power.

Hi,
I'm on my tour to holland at the moment, and after three days(3 2 1/2 hour training sessions and 2 matches) it has been really productive so far. I have scrapped the crow hop after not bowling well in the nets and the normal approach is working much better I have also identified my batting problems, I'm not taking a big enough stride and my batting is better ( although I'm batting at 9-10. Matches: First match was against VCC who had a mix of 1or 2 17 year olds a few 15 year olds and some 13 year olds. We lost. They weren't that good but our bowlers didn't really fire and fielded badly. I opened the bowling and got figures of 3-0-16-0 didn't get any wickets but had a sitter dropped at slip. I wasn't really on form. I batted at 10 and didn't get a chance Second match was against Excelsior who were an u13 team like us. We won by nineteen runs. We batted first I came in at nine when we had 2 overs to go and got us to 106. I opened again and bowled a really good line and length and got a wicket. My figures were 3-1-6-1

Decent early season form will probably get better as you go on - as you may know!

Update:
The Last match of the tour we easily won, i bowled well and picked up 2 wickets. I was awarded bowler of the tour which was good.
On friday we had a 1st round JET cup match against ardingly. We scored 130 in our 25 overs i batted ten and got 6* but batted with no technique. Anyway, I opened the bowling and got a caught behind on the first ball. Great start. I go two other wickets in my first 3 overs. In the middle overs we played well getting two wickets but i dropped a catch. Then came the 16th over and everything started going wrong, we dropped catches, misfielded and suddenly, by the 21st over they needed 12 to win, then i came on. They had a really good partnership by that time of about 65. First ball, i removed their big batsman who had got 50 caught at mid on. They had crossed, second ball the other good batsman played and missed, third I bowled him, i then removed the new batsman first ball, fourth was a dot, fifth was a noball which they got two off, next was a dot then I got him out. My best over ever, i picked up four wickets. Our off spinner then bowled an excellent over which went for 2 then I bowled a dot first ball, and next ball, the match was over.
I finished with figures of 4.2-0-8-14 these are my best ever figures and i am really pleased, next mathc is on wednesday.
Ant

We have had another match on wednesday, I opened and bowled really well and got 3 wickets including a u13 sussex player. This is looking like my best season yet and part of that is due to micoach so thanks for all your brilliant advice and keep advice.
THanks!
Ant

All part of the service, no extra charge.

Sorry for lack of posts recently. After that brilliant start of 15 wickets in 3 games, things have slowed down quite considerably, i think I have taken about 5 wickets in 7 games. We were knocked out of the JET cup in the 3rd round, we were beaten by 3 wickets in the final over. I have had hardly any free time because we are preparing for school exams so this might be the problem, too little practice. Anyway I have had a good rest at half term and hopefully things will start to get better again.
Ant

Season is over. I have had a pretty average last few games taking a couple of wickets. My stats for the season are.
BOWLING
Overs:74(most in the school)
Maidens:8(")
Runs Conceded:308(")
Wickets:25(")(which was my target)
Average:12.32(Best in 1st team)
Economy:4.16
Strike Rate:17.76(2nd best)
BATTING at no.10
Average:10.17
Runs:61
Strike Rate:87
CATCHES:6
TEAM
Played:20
Won:13
Lost:6
Drawn:1

Now that my season is finished I would like to asses it.
Firstly my off season. I think that it was an alright off season considering that it was the first time I had tried any of anything mentioned on the sight. Previously i didn´t do anything. My pre-season tour to holland was a huge benefit, I improved my all round game a lot. First match was that JET cup match when I took 8 wickets. That was a combination of a really good opening spell, taking a wicket with the first ball of the season, and a tight spell and the death in which I bowled a tight line and length and let the pressure do the rest. 5 wickets in 9 balls flatters me a bit. Most of the wickets were caught. Oh well. I continued my great start and took 3 wickets then 4 wickets. Then I started having pain in my ankles. Im not blaming all my loss of form on that but I think it was a huge contributing factor. After that my form just dipped. I never recovered properly apart from a bit at the end when i took a few.
I now have a very long off season ahead of me which I am actually very excited about. I am really going to work hard, especially on my ankles. Please, please,please can I have any tips on how to strengthen them. I would really appreciate it.
Thanks
aNT

Hi, Ive started the Precision Nutrition System of Eating and will record my exercise and diet now.
Today
Tabata Training(4min), Med Ball power circuit- http://www.pitchvision.com/heres-a-quick-way-to-develop-power-and-speed-...
Bfast
Special K, pecan nuts, pear, orange juice, Nesquick(Chocolate Milk)
Swimming 4 lengths(14 m) each of BackStroke, Breaststroke, Butterfly and Front Crawl
Snack
Lowfat Strawberry yoghurt
Lunch
Chicken Breast, Sweetcorn, Fruit Salad
Supper
Salmon Fish Cakes, Mixed Berries
Any Comments Welcome
Ant

I had a problem when I couldnt post things so I haven been able to do what I said above. I have had quite a lot of holiday and the meals are justhere and there. not really been eating properly. I bought an ankle support to combat my ankle problems. I have also started the stick of rhubarb blog just now. please take a minute to check it out, I started it just now and I don't yet have any readers.
Cheers
Ant