COACHING : A cricket training session template

This is the layout I like to use for a typical training session.

It covers skills drills, fitness and game practice. Each segment can be reduced or expanded depending on the goals for the session. It can also be done with any number of people from one up. If you are doing pure fitness sessions you can cut out the skills and team practice.

General Warm Up (10-20 min)

The warm up is vital to reduce the risk of injury, so don't do what most club players do and skip straight to the skills session.

Conditioning (15-60 min)

This section is designed to be fitness based. You can work on any aspect of your fitness training during this time. If you want to make it cricket specific make sure you include drills that involve bats and balls and that recreate the conditions of a game.

Start with a few minutes of core stability training to help reduce the risk of injury. Concentrate especially on exercises that work the legs, trunk, ankles and knees.

You can then move on to drills with the emphasis on physical training over technique improvement, however you should not let your technique drop too far as you are increasing the risk of injury.

This portion should last no more than 45 minutes if you are also doing skills practice. If you are less fit you should cut the time back.

Always do at least 15 minutes to get the benefits.

Skills Practice (15-45 min)

Once you have worked on your physical conditioning you can move to working on specific skill drills.

The focus here is on skill improvement and maintenance so work on areas that you feel are weaker first. This practice usually takes the largest chunk of time of your session no matter how long you have. The longer the better up to the point when you are too fatigued to practice effectively.

Ideally you will also have access to a coach who can give you pointers as you train, although if this is not possible then a willing training buddy will do.

Team Practice (30 min minimum)

If you are practising as a whole team, now is the time to get back together and do some team practice. You could take part in fielding drills or have a cut down practice game. Either way the idea is to be working together.

If you are working in a pair or smaller group then you can use this time to extend the other parts of your practice depending on your needs.

General Cool Down (10-30 min)

It is essential for injury prevention and recovery that you take a few minutes to cool down.

This also gives the team a change to go over the session and discuss upcoming game tactics.