Welcome Naz, I watched your arch rivals Sanmore lose the Club Twenty20 finals this summer. Can't wait to see how your training goes.

Thanks David - yes I missed that. Shame they didn't do it - would have been nice for a Middlesex club to win it!

Ok so my training programme since the end of the season has pretty much gone like this:

Monday (depending on time) push or pull work out (se below)

Tuesday: 3 mile run in which I aim for a personal best each time. The best time so far has been 23:29.

Push workout:
3 or 4 sets (depending on time) of 8 - 12 reps (depending on how I'm feeling) of:

glute medius exercises
Single leg deadlift/good morning
bilateral/unilateral (alternate per session) vertical push (e.g. dips, push press, alt db shoulder press)
unilateral/bilateral (alternate per session) horizontal push (e.g. db bench press on swiss ball, bench press, push ups of various descriptions)
rotational (using cable machine e.g. wood chops, cricket actions I make up like the pull shot, seated Russian twist and Corkscrews using free weights)

Wednesday (depending on time): push or pull work out. Circuit of push ups, burpies, squat jumps, sit ups in set of 2-4-6-6-4-2 (pb 1:37)

Thursday:

3 miles on treadmill at good pace (sub-25:00) but not at 100% - generally start at a lot easier pace and graduate upwards

Pull work-out:

single leg squats on bose ball
single leg good mornings/deadlifts
unilateral/bilateral vertical (chin ups - military, wide arm or palm inwards grip)
unilateral/bilateral horizontal (different types of row)
core (e.g. planks)

Saturday:

Hockey match (anaerobic)

I want to make some changes going forward which I will post over the weekend.

Hi all,

So as I said on my last post I want to make some changes to my program going forward. I want to train 4 times every week (excepting xmas where it's just too difficult with work things on). 2 of the days I want to dedicate almost exclusively to weights still using the push-pull format but maybe I want to lower the work-rest ratio to 1:1 so far as possible. The other 2 days I want to be fitness, although following a different format to what I have been. I want to do more specific fitness training - less long runs on the treadmill and more interval training type stuff. I'm not sure how to do this in a gym so any suggestions anyone might have will be gratefully received. Some ideas are:

Boxing
Skipping
Push-up/burpie/squat jumps/sit up circuits as described in a previous post

I will get my nutrition in order too. There is no structure to it at the moment - too many sweets also. I will think about it and put some goals up.

In the meantime as I say please feel free to comment on my plan or to make alternative suggestions.

Thanks

Naz

By the way forgot to record this week's training. It has been difficult what with Xmas drinks left, right and centre. I have only managed one weights session and a hockey game today. Maybe I can try and get a session in tomorrow...

Next week is going to be tough also but will do my best to get at least two sessions in!

Ok guys, I want to record what I eat every day, starting with today:

Breakfast - Capuccinno and two white Bagels with wafer thin turkey and margarine

Lunch - Italian Meatball panini with cheese

Now (3:50pm) - a conference pear because I have just looked at the above with some sadness! See - this log does work!

I really need to sort my nutrition out! It is very difficult with a busy lifestyle (tonight I need to work out how to fit spanish lessons, xmas shopping and gym in plus a meal!) but I'm hoping to improve with the help of this log...

Till next time

Naz

And a dark chocolate thin - before not after the pear!

Made it to the gym at 830 pm and was in there for 30 mins working to a 1:1 work-rest ratio (this is hard work!):

Warm up: 5 mins on treadmill
Single leg deadlift: 4 x 6-10 (2 sets 12.5kg, 2 sets 10kg)
Bent over row: 4 x 8-10 (30kg)
Single arm lat pull down: 4 x 10 (12.5kg)
Seated Russian twist (7kg medicine ball)

Food:

Was difficult as I had Spanish lesson and Xmas shopping to do.

6:30 pm Had 4 broccoli tips. 2 slices roast beef. banana.

11pm after shopping - Chicken Schwarma - nightmare but I needed to eat something and this was the healthiest option after nando's turned me away at 1030!

Breakfast today: coffee and tomato and avocado on toast.

Am heading to the gym tonight to do a push workout. Am going out for dinner too so need to be careful...

Cheerio folks

Naz

Looks good Naz. What is your plan for eating? Do you have any rules to stick by?

Thanks David.

No rules - just try to do the best job I can from bits and bobs I have picked up over time.

I think some rules would do me some good though to be honest. Time is usually what makes eating well most difficult so I need to make sure any plan I come up with is realistic...

I'm going to develop a plan over Xmas.

By the way I'm loving writing this blog - just by writing this stuff down I feel more committed to my goals..

Yeah I think a written set of rules will really make a difference. it doesn't really matter WHAT they are (you know what is healthy and what isn't) but at least then you will know when you are going 'off plan' (which is OK if done in moderation).

Thanks David I will definitely give this a go and post my plan here - watch this space!

Hi Naz..
I do miss the standard of cricket as i have played with some excellent cricketers, but my priorities have changed and don't miss it enough to put the cricket first... I still want to be a success and feel a little pressure to perform for teh team so am looking to play the best \i can consistently.

Darren

I am writing this from bed as I managed to strain my neck at the gym yesterday!

Warm up: 5 mins rowing
Single leg good mornings 3 x 6 (10 kgs) - was well off the boil on this exercise. Maybe I had not fully recovered from sl deadlifts yesterday..
Push press 4 x 10 (32.5 kg)
Single arm bench press on swiss ball 4 x 8 (18kg db, 14 kg last set)
Plank x 2 (45 secs each)

Food:

Lunch: Brown rice, brocolli, potatoes, veggie sheperd's pie, mixed beans (from my local Planet Organic)

Snack: Pear (330)

Snack 2: turkey sandwich with lettuce (430)

Dinner: Stuffed Roast Pepper, Chicken and pasta with side salad (830)

Breakfast: Banana and cereal

When are you going to start pre-season Naz?

Hi Tony,

I'm playing an indoor comp at Lord's at the moment so in a way have started already although it's a very different game.

Will start netting third week of Jan.

And you?

Naz

Stiffness not so bad around the neck but has now spread to shoulder. Will keep taking anti-inflams and hope to be able to play indoor this Sunday.

I'm likely to take the week off training over xmas as I will be abroad. Will probably do a couple of runs though. I also want to do some planning and goal-setting in the time that I would normally be working out in.

Mentally I'm feeling pretty good at the moment. I'm relaxed and not feeling strained or under pressure despite putting quite a lot of work in. Think this has something to do with my goal not to be fearful with my sport. I think that I worried too much last season because I wanted to do so well. That resulted in a fear of failure. This year I don't want to get in my own way and just let it flow a lot more.

Food intake is getting more disciplined though I am yet to draw up my guidelines which is on my agenda to do. Today I had:

Midmorning snack - 2 slices roast beef and 5 broccoli tips

Lunch: Baked potato with tuna mayonnaise (light), sweetcorn and greenbeans in soy sauce.

Dinner: Nando's quarter chicken (breast and wing), chips, chicken livers (yum although many of you will probably say not!) and white roll.

2 coffees

Chicken liver is really packed with nutrients. Good choice. Have you seen by post on precision cricket nutrition to get an idea for eating guidelines?

Keep an eye on that shoulder, if it doesn't go I'll mention it to a physio I know.

Thanks David, really appreciate that. It already feels a little better - the Ibuprofen is helping.

I have looked at the Precision Nutrition post and at the moment am using to get some basic ideas e.g. getting most of my carbs from fruit. I want to sit down and have a proper think about what precise rules to follow during the Xmas break. I need to make sure I can follow my rules given my constraints. Or maybe my constraints aren't as bad as I think? Either way I need to give it some thought...

Yeah it does take some thought. I strongly recommend you adopt the "90% rule" from PN though. That has helped me a lot to be able to "cheat".

Good plan - might as well allow for the cheating as it would just happen anyway!

Right guys food for today:

Breakfast: Pear and cupcake (ok, a bit of a blow-out but it was a serious cupcake so at least I went out in style!)

Lunch: Salad with Chicken, Avocado, Broccoli, Mozarella, Ranch and Chilli

Dinner: 2 Chicken Breasts, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Carrots

Trying to avoid getting too many carbs from bread, rice etc (both of which I used to eat alot). Following some of the Precision Nutrition System bits and bobs in the interim before I come up with my rules. My diet got better in the last couple of days (remember the meatball sandwich and chicken schwarma combo of two days ago???). I feel better for it - mentally at least, I expect it takes a bit longer to notice a difference physically. I think keeping recording what I eat on here has really helped.

Shoulder/neck is feeling better. Think I'll probably be okay for indoor on Sunday.

Also I'm praying England pick Shah tomorrow - they can't keep denying the guy! Enjoy the test match if you're lucky enough to see it.

Naz

Hi guys

Sorry this is so late but just got back from my Xmas party!

Shoulder now feels great - seems like it was just a bit of stiffness.

Diet today obviously suffered a little bit because of xmas party but still not bad I think. Plus I resisted free cake (had grapes instead) and a kebab after a few drinks (while watching my mate order a double cheeseburger!)

I ate:
Grapes plus banana for breakfast

1 slice brown toast as mid-morning snack

2 brown chapatis with mince and vegetable curry for lunch

Grapes for an afternoon snack

garlic mushroom brioche, twice cooked chicken, bread and butter pudding for dinner

about 5 drinks for dessert

Good times!

Looks like you are improving the eating already, even in the face of Christmas!

Thanks David.

I have been to two more Xmas parties yesterday and today and I'm afraid the standard has dropped a bit and I have had a fair bit of alcohol - not good! Stayed away from junk food though which I feel has been a massive improvement this week. Also have been eating much more fruit and vegetables than normal. Less chocolate too. So I think some good points and also some points for improvement.

Saturday I had a banana for breakfast

Roast chicken lunch with potatoes, broccoli, carrots and cauliflower cheese

I had a roast chicken sandwich around 7

Then went to a party in the evening where there were all sorts of party snacks which I tucked into. Feel like I ate quite a lot - spring rolls, prawn toasts, jalapenos, cheese, bread, crisps etc etc Not great! At least I stopped myself from a chicken burger on the way home!

Today I felt slightly worse for wear!

Banana for breakfast, skipped lunch pretty much, huge roast dinner including chicken, potatoes, broccoli, carrots, parsnips, stuffing, xmas pudding and a few beers.

The good thing is my Xmas drinking is over! I'm travelling to see my folks in Canada tomorrow and they don't drink at all. We're going on a family holiday to Tokyo from there and there is plenty of tasty but healthy Japanese food I can tuck into.

Indoor cricket today went really well. We won the Middlesex competition and are now involved in the national finals.

I had a good day personally. Made 40 out of a score of 52 in the first game, but we lost and I was involved in two run outs so it was by no means perfect. Really happy with my performance in the second game. To win the league we needed to bowl the opposition out and not lose a wicket in our chase. I opened and retired on 25 (when I retired there was only 15 left to get). I was happy with my mindset. Telling myself to play without fear is starting to make me feel good at the crease again after my horrendous season this year. I really think it could make a massive difference for me next season.

Sorry everyone this was a bit of a long update but have had a busy weekend so couldn't write yesterday. Hope you are all well and enjoying the festive break. Merry Xmas to you all!

Naz

Travelled from London to Calgary today so as you can imagine, eating was tough. Still I did ok. Managed to get two fruits, ryvita w/cheddar, chicken, spinach and mushroom pastry, bowl of chilli, vegetable soup, yoghurt and biriyani in there (might seem like a lot but I have been up for 27 hours!).

Flying to Tokyo in 5 hrs which will make it even harder but no matter what I promise I will give you the truth (as much as it might shame me!).

Cheers

Naz

We missed our flight to Tokyo due to bad weather in Canada. We're now flying tomorrow. Bit of a hammer blow but good news was we got upgraded and I got to do a workout.

I tried some interval training on the treadmill - it worked quite well seeing as it is the first time I have done it. I did 10 sets with a minute break in between each. The first 5 I sprinted for 30 seconds and the last 5 for 15. I did a 5 minute x-trainer warm up and warm down on either side. I also did three 1 minute planks on a swiss ball.

Also found out that the hotel in Tokyo has a gym so I'll take some stuff with me. Will probably leave weights until later in the week as I want to give my shoulder/neck a chance to heal properly after the pain last week.

My diet is still going reasonably well although I don't yet have my rules sorted out. Plan to do that on the plane tomorrow.

8am Wheat muffin

930am Banana

12am Tuna salad (tomato onion chilli lettuce)

3pm Calamari, Basa fish, Green beans

It's around 6pm here right now and feeling pretty jet lagged - god knows how I'm going to feel in Tokyo tomorrow!

Catch you all soon

Naz

Hi Naz,
Im going to be reading your log - good luck
I play for Uxbridge..

Thanks Leo - hope you find it a worthwhile read! Good luck for the upcoming season. Naz

Hi guys

These are my goals for now - I will update them/break them down as and when appropriate.

1. Update training log minimum 5 times per week
2. Re-establish self as top order batsman in 2nd XI
3. Play without fear – be prepared, keep things in perspective, try and stay in a level-headed state
4. Have a game plan for each innings (including a “play normally” game plan i.e. know what that is)
5. Go to the gym on average 3 times per week
6. Devise and stick to a nutrition plan 90% of the time

Happy holidays to all of you!

Naz

24/25 December 2008
Xmas greetings from 37,000 feet!
Ok so despite having missed our flight things turned out quite well. As a result of the flight cancellation we eventually got upgraded to first class (which almost never happens) and so I have eaten and slept well and generally been thoroughly spoilt (I’m reminded of the line from Jerry Maguire about 1st class being “a better life” – don’t know about that but it’s about 10,000 times better than economy – shame about the price!).

Won’t go into yesterday in much detail as this will be too long otherwise but briefly, I ate alot for dinner as we went out for my sister’s birthday. There was a slice of Chocolate cake involved but generally ate healthily for the rest of the day so no feelings of guilt.

Today I had rolls with smoked turkey, cheese and fresh fruit for breakfast.
As a mid-morning snack I had cream of mushroom soup and raw vegetables
Only had some noodles for lunchtime.

Dinner was interesting. I had a Japanese-style meal called Kaiseki. For me it tasted very strange but was a healthy option since it contained a lot of vegetables and there was cod as the centrepiece. I had cheese for dessert, a glass of sake and a glass of red wine also.

Because of the time difference I had dinner again about five hours later – this time it was chicken, noodles, spinach and carrots, all washed down with a cup of coffee and some melon.

Whether it’s psychological or not I’m not sure, but so far I have felt much better for having upped my fruit and vegetable intake and generally taken the healthy option where available. My new nutrition rules will definitely include that I will have a fruit/vegetable with almost every meal. Another thing I want the rules to address is how much I should be eating. At the moment I think I am maybe eating too much but to be honest I need to research this because I have no idea! Maybe David and I will work on this and I will be sure to post it on here for those of you with the same problem.

Ok we are starting our descent so I need to go for now.

Saiyonara!

Naz

26 December

Hi guys,

I managed to get short workouts in both yesterday and today.

Yesterday I did a brief pull work out. Warm up of 5 mins on the Xtrainer. Then:

db lunges (32kg) 4 x 6 - 8
single arm bent over row (16kg each) - 4 x 8
lat pull down (no 8/9) - 3 x 8

Today I did some interval training on the treadmill. After 5 mins jogging, I did 10 sets of 15 - 30 second bursts followed by 45 second - 1 minute rest periods. Speed varied between 14 - 18 on the treadmill (ended up doing 4 sets on 18). Pretty tiring stuff actually but overall a short workout.

Body is holding up pretty well. Left ankle was sore after the sprinting but it has been like that for more than a year now. left shoulder a little sore (you will remember it along with my neck was v sore last week). Left glute medius muscle also a tiny bit sore - again this has been the case for more than a year now so I have just got used to it. What is it about my left side??

Ok guys, that's me for today. Carry on!

Naz

p.s. David if you're reading it just so happens that my missus got me that Malcolm Gladwell book for Xmas - will read with interest!

I have his last 2 books and they are great reads while also giving you an alternative perspective on things.

Congrats on your Case Study win by the way, you are already doing much of the hard work of goal setting for me. At this rate I'll let you do it all and then just claim the credit.

Hi guys,

I'm on the way back from Tokyo now so the holiday will soon end and the hard work will begin! My first action will be to read Malcolm Gladwell's book on the flight home. After that I will devise my nutrition plan.

Cheers

Naz

p.s. thanks David - hopefully the results will be something you want to put your name to!

Hi guys

Sorry it's been so long since my last post. I've been doing work on the case study and I had to fly back to London from Tokyo via Canada (yes I realise this is not the wisest route but there's more to the story!) so have not had much time to post here.

Even though it's been a crazy few days and my body clock is all over the place, I have managed to squeeze in two sessions this week.

One was a two mile run (16mins 55secs) on the treadmill on Wednesday.

Yesterday I managed to get to the gym where I did the following:

2 mile run on the treadmill on an average gradient of 4 (20mins 30secs). Did this quite slowly as a sort of extended warm-up.

Then I did three sets of the following with a minute break between each set:

single leg deadlift (12.5kg)
single arm military pull up (assisted - grade 5 on the machine - not sure how much this works out to in kg)
bent over row (25 kg)

I left it at that because didn't want to overdo it given lack of sleep over the past week.

Tomorrow the hard work starts - I'm hoping to manage 4 sessions a week but probably 3 is a bit more realistic....

Naz thanks for your encouragement re my weightloss....much appreciated!!!

What or how specifically are you going to try and play without fear? I would be interested in your proposed approach/methods as in League cricket this can be easier said than done.

Good luck with your weeks schedule.

Curtis

Naz...both methods you describe i have tried with a fair degree of success. The over my dead body attitude is useful when your team is up against it and perhaps playing for a draw.I actively look for the opposition to irritate me to help me play with this instinct.Also when the oppo get overly chirpy my tendency is to tell myself'focus and some good/positive shots will quiet them'

One method which my coach tells me to assist playing without fear is to tell yourself you have more time than you think to achieve the runs needed.This aids me because it stops me from pannicking and after a while if my partner is solid the pressure goes onto the oppo and invariably the runs come.

However i must say i wish i could play as freely in a game as i do in the nets!!!

Hope this info helps.

Simon

Hi guys

Hope you're well.

All is going well from my end. Have been to the gym for the last two days and am eating healthily and every two-three hours. More on this when I have more time to post.

Just wanted to quickly endorse David's recommendation of Outliers and in particular the 10,000 hour rule. In the past I have got frustrated at not having the talent of a world-beater but the 10,000 hour rule gives me heart that no matter what anyone's talent is, 10,000 hours of work is needed to become world class at anything.

Naz

Hi Naz!
I'm the new guy at miCricketCoach and I just wanted to get you thinking about the importance of physical flexibility in your workouts.
You seem to be on a solid weights program and you are adding interval work and soon some more cricket specific activities so maintaining and improving your flexibility is very important.
I would advocate a 15 minute stretching program morning and evening from now on. This will allow a couple of things to take place. Firstly, your muscles and joints will become more flexible, making them more resilient and allowing you to work harder in the gym or nets or on the track without soreness. Secondly, by putting 15 minutes aside morning and evening, you are giving yourself a perfect time twice a day to reflect on your training efforts and evaluate your progress as well as organising your thoughts for the following day's efforts.
Have a look at some of the articles I have written that are now available on this site - I reckon they might be helpful!
All the best
John Hurley

Welcome John!

Thanks very much for this post - I feel like I am constantly sore and that does impact how much I do. Also I just don't have the time to put in 15 mins of stretching at the end of a session so I like the idea of doing in in the mornings and evenings.

I will definitely check out your articles on the subject (and probably a few others too!)

Thanks again

Naz

Am coming to the end of my first week of training for 2009. I'm pretty happy with how it's gone. I have managed 4 gym sessions and have eaten really well, as well as I ever have. I have gotten plenty of rest too which is great. Overall I feel very positive about things. If I can stay injury-free, I should be able to make some real physical improvements before the start of the season.

We start pre-season nets on 21 January. I want to come up with some aims this week. Probably want to keep it quite simple though. I'm pretty confident with my technique and my shot selection.

I think I was probably in the wrong place mentally last year which contributed to my bad season last year more than anything else. I feel very little baggage from the season though which is great - I'm ready to work as hard as I ever have if not harder. And I'm genuinely looking forward to playing again, whether I do badly, well or averagely. As I say, I have a pretty good feeling about things though...

Great attitude Naz!

Remember - 'It is a marathon, not a sprint!'

Keep working as hard as you can towards success this summer, but remember, success might not be immediate. Make sure you keep up the positive self talk and enthusiasm for training, even if your success isn't immediate. Success will come as long as you keep working. You can really only fully judge how successful your pre-season has been at the end of the season.
So until then.... keep working!
JH

Thanks John - great advice, I agree improvements do tend to come by persisting with things over time.

Eating still going pretty well.

Have not done any proper upper body weights this week as I had some pain in my left shoulder while in the gym on Saturday. Have been doing some rotator cuff strengthening exercises. Going to see a physio soon hopefully.

Still need to make my skills goals for winter nets - job for the weekend I think.

Great to see the flurry of activity on the training log front - very motivating! Keep it up all...

Saw physio today about my shoulder. She thinks I have a slight tear in my left rotator cuff. Plan is to lay off heavy upper body weights for a week and concentrate on strengthening the stabilizers. My plan is to work hard on my legs and core stability.

Starting to see the benefits of my healthy eating - amazing how much fat I've lost around my torso! After only two weeks of eating well! Am finalising my nutrition rules and will post them here as soon as I do.

Keep pushing yourselves guys - cracking to read the posts up here.

Naz

Keep it up naz!

Good to see you're doing well. Keep working hard and I hope you get the results you want mate!

I have to do some rules for healthy eating but I'm not entirely sure what to do just yet!

Keep up the good work!

leachy

Things are going well, especially my diet. I have started a new workout programme and absolutely loved the first session. Felt like a really dynamic, energetic session and I'm really looking forward to trying the other new cricket specific exercises in the gym.

Hoping to get the all-clear from the physio on Thursday to recommence upper body training.

Also winter nets start tomorrow. I will use the first session just to get used to batting again. After that there are two things I want to begin working on.

One is using my feet to spinners to hit over the top and push down the ground. The other is to be more assertive with quick bowling. I don't mean slogging in but I do want to keep the board ticking over.

My plan for spin is 1) to pick the right ball to come down to by watching closely from the hand, 2) to come down straight (and maybe even slightly off-side of the ball) and 3) to get my front foot as close to the pitch of the ball as I can.

My plan for the quick bowling is to 1) to pick length quicker 2) to use the pace of the ball and 3) to be clear about the shots I'm looking to play. I think this challenge for me has a lot to do with confidence and being decisive.

Will let you know how it all goes!

Cheers

Naz

Professionals have one distinct advantage: time to work on improving their cricket! I feel like I have had a hundred and one things going on in the past few days which has meant my eating and training have only been at 70% of where I want them to be.

I was in surgery (for my teeth) all day on Tuesday and have had to do a lot of travelling with work also. Also had to back to the dentist today.

My eating has not been as good. Have stayed away from bad stuff - with the exception of some Indian bread and potatoes - but not been able to eat all of my meals and not had the time to make entries in my food diary. It's going to be a challenging few days as I'm off hard foods because of my teeth.

I've not been able to get to the gym either because I have had a lot to catch up on having spent so much time away from work. I think I'm only going to get one more day in the gym this week.

On the positive side I managed to get to nets last night. My defence needs a bit of work (I got out 4 times) but I'm striking the ball very well so my hands and timing are already in good nick. Just a question of getting the feet going now. I will work on the basics for the next couple of sessions and then start working on the things I want to improve.

Also I'm seeing the physio tonight so hopefully she will give me some good news about my shoulder so that I can resume upper body training.

Another positive is that I am staying in line so far as I can. In the past I would have got frustrated and lost my discipline. Now I realise that things are never perfect and it's important to keep working as hard as possible without getting affected by the obstacles that you face - one of which is lack of time so that's all for now folks!

Naz

Naz,keep going and stay focused,i agree totally with you regarding time and fitting everything in. The pros have time to work on technique ,fitness, etc..We have to do that and combine it with making a living,family etc etc etc

John is right its a marathon not a sprint and there will be good and bad weeks! What we all have to do is work through the bad and work even harder in the 'good' weeks.

CP

Naz and CP
The challenge of fitting everything in for your programs is universal! Therefore, if you do get yourselves organised (as you obviously are), you gain an instant advantage over many of the guys you are playing against or competing for spots with! The series of articles I am writing for pitchvision at the moment concerns this very matter!
Everyone needs to identify the routines that work for them. These routines provide a 'Map' for cricketing success!
I'd love to get your feedback on what I have written so far!
All the best!
JH

Hi John and CP

Thanks both of you for your help. Appreciate the understanding and advice.

CP thanks for the support and you are so right about having to work harder during the good weeks.
John I think you are 100% right about the value of getting organised to gain an advantage over your competition.

I look forward to reading your articles which I'll definitely give you my thoughts on.

Thanks again guys!

Naz

Hey guys

Got to the gym today which I'm happy about. I can't play hockey because of my mouth so to get in the gym is a bonus and if I get in there tomorrow also I'll reach my goal of three visits for the week.

Did the full body workout devised for me by David. I love it! There's a great combination of lifting, stretching and balance. It's at a good level of intensity too.

I did some pushing and pulling on my shoulder without too much discomfort and I also managed to do my rotator cuff strengthening exercises too. Was a pretty good session.

Generally I'm feeling pretty strong physically and mentally. Hopefully I can stay that way for the start of the season!

Cheers

Naz

Did the optional fourth session of my weekly training today. It was a plyometric session and I really enjoyed it! There was a lot of jumping on boxes which was surprisingly fun!

Nets last night went pretty well - nothing flash, just very simple playing the ball on its merits. The bowlers bowled pretty well but I didn't get out this time as my feet were moving better and I'm still happy with my hands and my timing.

Nutrition going reasonably well. There's still the odd cake or bit of chocolate here and there but on the whole I'm opting for more lean proteins and less carbs except after a workout. I'm logging everything I eat and am going to compare it to my rules this weekend.

Mentally I need to sort something out because I'm absolutely exhausted! I'm going to work on this next because when it comes to Saturdays in the season I need to be prepared to bat for a couple of hours no matter how long or hard my week has been - no excuses!

I've switched a gym session from Monday to Sunday so that I'm not so tired come Monday night (where usually I try to fit in a gym session and a Spanish lesson). Having discussed my mental tiredness with David we've agreed that I need to work on my time management and ability to 'switch off' amongst other things. I will post what we agree.

Have booked a session on the bowling machine at Lord's Indoor School and I'll get a DVD of that session some of which I can post here. It's expensive but it's been 4 years since I last saw myself on video so I think it's worth it. Also it's better than doing it at winter nets as I don't get very long in those sessions.

Nutrition has gone reasonably well. I've followed some rules better than others but I think I will get better. It really helps that I'm recording what I eat and monitoring my compliance with my rules. Otherwise it's difficult to know how well you're doing, especially when you're trying to eat mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks too.

I have changed my protein shake to Musclemax Cyclone which has Creatine in it too. It tastes like crap but apparently it's better than Promax which is what I was using.

Only 9 weeks to go before the first pre-season game!

Had a good time management session with David this morning and felt very relieved after it. It's amazing how much pressure you can relieve just by getting a little more organised!

Had a good session in the gym too. Feel like I'm makig good progess there. I want to go over my training logs for the past few weeks to set some goals for increases in weights/reps over the next month to 6 weeks.

It was a really positive session Naz, and we are only on part 1

Rubbish couple of days.

Holiday to India cancelled because other half cant get holiday. No chance to get to the gym because of work commitments (had to work until 2am last night). Too much coffee and not eating as well as I would like as at work. Need to prepare for this by buying food in advance.

Oh well I'll be back on it soon!

Naz keep positive,we all have bad days.

But remember there are always going to be bad days/weeks we just need to make sure the good ones far outnumber the bad!

I would be gutted bout the India trip too...i visited a few years back and loved it.
Anyway on the food tip maybe setting aside sometime over the weekend to prepare and cook food that can be frozen hence giving you meals for the week.Alternatively the tinned food supplement Nourishment and loads of fruit work for me when im too busy to get to the fridgefreezer.

Keep going mate

CP

Pushing the field back

Hi guys,

Haven't posted regularly recently as have been v busy.

Last week lots of my rules went out the window but I'm determined to get back on track this week. I've decided to plan my nutrition in advance as per David and CP's suggestions. Also I'm moving my gym sessions to the mornings before work as it's easier to get into a routine that way. I'll always need to be flexible.

In the past I've let a bad week slip into a bad month, but now I want to get better at weathering the storm and be happy with doing my best in difficult situations.

There are six weeks until the season begins and I'm determined to keep momentum going into it. At the same time as per Hurl's advice I need to remember that it's a marathon and not a sprint. When the season gets here there is six months worth of it so I need to make sure I maintain my efforts in that time.

At nets tomorrow night I feel like I'm ready to begin working on my goal of getting better at using my feet to spinners to 1) hit them over the top and 2) push them down the ground once I have got the field back. On this point I think that the focus should be getting to the pitch. I don't think you need to go over the top necessarily - you can push fielders back by driving one or two balls past them along the ground also. I want this to be a controlled thing rather than me "having a dart". Any advice appreciated.

Cheers

Naz

Hi guys

Nets went well last night used my feet well and my backswing is in good shape. This means I'm well prepared to hit over the top. Also I'm hitting the ball harder as I'm showing the full face. I feel like my mindset is very good. I'm batting with the mindset of a toporder player again which is what I am.

Very happy with progress so far this winter.

Next step for me is a goal setting session. Part of this will include evaluating myself against my old goals.

Cheers

Naz

Great to see you feeling good Naz.

Nets were good last night. Spent the entire time against the spinners and used my feet pretty well (you might remember that this was one of my goals for winter nets). Was happy with my speed of my feet and also that I was coming down the line of the ball (and slightly off-side of it for the off-spinners). I miscued two though, almost definitely fatally for one of them, so there is work to be done. Also I went aerial alot. Next time I want to play more low risk shots along the ground.

I want to develop this shot to a level where I am as confident coming out of my crease as I am playing a forward defensive. The challenge is to do that without losing my sweep shot which is a real strength of mine. I think it will probably take a couple of years to get to that level given how much time I get to practice, but it will be well worth it.

Good work Naz keep it grooving fella im going be down to report back to David first hand shortly on your progress.

Cheers Neil - be good to see you at training soon!

Just got back from a mentally refreshing golf weekend with some mates. Didn't really think about training or eating or anything like that. All of that will start today or tomorrow.

I'm conscious that we are now entering into the final month before the season starts so want to make sure I'm in as good physical and mental condition as I can be.

Need to finalise my goals for the season also.

Good net last night - moved feet well on a quick track. Hands still good. Backlift really coming on - hitting on both sides of the wicket. Playing my natural game.

Good session in the gym before work this am. PB on chin ups (set of 7, set of 4, set of 3)

Roll on the season!

Hey guys

Have led a very poor lifestyle the last week. There has been poor eating, drinking and quite a bit of smoking too. I have been sick the past three days which hasn't helped me much but that's not an excuse. The danger times for me are when I'm under pressure either at work or when I get tired or down. In those moments I can self-destruct and just go for the bad stuff! I need to stop myself.

I'm determined not to let my hard work over the past three or four months go to waste, especially now when it really starts to matter in the build up to the season.

I have a couple of drinks sessions to get through over the next couple of wks (including my best friend's stag do which I'm organising) but I want to be at the top of my game the rest of the time. I'm going to put in a massive effort on following my nutritional rules these next few weeks.

Will keep you posted on my progress.

Cheers

Naz

Keep up the good work Naz, identifying weak areas is all part of the process.

Naz i empathise totally as work commitments are making things difficult for me too on the cricket training front.Also,i can go overboard and throw diet guidelines out of the window at times.
Glad to hear you took a break away from everything recently and im sure the hardwork put in overall will reap rewards.

Im taking a leaf out of your book...going away for a couple of days and when i come back making a concerted effort to keep on top of everything.

Later Mate

CP

He didn't bowl that bad mate he's just quite wayward, but I do agree that anyone can bowl a bouncer indoors!

Hows your training going?

You still working hard?

Hope you have a good season and keep it up!

One quick tip for "losing willpower" is to identify the times in advance when you might be tempted so you can prepare for them. I rarely leave home for longer than 2-3 hours without packing a healthy snack or meal for example.

Hey guys

Sorry I have been off-line for a while. It took me a week to recover from that Stag do last weekend! Anyway I'm now back on the straight and narrow.

Gym going well. Batting indoors has gone really well also. Of course now it's a completely different ball game as we get back outdoors! Going to have a push on the nutrition front in a bid to lose some body fat before the season starts. And definitely cutting down on the booze.

Will practice outdoors this weekend weather permitting. Aim to do a bit of batting, a bit of target practice out on the middle if possible and definitely some fielding.

Hope your pre-seasons are all going well?

Cheers

Naz

Hit 10 chin-ups tonight - woohoo! I remember starting this workout 3 months ago and the most I could do was 4! All going quite well - can't wait for the season to start now.

Hi all - I play with the Houston Cricket League, Houston, Texas

For fitness, I do a combo of yoga, swimming (three-fourths to a full mile in say 35-40 min), weights and running

Its my experience, observation that isolating any single muscle for weight training is not good for cricketers - for examples, at one point of time last year, I worked out a lot on the deltoids but suffered muscle stiffness while playing and later as well

My ideal workout schedule wud be:

Monday - yoga preceded by a 1.5 mile run

Tuesday morning - long swim

Wednesday - warmup run for 3-4 min, few stretches and weights for the legs, gluts and for core strength

Thursday - yoga - makes those muscles from previous days weight training supple - followed by a short swim (for the cardio)

Friday - short warmup jog for 5 min - followed by sprints and stretching

Saturday - relax and maybe have a net session

Sunday - game

cardiovascular (CV) fitness is the KEY thing - if you are off training even for one week, you might think you are fit, but you wont be! you will have to constantly get your CV stamina up, stretch always, and dont overdo weights

on days, if gym is not accessible, calisthenics (exercising using your body weight) would be great too

swimming takes care of CV fitness perfectly while working out the upper body muscles, but I would strongly recommend combining swimming with lower body weights, or at least free squats of 50-100 before a swim session

also make sure you maintain a record of everything you do - in case you run into some trouble with some part of your body, it would help in checking back on what you overdid or didnt do as much as you should have!

Hi MRT welcome, can you start your own log please? This thread is for Naz only to update.

Good news guys - I've been picked in the 2s for the first league match. It's a nice vote of confidence given that I didn't really shine in pre-season. It will be great to be there again and hopefully I can put in a good performance.

I'm back in the gym after a two week absence. Have been twice this week and aiming to go tomorrow. Not really doing the old routine as it I find it a little heavy for in-season. Plan on spending a lot of time on rotator cuff work and those exercises which seem the most cricket specific.

Hope you are all going well.

Played our first second team league game yesterday. We made 230-3 off 50 overs. I batted 3 and was the second top scorer with 36. It was my best knock of the season so far. I got the time in the middle I wanted but displayed more intent this time. I feel like it was another step on the way to regaining my best form. Really needed the knock for my confidence. I got out slogging in the 40th over. I had to go for it as we were 150 for 1.

I drew inspiration this week from the post match interview that Ravi Bopara gave after his knock. He said that all you can ever do is do your best and hope it's your day. This kept me relatively relaxed during my innings and focussed on the controllables which really helped me.

The work I did with David also really helped. I played 3 or 4 on drives which to me indicates that my shape is right.

Fielded well also. Really enjoyed the day.

Naz...decent start to your league campaign,well done mate i am sure you will build on this!

Hows the work / training balance going?

Im struggling as carrying an injury and will be hectic at work for at least the next 2 weeks(but got a score on Saturday so staying positive!)

Later

CP

Thanks CP

Unfortunately I've been dropped to the 3s as 2 guys have come down from the 1s and the other players are more established in the side than I am at the moment. Not bothering me that much as I'm just concentrating on enjoying my cricket.

Work/training is tricky. There is alot going on at work and I actually haven't managed a cricket training session for two weeks now (and this week is looking unlikely). Have been able to get in the gym though which is good. Determined to do the best I can though.

Glad to hear you got a score on Saturday but sorry about your injury and that work is busy - what have you done?

Good start Naz, don't woory about playing 3rds this week just show them what they are missing mate!

Keep it up

Leachy

Naz.....dominate in the 3s and make a statement to the 2s skipper!

I turned my ankle in the first friendly of the season. The cure is rest but i am not going to do that this early in the season so managing it with loads of icing,strapping when playing and going docs for some anti inflammatories.

Good luck on Saturday

CP

Thanks CP I will do my best!

I have done my ankle before - not alot of fun. Reall hope it gets better and good luck to you too on Saturday!

Naz

Thanks Leachy!

So good to hear all going well for you mate. 1s call up bound to come soon!

Keep smashing em

No worries Naz, keep going mate and the big scores will come. I will wait and see if the 1s come calling but I'm not holding my breath mate. Been offered 1st team cricket at another club in my League so might be tempted to jump ship if my chances with Newport don't improve!

Hi guys

Ended up playing in the 2s as there was a dropout at the last minute. Game ended up being a tie! I batted pretty well and ended up with 30 not out batting at 7 but could not quite get us over the line. Unfortunately I am still getting dropped to the 3s this week. It's hard yards but I think the 1s captain might have a say in it and I am not in his plans.

Hope your seasons are going well.

Cheers

Naz

Naz, well done a tie is better than a loss!!

On a personal front,stay focused as if you keep putting in the performances the 2s will have to pick you regardless!

Later

CP

Thanks CP appreciate the support.

Just need to keep enjoying it.

How you going?

Naz

Use your long term cricketing goals to keep you focused.Keep putting in good performances and that will help with the enjoyment.Look at it like you will enjoy giving the selection committee a headache!

Me.... a steady start to the season ,1 league fifty and 1 fifty in a friendly.Fitness work is paying off as running loads more 1s and 2s.I am happy with my start to the season but need to keep grounded as in Saturdays League game arrogance/slip in concentration cost me a score when set!

Later

CP

Good advice CP. At the moment work is taking over my life and I need some time just to reevaluate things on the cricket front. It's not easy when you're crazy busy but got to do what I can! It's all slipped a bit these last few weeks as I am looking for a new job which has to be the priority for now.

The problem is, despite a good track record in the 2s I haven't yet convinced the selection committee that I should stay in there when 1s players get dropped, even when I play well. We have a large 1s squad so the game has changed so that now you need to be pushing 1s to play 2s. That is the headache I need to be creating when I get the opportunity to play 2s and even 3s.

For me enjoyment comes first and then the good performances follow. If I take it too seriously I feel under too much pressure to perform and I don't play the game well. If I relax and enjoy it it goes much better. So at the end of the day I need to keep enjoying and also get it into my mind that I can play 1s (which deep down I believe I can do, just didn't want to put the cart before the horse).

Great to hear you have had a steady start. Keep it going mate and don't get the rush of blood to the head when you've got to 20 quickly!

Cheers mate

Played 2s in the end on Saturday as someone dropped out. Went pretty well. I was batting 8 and went in at 60 for 6. Managed to make 37 which was the second top score. We ended up on 190 and won the game. Got a catch in the field.

Happy with the way I batted but annoyed to get out on 37 when I could have made a 50. That said the first team skipper told me that my score was like 50 or 60 given the situation I was batting in. Also the second team skipper rang me to say I would definitely be picked for the 2s this week so I'm pretty happy about that also.

Overall a good week!

Nice one. My spies tell me you are a new man at the crease. And my spies are very reliable!

Thanks David. Very kind of your spies to say! Hope you are enjoying your season?

Played in the 2s again on Saturday. Batted at 9 and came in at 120 odd for 7. Managed to put on 40 odd for the tenth wicket though and we ended up 175 all out with me finishing on 20 not out. We then bowled them out for 109.

Happy with my performance again. It's been a good first month. Think I'm going to get a chance up the order next week and it would be nice to get a big score but even if not I feel great that I have created another opportunity for myself in the top order...

Naz,
Hi i joined up this year and play in Australia. Im currently in my off/pre season and have been doing a program for about a month and i can see results. What was it that motivated you through pre season as like you, i am very busy with work and study and struggle to find time. If i miss a session it is often 2 days before i have a chance. Just after some motivational tips.
Cheers

Hi Steve

My motivation came from having a poor season the summer before. Really wanted to put it right and just had to make it happen.

Found the best way for me was to get up early and go before work. This is the only time where I can be sure nothing will get in the way. It's a lot harder for me in the evenings as I never know how busy work is going to keep me.

I think it helps also not to give yourself too hard a time if you miss a session due to work. It's not like you're lazing around. Don't fall off the wagon. You will be surprised how much you can achieve even not making every session. Sometimes it even helps to deliberately miss a session if you are mentally or physically tired.

Hope this is what you were looking for - if not just let me know.

Good luck!

Naz

HI Nax, been watching your 'career' here for a while : nice to see you elevated to the 2's: good luck this week

Thanks Don!

You too if you're playing

Nice reply Naz. Similarly i find that doing it in the morning is easier once you get used to the early wake up. It is tempting after a long days work to hit the couch. Hows the season going for you at this stage?

Hi guys

We got a winning draw on Saturday. They batted 54 overs and made 255. We made 242 off 46
Batted three again and made 33 - yet another score in the 30s! The positive was that I played really fluently and felt really good. The negative was that I gave my wicket away trying to go over the top to the wrong ball.
Fielded well again.

So far I have played all 6 league games in the 2s so I'm pretty happy with the way things are going. Really happy also that I have won my place at 3 back but I know I need to do more to cement it. Continuing to train hard both in the gym and in the nets and really enjoying it!

Have a week off now but have a couple of MCC games in between and will be raring to go in the next league match!

Cheers

Naz

Nice one Naz really pleased for you...keep focused and cement that number 3 spot in the 2s. Hopefully by the end of the season that will be achieved then......the skys the limit! Its great to see you getting the reward your effort and application deserves.

Later

CP

Thanks CP, really appreciate it.

Fingers crossed - confident I can do it.

How's your season going?

Naz

Great to see you've held your own well in the 2s - not a single low score yet
You seem to be getting out when well set quite a bit, and this can lead some to believe that you aren't concentrating. What I try and do when I reach about thirty is really make a conscious effort to up my concentration. I try and say to myself "right, got to 30 - now I'm going to play perfectly until I get to fifty."
It helps a lot, because a very easy thing to think about when in the thirties or forties is how close a half-century is - and therefore how easy it would be to get there in boundaries. This might lead you to hit over the top or chase a wide ball. So, unless you are in the situation described in your first game where you need runs quickly, just refocuss on staying in and accumulating for a while once you get your eye in.

Good luck mate
Barney

Hi Barney

Thanks for the advice. I went and did it again this weekend - out for 37 when I was playing really well! This time it was a run out after a mix-up with my batting partner - we both ended up at the same end! The good thing is that I was doing exactly what you recommend above i.e. accumulating and playing each ball on merit. If I continue to do that then my first 50 of the season will come soon!

Hope your season is going well?

Cheers

Naz

Naz

Ah, that's always unlucky - happened to me a week or two ago!!
Funnily enough, I completely neglected to play sensibly yesterday and managed 131 from 83 balls!!!
Apart from that, I've been averaging about 30 and scored about 800 runs.

Have you been scoring rruns in friendlies?

Barney

What a knock! Well done mate!

Tend not to play friendlies as I can't get up for them (apart from MCC games and I always play as a bowler in them)

Sounds like a steady season you're having...

Thanks Naz

Nah, anything but steady!!
I started off with 21 runs in 5 innings, then went 77*, 77, 91! It has been mixed, but I feel in really good form at the moment.

Barney

Good man! What a run!

Yeah, It was useful as it lifted my average from a rather modest 4.25 :S to a decent 37!

On Sunday I got out in about the 34th over (of 40) when the ball trickled back onto the stumps off an inside edge... Shame really as I was thinking about going for the club record of 184* which had been set by our overseas the previous week!!
Oh well, that can be my next goal for the season!

Have you set yourself any particular goals? Such as scoring 100+ or a set number of fifties?

Barney

Naz quick message to wish you the best of luck for tommorow.

Keep things simple, focus on one ball at a time and watch the ball as carefully as possible.Dont think about 50s etc just play each ball on its merits,stay in the present,take into consideration the match situation.With a little bit of luck your personal performance will then look after itself.

Check out my blog for an update on my season.

Good Luck

CP

Hey guys

Sorry I have been out of contact for a while. Have missed a couple of weeks due to weddings.

Played last Saturday, captaining the 2s in the absence of the usual captain. For a start I was pretty happy at being asked to do this. I really feel I am close to accomplishing my goal of reestablishing myself as a top order batsman in the second team. The only thing that is missing are the big scores. I have made 6 30s and 3 20s in 10 knocks. I wish there were 3 50s in there. Anyway it's not bad and I am averaging just under 35 which in my opinion is pretty good in 50 over cricket, particularly when you consider I was under pressure for my place early season.

Back to Saturday. It went well. We got stuck in on a wet one. There was no rain forecast so I told the guys that if we batted first it was crucial that we stuck it out for the first 20 - 25 overs as batting conditions would improve. I got the chance to put my money where my mouth was when we lost an opener in the 6th over. I was really pleased to then bat 25 overs or so, even if I only scored 34 in the end. I was out trying to hit a chest high full toss over mid wicket - it ended up just in his reach. We then made 80 off our last 10 overs to get to 200, so was pretty please with my pre-match team talk at the halfway stage!

We then managed to bowl them out for 119. Again I played a part. I bowled an over so that our other bowlers could swap ends. Ended up taking a wicket with my second ball so gave myself another one (!). I took 3-12!

Very good day.

Anyway my goal for the last 3/4 games is to make 2 50s. To do this I am going to drastically reduce my smoking and do some more fitness work in the gym. Hopefully these changes will get me over the line.

Hope everyone else's season is going well.

Naz

Naz...hows training going?

Any particular goals for this season...1/2s cricket?

Would be good to hear from you.

Later

CP

Hi CP

Nice to hear from you!

Training is going well. We have had a few nets which have been fun. Also was in the gym quite a lot during January.

Haven't thought of my goals too much yet. I definitely want bigger scores this year though.

How about you? You in the swing of things yet?

Cheers

Naz

Naz Im getting there...im definetly more fitter- see my blog for more detail on where i am at present cricket & fitness wise.

Im sure you will get the bigger scores. I assume at some point that a certain amount of 50+ scores will be one of your goals this season.

I believe that the key to achieving batting goals is to stay in the moment while batting playing each ball on its merits and according to the match situation.

Thats easier said than done though!!

Look forward to reading your blog this season.

CP