You want to do more training but you have work to do; a living to earn. There never seems to be enough time to do the things you want as well as the things you need. It’s frustrating, especially when you see others overtaking you.

The chances are that you are able to do better. You just need to work out ways to be more effective with the time you have. In this article, personal trainer and club cricketer Barry Deeks shows us 5 ways to spend less time in the gym and get better results.

1. First, do no harm

Forget about “fitness” for a moment. I say that because most people think of fitness as a way of running yourself into the ground or pounding weights until you are sore.

There is a place for that kind of training but it’s not where you start. You start with prevention.

Cricket players are susceptible to overuse injuries. We spend a lot of time doing asymmetrical movements (i.e. batting, bowling and throwing are performed with a dominant arm or stance).  So the first thing our strength training and conditioning should do is prevent chronic and acute injuries.

The answer is simple exercises that focus on ironing out these imbalances, improving mobility and strengthening weak areas.

2. Be more specific

Conditioning for cricket is best when it is position specific. Fast bowlers require different preparation from spin bowlers for example. Of course, there are many aspects of cricket training applicable to all players too, but the more you can replicate the physical demands of an individual, the more “game fit” they become.

This means that the programme you use should be appropriate for the game you are playing.

• How much running will you do during a game?
• What type of running? It’s rare that you will be jogging around for more than a few seconds!

Think about using sprint intervals and direction changes to replicate real game scenarios.

Think also about what movements your team will make during a match. Your training should look to counter the imbalances caused by cricket overuse.

3. Be as simple as possible, but no simpler

Training can get complex if you let it but it’s is largely about consistency and focus. While a technical training program of heart rates, charts and graphs works for the most dedicated athletes, it may not be necessary for you or your team.

If you are feeling overwhelmed, simplify the training to hard and easy, or long and short workouts, and practice skills needed in cricket.

4. A change is as good as a rest

Varying workouts, pace, and intensity will allow you and your team to enjoy a well-rounded fitness routine that is less likely to result in burn-out or plateaus.

Alternate training intensity and time from day to day. No matter what the goal, your training program should include a mix of training days. Even the best training programs will gradually lose efficiency if you don’t vary your routine. This may be fine for those who simply want to maintain general fitness or keep healthy, but if you want to improve, you need variation.

Ideally, workouts are modified every month.

5. Put down those cakes

Eating well and hydrating goes a long way to improve your ability to exercise and train and play. In many ways it’s the missing link in performance because it fuels everything we do. If we put the good fuel in we get the best results.

 If you are on a regular exercise routine, it’s a good time to re-learn eating habits. It’s not difficult to do and you don’t need to eat like a monk, but you do need a plan of action.

Overall, I find most people are able to benefit from these simple efficiencies in their training habits. It means you can really do more with less, and turn frustration into results.