Welcome Curtis. The hardest part is starting.In terms of diet and exercise I find planning the week ahead during 'down time' really helps. I plan my week of meals and what training I will be doing then when the time comes I just do it.Keep us all posted.

Well i agree starting is the hardest part especially around Xmas. I am carrying on with my press ups,planks etc and going to aim for a 20minute aerobic activity 3 times a week until the New Year. I came across a 20 minute interval cardio work out on a website called Turbulance Training which can be completed on a exercise bike(handy cos i have one in my garage)or running on the road or treadmill.

My philosophy is to implement some cardio straight away and then in the New Year try to increase the time and intensity to aid further weight loss.

My one to one session didnt go well . I became quite fatigued after a batting drill and found it hard to concentrate when tired and working towards my match situation 30 runs.

Aims for this week

1.complete 3 aerobic sessions
2.stick to low fat diet of mainly fish,chicken,vegetables and fruit.I will start the day with ready break and raisins with skimmed milk and then aim for 2 meals either fish and veggies or chicken and veggies. Fruit to be used as snacks.I will also drink plenty of water.

I know increasing my fitness levels and fat loss should in theory help me concentrate for longer and be fitter when it comes to running between the wickets.

However i have a question for you fellow bloggers

Any ideas tips on the mental side of increasing concentration stamina?

Anyway getting late gonna have a stretch and get on my bike!!

Hi Curtis...

Regarding the concentration during an innnigs as a batter i have a couple of routines that helps me switch off during deliveries...

1. I hum a song/sing in my head a song in between deliveries. This allows me not to think about the game (up coming or past)

2. I have a pre-delivery routine which focuses my concentration... pull gloves down, move thigh bad, check box.... always in the same order.... focuses the mind into the up coming delivery..

Hope this helps

Darren

Are we talking about physical training to improve concentration or mental tactics to switch on and off between deliveries?

On drill I use for concentration is old fashioned, boring but effective: its the old classic hit the ball up in the air on the bat trying to string as many hits together, counting as you do it. Once you get past 50-60 hits your concentration has to kick in to keep it up. The good thing about this drill (if you can call it that) is that you can doing inside, anywhere really without bothering people too much_ Plus its good for your fore arms and eyy-hand co-ordination

Great drill, to make it tougher, go one handed and switch hands.

Firstly belated happy xmas/holidays. On the training front it has been incredibly hard over the last 2 weeks to stick to a routine.I have had xmas parties ,my bithday and the excesses of xmas indulges to contend with.

I have managed 4 aerobic sessions and continued with my bodyweight and core exercises. I have not lossed any weight but also on the plus side- given the time of the year- i have not gained any either!!

I will have another one to one session tommorow and will be focussing on hitting over the top.

I am looking forward to the New Year as i have weight to lose and improvements in cricket skills to achieve.Once the festive period is over i can focus solely on those goals and get set into a proper routine.

I have cooked and frozen some meals to aid my switch to more healthy eating options. So far in the freezer is some cooked skinless jerk chicken as well as some spiced up salmon.

Thanks fellow bloggers for your tips/comments they are very much welcomed and appreciated and keep them coming.

Not gaining excess fat over Christmas is a good sign. Most people do!

Hiya everybody,mixed report today.Firstly my one to one didnt go well.With hindsight i think it was a bit ambitious to go into a hitting over the top session when all i have been doing for the best part of 2 weeks is shadowing and hitting the ball up in the air from my bat for improved concentration.Ah well its easy with hindsight!!

On the positive front i havent weighed myself(as i do this once a week)but i pretty sure i havent gained any weight ,if anything some may have come off!I have completed a couple of interval bike sessions along with the bodyweight and stretching usual stuff.

Also i am doing a good job of stocking up the freezer with healthy food.Vegetable,Lamb,Chicken and pulses stews are cooked,packed and frozen.I tend to eat alot of rice so will be looking to cut back on this and the same with my bread intake too.Bit stuck for alternatives on the rice and bread front....any ideas...i cant stand brown rice!

Further i have managed to secure an appointment re a wrist problem i have had since the last game of the season.Its not till February but its more irritating than painfull.Nevertheless i want it cleared up before the start of this season.

I intend not to drink alcohol for at least 2 months starting in the New Year.This is to aid weight loss.However New Years Eve i will have a drink to see out the old year so today and tommorow i will look to try and get in a least one aerobic session together with maybe going swimming for variety.

Wish you all the best for 2009,hopefully we can all achieve our goals with each others support and help.

Thanks Si for updating my log...a day late though!! Why dont you join,your a good cricketer,experienced and a coach to boot!..Think about it.

D day today and good news...i have lost four pounds. I am pleased but there is a long way to go. With the festive period over its back to work so need to be even more disciplined in terms of training and preparation for a good diet.

I have decided to try bulgar wheat instead of rice but am still struggling for a bread substitute....any ideas?? The alternative is simply to make my bread intake minimal.

This week i aim for three gym/aerobic sessions, a one to one cricket specific session next Sunday and wherever possible to complete the concentration drill of hitting the ball up off the bat as many times as possible.Also where time allows i will shadow bat with particular emphasis on back foot shots as i can be in games too front foot reliant.

Next week my weight loss goal is 3 pounds....i will keep you posted!

Curtis

Great work Curtis! Hope it keeps going well

Naz

No problem Curtis - the great thing about these logs is that we can help each other to our goals.

That's a great question as it gets me to be specific about my plan. I think there are two ways which have worked for me in the past without me realising it:

1. Keep things in perspective. Graeme Thorpe used to tell himself that failing is not nearly as bad as something happening to his children (a little extreme but he was going through a very rough patch in his personal life at the time). When I'm in this mode I'm very relaxed and easy and tend to play a long innings.

2. Being confrontational about it in a similar way that boxers do i.e. thinking "you're not going to get me out mate and I'm going to absolutely dominate you". This has worked for me when there is a challenging situation like having to go at 6 or 7 an over.

Be interested in any other methods you think might work!

Cheers

Naz

Hi guys good news ..i achieved my goal of 3lbs weight loss.

This was achieved via 3 gym sessions.These sessions typically entailed 25 minutes on the Treadmill starting at brisk walking pace then jogging and finishing off with interval bursts.Core work and bodyweight exercises and static stretches were included too.Also on the diet front i tried to eat little and often(about every 3 hours).Smaller portions of meat/fish with vegetables,cous cous and baked potatoes were my staple diet.Also friut,low fat yoghurts and non salted nuts were used as snacks.

Today i have a cricket one to one session which given that the last 2 have left me frustrated and disapointed i simply just want to enjoy todays session.I will keep things simple and aim to achieve my target of 30 runs without giving a chance and not taking too many risks.

I will update you all on how this goes asap.Target for next week is to lose another 3lbs.I will keep you posted!

CP

Hiya guys....seems a bit quiet on the blogger front!

Anyway my one to one session on Sunday went well.I got my 30 runs in the simulated match situation surpringly pretty quickly and with no chances given.
Just goes to show what a difference a relaxed frame of mind makes not to mention the confidence and positivity of achieving weight loss targets 2 weeks on the trot.

On the weight loss front I am going to from today introduce 3x5 sets of squats,benchpress and shoulder press, with chin ups and push ups until failure into my gym/aerobic sessions.The logic behind this is to improve strength and replace fat with muscle.Im going to give this a go for 4 weeks then i will re evaluate.

Bye for now

CP

Great plan, keep up the good work!

Thanks Dave, also i have been doing the concentration drill of hitting the ball up off the bat and counting.However can you help me regarding some variety in terms of techniques to improve concentration. I can be prone to lapses in concentration which leads to a rash shot or alternatively i get tired mentally when i bat for a long period. Aside from fitness how can i try and alleviate these issues????

CP

Hey CP,

i also do the concentration drill regularly..it really helps me.

I think one way in which you could improve concentration is by going to the pitch or playing area before the match and looking around, i often stand on the crease and just look forward and try to visualize the bowler and the ball.

Lapses in concentration happen to all cricketers and everyone counters it in a different way..some have a regular pattern in between balls..for example dhoni and his gloves...pieterson and his sleeves etc....i feel that getting tired mentally has to be fought on your own and there are no real solutions to it...you just need to motivate yourself..talk to your partner..crack a joke...set yourself small goals..etc etc..wtv works best fore you.

Interesting choice of words Vish! "getting tired mentally has to be fought...." Hmmmm...?!
Fighting it will only make you more tired. Make sure whatever routine you choose to improve your concentration involves relaxing between deliveries and saving your physical and mental energy to play the next ball. All the methods you identify are apropriate, but I thought I'd just make sure the positive relaxation aspect was emphasised, rather than the getting in a negative, energy-sapping 'battle' with yourself!
JH

Well John..

what i basically mean is that if you are mentally tired then you have to solve the problem on your own...there is no solution that can be offered..its what works best for you..and how you think you can counter it...i dont think i have ever faced that situation so i might not be the right person to answer...i have never been involved in a long long innings..and my love for cricket at the moment is so much that whenever i am playing i am in a really good mood

and yea i agree with relaxing in between deliveries..thats really important...

Well a mixed week!! Only lost 1 pound and my target was 3....disapointing!!
However i am getting fitter as i can now run at faster speeds on the treadmill and row further in the allocated time.Also i stuck to the new strength program which was taxing but enjoyable.

My weaklink was my diet ,i cheated too many times!This will not be the case this week as i need to be disciplined with my diet as well as continue to train hard to keep losing weight.

Also i have a purchased a Body Analyser as i want to get more specific information on a weekly basis on weight,fat loss,bmi and water content.
My cricket one to one went well.I achieved my runs target despite not being/feeling in the best of nick.I battled through though and got to where i wanted runs wise with no chances!

My targetss for this week are:
1.To lose 2-3lbs
2.To achieve runs target in one one whatever my form.
3.To read the chapter on concentration in Rudi Webster's Book "the Winning Ways of Past Champions'

Bye for now and happy training everyone

CP

Keep at it Curtis!
Great to see you are gettig some really specific feedback about the effectiveness of your training re body shape etc.
Rudi's book is a great read! It should give you a lot to think about!

Remember: Keep working at your cricket skills as well as the diet. And make sure you work at continuing to improve areas of your game that you consider 'strengths' and not just trying to eradicate perceived weaknesses.
JH

Hiya guys lots to write about today!!!
Firstly my old scales had me losing another 2 pound this week.....great news the gym/aerobic sessions are paying off it seems! That was achieved by doing an extra aerobic session as i broke my diet on Friday going out for a meal(fish and chips) and then consuming 3 pints of Guinness! I felt i deserved a treat!!
From now on i will use my body analyser to measure body fat and bmi.
On that front there is still a long way to go with my body fat too high for my height and age 32 and bmi too high at 33....Good news though this new tool is apparently more accurate..i hope so because it has me 15 pound lighter weight wise than my old traditional scales!!!!

I will continue to monitor these figures but my overriding priority is to increase my fitness levels(strength, flexibility,aerobic and anaerobic),if i do this body fat and weight will come down indirectly!I can see my body shape changing,legs firmer,chest shoulders and arms firmer too.On the diet front i will continue to follow good eating habits 90% of the time with the odd blow out.I am trying to achieve a lifestyle change here ie regular exercise,good healthy diet and being more reflective....all of this will help my cricket i believe.

On the cricket front i am going to vary my one to one more working on strengths as well as weaknesses(thanks John).Also from February i will get more cricket specific in my training.Club nets start in the second week of Feb so i will be looking to set some goals there(probably concentration related)Also will implement some fast foot ladder work to aid footwork and i am thinking about purchasing a batting tee(leachy's blog has sold that idea to me)

Finally...sorry its a long one today buti felt that i needed to get all these thoughts out of my head!! I am working through Rudi Websters book,from the concentration chapter i am going to work on(probably in nets)self-talk redirecting focus and the different levels of concentration as used by Greg Chappelle.

Goals for this week are simply to continue with gym aerobic sessions hopefully leading to fat loss percentage coming down.Use Websters book as a reference getting through another couple of chapters and to enjoy todays one to one by hitting the ball cleanly hopefully.

Lets all keep focused and traing hard ...it will pay off!!

CP

Quick update....I did not manage to get to my Cricket one to one on Sunday due to family committments.
However,I have been completing some drives off my newly purchased batting tee!!Also i have been working on concentration techniques as well as hitting the ball off the bat and counting.
Ive managed to rope myself into a Net session next Sunday.So i will do that as well as my one to one.I'm really looking forwad to Sunday as nothing beats actual cricket practice!!!

In the Net i will try to focus on
1.Playing straight until set
2.Leaving the ball outside off stump
3.Better patience(resulting from better concentration hopefully)

I am continuing with the gym/aerobic fitness sessions 3/4 times a week.However my focus is shifting towards cricket specific practice.

Thus need to remain disciplined to achieve both goals of fitness and cricketing improvement.

Bye for now

CP

CP

No worries about suggesting the batting tee. I will be honest I think they are great and they do help improve your game.

keep up the good work!

Well people its been a manic week at work!!!
Consequently i only managed 2 gym/aerobic sessions.
Early night Friday and rested all day Saturday as i wanted to be fresh for Sundays two cricket sessions.
Firstly the net went well,i did not get out and made the bowlers bowl at me by leaving balls which previously i would have looked to play.I put into action the self-talk and concentration techniques i have been reading about and i feel this helped tremendously.I will continue to do this.
My one to one went pretty well too.I tried to be more expansive and to an extent achieved my objective.
Looking next week to get in 3/4 gym/aerobic sessions as well as two cricket specific sessions on Sunday. Hopefully things will calm down at work.I will endeavour to rest as much as possible and relax(probably by watching the Test match when i can).
I will use the Body analyser next week as now i am more focused on cricket skills i will monitor fitness and fat loss fortnightly.

Bye for now

CP

It's good to focus on something particluar in the nets rather than 'just bat'. To many people go in to just have a hit but if you go in with a clear plan you will get more from it. Great idea CP!

Hiya all....well last week was a strange/bad week. A combination of bad weather,work and if im really honest some ill discipline resulted in only one visit to the gym!!Although i did have a couple of press ups,stretching and light weights sessions at home.

My one to one on Sunday was cancelled (coach not me!!)
However i did get to have a Net on Sunday. Was pleased with my focus and am playing well against the pacers. Need to work on my play against the spinners,i need a plan of attack as i can keep them out but can find it hard to up the scoring against them.....I think i will have some sessions on the sweep and milking spinners rather than relying on the big shots.

I am continuing to read Rudi Websters book and find this very interesting and informative.At the moment i am working through the chapter on 'Handling pressure'.

Today has been a good day,back on the disciplined tip!! Trained in gym ,ate well and some work with the batting tee too!!I am aiming for another 2/3 gym/aerobic sessions this week and 2 cricket specific sessions on Sunday.

Gonna try to push really hard both on the fitness and cricketing fronts over the next 2 weeks and beyond as the season is fast approaching and i want the fat loss ,fitness goals and cricket skills to be achieved come the end of April.

Later

CP

PS will be back on the body analyser in 2 weeks time with hopefully some good news,also im going to up the weights a little bit as it was becoming too easy to complete 3x5 sets of bench press,squats,shoulder press,bent over rowing circuit.I will continue with the chins and push ups till failure

A good way of practicing against spinners is to practice moving your feet when doing some work on the batting tee. Just practice taking a few steps down to the tee and drive the ball or work it into a gap of the tee.
I do this quite a lot in the latter parts of my sessions and I find it helps when I'm in the nets as it's a positive approach. Also the sweep shot is a very effective way of playing the spinners and scoring runs against them.
Once again you could practice this in a cone session by having zones where to hit the ball. I tend to practice sweeping very square of the wicket but that's just how I play.
The main thing is when doing the sweep drill make sure you are hitting the ball down because when you're in nets you don't want to hit it in the air.
Also don't try and hit the ball too hard against the spinners, you can work the ball into plenty of gaps by nudging the ball around as well as moving your feet.
Also you can cut and glide too.
Hope this helps!!

Keep up the good work!

Leachy

Hey mate,
What I mean by not playing a big shot to every bad ball is that you punish it with minimal risk of getting out. For example you don't always try and hit over the top if they bowl a bad ball do you? You can punish bad bowling by working the ball into gaps and also depending on field placings you can hit over the top when you need to.
Best way to understand it more is when you are in a net session get the coach to tell you where the fielders are and then set you a target of runs to get. Also my coach over here tells us where the ball has to be hit to regardless of where it pitches when we face the bowling machine so you begin to learn how to manipulate the ball and work it around. Plus it helps you with moving your feet, and also helps you gain confidence and be positive with your batting.

Hope thats answers it for you CP!

Hiya all,on the cricket specific front i am pretty pleased with last weeks work.Did a few batting tee sessions as well as some shadow batting.My club net went well.I was batting against pacers,i left the ball well,played straight and was positive in both defence and attack.Once i felt set i imposed myself as well which is good because its making me relish and look forward to facing the pacers.

On the one to one front we worked on playing spin by nurdling,sweeping and taking the least risky options.This went well but then i became overconfident and started trying to over hit the spinner and paid the price.I need to really concentrate on sticking to my game plan against spinners until i become really set or until the match situation dictates otherwise.I was angry with myself so much so that i am going to squeeze in another one to one before Sunday as i cannot wait to get working on this part of my game.

Visited the gym 3 times last week. Im enjoying the strength work,stretching and core work but must admit i am finding the cardio work really boring.However it is a necessary evil so i will push myself and continue with it!!!

Diet was on the whole ok,not as good as i would like ideally but generally i am eating well with a few lapses.2 steps forward 1 step back!!

I am now working through the chapter on Imagery and Visualisation from Websters book.

This week i want to squeeze in an additional one to one as well as next Sundays one and club nets.Aiming for 3 gym sessions with a focus on interval running to help maintain my interest in the cardio.

Later

CP

One to One Update

Hiya all had a one to one session tonight focussing on spin. Myself and my coach can see improvements. I just fell short of my runs target off 3 buckets of throwdowns(this was disapointing as it was a loose shot,again getting a little overconfident).However overall i am sticking to my game plan which is:

1.Drive down the ground or through the covers whenever possible
2.Anything short, cut or pull
3.Using my feet and also sweeping( i sweep if the length is right and use my feet when some air is given by the bowler).

I find at the moment i need to keep and increase the self talk to focus my mind against the spinners and need to guard against getting ahead of myself because this is when errors occur.

Any tips on how to reign oneself in once you are getting on top of the bowler/situation will be welcomed.

Thanks

CP

Guys this week has been an enjoyable one. Carrying on from the improvements shown during Tuesdays one to one,todays session went well. I generally stuck to my gameplan and as i got more confident i picked the right balls to go over the top and executed the shots well.Additionally, the good thing was that i didnt get too carried away and was content to carry on with the basic plan against spinners.

My club net went well too despite getting bowled late on.It was a good ball so im not going to beat myself up..ill just focus on keeping similar balls out next time!!

Got to the gym 3 times this week. Relaxed Friday and Saturday night and did some evaluation of how things are going cricket wise. In general i am pleased with where i am at the moment and just want to keep working hard on my game especially the mental side as i believe this is the most important key to improving my game.

Goals for this week:
1. Gym at least twice(focusing on core and strength work with some cardio to warm up and down)
2.Outdoor running twice (steady and interval running- to help alleviate the boredom with gym cardio)
3.In one to one to continue working on playing spin,with some work on pulling pacers as a refresher.
4.In the club net to continue to focus on leaving the ball and playing straight.

I didnt use the body analyser as was rushed this morning but pretty sure some fat has come off as my new pair of jeans are a smaller waist size!!
Again my focus is on cricket and general fitness but i will endeavour to check my fat precentage etc before the end of the month to then be able to evaluate my training going forward till the season starts.

Later

CP

Quick update.....going through a really manic period at work making it hard to put the training hours in.Last week did one gym and one interval running session. Club net went well but need to really focus on keeping the ball on the ground more.One to one cancelled due to the coach not being able to book the net.....really disapointing!!!!

Body fat down 1% and over the last few weeks have lost an additional 3lbs.

This week looks a really busy one again but will try to utilise the weekend to get some interval running,gym and cricket specific training in .Whatever sessions i manage during the week will be a bonus. I will endeavour to stretch and do bodyweight exercises at home if i cannot train properly due to time constraints during the week.

Bye for now

CP

Guys....last week mainly worked out at home.Bodyweight exercises,stretching and core work.Had a net on Sunday which went ok - need to get my concentration level to where it was 2/3 weeks ago,as a few loose shots were played.One to one is proving difficult to maintain as demand for nets is making it hard to book facilities .Diet has been a bit slack and work is continuing to be manic.

This week has continued in much the same vein as last week. Going away for a couple of days this weekend. Once back i need to hit training hard as the season is closing in. Im hoping a change of scenery at the weekend will recharge the batteries so i will be able to train regardless of how busy work is!!

Over the weekend i will re evaluate my training goals,formulate a rough idea of what i want to achieve in the season and a contingency plan should work be manic during the season ie a bare minimum of training/cricket nets etc that will be needed to give myself the best chance of success.

Later

CP

Hey mate

Thanks for the post. Nice to know it's not all young pups on here with acres of times on their hands!

It's a tricky thing having a busy lifestyle as you need to keep a balance between commitment and not putting too much pressure on yourself. I think it does help keep some perspective on cricket though.

Going away helped although as it was a lads golf w/e there was a bit of a hangover!

Hope your final part of pre-season is as good as the rest of it has been - am sure you will go into game 1 at a minimum knowing you can be proud of all the prep you have done over the winter - and that is something.

Cheers bud enjoy the weeekend

Naz

Hi all ,firstly had a good break at the weekend,rested,ate well and enjoyed the change of scenery.Back to work with a bang on Monday...busy,busy,busy!!!

However the time away and Naz's comment has helped me put things into perspective and in turn i have tried to be realistic with my goals to cater for the fact that work is normally manic and family committments can disrupt my cricket training.

Goals

1.400+ League Runs
2.Minimum 3 scores of 50+
3.To enjoy my cricket and play freely

Minimum amount of training/lifestyle approach to achieve these goals

1.One net session per week
2.One session of throwdowns per week preferably Friday night.
3.Interval training,core work,press ups and lunges,twice a week.
4.Continually refreshing on concentration strategies and implementing them.
5.Eat healthy and not to go overboard with alcohol consumption at weekends.

Evaluation of pre season so far

Well i think firstly my original goal of 30-35 lbs weight loss by end of April is probably too challenging.Also i am pleased with the shift i made to focus more on cricket specific training. The work/reading i have completed on the mental side of the game i believe together with increased fitness levels should put me in a position to deliver!

I have lost 16lbs so far with body fat down 4%. My focus until the end of the season is purely cricket specific training.I would like to lose around 8lbs over the season as a result of training for cricket.However worst possible scenario would be to maintain fitness levels and weight and then focus on bodyfat loss at the end of the season through to next pre season.

Hoping for a baking hot and successfull summer!!!

CP

Hi all,another manic couple of weeks work wise.Nevertheless i have netted twice and i am reasonably pleased on a whole with where my batting is.I have managed to complete the bare minimum , only, of interval running , core work and press ups over the last couple of weeks.
Im off on hols for a week from tommorow.I will bring with me Rudi Websters book and work on concentration , self talk techniques, visualisation etc whilst away.
Once back i will up the interval running to ensure the new found fitness levels are maintained.

I feel that the key herein is to be ready mentally whilst maintaining fitness and completing sufficient throwdowns and nets to be able to deliver going into matches.

CP

Hi all im back from my break across the pond...had a good time catching up with family and friends. I think ive put on a few pounds as i was totally relaxed and spoilt and apart from reading parts of Websters book i did not think about cricket.

Ive been back a couple of days and managed to have a practice session which went reasonably well.I kept up the press ups etc whilst away so retained my strength levels.I plan to hit the interval running hard from tommorow as well as throwing myself into outdoor training(our club is having a cricket specific session on Saturday which i will attend).First friendly is a week on Saturday so mentally i am looking to be ready to have a good knock implementing self talk ,visualisation etc.League matches dont start till May so that is when i want to be as ready and focused as possible.

CP

Guys im making a big effort to be positive in the run up to Saturdays friendly.Playing against a side i have done well against in the past and trying to maintain a positive vibe.This is important because work is taking up alot of what should be my spare time for training.I completed one interval run and tried to maintain the bodyweight exercises. No nets or throwdowns though.Planning on having a net Friday evening(as long as work commitments are sorted).
Will keep you posted on Saturdays first knock of the season!!

Good luck to everyone playing at the weekend.....and remember its a marathon not a sprint!

CP

It's a marathon AND a sprint! Good luck CP.

Hiya guys last Saturday batted at 4 and made 22.Positives and negatives from that outcome.
The positives are that i spent some time at the wicket and the team won - we were playing an overs game and the openers got bogged down,by the time i got to the wicket i felt i had no choice but to get cracking!
Negatives- would have liked to have had more time to settle in rather than having to go more or less straight away as i feel i really need to spend time at the wicket to implement what i have been working on(friendlies provide the perfect oportunity to hone the mental skills as well as my batting gameplan).Having to add impetus straight away i feel meant that i got nervy and didnt do myself justice- i had more time than i thought!
Big negative is that i twisted my ankle early in the game . I played on but will have to manage this carefully over the next few weeks.

I had a net today but dont really feel happy with where i am with my game.Work will continue to be hectic for the next couple of weeks thus hampering preparation time,coupled with the sore ankle makes it not an ideal situation.However another friendly on Saturday and hopefully i can better last weeks score and sum!

Nevertheless the League starts on 9th May and that is when i need to produce so i will keep focused and train where i can and monitor the ankle(heavy strapping and icing after activity is the way forward there).

Good luck to all of you and Leachy well done last weeks excellent start...the hard work is paying off for you!

CP

Gentlemen i will start with the great news....first League game of the season and we won and i scored 52 batting at number 3.I lost the toss and we were put in. We made 203 for 5 off 45 and bowled them out for 98.Batting wise i really just tried to stick to my game plan(as practiced in the off season one to ones) and keep things simple( focusing on one ball at a time and watching the ball!)

Really pleased with the outcome,todays reward for all the work put in feels sweet!.However,need to keep grounded as in last weeks friendly i was caught for 3 and did not implement much of what i had planned.

Work still really busy so trying to really focus on the mental preparation and shadow batting as well as making sure i get some throwdowns before i bat.

Hope you all had a good game this weekend and dont have a hangover Sunday morning!My fitnesss work is on the backburner at the moment due to work,will have to hit it hard once work settles down especially after the beers consumed tonight!

Later
CP

CP great start to the season mate, just take it one game at a time and don't put any pressure on yourself mate and the runs will flow. Just remember cricket is a funny game and it only takes one ball!

Keep it up

Leachy

Gentlemen mixed report on last weeks performances.
In the League on Saturday i made 23 and am very frustrated still.This is because i had done the hard work and quickly got on top of the opposition with boundaries and well run 1s and 2s,only to then throw it away and play across a straight one!....Gone LBW!..Lack of concentration and a touch of arrogance creeping in...leachy you were so right,it only takes one ball!
The side got a winning draw as the oppo made no attempt to go after the runs.....all in all a frustrating day!

However,got a game Sunday and won the match for my side with 52not out.This was pleasing as i had to work for my runs,only 5 boundaries hit the rest ones and twos.The fitness work pre season is definetly helping.Still need to keep working on the concentration techniques as in the heat of battle one can get over zealous in the quest to counter attack/dominate.

My ankle is improving will get some physio after next week.Have not done much cricket practice other than shadow batting so will try to get to nets work permitting. But what i can do is work on the mental side of my game and maintain fitness via cycling,swimming,streching and bodyweight exercises.

Later

CP

Hiya all...bad news...went to my first cricket specific session for a while and whilst warming down jogging some laps i turned my already injured ankle again. Its swelled up and painfull...thus i am out of tommorows game!!..Gutted as netted really well and am in decent form!
Got some time off work next weeek and will focus on the physio for my ankle and mental preparation for next weeks game.

Good luck guys..runs ,wickets and catches to all of you!

CP

Ouch, get well soon CP.

Well guys mixed report for last week.
On the ankle front its still not 100% but i can play without too much discomfort and with it heavily strapped up.
In my League game on Saturday we won in a low scoring game and i contibuted a meagre 6 runs. I was out to a left arm spinner showing not enough patience and not sticking to my gameplan!
However played on Sunday and again my team won .However this time we won due to a matchwinning knock of 69 not out from me coming in at 5,when we were wobbling.....very satisfying!!!

However, for me and my targets its league runs that count. I want to take that friendly game form and patience into the League games and start scoring significantly.
On the whole though i am happy with my performances so far this season....3 fifties,one in the league and 2 in friendlies.

My improved fitness- taking on fielders,running 1s hard and always pushing to turn 1s into 2s,2s into 3s and a stronger mental approach to the game are making fellow players comment that my game has changed for the good and my start to the season runs wise bears that out.

Good Luck to you all this weekend

My target is to make the bowlers earn my wicket both on Saturday and Sunday!!

CP

Gentlemen...where do i start?? Its been an eventfull few weeks.

I have left my league club due to a longstanding issue and some more nonsense.
Im sad and disapointed as my focus was on League runs and i was making good progress towards achieving my League runs target.

I am going to utilise this free time to train,relax and enjoy different things in life that i was unable to commit to due to my cricketing commitments.

I have made plans to join another club next season....so my focus is on getting even fitter,weight loss and preparing myself for pre season with the new club next winter.

I am still playing Sunday cricket. The last few weeks have seen nothing memorable from me in terms of runs output as to be honest i have found it hard to motivate myself and mentally i probably was not switched on.

Last Sunday I made 20 oddd but i did start to feel i was back on the mission of focusing and scoring runs and it was an exceptional caught and bowled that dismissed me.

At some point soon i will need to set some goals to be achieved on Sundays.

However at the moment i just want to enjoy my cricket and i am pretty sure that if i do that and apply the mental skills i was working on ,the runs output will look after itself.

Keep going all and how ironic the weather is blazing just what i had hoped for!!

CP

Hiya all..with no League Cricket to focus the mind I have decided the following.I dont want to join my new club till pre season so that i can feel settled by the time i start playing competitive cricket for them.Also think the extra time this allows me now will reap benefits in the long term in terms of :hunger for league runs,fitness and general revitalisaion.
Also,I have decided to try to motivate myself for my Sunday friendlies by setting myself what i consider a stiff target.

We have 7 games left and i am going to keep things simple and aim to score at least 3 more 50s.

I intend to revisit the strategies i focused on before which led to the good start to the season ie concentration techniques,self talk,visualisation etc etc.

I going to re start my fitness regime ....as this has been on the backburner for too long!!!

Most importantly i am going to enjoy my cricket and use my long term goals to keep me focused in the interim period.

Good Luck all

CP

Hi CP

Sorry to hear about this news but glad you're now back on track.

Thanks very much for your message on my forum. Those are the types of thoughts I have been focussing on thinking.

Look forward to hearing about how you go with your challenging goal - sure you will do it easy!

Naz

Hi all good to see the training logs still going.
They are valuable.
Anyway im back so i best give a brief update.
Last season after a bright and positive start the season ended up as one in which i used the majority of the Summer to do other things. I believe this has revitalised me.I did not play much cricket due to various factors.

I intend to play as much cricket as possible this Summer.

Since October i have been concentrating on fitness via gym sessions and swimming.I have lost 12lbs and made strength and flexibility gains. Since the middle of November i have been having one to one sessions primarily working on back foot play and introducing the sweep to my armoury.

I started nets at my new club last week and it seems a really positive and friendly environment. Also the general standard of cricket played by all the club's League teams is higher than my previous club.

My first net went reasonably well.I snicked off once - lack of concentration and trying to be too positive but all in all i batted well given the circumstances.

Up until the end of March I intend to focus on

1.Implementing the batting routines that brought me success last year.
2.Net practice focussing on playing straight off both front and back foot and improving knowing which balls to leave.
3.Keeping up the fitness work - currently going gym 3 times a week doing strength and mobility work as well as high intensive interval training.

Hopefully this will lead to more fat loss but even more importantly prepare me to start the season well.I will set myself some realistic goals before the season starts.From April i will up the fielding practice and mental preparation.

Happy training!

Later

CP

CP

Good on you for getting back into the swing of things after the difficult end to your summer. Nice that you turned that into a positive too. And then lost 12 lbs too! You're flying mate!

I love the sweep shot. It has been a really important shot for me. Keep at it - am sure it will be worth it!

Where is your new club?

Naz

Cheers Naz -life and cricket has taught me to be flexible. If you look to take the positives from any situation then you will always be a winner because you become stronger not to mention more rounded as a person.

Trainings going well. Im going to ease off for the next couple of weeks to rest up some little niggles. So will concentrate on flexibility work,swimming and of course netting.

I do find the sweep shot useful as it upsets a spinners rythym and opens up more scoring areas.

My new club is not too far from my old one in the South London/Surrey borders. We play in the Surrey Championship.

Looking forward to fellow bloggers views/input and lets keep encouraging and helping each other.

Naz - it hit home thanks to your comment that i have really made big strides re increased fitness and weight loss.Thanks mate!

Once rested will hit physical training hard again to be in as close to peak condition as possible come the start of the League in May.

Later

CP