Snow day: 6 Ways to train when the weather puts a stop to things
As you can see from the picture, I went to my gym here in the UK to find it shut with a snowman in the carpark.
That put an end to my plans to train that day. Or did it?
It got me thinking that there are plenty of times, wherever in the world you are, that conditions put an end to your plans for any kind of training: Fitness, technical or otherwise. In my case the snow had driven the town to a halt. The schools were closed and many people didn't attempt to get into work.
When something like that happens to you, what do you do?
Some people give up and waste the day. Others see it as an opportunity to do something else instead. It's amazing how creative you can be under difficult circumstances. Here are my 6 suggestions
Picturing scoring a brilliant hundred or taking a hat trick is not just a flight of fancy. Sport scientists have examined the effect of imagining success and have found it improves your chances of real success. It works by giving you a mental blueprint to work from. When you move from your mind to the real pitch your imagination works like a sort of deja-vu.
Sit down somewhere quiet without distraction and construct your perfect game in your head, enjoy it. You should find yourself lost in your imagination before long. Repeat it every day and see what difference it makes when you can get back out there.
'Kinaesthetic awareness' is knowing how it feels to be in the right position for the perfect technique. Whether you bat or bowl, simply watching yourself play in a full length mirror will help you match the feel of a movement with how it is supposed to look.
For example, if you are a batsman, grab your bat and stand in your stance. Are you leaning over? Is your body relaxed? When you move to drive does your backswing come back down straight? You can watch and correct things like this yourself.
What If, like me, you want to do fitness work but the gym is closed? You can always use your own body to train. Being able to balance your body through three dimensions is an important skill for cricketers. Bodyweight training certainly ticks that box. You can train every main movement with your bodyweight only.
A good workout to start is the 4 week bodyweight plan you can get here.
If you are like me you always have some sort of reading or planning to do. I currently have a pile of about 10 books to read and need to plan the next stage of my mental and physical preparation. If you can't do anything else, just settle down with that book you have been meaning to read.
Even if it's not a coaching book it has a benefit indirectly. You are able to relax and recover. We all have busy lives and sometimes it's important to 'clock out' for half an hour.
Speaking of clocking out, there is no more effective way than taking a nap. We still know very little about sleep but we know it's important. Even if you are getting enough every night, a 10 minute nap can rejuvenate you for the rest of the day.
One theory is that we are designed to nap in the afternoon. It's why we get tired in that period between lunch and dinner. While this is just a theory, if you can catch 40 winks why not try it? You may find yourself with more energy later.
I realise if you are reading this in Mumbai or Brisbane you are unlikely to have a snow day anytime soon. For those of who live in less clement countries, snow shovelling is intense exercise that works the whole body and strengthens your core.
If you can't wait for the snow where you are there is always virtual shovelling.
What have you found you can do when your plans are scuppered?
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Comments
when you talk about imagining how can your brain relaate to what you think about playing and making a century in a major cricket stadium to playing on your local club pitch
With temperatures touching the highest recorded ever in Melbourne today (46.4 degrees centigrade), all club matches were cancelled for today.
I took Options 4 and 5 and tried to dream of Option 6.
Cricket is a summer sport, after all I'd love to get some tips from Aussies or Indian about how to cope with a long afternoon in HOT HOT weather.
There was one quirky tip I picked up in Australia - down in Warragul, Victoria. On a really hot day (35+) not only did my team put on the usual sunscreen and hats, a few of the boys wore their jumpers! Yes, in 35degrees! The theory/logic was that the jumper actually acted as an insulating layer that kept the direct heat off the body: in under the jumper a layer of sweat built up that kept you cool without gettihg to dehydrated. Dont know if it always works, but it worked for me that day. I know that nowadays there are these new 'skins' that are designed to do something similar: but I was wondering if anyone else has any good tips for hot weather cricket?
we mostly survive the 35 degree playing days in Melbourne with drinks breaks every 30 minutes. Watermelons are probably the sensible snack in the tea breaks.
I have not seen anyone wear a jumper in this heat, but it does have an Aussie-Indian precedent. The epic 1986 test match played in Chennai between India and Australia ended in a tie. Steve Waugh reminisces in his book that Greg Mathews wearing not one, but two sweaters in the sweltering 35 degree heat of Chennai! He condescended to take one of them off when he came on to bowl..That was also the match where Dean Jones threw up a few times due to the heat while scoring a double century in between.
Can you please stop talking about the weather is Melbourne, its so depressing compared to the -7 we are experiencing here at the moment, seems years away from the cricket season, not 8 weeks!