Pre-Season Strength & Conditioning Guide for Cricketers
As the new year approaches and the UK cricket pre-season kicks off, it’s time to prepare your body for the challenges ahead. Whether you’ve had a structured off-season or have done little since last season, this guide will help you get ready for April. By following a structured program that focuses on movement quality, building capacity, strength, and power, you’ll set yourself up for success in the 2025 season.
January: Movement Quality and Capacity
Key focus:
- Improving movement quality & capacity
The first step in any pre-season program is to enhance your movement quality. After months of reduced activity, your hips, back, and other key areas might feel tight, and you may have picked up a few niggles. To regain mobility and fluidity, prioritise mobility exercises alongside strength training.
The second priority for January is building capacity. Think of this as the foundation of your fitness pyramid. Without a strong base, it’s easy to get injured as intensity ramps up later. This focuses on endurance and involves higher reps (12-15) with lighter weights to build muscular endurance.
February: Building Strength
Key focus
- Developing maximum strength
Once you’ve built a foundation of movement quality and capacity, February is all about getting stronger. Strength is the next layer of the cricket fitness pyramid, and it’s crucial for generating the force needed in cricket-specific movements like bowling, batting, and fielding.
During this phase, reduce reps to 8-12 and increase weights to focus on hypertrophy (muscle growth). This will give you more force in your tank to progress into March.
March: Adding Power
Key focus:
The final phase of pre-season training is about power. Power is the ability to exert maximum force in the shortest amount of time, which is vital for fast bowling, explosive batting, and dynamic fielding. To train power effectively, you need to translate the strength built in February into quick, explosive actions with a high rate of force development using ballistic & plyometrics training.
Pre-Season Program Availability
If you’re unsure where to start, our 12-week Pre-Season Programme is available now. Alternatively, we can create a bespoke programme tailored to your individual needs.
Prepare to step onto the field in April as a stronger, more robust, and more powerful athlete. By following this guide, you’ll not only enhance your performance but also reduce the risk of injury, ensuring a successful and enjoyable season ahead.
Sam Hunt
Sam started Cricfit in March 2020 just as lockdown began with the simple goal of educating Cricketers about the physical side of the game. Sam became a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (NSCA CSCS) in June 2021 & ECB Core Coach with a Sport & Exercise Science undergraduate & Sport Business Management Masters degree behind him. Having played Cricket to a high level during his youth and still to a premier league club standard, Cricfit is the combination of his two main passions in life, Cricket & fitness.
