INFORMATION SHEET 2 - WARMING UP PRINCIPLES It is preparation for the main activity whether that is a game or practice session. Make it relevant to what is about to happen. Ideally they should be quick and be to set up and clear away. You don't always want lots of equipment to clear away at the end as the practice or match is about to start. Enjoyable for players and coaches Prepare the body and mind for the game or practice Start slowly and build the speed and intensity to reduce risk of injury in warm up Plan according to the time, space and facilities available This is something that players can start to take responsibility for once they know some of the ideas. This will stand them in good stead for the future and start to get them to take responsibility for their whole game in he future. Warm ups are coaching opportunities so work on any movement and cricket skills that are included. WARMING UP THE BODY Start slowly and build the speed and intensity. This can be done in two ways. The first is using activities that only work on warming the body up and those that may include a game or general activity. Pure Dynamic Warm Up Use range of movements that are relevant to the main activity and prepare the body. Start with smaller movements and finish with he big ones. Examples Walk on toes, walk on heels, skipping, carioca, running sideways, opening and closing the gate, hopping, bunny hops including a twist, shoulder swings, lunges, squats, leg swings, start the motor, knee rolls, spiderman, crabbing etc etc. You can also include ladder work, agility poles, hurdles, medicine balls if you have them. Strength and Conditioning Warm ups are a good opportunity to work ion this side of player performance. To improve technically and tactically the players need the physical capabilities to do so. More information on this can be found in an information sheet from Matt Church which can be found on the surreycricketboard.org website Will help with agility and coordination of the players and it is an opportunity to coach essential movement skills. This can be condensed in a 3 minute warm up that bowlers can use when called up for a second spell and when time is tight. They can be incorporated into a fielding practice. May not be fun and takes up time in the warm up purely working on one element (preparing the body) of preparation which, when time is short, may not be the most effective use of time. This may be especially true when you are preparing or a match with just half an hour's preparation time.
Warm Up Games/Activities When using these it is important that they start slowly. When competition is introduced it is natural for players to go at 100% so this needs to be controlled..
Other Examples Auckland grids, Hand hockey remember to start slowly, Relays involving the dynamic moves as above. Be imaginative and create your own games Hail Mary...Like American football...looking to score by throwing and completing a pass into the oppositions end zone then "receiver" throws ball out above head height and across half way line for another member of team to catch for a bonus score...however opposition can intercept ball to gain the bonus for their team. Mark Pitch area 10 cones & appropriate number of bibs. For progression different size and weights of balls (2 rectangle boxes and 2 cones to denote middle line. Gates (Variation on Hand Hockey). 3 gates of cones (set up in triangle formation...players pass and move ball around and after so many passes the gates become "open" to score. Progression : Change width of gates to score most points players need to aim and complete a pass through narrowest gate. Kit: 3 gates (6 cones) bibs...mix of balls (weight and size) WARMING UP THE MIND With game being won and lost in the mind it is essential that players are switched on when they are about to enter the action. Some ideas for this are:-
EXAMPLE PRE-PRACTICE WARM UPS PRE-FIELDING SESSION 1. Physical warm up focus on whole body if throwing is included in main session 2. Warm up game/activity that includes some fielding skills PRE-BATTING SESSION 1. Hand-eye co-ordination drills 2. Warm up game/activity include use of quick feet and watching a ball PRE-BOWLING SESSION 1. Physical warm up focus on whole body 2. Warm Up Game activity 3. Walkthroughs building to full run up PRE-MATCH PREPARATION When preparing for a match as well as 'warming up' you may also want to include elements that prepare the players to bat, bowl and field. Remember to focus on the positives and what you are going to do before games. BATTING The most traditional method is Throw Downs using a hard ball. To be most effective these should be carried out with batters wearing appropriate protective gear and in a situation where thy can hit the ball properly rather than just pat it back to a feeder in an open field where they will be getting no poor positions and hitting it in an unrealistic way.
Example 6 balls to defend 6 drives 6 pull shots 6 coming down wicket to spinner 6 back foot punch to spinner 6 random medium pace feeds 6 random spin feeds The players are hitting the type of ball that they are about to face Takes time Limited by facilities Players can 'go through the motions' and only hit front foot drives which accounts for a very small percentage of the balls they will face If time space and facilities do not allow for effective throw downs use an alternative. Create a softball practice that encourages players to get into good positions, use quick feet, hit the gaps and work to the game plan. Examples:- Hit gaps and run Drop or smash
BOWLING Bowlers need to be confident hat their first ball and over will be 'on the money' so a bit of bowling practice helps as long as it is focussed. Spot Bowling Set up pitch of correct length and add in a target that might be the desired line to bowl, line and length or reach the keeper at a certain point. For example, you might want your bowlers to get the ball to arrive at the keepers left knee if they are right arm seamers bowling to a right hander. Bowlers should start from walkthroughs, then to a short run before utilising full run up. Practice from both ends and to left and right handers. Will complete warming up the body and get bowlers ready for the conditions and their first over. Time. If you have a lot of players that may bowl you may need to set up a lot of pitches so that there is not a lot of hanging round. WICKET KEEPERS Keepers are often used just to catch thrown returns in a fielding practice or take balls in the bowling warm up. Is this he best way to prepare them? Keepers need to warm up their body and mind at least as much as any other player, if not more. Example Make sure dynamic warm up includes squats, lunges and sideways running. Hand-eye co-ordination practices Take a number of catches with two hands to left, right and straight Take catches with one hand both sides. E.g. left and catches to both left and right of body and vice versa. Distraction catching practice. Diving catches to left and right. Practice standing up to spinners with left and right handed batters, add in a distraction batter. Keeper is ready Time Who takes the ball in fielding and bowling practices? FIELDING Fielding practices can be broken down into two types. Individual practices where players practice the three major skills of stop, catch and throw and team practices where the dynamics of what happens during the game is included.
Individual Practices Catching from Katchet ramp. 'Goalkeeping' Throwing at a single stump High catches You could set up 2, 3 or 4 of these and players move round in a carousel. Everyone has lots of goes Not necessarily switching on the mind Team Practices Example All in fielding TEAM TALKS Keep them short, simple and consistent. Create a basic game plan to which the team can perform on each occasion and therefore team talks can always be based around this. For example, score off as many balls as possible, bowl to hit the stumps, find a way to be involved every ball as a fielder. Allow players to come up with their own methods of achieving the game plan where possible, with your guidance.
EXAMPLE PREPARATIONS Here are some ideas on what various preparations could look like. Experiment and find out what works for you and your players PRE-MATCH 30 MINS 1. Team talk 2. Warm up activity such as New Zealand Squares 3. Toss up 4. Complete warm up depending on what team is about to do. Short and easy to prepare sessions. N-Batting, Spot Bowling, Keeping Prep, individual fielding for nonbowlers 5. Final thoughts 6. Play 7. Prepare for second innings in the interval PRE-MATCH 1 HOUR 1. Mental switch on such as 3-Line Catch 2. Team Talk 3. Physical Warm Up such as Catch and Move 4. Toss Up 5. Complete warm up depending on what team is about to do. Batting warm up such as N-Batting or Hit the Gaps and Run. Fielding and keeping warm ups and/or spot bowling 6. Final thoughts 7. Play 8. Prepare for second innings in the interval PRE-MATCH 90 MINS 1. Mental switch on such as 3-Line Catch 2. Team Talk 3. Batting warm up. Throw downs or other depending on facilities 4. Physical Warm Up such as Catch and Move 5. Toss Up 6. Fielding warm up. Can be individual or team or both 7. Spot Bowling 8. Final thoughts 9. Play 10. Prepare for second innings in the interval