Readers Tips: How to get into the zone
In this new series I am inviting readers to submit their experience, tips and advice on how to improve your cricket. Mansoor Khan kicks things off with a discussion on how he gets himself into the zone while batting. Comments are open for your feedback.
I believe that on game day my frame of mind and how psyched I am before a game really affects the way I bat.
Win a years worth of food with Precision Nutrition
As a follow up to yesterday's cricket nutrition podcast, the good Dr. Berardi wanted me to tell you about this competition on Precision Nutrition at the moment:
- Free groceries and supplements for a year
- Free meal delivery for 3 months
- Free camera and Results Tracker
So what do you need to do? Just visit the PN Body Transformation Contest page here for full details.
Quick Update
If you are eagle eyed you may have noticed you can now get weekly email updates as well as daily ones.
If you prefer to get an email once a week with all the harrowdrive updates you can enter your email in the first box on this page. As always I will never sell, trade or give away your email to anyone.
Cricket nutrition podcast with Dr. John Berardi
If you have ever wanted to improve your diet for cricket reasons then this latest podcast is for you. I speak with sport nutrition expert Dr. John Berardi about a range of topics including:
- 5 ways to immediately improve your nutrition
- What to eat on matchday
- Tips on eating for health, appearance and performance
- The growing importance of fish oil
Useful links The links we discuss during our chat are:
How important are cricket coaches?
While many would disagree, I believe the coach has a vital role in improving your cricket. So why is it that most club players are not using coaches?
The problem seems to stem from the perception of what a coach does in the club game.
At elite level coaches are essential staff. All UK counties have them from youth sides to the first team squad. Many with a host of support staff like psychologists and strength coaches. They work with the captain to build a team and continue to make players better throughout their careers.
Cricket Bestseller List
Cricket has a great tradition of written material so it's time I revealed what you, the harrowdrive community, buy and read.
I know what is popular through the sneak peek I get when you click a link on here and buy anything on Amazon. I don't get your personal details (of course not) but I do get a bestseller list of what's popular.
Free comprehensive cricket resource
I have been mulling over the idea of producing a comprehensive-print-and-keep guide for you to have for free.
It's going to take a while to do so I decided to ask what topic you would be more likely to want in a pdf format? With your input I can get to work.
So my question is simple: what topic would you like it on?
Cricket in unusual places
A while back I gave a helping hand to Shun, a cricketer in Japan with limited resources.
Shun has got back to me to tell me he is putting my advice into practice and playing games with Mount Fuji in the background. Here he is:
I especially love the kit most of them are wearing. Where do you get pale blue white's from? I caused a stir wearing trousers with a slightly wider than usual blue trim!
Beginner winter weight training for cricket
Don't put away your thoughts of cricket when the season ends. You can use the winter to improve your base of strength and power for next season.
The benefits are huge because work in the gym transfers directly to the pitch. More speed, more power and even better endurance.
The benefits are not the issue though. Most people know that working out is good for you. However many cricketers don't know where to start with this kind of planning and programming so they don't bother.
You don't have to be a great fielder to take catches
Anyone can improve his or her catching.
Catching is one of the least technical aspects of cricket, so it's all down to practice. But limited time means you still have to be smart if you want to improve.
Professional can practice catching every day and it shows. If Monty Panesar can turn himself into a safe pair of hands from the bumbling fool he was then anyone can.
What about the rest of us though? We have jobs and families and a small time window every week to practice our batting, bowling and fielding. T