This is a guest article from former professional bowler, and current Strength, Conditioning and Fast Bowling Coach Steffan Jones.

Go easy on the hard work.

The only way to improve your fitness, pace and stamina is by stressing the body to the limit. You have to train hard. However, the body can only tolerate so much. Flat out effort is draining.

So how do you train and play hard without breaking yourself? Read on to find out.

Do you recognise this?

Bowlers have bowling with soaking wet balls, drying the ball on a towel kept in the back your trousers and fielders throwing the ball sideways as the ball slips out of their hands. Anyone who has played club cricket will know all about these kinds of challenge.

This article is part of the "Streetwise Bowling" series from PitchVision Academy. To view the full list of tactics click here.

This tactic takes a lot of guts and even more self-confidence as a bowler.

Will you risk it?

It's based around the old joke that after bowling a half volley and being hit for a boundary, some wag will comment that you have "lulled the batsman into a false sense of security". It's funny, but in reality you can do just that.

If you pick your moment perfectly.

This is a guest article from Strength Coach, Fast Bowling Coach and Former First-Class Cricketer, Steffan Jones.

If a fast bowler isn't being physically stressed, you're wasting your time.

This article is part of the "Streetwise Bowling" series from PitchVision Academy. To view the full list of tactics click here.

Pressure.

That's what makes death bowling so difficult. Any fool can fire a yorker down in a net. Very few can do it in a World Cup Final. And the punishments are severe.

Jarred Opperman was on a path to fast bowling glory. He was in the Natal team, and the speed gun was showing the high 130s. He took pride in knowing that the batsmen were afraid of his speed.

“There is no better feeling in the world. The battle is already half over.”

This is part 4 of and autobiographical training guide Steffan Jones, professional fast bowler. For part one click here.

In 2002 I learned that hard work wasn't the secret to success.

My gym work was spot on. I was training harder and better than ever. I could see no room to improve (remember this was a few years back, and at the time you could not have found a better programme or a more motivated trainer).

This is a guest article from former professional bowler, and current Strength, Conditioning and Fast Bowling Coach Steffan Jones.

Why is Mitchell Johnson so unplayable at the moment?

What has made him change from a guy that struggled to hit the cut strip to now being the quickest bowler in the world and a genuine game changer?

 Wouldn't you like to know a way to get miles in your legs without 10 rounds of the ground?

While, most ex-cricketers and coaches will tell you that stamina is good for bowlers, a long jog just isn’t the way to do it. Long jogs are sure recipes for disaster.

Still sceptical? Have a look at the stats.

This is a guest article from former professional bowler, and current Strength, Conditioning and Fast Bowling Coach Steffan Jones.

How do you train to bowl lightning fast?

Sorry to all the traditionalist out there, but you can't "just bowl". Not if you want real pace.

Neither can you expect to do endless conditioning session that don't replicate the energy systems and effort of bowling. The sessions I'm seeing in some indoor schools and gyms are great for any other sports but not fast bowling!

So what do we do?