T20 Cricket Fitness | Women's Power Hitting

If Belinda Clark of Australia or Anjum Chopra of India hit a six in the 1990’s it used to become news. My gosh! a woman has hit a six.

In the modern era clearing the 70 metres is like chalk and cheese for a Megh Lanning or Smriti Mandhana. If you take a close look like Chris Gayle when Suzie Bates hits a ball it stays hit. Any human being needs to fire those fast twitch muscle fibres in order to Whack the ball hard, high and handsome. In simple words one got have power to set the stands ablaze.

Before 2009 women’s cricket was like slow classical song. The advent of T-20 world cup in 2009 transformed the beats. It gathered momentum. And The Big Bash League in Australia in 2015-16 turned it into hard rock. Gone are those prods and deft touches. The sight of an Ashley Healy clouting the ball can make you wonder if it is Rohit Sharma batting.

Why only batting, check the speed guns or the throwing arms. There is a huge surge in speed and power. This obviously begs the question: how this transformation occurred? The answer is simple.

Cricketers of modern era are exposed to quality strength training programme. Cricketers of yesteryears

were at par with the conditioning but the current bunch outclass them in strength and power.

In this episode I have demonstrated three exercises that help enhancing power. These exercises are more specific to the both movement and demand of the game.

Exercise-1 Medicine ball Chest Pass

Set up

· Just have one medicine ball

· The weight of the ball between 3-5 kg depending upon your body weight

· Take one partner to pass the throw back

Technical cue

· Take two steps forwards

· Extend the throwing arm fully and then release the ball

· Take a follow through

Reps and sets

· 10 reps each hand X 3-4 sets

Exercise-2 Assisted Kettle bell Swing

Set up

· Take a pair of Kettle bell

· Weight between 6-12 kgs

· Take a partner to assist

Technical Cue

· Follow the forms of a conventional squat

· Swing the bell and during the downward phase the partner pushes it towards you.

· Absorb the extra speed the bell gathers by turning on the core

Reps and sets

· 10-12 reps X 4 sets

Exercise-3 Medicine ball Lunge and rotational pass

Set up

· Just have one medicine ball

· The weight of the ball between 3-5 kg depending upon your body weight

· Take one partner to pass the throw back to you

Technical Cue

· Follow the forms of a conventional lunge

· While coming up from the lunge position release the medicine ball

· Imagine how you play the sweep shot

Reps and sets

· 10 reps each hand X 3-4 sets