Cricket Pre-Season Training: How to Build a Stronger, Fitter Body Before the First Ball is Bowled
Cricket Pre-Season Training: How to Build a Stronger, Fitter Body Before the First Ball is Bowled
Pre-season is where you win the season. I’ve said that to every player I’ve coached, and I’ll say it again here — what you do in these 8 to 12 weeks before the season starts will either put you ahead of the pack or leave you playing catch-up when it matters most.
Too many cricketers wait until a few weeks before the first game to start "getting fit" — hitting the nets hard, running laps, and chucking in a few push-ups hoping it’ll be enough. But that’s not how you build a robust, cricket-ready body. That’s how you get injured.
If you want to score more runs, bowl faster for longer, and stay injury-free all season — your pre-season needs structure, purpose, and progression.
Here's how to get it right.
1. Break Your Pre-Season Into Phases
You wouldn’t go from zero to bowling 10 overs in a day — so don’t treat your training that way either. Your pre-season should be split into phases:
Weeks 1–4: Foundation Phase
Build a base of strength and mobility
Focus on technique over intensity
Core lifts: bodyweight movements, goblet squats, lunges, RDLs, push-ups
Daily mobility drills — hips, shoulders, ankles
Weeks 5–8: Strength & Power Phase
Introduce heavier lifts (trap bar deadlifts, front squats, pull-ups)
Add explosive work like medicine ball throws and box jumps
Keep mobility and movement quality a priority
Weeks 9–12: Performance & Conditioning Phase
Cricket-specific conditioning (e.g. shuttle sprints, sprint repeat intervals)
Power endurance circuits (low reps, high intent)
Nets and skill work integrated with S&C
You’ll notice we’re not just hammering fitness — we’re building an athlete.
2. Train Like a Cricketer — Not a Bodybuilder
I see this mistake all the time. Young cricketers following chest-day, back-day gym splits like they’re prepping for a beach holiday. That’s not going to help you rotate your torso into a cover drive or brace your front leg in a fast bowling action.
Your gym training should mimic the demands of cricket:
Rotational strength (medicine ball slams, landmine presses)
Dedicated strength training
Unilateral work (rear foot elevated split squats, step-ups)
Posterior chain (glutes + hamstrings)
Core stability and anti-rotation
Forget mirror muscles — build cricket muscles.
3. Conditioning Doesn't Need to Match Your Role
We don't need to overcomplicate your conditioning. Here's how to condition smarter:
Include:
Long, steady state cardio (oxidative system)
High intensity interval training (lactic acid system)
You should be doing more steady state conditioning than the intervals, around an 80:20 split.
And it doesn't matter how you do it, if you're feeling beat up from nets take these sessions to the bike or any conditioning equipment. Even swimming.
Your conditioning should reflect your match demands — not just punish you for the sake of being tired.
4. Build a Body That Doesn’t Break
Cricket is repetitive. Same movements, over and over. That’s why cricketers pick up overuse injuries.
During pre-season, build durability:
Isometric holds (split squat holds, wall sits)
Tempo lifts to strengthen tendons
Shoulder prehab — YWTs, banded external rotation, scap push-ups
Ankle and calf work for fielding resilience
This isn’t sexy work — but it’s what keeps you on the park.
5. Fuel Like a Pro, Even if You're Not One
Training hard? Then you need to fuel hard too.
Prioritise protein (1.6–2.2g/kg bodyweight)
Don’t fear carbs — you’ll need them for nets and conditioning
Hydrate constantly (especially during outdoor sessions)
Keep supplements simple: creatine, whey, maybe beta-alanine
Eat like you want to perform — not just survive.
6. Don’t Go It Alone
The best players surround themselves with coaches, physios, and teammates who hold them accountable. If you don’t have access to a coach or gym buddy, consider:
Online programs tailored to cricket (shameless plug: that’s what we do at Proteus)
Join online communities or training groups
Track your lifts, sprints, and progress each week
Accountability is the difference between a good intention and a real transformation.
Final Thoughts
Pre-season is your opportunity to build the engine before the race. It’s where you make gains that last all season. But it only works if you treat it with the respect it deserves.
Don’t wait until April to panic into fitness. Start now. Start structured.
Train with purpose. Play with freedom.
Need help with a pre-season plan that’s built for cricket? Check out our programs and start your transformation today.