Front plank, side planks, reverse plank. Add 'bobbles' and leg raise into these once you're able.

Russian twists (with or without medicine ball)

Leg raises

Windscreen wipers

Side sit-ups

Squats and lunges (if you can move on to single leg squats you will be a strong fellow)

Bicycles

Back raises and bridges

Squirm crunch

Jack-knives

These things have various other names, but if you can do all these you'll be pretty strong. Here's a fairly good website that covers most things: 

Jogging improves general fitness?

 

(As was stated about 79 messages ago!)

 

(Except pub sports, such as darts, snooker, etc, etc - where drinking copious amounts of alcohol increase perceived performance, if not results!)

 

But you don't NEED to be a prime physical specimin to be good at a stop start sport such as cricket.

 

And you certainly don't NEED to jog to increase core strength.

 

Your agility increased? So you are able to make sharp turns etc quicker now? Well that is possible, though it could improve more if you did specific agility training like ladders.

 

In theory and it seems like you've proven it, jogging will help you to run faster, but this comes back to the fact it has increased the efficiency of your respitory system, allowing you to maintain a higher speed for longer, but sprint/interval training over all is more effective.

 

Oh and Ives, yes there are world class players who are not physically that fit, but lets be honest, who here on these forums are that talented? Us more normal folk need to train hard to get the most we can out of our bodies.

 

Which is that you don't need to be super-fit to be a world class cricketer.

 

Inzamam Ul Haq

Eddo Brandes

Brian McMillan

Shane Warne

 

I'm sure Gayle is quick (sprinting - fast twitch fibres and all that).

 

But I can't see the king of cool getting up early and jogging for 5 miles every other morning can you?

 

Symonds on the other hand is obviously well into his running, and aerobically probably one of the fittest.

 

But he'll get his core strength in the gym! - (if it isn't natural anyway!)

 

Anyhow, from my own experience, jogging does a lot.  My agility increased, I got fitter and even faster at running.

 

A lot of fitness things recommended today is to jog, run, jog, run as someone mentioned somewhere above and two of the fittest lads I know said they use to do sprints which makes you fitter quicker them say.  Like 5 short distance sprints but if you want stamina, jogging is sure as hell very good. 

 

I once saw Symonds jog around the st. vincent playing field with a brisk pace and he did a lot of laps - no wonder he is so damn fit!

 

Sure jogging will have some effect because it will increase the capacity and efficiency of your respitory system, thus allowing you to 'repay your oxygen debt' quicker such as the time between overs or ball chases. BUT, this is not specific (a major point of the universal "principles of training") to cricket. Sprints (particuarly interval training) is excellent for developing your fast-twitch muscles unlike jogging which is slow twitch oriented.  You then build stamina by doing things like doing a few reps of 100m at 70-80% max speed. Resistance training will help with your power and strength, though dont start doing things like bicep curls....why? well again specificity, when on the field do you do an action like a bicep curl???? Training 'movements' is much better; free weights are best for this though if your like me and cant/dont want to join a gym you can use your own bodyweight to great effect. Do things like 'wood chops' or 'planks' for core, push ups for triceps and chest (excellent for throwing) and inverted rows for errr more chest though different muscles and shoulders....I think you get the idea.

Rob Key

Scott Styris

Phil Jaques

Chris Gayle

Mike Gatting

 

All well known joggers !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Most top level coaches will develop a programme for each individual.  This might include Andrew Symonds to do some jogging.

 

I doubt Vaughan's knee surgeon will like him pounding the roads!

 

On the other hand, the players you've named might enjoy it.

(Especially when on tour and away from the wife and kids!)

 

But going back to the original question of core strength.

 

Ask a qualified coach (Preferably level 3), they will know best, and make any program specific to your build, weight, strength, etc.....

 

(By the way Tyke, wouldn't be from Barnsley would you with a name like that?)

 

OK, let's turn this into a slightly different scenario using a different sport that doesn't involve jogging. This would be boxing.

 

"Think about what you do in the ring. Do you run around for 20-40 minutes non stop or do you stop, start, and stand still for varied periods of time?"

 

If it can't be applied to cricket, where you do move about at, at least a jog pace, then why would it be valued in a sport where you don't do any jogging? Are you going to say that they should do step ups instead because it's more relevant?

 

Jogging is a very good form of exercise and is severely undervalued by physiologists and fitness coaches, especially in cricket.

 

As for the internationals that jog, they do exactly that, jog. Steady pace, long distance jogging. Not varied pace, etc.

And some of these internationals are the fittest players on the planet. And some are knocking on yet are fitter than most of the younger players who don't jog.