As mentioned before, net practice is an integral part of cricket. There are many different types of nets you can go to in order to find the right one for you. Some are free while others cost money, but all help you hone your skills!
In this article we will talk about some of the more popular specialized net workouts that pro cricketers use to improve their game. These exercises are designed to target certain weaknesses or areas of your shot.
Develop your lower body
When practicing batting with a cricket net, you will need to know how to develop your lower body muscles. This includes exercises like doing leg swings, stepping forward onto the ball, kicking the foot away from the net, and lifting the thigh high.
Steps such as these require more coordination than just jumping into action immediately after training your upper body! By developing your lower body first, it becomes easier to perform advanced moves later.
Also known as athletic or strength training, this is an integral part of fitness. Many sports depend on strong lower body muscles for success.
By working out both your front and back legs, your feet work together to keep you stable while moving, which helps prevent falling over.
Pay attention to your upper body
When working on batting skills, you will spend most of your time focusing on your lower body. However, just like with any other skill, practicing your hand-eye coordination is very important. By incorporating some special net work out exercises that focus more on your upper body, your batting technique can be improved!
Special bowling nets have become quite popular in the cricket world due to their effectiveness in teaching different types of shots. The ones we mentioned above are great because they not only teach good mechanics for front foot pushes, back foot pulls, hook swings, drop balls, and round ball throws, but also help improve your grip strength by using both hands.
Not only that, but you get to use your whole body when executing these strokes! This helps ensure that your muscles stay coordinated while you practice your game. It is definitely worth a look if you are looking to hone your batting techniques.
Practice batting and bowling drills
When practicing your fielding, you should focus more on how to tackle different types of balls, rather than just picking up any ball and moving it away from the bat or the field.
In cricket, there are three main ways to handle the ball when it is not in play: running with it, throwing it, and catching it. Obviously, the better you are at all three, the higher your score will be!
Practice doing each one individually before trying them together. For instance, practice juggling a football (soccer) while keeping track of where the goal line is and if it goes over that, throw it as hard as possible. Then, try tossing the ball into the air and chasing it.
When playing soccer, players usually have their own special tricks they use to win the game. The best way to learn these tricks is by practicing them alone first.
Net work- ers know what moves look good so they can add this technique to yours. By watching YouTube videos and reading online tutorials, you can pick up some cool moves that pro net-eers use every day.
Work on your pace and accuracy
The second part of specialised cricket net workouts is to work on your speed or how fast you can get the ball through the field.
This is very important for cricketers as it determines how quickly they can get the ball down the pitch, and how quickly they can hit a passing shot.
A lot of players struggle with this due to time constraints. They are always trying to go faster by rushing the play, which only results in mistakes.
By working on your sprinting ability and being able to run out a set amount of balls, your overall game will improve.
There are several exercises that can be done to improve your sprinting skills. Some of these include:
Running up the wall – This is an excellent exercise for improving your footwork as well as quickening your running stride. You will need a smooth surface such as grass or hard-packed dirt.
Practice hitting ground balls
Ground balls are one of the most important shots in cricket, as they make up about 40% of all successful strokes. As such, practicing your technique on hit-the-ball exercises is very important!
Practicing your swing on soft throws or even just swings at the speed you would normally throw the ball will only help you improve your game.
Throwing from different distances and with different types of bounces can also help you hone your skills more effectively. This way, you’ll be able to pick up any type of throw or bounce situation that may arise during a match.
Challenge yourself with batting and bowling drills
As mentioned before, practicing your net work is an integral part of improving your game. But how you approach your practice sessions can make a difference in how well you perform them.
Some coaches devote more time to practicing different shots or specific types of nets, while other’t just focus on moving towards the target as quickly as possible.
The best way to improve your net play depends on what kind of player you are. If you are very steady and have good shot-stopping skills, then going really slowly may be your best bet!
For more dynamic players that rely on quick reactions, drilling down on fast timing is important. The goal here is not necessarily to go as far as you could possibly go, but to use your instinctual knowledge of the sport to get better at it.
Spend time working on your mental focus
When you are batting, there is quite a lot going on around you. There are balls coming at you very quickly, and as such, it can be hard to concentrate only on what ball comes next.
At this stage of cricket, that is okay, but once you reach test level or higher, things will need to change. You will have to improve your concentration skills so that you do not keep looking at the ball too long before you play an area of the field.
This way, you will be more effective in being able to pick out where the ball goes after it has been pitched to you.
Learn to calm your mind
A lot of people get really focused on their technique while batting or bowling, which is great! But what about the rest of the skills you need to be successful?
Too many people limit themselves to just practicing their batting or bowling technique alone. They feel that this is all there is to it, but they are totally limiting yourself.
By adding other areas into your game, you will find yourself as comfortable with them as you are your normal style.
These additional areas include:
Practicing different shots (batted ball swings, reverse sweeps, etc.)
Practicing shot placement (slower balls)
Technique work on footwork, running between the wickets, and keeping your feet moving
Calming your mind before, during, and after a cricket match is an important part of being a successful player.
If you can do this, then no matter how nervous or stressed you may become due to something happening in the game, you will have time to reset and reevaluate. This helps you retain knowledge of the game longer and gives you a mental advantage over others who may not use such techniques.
