How To Avoid The Pain Of Wicket Keeper Legs

If you go into a cricket season without doing any fitness work, you are going to suffer. Especially the day or two after a game, deservedly so in my opinion. But spare a thought for the wicket keeper. How does he or she avoid the pain of the wicket keeper legs syndrome?

Clearly it helps if you play a winter sport. Playing hockey helps, as you will be keeping mobile and maintaining some sort of fitness levels. But, as a wicket keeper you will still need to do some specific pre-season drills and fitness. This helps regain your core strength and improves your resistance to the jelly leg problem. Wicket Keeper leg pain hits keepers hardest during or following the first game of the season.

When Should A Wicket Keeper Start Preparing For The New Season?

As a wicket keeper I recommended that you do specific exercises that build your core stability. Whether you do a winter sport or not, any form of exercise pre-season will help. These include stretches that develop the key areas of a wicket keeper – groin, hip flexors, quads and hamstrings.

At least once a week do leg exercises which could be weight free squats and forward lunges. A set of 10 to 12 of each should be repeated 4 times. After a month or so, a weight can be introduced to the exercise. Ideally a 1.5kg weight in each hand should be enough to build strength into the areas required. This will help when keeping in a 40 to 50 over game at the start of the season. An ideal weight would be this Fitness Mad 1.5kg soft weight and comes as a pair.
In addition to these exercises, we also suggest a visit to the gym and or swimming pool. Gym work should consist of cycling or indoor rowing machine work for 30 mins. This really helps load up you groin, hip flexors, quads and hamstrings. Swimming is another good form of exercise to assist but you must avoid doing breast stroke. Because the twisting action on the kick puts unnecessary strain on your knee joint.

With 3 Weeks To The Start Of The Season What Should A Wicket Keeper Focus On?

After working on the core principals above, its time to introduce some box jumps and or jumping squats. With a box jump you jump up onto a box, ideally 400mm off the ground. With a squat you go down into a squat and release by jumping up into the air. 5 sets of 10 of these will do.
Finally ensure you are stretching before and after each season of exercise. Maybe even introduce a pilates session once a week too. This can be continued through the season to maintain your body.

Avoiding Wicket Keeper Leg Pain Is Possible

Follow these simple drills and approach to wicket keeping fitness. As I am sure, after your first game you will not be struggling to drive home. Whilst going down the stairs the following day will be easier. And walking as if you have the body of a 95 year old will be a thing of the past.

Through the season these exercises can be maintained or add some variety. A Lusum Speed Agility Kit has speed ladders, hurdles and cones that can help keep drills fun and rewarding. Whilst also working on your core strength and conditioning. These agility kits are also available from Amazon at the following link