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"Discover A Simple Secret To Increasing Power in Your Shots and Adding A Yard of Pace To Your Bowling."

By David Virgo

Cricketers don't realise how much the hip and surrounding musculature are needed to generate power. If used with a strong and stable trunk or core efficient hip flexors make you a more powerful cricketer. The majority of you spend a fair portion of your time seated.

Look at the position of your hips at the moment as you will be seated to read this newsletter. They are flexed at around 90 degrees meaning your hip flexors are shortened. If they (hip flexors) are in this position consistently and rarely stretched, your range of movement is going to be restricted in some way.

Your hip flexors will be shortened and won't go back to their optimal length until you make a conscious effort to lengthen them. You may not be aware of it because your body adapts to any stresses thrown at it. So your movements will feel normal to you. That is why so many cricketers feel greater freedom in their normal running motion and movements after the simplest of hip mobility exercises.

From a batting view point. How many of you find it almost impossible to keep your back leg straight or your back foot grounded? Or as I commonly see the back foot swivelling around to allow the hips and upper body to open up and face the bowler. This is caused by the hip flexor and associated muscles not allowing the hips and leg to stretch out adequately to lock your hips in the side on position.

As a bowler you can't be expected to generate maximum power output if you can't move your hip flexors through a full range of motion. The hip region impacts on your lower back also. The majority of your upper leg muscles (quads & hamstrings) involve the hips. Hopefully you can start to see how a lack of hip mobility seriously can impede your efficiency. Not to mention increase your chances of injury.

It goes without saying that your mobility and agility will be seriously impeded in the field because of your hip flexor limitations. Bending, lunging, sprinting and so on will all be affected. As stated earlier you may not realise it till you develop a greater range of movement and feel the difference.

So give it a go. Start with the basics and every night or every other night stretch out your hip flexors, adductors (inner thigh), hamstrings and quads and also your iliotibial band which runs down the outside of your thigh. See if you feel any difference in your movements. I'm betting after a couple of weeks you will.

About the Author:

David Virgo is a Certified Master Trainer who is registered with Fitness Australia as a Fitness Professional. David has also played cricket with distinction at a high level. His website is www.cricketfitness.com