'The 3 determining questions'

The difference between flaws and idiosyncrasies is a crucial understanding in the coaching of fast bowlers, and to be honest, any athlete. The understanding on what is unique to them and what actually has a negative effect on performance determines the intervention methods of coaching.

“If we are to teach correct movements, understanding the biomechanical principles underpinning what ‘correct’ looks like is critical. Think about technique versus style – correct technical practice in sport is governed by inarguable biomechanical principles whereas stylistic differences are often an adaptation of techniques, based upon individual variation, nuance, or faults. People often confuse the two”

– from: ‘Altis foundational course’

I am a firm believer in technique first. I could be regarded as ‘poacher turned game keeper’ as I was the most anti-technical bowler going around when I was at my peak. I felt as if I could outrun poor biomechanics with a high level of biomotor qualities. That is fine when it all is at optimum level but when ‘fatigue’ sets in, nervous energy takes over or any ‘variability’ occurs my performance levels dropped.

What I began to notice over the later part of my playing career and now during my second chapter in the game as a bowling consultant, is that efficient technique will allow a lesser athlete to bowl faster. However, an inefficient technique will require compensation via over-developed bio motor qualities that far exceeds what a fast bowler requires. Therefore, taking time and effort away from the crucial transferable aspects of specific strength, technique and tactical awareness, whilst also increasing the strength deficit and taking the bowler further away from their antare increasing their gym numbers and look athletic but bowling speeds and techniques are deteriorating.

'80mph is becoming the new 90mph. That's not good!'

However, the ‘technical model’ needs to match the anthropometry of each bowler. There is no one size fits all model but a model that is perfect for each individual. There are key nodes in the bowling action that I call the kinematic attractors that need to be achieved by every bowler, however, how they attain these 3 are individual and self-organizing based on the anthropometry of each bowler.

I've said it numerous times, changes need to happen and fast before the art of bowling genuinely fast is lost. Yes I fully understand that pace isn't everything and that there are successful 80mph bowlers like Anderson and Philander. However when all else is equal, pace will always win due to the laws of physics! The exact same delivery bowled 5-10mph quicker will be far more effective due to reaction times of the batter-in seryone 90mph both coaching groups have gone in opposing directions. The technical coach is developing hip dominant bowlers, fast through the crease whilst the strength coaches are building static, knee dominant bowlers. Don't we think there should be joined up thinking somewhere?

'The technical model currently being coached worldwide doesn’t match up to the physical intervention methods being adopted by strength and conditioning coaches. Both aspects are going further away from each other'.

All coaches need to understand what forces are involved in fast bowling (KINETIC), the effect they have (KINEMATIC), the limitations and capabilities of the human body based on its size and proportions [ANTHROPOMETRY] and the mechanism that controls the sequence (NEUROMUSCULAR).

With this understanding, the ‘ONE’ coach can then make a decision on how to enhance performance. These are the joint decisions a bowler and a coach need to come to;

The ‘Three determining’ questions

• Do they embrace their dominance and make it stable?
• Do they change technique to support their anthropometry?
• Do they attempt to change their dominant pattern through training?

These 3 form the ‘bowling typing model’ which maps the direction of the coaching intervention.

Telling a bowler to change without knowing them or seeing them bowl is poor coaching. There are a lot of variables. Their neuro-type, the size of their achilles, their physiological profile, bowling drop offs (light or heavy ball discrepancy), their basic strength levels, how effective are they at using their stretch shortening cycle [SSC] and mobility or stability issues around the attractors and so many more factors.

“Every athlete possesses a unique disposition/temperament and stage of motor skill development. For this reason, all sports preparatory measures, no matter how specific or general, must be appropriated according to the neuro-psychological specifics of the athlete populations with whom one works”

-James Smith. ‘The Governing Dynamics of Coaching’

Fast bowling is less to do with muscles but more to do with the brain! Motor learning and skill acquisition is a careful process and the understanding and appreciation of the ability for each bowler to acquire these skills is essential. Bowlers learn in different ways and at differing rates.

The ‘bowling typing model’ I follow identifies key traits in each bowler and enhances the possibility that the coach intervention techniques are the correct one for their ‘type’.

So what are the 3 DQ's?

DQ 1. 

Do you just strengthen the pattern the bowler currently has? Hip dominant [HD] bowlers will need to reinforce the hip hinge pattern, hip extension work whilst knee dominant [KD] bowlers can ‘squat until they drop’ without negatively effecting technique. Hip bowlers need more caution and require a careful periodised plan. Stiff landing is a skill and trait that is ingrained. This highly beneficial habit needs careful managing and any exercise that confuses the natural pattern needs to be introduced with careful attention. However, knee dominant bowlers can pretty much do what they want in terms of preparation training. It really is hard to get the training wrong for a knee dominant bowler but that doesn't guarantee the training will have a positive transfer. This is why most fast bowlers worldwide are looking more athletic due to training so their biomotor qualities have improved however there are very few that actually bowl faster after a phase of preparation training.

More and more 'look like Tarzan but bowl like Jane!'

DQ 2. 

Do you change their technique to match the natural pattern they have? If you’re knee dominant you need to develop a greater range to increase time as the back foot remains on the floor longer as knee flexion occurs to access power in the large quad muscles as discussed previously. The kinematic attractor of the ‘upper body contralateral extension’ is essential for a knee dominant bowler. This creates a longer pull and more time in the upper body. So, for timing, synchronization and sequencing the upper body will need to ‘slow down’ and allow the lower half to ‘stack’ up and hips and shoulder to separate. They will need to become long arm-pull slingers. This isn’t a technique that is encouraged by coaches that are unaware of its benefits!

DQ 3. 

Do you try and train the bowlers to become hip dominant which is the most effective way to bowl due to less time on back foot contact [BFC]? However, this needs to match the kinematics of the bowler. You don’t want a ‘slinger’ to be quick off the back foot as timing will be totally disrupted.

So what process does the bowler follow after answering the 3 DQ's?

Receptive Phase

I always advise coaches who adhere to the ‘governing dynamics of coaching’ to plan a training phase that focus on developing the other pattern and see how each bowler reacts. This is what I refer to as the RECEPTIVE PHASE.

A hip dominant bowler will train more force dominant jumping drills like depth jump, single response and isometric hold vertical jumps, long jumps, hurdle jumps and lateral jumps. These jumps are max effort and really force driven without the ‘assistance’ of the ‘stretch shortening cycle [SSC]. Hip dominant bowlers often looks effortless in their skill acquisition and their arm speed is extreme. This is due to the utilization of the SSC in their upper body. In actual fact during delivery the SSC doesn’t impact on the performance of the lower body sequencing [In terms of ground contact times].The energy comes from the tendons.

The SSC takes 0.25sec (250milliseconds). Any longer it’s seen as a longer contraction and any shorter will be seen as a short one. Most artificial (gym/strength/compound/jumps etc.) explosive movements will be around the 0.25sec mark and these are seen as ‘fast twitch animals’ in the gym.

The fastest bowlers in the world, think Mitch Starc and Brett Lee spend approximately 0.07-09 on BFC and this is evident with the heel not touching, take approximately 0.12-14sec to go from BFC to FFC and finally 0.10-12sec to release the ball from FFC to delivery. As you can see the highly coordinative bowling action doesn’t rely on the SSC if done optimally. The performance of fast bowling is highly dependent on eliminating ‘muscle slack’. This is why when all else is equal hip dominant bowlers currently are the fastest bowlers in the world. Think of the Australian quicks Mitchel Starc and Pat Cummins

Muscle slack- ‘The time lag between contraction and movement, what Frans Bosch calls slack should try to be minimized in actions where force must be produced in minimal time’ 

A knee dominant/spring bowler would alternatively spend a phase performing a myriad of reactive multiple jump training to encourage the utilization of the stretch shortening cycle. They are poor at using the stored energy in their muscles and don’t eliminate muscle slack quickly. Opposite to hip dominant bowlers who in general have small achilles tendons, knee dominant bowlers on the whole have longer achilles tendons which require a slower loading rate to access the stored energy in the muscle itself. They need to flex more at the knee to access the muscles of the thigh.

This phase only needs to last 2-3 weeks. From here ‘bowling typing’ questions can be answered and the direction of the programme can be planned. Hopefully in this time the bowler may very well develop some traits from the opposite dominance as the ideal fast bowler needs to sit in the middle of the static-spring continuum. It is key that testing and monitoring takes place within this phase. A ‘jump mat’ would be ideal but a simple counter movement jump, depth jump and single response jump comparisons test is also sufficient. You can see if a knee dominant bowler has begun to take on some of the hip dominance traits that benefit their bowling technique.

Based on their ‘type’ and how they reacted to the ‘receptive phase’ a coach can now target their limiting factor and the methods used to encourage adaptation, enhancement and progression

What direction should they now go? The information gained form the ‘bowling typing model’ will dictate what direction the bowler will take and the methods used to get them to their final end goal.

Without this knowledge, a coach cannot confidently say they will be successful in their coaching plan. Combined with general and specific physical testing the ‘bowling typing model’ should be integral to all fast bowling coaches.

When a joint decision is made the process can begin

• Do they embrace their dominance and make it stable?
• Do they change technique to support their anthropometry?
• Do they attempt to change their dominant pattern through training?

This is a 3 part article and I will cover embracing the dominance in this one.

Option 1- Embrace the Dominance

The knee/static/force dominant bowlers will be less negatively affected by a poor strength programme. This is why the majority of fast bowlers in the world simply ‘exist’. Their preparation programme provides a ‘neutral transfer’ but no glaring issues as the majority don’t get worse! This is a sad state of affairs but no questions asked as most are knee dominant and tolerate most training methods but don’t benefit from an over-focus and high volume of strength work. Please also bear in mind that knee dominance isn’t the ideal pattern to bowl fast if you’re not a ‘slinger’. So, if you are not going to change the technique and simply embrace the dominance the bowler will never reach their ‘speed ceiling’ (unless the technique is changed to utilize the anthropometrics) Why? Due to the fact that a knee dominant bowler spends too much time decelerating on BFC which isn’t conducive to transferring momentum into the braking force on front foot contact [FFC]. However a combination of embracing and modifying will result in genuine fast bowlers- 90+mph!!

Knee dominant bowlers are normally 'Neurotype 1A,2B or 3'. Having identified the bowlers neurotype a strength training programme can now be planned. The techniques used are different to each type so this is an essential process in the intervention model.

Training methods used:

Knee dominant:

• Most knee dominant bowlers are predominantly neuro type 2 [very rarely type 3] with some having type 1A traits.
• The squat is the same pattern as BFC. So, most knee dominant bowlers love to squat. They love increasing the numbers and thrive on the ‘reputation’ it builds them. Be wary of the volume. Compound strength lifts should be introduced for short periods to gain maximum benefits and the majority of their time spent in the strength zone. There is no need for variation in terms of exercise choices. Simply squat and bowl! However, de-load every 3rd week but follow the process all winter.
• 30% jumps, throws and ballistic training. 70% of their physical capacity training will be strength and hypertrophic training.
• No amount of strengthening will make the back knee appear less flexed on contact. This is a habit. It simply needs to be stabilized from collapsing further into the contact. Embrace the movement.
• I would actually contrast every set of strength exercise with a weighted ball bowling repetition or a ‘Exogen suit’ delivery with overloaded formation ‘fusiforms’ to encourage a positive transfer. There is a danger with knee dominant/static bowlers to rely on the ‘gym’ too much. However, by adding a specific strength contrast rep between every set this will satisfy their ‘type’ but also encourage positive transfer. Russian contrast sets, cluster contrast or potentiation clusters sit favorably in this section. I would say 80% of modern day bowlers sit in this option but spend too long trying to get stronger which as no benefits on performance
• Knee dominant bowlers also respond well to 'corrective strength' and 'technical grooving exercises'. They like the feel of the movement and the isolated 'pump' they may get from the specific slow tempo exercise. The separation, sequencing and isolation aspect fo skill-stability paradigm resonates very well with knee dominant bowlers. It creates more time under tension [TUT]

• Training system like Christian Thibaudeau’s Canadian Ascending Descending [CAD] could be used here. So, the whole force-velocity curve is trained. Simply vary the volume of the focus capacity. ‘Triphasic’ training is also a great programme for knee dominant athlete as it gets an athlete brutally strong in the 3 muscle contractions. I’ve often found that a knee bowler who continues to flex laterally at the knee on BFC lacks the eccentric strength and the bowler who sits back and finds it hard to get off the BFC lack isometric strength. ‘Triphasic’ training will guarantee that a knee dominant bowler doesn’t ‘collapse’ more than is naturally patterned on BFC. This will negatively affect performance. In actual effect, eccentric training is the NO 1 priority for knee dominant bowler. Eccentric contractions underpin all isometric training and forms the foundation of the skill-stability paradigm. It is essential that a phase of basic super slow eccentric training is planned before the start of the skill-stability paradigm.

• Standard ‘complex’ methods like Bulgarian complex has the volume spread evenly which isn’t ideal when training a specific type of bowler. There is a need to focus on the limiting factor so this is why a Horizontal loading ‘complex’ method is used like CAD.
• They still train elastic properties but spend more time using dead-start work or isometric work to eliminate muscle slack because they don’t use the stretch shortening cycle [SSC] when they bowl as the kinematic sequencing takes so long on a knee dominant bowler. Their body also needs the strength and structural integrity to cope with the large forces at each kinematic segment.
• Skill stability isometric training sits favorably with knee dominant bowlers. It encourages stability around the main attractors and also eliminates muscle slack. It also increases the ground reaction force on front foot contact and engraining, via corrective strength the attractor of bracing the front leg on contact. By overloading this key node with a more ‘force/intent/effort’ method a force/knee dominant bowler is more likely to embrace the changes. Why?

An organism isn’t interested in a stimulus it considers mundane. For effective learning to occur all non-reflexive stimuli must clear the RAS [Reticular Activating System]. This is in simple terms is the ‘ON’ button for the brain and motor learning.

Doing the same mundane non-stimulating drills without progression or variability will never turn on the ‘ON’ button. This is why a lot of fast bowlers fall out of favor with technical work. The drill isn’t the issue, it’s the lack of INTENT from the bowler as ‘technical drills’ are by definition are mundane, too rigid and provide no variability. The skill-stability paradigm provides a more ‘strength and conditioning’ mindset to technical intervention. Knee dominant bowlers thrive on that.

“Movement must have degrees of freedom to promote learning and progression. In other words, there must be some level of chaos, or room for the CNS to self-organize movement, to reach a goal. When exercises offer no degrees of freedom (such as a heavy barbell lunge), the athlete’s CNS is in a ‘straightjacket,’ and no motor learning is possible”

-Frans Bosch 

• The majority of jumps if the bowler and coach have decided to embrace their dominance based on their profiling should be more bilateral force orientated. Depth jumps, hurdle jumps and box jumps should be encouraged. Hip dominant bowler will end force jumps difficult. They favour single leg jumps. Ask someone to dunk a basketball, their take off will demonstrate their dominance

• Bilateral large lifts like front squat, trap bar deadlift and deep back squats form the basis of the programme and no real variation is needed from these lifts. This is why a basic template like Triphasic training, Thib’s Canadian Ascending Descending programme [CAD] or Thib’s HP mass or Strength layering fits the bill for knee dominant bowlers. Just keep it simple-embrace the dominance, make the dominance stable and contrast with bowling as often as possible.
• As strength is the dominant factor for knee dominant fast bowler’s strength gains are rapid but plateau quickly. This is one of the reason why most strength programmes are detraining most fast bowlers worldwide as they are increasing the strength deficit and also simply neutrally fatiguing bowlers for no performance gains. The fastest way to encourage adaptation and rise above the plateau is to train ‘dynamically’ for a deload phase of 1-week. Power circuits are great for this phase.
• The clip below is a lower body contrast session. Notice the difference between the pattern of the squat movement and the reactivity in the long jumps.

Hip dominant:

Hip dominant/Spring/speed bowlers however need careful periodised strength training. Too much knee dominant exercises will negatively affect hip dominant bowlers. Hip dominant bowlers should not spend all their time under a barbell. 

• Most Hip dominant bowlers are neuro type 1B or 2A. Neurally wired, have low dopamine levels and seeks out novelty or new things to stimulate their naturally low dopamine.
• In psychobiology, they call this the novelty seeking type. They need lots of variation in their training with a key focus on training on the nerve. Lots of low volume but high frequency ballistic training and CNS dominant lifting.
• French contrast and potentiating cluster provide a great training method for hip dominant bowlers. It heightens the CNS without maximal weights and provides variability and novelty to the bowler

• IMPORTANT- Hip dominant bowlers will find unstable surfaces difficult due to the lack of feedback for their SSC and the increase and the ground contact time. They may actually injure themselves. Calf strains etc are a possibility.

• Hip dominant bowlers are effective single leg jumpers [which fast bowling is!]. They are highly reactive and need a lot of jumping to maintain/improve reactivity. Ankle conditioning work is essential due to the importance of ankle stability on repeated ground contacts. Bounding, speed hops, double jump speed skaters, multiple hops and all jumps with a ‘load up’ should make up the majority of the jumping programme. However, a percentage needs to be spent on strength training and force jumps to develop the stability and resilience around the joints. Hip dominant bowlers suffer with tendonitis due their heightened activity during exercises. Increasing the strength of the muscle without sacrificing reactivity is a key addition to a hip dominant bowler who sits at the ‘spring’ end of the continuum.
• Most hip dominant bowlers should spend less time in the weight room and when they do they thrive on ‘pulling’ exercises as it reinforces the hip hinge pattern. A knee dominant bowler could find learning the highly technical dominant skill of Olympic lifting easier than a knee dominant bowler. I however question its value as learning a new skill like Olympic lifting may take a lot of repetition only to potentially gain a very small improvement in the pool of power to use. I am yet convinced on Olympic lifting for fast bowlers. A fast lift may take 1.30m/s but the trunk flexion speed at delivery for a fast bowler is approximately 12 x that speed. I appreciate Olympic lifts is triple extension but my focus is on barbell speed.

At delivery, a bowler has a trunk flexion of approximately 2000 d / s and a turning radius of approximately 50cm. Speed = radians x radius [Convert to radians (2000d / s = 31.91 r / s)]

Speed = 31.91 x 0.5 = 17.45m / s

Data taken from Realtrack ‘WIMU’. Study on fast bowlers in the 2018 champions trophy in England.

• However, strength work should never be introduced to make the lower limbs ‘stiff’ on contact as that occurs naturally. Stiff leg transfers force more effectively which is why hip dominant bowlers bowl faster when all else is equal. Technique is always the limiting factor for a hip dominant bowler.
• However more often than not the body has self organised and their 'less than perfect' technical model may not actually hinder performance as the time in each segment/node is very short due the highly reactive nature of their type. Slowing a hip dominant bowler down into the 80% zone is the best way to groove their kinematic sequence. More often than not they have a perfect model at this intensity which clarifies the fact their limiting factor isn't strength. The don't collapse on FFC due to strength. They collapse due to the fact time is limited and they don't have time to extend forward into swing leg retraction [this is my opinion, I may be wrong]. Notice how many hip dominant bowlers have a slightly flexed front leg on FFC. Dale Steyn and Rabada are two great examples. Along with my own quick at school who bowls 83mph at 17yrs of age. When resisted he organises into a 'perfect model'. Key for me now, using the 1080 sprint is to find his breaking point. At what speed does he collapse his front leg. We know due to the increase GRF and negative acceleration [blocking] of a braced front leg it is the 'best' way to bowl fast. However if the bowling velocity is negatively effected I will not be spending time trying to correct this node [I will keep you updated on the result]

• Unilateral lifting should be limited as it may interfere with the natural pattern of bowling/sprinting. They find it difficult to perform dynamic movement with bent legs. Jumping, running, sprinting, bowling and walking occurs with rigid legs. Don’t create other patterns/habits that supersede this key trait.
• Hip dominant bowlers should never move too far away from their strengths. i.e. Their reactivity. Strength is introduced sporadically to SUPPORT their reactivity and elasticity
• Calf size- Hip dominant bowlers will need additional calf raises as they receive little stimulation in everyday life and sporting actions. To activate the main power muscle in the lower leg, the soleus, the knee needs to be flexed.

With the stiffness of a hip dominant ground contact the soleus receives little ‘training effect’. Due to its importance in plantarflexion and power production [produces 50% of vertical support force during running] the soleus is a key link in the kinetic chain. Additional soleus specific work needs to be programmed in a hip dominant bowlers training week.

• They are naturally relatively strong and robust for their bodyweight but score poorly on absolute strength gym numbers. Careful/periodised strength introduction to avoid increasing hypertrophy as increase mass hinders performance is essential.
• 80% of time spent on competitive exercise [CE] and specific developmental exercises [SDE]. Heavy focus on shock training, speed training, sprint training, reactive specific jumps, ballistic training and OU weighted ball bowling. The programme needs to be overload skill specific dominant. Training needs to be highly specific. OU weighted implements or specific overloaded garments like ‘Exogen suit’ form the basis of the programme
• Hip dominant bowlers have a higher 'crural' index which allows them to move with less knee bend and greater torque advantage. Their lower leg is longer than the their upper leg in simple terms.
• Joel Smith’s Vertical Ignition programme, Kelly Baggett vertical jump programme, a Speed dominant CAD programme and all CNS focus training should be used here. Isometric contrast training like Iso-dynamic and oscillatory training techniques with a fast turnaround are effective.

“Exogen is one of the most innovative and ground-breaking products to come out in the industry in the past decade.” 

-Dr. John Cronin, Head, Auckland University of Technology – Sports Performance Research Institute NZ

‘The future of fast bowling training is ‘EXOGEN’. Hip dominant and speed driven bowlers will thrive with this new innovation.

Conclusion

Whether you embrace the dominance, change the technique or change the training it is essential that as bowlers you get the understanding of the importance of anthropometry and the impact it has on bowling performance. This is a 3 part article. The next article will cover 'changing the technique'