Success on the cricket pitch, like in any sport, is directly related to how well you plan your preparation. Or in other words, to get to where you want to be you need a map to follow no matter what level you play at.

Traditionally, cricket planning has followed a periodisation model. This is an old system that was popularised 20 years ago in Communist countries. In modern times, we continue to follow the rules of periodisation but times have changed and we need to adapt it to meet the needs of the club cricketer.

I'm not a big fan of jogging in the winter to improve your cricket fitness.

Do you have any questions related to cricket fitness or nutrition? If so, drop me an email and I'll answer it on harrowdrive for you.

I'm lucky that I get contacted a lot with questions about tactics and technique (Especially from bowlers who want to bowl faster). I love getting those so please keep sending them, but I can't remember the last time I got a question about cricket fitness or nutrition.

This guest post is by Liz Ward

Although the game takes such a long time, the average cricketer spends most of their time not doing very much at all.

However, when they are called into action it is, more often than not, explosively: Sprinting to bag that catch, sprinting to save that four, charging up the wicket, charging up again only to get half way up and having to perform a miraculous, momentum defying, 180 degree about turn to get back to safety!

Do you have trouble motivating yourself to train for cricket? Everyone has trouble from time to time, but consider the plight of an Indian coach who emailed me recently:

"I am training a senior cricket team and we are preparing for a tournament in another 15 days. The rains have started and net sessions are impossible. We don't have indoor nets. The only places we have is a small gym and a concrete car park. I have to take care of 50 players who are in the camp. Please suggest me something to keep them involved."

I recently asked regular reader, contributor and cricketer Danny Belo what were the top things he has learned about cricket fitness in the last year. Here is what he came up with.

1. Specificity. The main idea here is that you have to train your body as close to game fitness as possible. I.e. Don't go for a marathon run as it's not similar to anything you would do in the game.

1. Playing to get fit not getting fit to play. If you want to get the best out of your cricket performance you need to play cricket. However, you also need to be ready to play cricket by being strong, fast, agile and have good movement skills. These are transferable fitness skills that provide you with a base to put your cricket skills on top. The best way to get there is via a functional sport training plan. This can be as simple as a couple of bodyweight training sessions a week or as complex full year plan.

This guest post is by Liz Ward

If I were to ask you what the essential determinants of success for all sports people are, not just cricketers, would you include core strength and stability?

All cricketers need to be able to generate powerful movements in their arms and legs (try batting, bowling or fielding without powerful movements!). The only safe way to achieve this is to create a solid base of support by stabilising the spine, pelvis and shoulders through 'core' muscle contraction.

Yesterday we talked about how you can add bodyweight training to give yourself a boost on the cricket pitch.

Today you can extend that to a 4 week programme. You can get the free Harrowdrive 4 week Bodyweight Turbulence Training Plan by clicking here.

There are a lot of different ways to prepare your body for playing cricket and preventing injury. One of the best is your own bodyweight.

I must admit I'm a weight training kind of guy: It's the fastest and best way to improve your strength and with it your cricket performance. There are a number of reasons you might not be willing or able to head for the gym though. You might be under 18, feel a bit embarrassed about it or not have a lot of time to spare.