UC Study Aims To Boost Pace Bowlers’ Speed And Strength

An innovative UC-led study explores how tailored strength programmes improve bowling speed and performance for young pace bowlers in Canterbury.

This study from Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC) is led by Faculty of Health PhD candidate Gregory King who is also the Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Chennai Super Kings Indian Premier League and Canterbury Cricket.

His research is part of a series of studies into the strength qualities that enable fast bowlers to perform at their best.

“Over the years, I’ve observed a relationship between specific strength characteristics and the ability of bowlers to generate high speeds. This research seeks to identify those qualities and determine if developing them can make bowlers faster,” King says.

“Our first study surveyed global experts to pinpoint essential strength qualities for pace bowlers, alongside the best tests and exercises to develop them. This informed our second study, where we measured these qualities across elite, amateur, and school-level bowlers to determine their impact on bowling speeds. In this third phase, we're putting our findings into action with school-aged bowlers.”

The intervention involves Year 10 to 12 students from three Christchurch schools. Participants undergo rigorous assessments of their bowling speeds and strength abilities before and after an intensive six-to-eight-week training programme. Two distinct training approaches are being evaluated: one focusing on general strength and the other emphasising high-velocity, explosive movements.

“Both programmes have been meticulously designed based on insights from our earlier research and expert consensus,” King says.

He notes the significance of this study in the broader cricketing research landscape. “Much of the existing work on fast bowlers focuses on injury prevention. While that’s critical, there’s been relatively little research on performance enhancement. This study aims to fill that gap by providing strength and conditioning coaches with evidence-based strategies to improve bowling speed.”

The intervention’s focus on performance rather than injury prevention sets it apart, he says. “Improving bowlers’ speed – whether they’re already quick or looking to build their pace – provides a significant competitive edge.”

Preliminary results have shown promising improvements in strength abilities, despite the challenges of conducting such studies over a short period, King says.

“With a six-to-eight-week timeframe, dramatic results aren’t always expected, but the initial findings have exceeded my expectations from a strength perspective. We’re seeing notable improvements in the participants’ strength abilities. While we’re still analysing the bowling-speed data, these initial findings are encouraging and suggest the programmes are making a measurable impact.”

He says the findings are expected to have implications for school-level bowlers as well as amateur and professional cricketers. The emphasis on tailored training programmes ensures that the research outcomes are practical and applicable in real-world settings.

UC plays a pivotal role in facilitating this research, he says. UC provides access to its state-of-the-art facilities, including the UC Sports Science Gym, where some training sessions are conducted.

“Without UC’s support, especially my advisors, the, facilities and the involvement of master’s students as interns, managing a project of this scale would have been impossible,” King says. “Their assistance has been invaluable, not just for the school-level interventions and data collection but also for expanding the study to amateur club cricketers.”

© Scoop Media