Kent players return for winter fitness

Kent“s strength and conditioning coach, Pete Kelly (pictured), has been tasked with getting the players fitter and stronger for the 2011 season by team director Paul Farbrace.

Kelly, who joined the club at the end of April, will now work hard on fitness over the off-season with every player given a personalised fitness plan to work to.

The club website caught up with Pete at the end of today“s fitness session.

Pete, you have just finished a fitness session with a couple of the Academy players. When are the first-team boys back in training?

The players who are staying in the UK were back in today and the guys who are away have already been set-up with their individual programmes. The guys staying here, working with me, are undertaking regular trips to the gym; we will go five times a week and work on strength and fitness work, up until Christmas. Then, in the New Year, we will work on more specific areas; such as power, speed and cricket related fitness.

Is cricket different to other sports, in terms of fitness requirement?

In a way I guess cricket is different, so you have to work out the needs analysis of the game. You obviously don“t want the players to be big, strong ogres but muscular endurance is important in any sport – including cricket.

Paul has said that he wants the players to be fitter in 2011, can you make that happen?

Yes, there will be more of an emphasis placed on fitness for the 2011 season. Farby (Paul Farbrace) has said that he wants the boys fitter, faster and stronger. I have no doubt that they will be.

How are you finding things, working with a professional cricket club?

I“m really enjoying it. I had some good fun with the boys last season and they are buying into everything that we are looking to do. They are eager to get stuck in, so that is encouraging. The gym we use, DW Sports Fitness, is great. They have top facilities and are helping us to fulfil our fitness requirements.

Away from the club you are still playing rugby, how is that going?

I“m still turning out for Canterbury in National Two. I play for as an openside flanker and am really enjoying it. We haven“t got off to a dynamic start but are still mid-table so hopefully things will improve and we can start to climb the table.