Increase in pace of young fast bowlers as they gain muscle - Proof?

[Corridor of Uncertainty]

We all believe in this. A raw teenage fast bowler, bowling at 140 clicks. The first comment you hear about him is: once he gains muscles, he will add 5-10 kph.

The last bowler whom I know gained speed at a later age was Imran Khan - that too after remodeling his action.

All potential tearaway teenage talent Pakistani bowlers I have seen either maintain speed later or end up looking like trundlers once selected.

So is this a myth or reality that young bowlers gain speed with time and body development?

Examples please!

 

[angrypathan]

We all believe in this. A raw teenage fast bowler, bowling at 140 clicks. The first comment you hear about him is: once he gains muscles, he will add 5-10 kph.

The last bowler whom I know gained speed at a later age was Imran Khan - that too after remodeling his action.

All potential tearaway teenage talent Pakistani bowlers I have seen either maintain speed later or end up looking like trundlers once selected.

So is this a myth or reality that young bowlers gain speed with time and body development?

Examples please!

Hassan Ali gained 5-10 kph after putting on muscle, he just forgot how to bowl. Although admittedly he wasn't a tearaway and had a lower starting pace.

Shaheen's pace has also risen over the last year or so

 

[Danyaalr01]

We all believe in this. A raw teenage fast bowler, bowling at 140 clicks. The first comment you hear about him is: once he gains muscles, he will add 5-10 kph.

The last bowler whom I know gained speed at a later age was Imran Khan - that too after remodeling his action.

All potential tearaway teenage talent Pakistani bowlers I have seen either maintain speed later or end up looking like trundlers once selected.

So is this a myth or reality that young bowlers gain speed with time and body development?

Examples please!

A lot of the tome they don't gain pace, but they do gain the ability to bowl longer spells of quicker bowling. When a fast bowler is younger he is more likely to get injured and the body starts aching after a shorter amount of time.

 

[Finisher]

Jasprit Bumrah was bowling 130-133 on his IPL Debut
Umar Gul was around 129-132 on his test debut and later on went to bowl mid 140s

 

[Danyaalr01]

I think a good example are the U19 bowlers from SENA countries. Barely any of them go above 135kph while playing U19, but a lot of them can take it to 140kph when they reach about 22.

 

[Hyperion66]

Players generally bowl faster after u19 level is of course more to do with muscle development with age but sustained pace depends more on body structure, bowling action, wrist position, elbow alignment, lung capacity, height from which the ball is released and most importantly twitch/muscle fibers much more than just muscle mass. Shoaib was at his lethal best when he was thin and lean, Lee was pretty lean as well. Starc, Cummins, Rabada, Ferguson etc they may not be exactly slender but not overly muscular as well. If you are on the shorter side your back muscle needs to be very well developed to generate good speed for example Steyn, Umesh or Shami. My point being pace is a outcome of a complex process with so many factors clicking together. One does not have to be built like a tank to bowl fast, right amount of muscles placed in right places will do.

 

[Golden arm]

Players generally bowl faster after u19 level is of course more to do with muscle development with age but sustained pace depends more on body structure, bowling action, wrist position, elbow alignment, lung capacity, height from which the ball is released and most importantly twitch/muscle fibers much more than just muscle mass. Shoaib was at his lethal best when he was thin and lean, Lee was pretty lean as well. Starc, Cummins, Rabada, Ferguson etc they may not be exactly slender but not overly muscular as well. If you are on the shorter side your back muscle needs to be very well developed to generate good speed for example Steyn, Umesh or Shami. My point being pace is a outcome of a complex process with so many factors clicking together. One does not have to be built like a tank to bowl fast, right amount of muscles placed in right places will do.

Excellent explanation
One example is sohail khan
He started off being near 150 k but development of muscles he actually slowed down

 

[Danyaalr01]

Excellent explanation
One example is sohail khan
He started off being near 150 k but development of muscles he actually slowed down

Yep. It is important to strengthen these muscles as a fast bowler:
Quads and hamstrings
Glutes
Lower back muscles
Core
Rotatot cuff muscles

All these muscles are equally important and none should be ignored in the gym.

Muscles that slow yiu down and shouldn’t be worked on extensively:
Basically all the muscles in the arms


It’s important that you strengthen and don’t get too bulky. Lean and string is the best for a fast bowler.
The perfect examples are Jofra Archer, Mitchell Starc and Steyn. These guys are strong but not what yiu would call big.