Chris Tremlett has been a professional cricketer for over 10 years. The 28-year-old fast bowler currently plays for Hampshire, but has also played Test and One Day International cricket for England. Recently, Explosive Nutrition caught up with him to find out how the latest sports nutrition is impacting the traditional world of cricket…

Q. Which supplements do you use on a regular basis when training?
A. I like to use Promax or Progain when I am doing strength training, as I find they act quickly to aid muscle recovery and strength. They are also a good form of calories if you are hungry and need a quick, or extra, snack or meal. Plus, they’re low in carbs and fat. I also like to use Recovermax after a hard cardio session as it has the right salts, carbs and protein to aid my recovery - I try to get these in as quickly as possible after training.

Q. Which supplements do you use in the build up to (or during) an important match?
A. Cricket is a game like no other really, due to the fact that it is very long and unpredictable! For example if your team is batting then you generally have a lot of time sitting around (especially if you’re a bowler), either waiting to bat or waiting to go out and field. Sometimes it can be a couple of days before you have to go and field if your team manages to bat for a long time. I generally have two to three protein shakes each day, and this isn’t any different on a match day. I try to drink shakes rather than snacking on fattier foods (which seem to leak their way into changing rooms). During fielding sessions, I will take a lot more recovery-based products, such as Recovermax. After each spell of bowling, I will get a serving into my system, and also at the end of a day’s play, along with other hydrating products.

Q. Is the use of supplements widespread amongst Cricketers? Are they growing in popularity?
A. The game of cricket has moved a long way in the last few years, and is a lot faster-paced than it was previously. Also diet and nutrition are more closely monitored and cricketers regularly have their body fat measured - this has to be kept under a certain level. As well as all this, supplements have really come into the game, and more and more cricketers are using them since they’re a good way to help monitor calories, whilst also aiding a player’s recovery. A few years ago, taking supplements would’ve worried a lot of cricketers as drug testing is frequent, and it was often difficult to trust that a product wouldn’t contain any potentially illegal ingredients.

Nowadays this isn’t really a concern. For example, Maximuscle test all their products in a lab to ensure they are safe for athletes to use. As a result, many different sports teams use Maximuscle products, as they are a well-trusted brand (the England cricket team is actually sponsored by Maximuscle). I have never heard of a Maximuscle product containing an illegal ingredient. There are still a few players who don’t use supplements, but I would say 80-85% of them do.

Q. What’s the weekly training regime like for a professional cricketer?
A. In the off-season cricketers will work a lot harder on their fitness levels in the gym, to build their strength up in the right areas. Generally cricketers will do a lot of cardio training, such as running, swimming, cycling and rowing, as well as weight training and core stability training. At the moment I train five to six days a week. Each week I do three leg sessions, two upper-body sessions, four core stability workouts and four to five cardio sessions. It’s quite tough, but having these supplements to aid my recovery helps.

During the season we play a LOT of cricket so that is the main source for staying fit, especially as a bowler. We still try to get some strength sessions in, but these generally won’t be as long or hard, as the guys are trying to maintain strength, rather than gaining it (hopefully all the gaining has been done in the off season). Also going too hard can make you feel sore, and you don’t want to affect performance. It’s quite tough in County cricket to keep up your strength levels due to the large amount of cricket that’s played. At International level, I would say it’s easier to maintain strength, as there is more time between games to recover and get more gym sessions in.

Q. Can you outline the kind of diet that you're expected to follow in the build up to a match, or during training? How closely are you expected to stick to this? Are you allowed alcohol?
A. We do have some guidance on the sort of foods to eat, but at the end of the day you’re responsible for what goes into your body. Some guys are very strict on what they eat, but other guys aren’t. Like I said before, we get our body fat measured on a regular basis, so if you’re not sticking to the right foods or keeping your fitness levels up, it will show in your readings. The England team has very strict guidelines on body fat and fitness levels - you won’t get picked if you do not reach these levels. In the County game it’s a little bit more lenient, but not much.

You do burn a lot of calories playing cricket. Sometimes it might not look like the guys are working hard, but you can be out on the field all day running around. We try to stick to low fat foods, and consume a good balance of protein and carbs. If I know I am going to be bowling the next day, I will eat a lot of carbs the night before, and in the morning, to help boost energy levels.

Alcohol is not banned, but if we drink, we are told to drink in moderation and at the right times. There's no real harm in having a glass of wine or a couple of beers, if you do it sensibly and ensure that you’re also staying hydrated by drinking water etc. We do need to relax at times and many players find that a beer or wine helps. However, getting drunk is out of the question!

Q. What advice would you give to any budding cricketers, or any athletes for that matter, that are looking to break into the professional ranks?
A. The advice I would give to budding cricketers is to work as hard as they can on their game and fitness as often as possible, and be prepared to make sacrifices if they want to go all the way. If they’re not prepared to work hard, then don’t bother - there are many athletes who have the talent to make it all the way, but a lot of the time they don’t have the drive and the dedication to see it through, and they will get outperformed at the top level. If you give it all you have got then no one can fault you, and if you’re not good enough, then so be it. But if you are, then you don’t want to regret the fact you didn't try!

Q. Any final words?
A. There are a lot of supplements available out there, and everyone is different, so make sure you know what your fitness goals are from the start and choose the right products. If you’re not sure what you’re doing then speak to someone who’s in the know (you can contact us here).