We’re back with a fresh episode of the Cricket Matters podcast! In this one, James returns from Serbia with plenty of stories and most importantly insights from an elite-level coaching conference. From eccentric training to athlete pressure, we dig into the performance secrets of some of the world’s top sports minds.

You’ll Learn:

• How focusing on the "down phase" of movement can improve strength, control, and injury prevention—especially for cricketers and rotational athletes.
• How breaking and changing direction separates good athletes from great ones—and how it applies across multiple sports.
• How elite athletes use focused attention (without distractions like music) to sharpen their performance and make every rep count.
• W some of the best insights for cricket conditioning come from explosive sports like triple jump, and how to reverse-engineer their methods.

Key Takeaways:

• Eccentric (lowering) strength builds control and explosiveness.
  Athletes who master the "going down" phase of movement tend to be stronger, faster, and more resilient. It's not just about pushing up—it's about how you absorb and manage force.
• Deceleration training is underrated but essential.
  The best athletes aren’t always the fastest in a straight line—they're the ones who can stop and change direction efficiently, like a high-performance Formula One car.
• Intentional training beats distracted workouts every time.
  Tuning into your body during a session leads to better movement quality, deeper focus, and more meaningful progress.
• Learning from other sports expands your coaching toolbox.
  Insights from triple jumpers and baseball pitchers are helping James refine how cricketers move, jump, and rotate efficiently.
• Pressure in sport is real—but so is perspective.
  Hearing from a 7’2” pro basketball player about pressure-packed Serbian games reminds us that handling the mental side is just as critical as the physical.

Quotes:

“The best athletes are better on the eccentric version—the going down section.”

“If you can improve the brakes of the athlete, you change their ability to recycle energy.”

“Most people aren’t in tune with their body enough to know what’s really going on.”

Find James on:

• Instagram: @jamesbreese
• Twitter: @_jamesbreese

To learn more about Cricket Matters and download your FREE copy of The High-Performance Handbook, please visit www.cricketmatters.com