aguero - Soar Media

PERFORMANCE
PERFORMANCE
ACCELERATE LIKE
AGUERO
102
The number of Premier
League goals in which Aguero
has had a direct involvement,
including 24 assists
78
The number
of goals Aguero has scored in the
Premier League
YOUR AL
I
ESSENDTIO
CAR
un 50m
1 & 2: R
WEEKS
mplete
o
conds. C
in 10 se
seconds
0
1
r
Rest fo
is
10 reps.
s. Do th
een rep
in betw
k
e
we
twice a
26
Aguero’s highest
single season goals
tally, in 2014-15
“Aggggguuueerrrrooooo!!!” Cue
pandemonium. Bodies topple over
one another in the stands. Manchester
City’s staff storm the pitch like
a swarm of angry bees. Joe Hart is so
excited, his head is ready to pop off
like the cork on a champagne bottle.
While this is happening, the hero of
the hour is swinging his shirt above his
head, celebrating a title-winning goal.
Sergio Aguero’s physique is on show.
It’s impressive, but unspectacular – he
is a professional athlete, after all. What’s
impressive is out of shot: his legs and
backside. They’re short-splittingly big.
Does this thick-set lower half slow him
down? Not on your nelly. Ask his
team-mates – they struggled to catch
the Argentine after his last-gasp winner
against QPR in May 2012.
But Aguero isn’t the sort of striker to
run around the pitch like an over-excited
toddler chasing a flock of pigeons. The
penalty area is where he bursts into life.
“Finding space in the box is crucial,” he
tells FFT. “I want to be in the best place
to make life hard for a defender. You’ve
got to be attentive. I try to run as quickly
as possible to be first to the ball.”
And once you’re there, his advice is
simple: “Shoot hard and true.” He should
know – he has the best goals-per-minute
ratio in Premier League history.
If you’re looking to build explosive
power for devastating bursts past
defenders, leading to net-rippling shots,
we have the training plan for you.
Just follow the programme and listen
to Kun: “You have to put in the work on
the training ground.” Get to it.
Words Ben Welch
“Finding space in the
box is crucial. I try to
run as quickly as I can
to be first to the ball”
104 September 2015 Performance.FourFourTwo.com
Head to our Instagram
account to see these
exercises in action
@fourfourtwoperformance
MUSCLE
FUEL
Manchester City’s penalty-box predator wreaks
havoc with his razor sharp surges. This workout
will give you his rocket-propelled movement
Jamie Reynolds is the founder of velocitytrainingclub.co.uk
SERGIO AGUERO
NATIONALITY Argentine
CLUB Manchester City
DATE OF BIRTH June 2, 1988
NICKNAME Kun
UP YOUR PISTONS
+ POWER
TO ROAR PAST OPPONENTS
Barbell hip raise
Squat into lunge
Push-up renegade row
Rest your head and shoulders on
a bench and roll a loaded barbell up
your legs until it sits across your hips.
With your feet planted, squeeze your
glutes and lift the barbell off the floor
by driving through your heels. Keep a
straight line from shoulders to knees.
Lower the barbell and repeat.
Sets 3 Reps 10
Rest a loaded barbell across your
shoulders. Drop into a squat, pushing
your hips back, bending at the knees.
Drive back up to the start position
and lunge forward with your right leg.
Push off your foot and return to the
start position. Lunge forward with
your left leg and repeat the cycle.
Sets 3 Reps 10
Get into a push-up position, gripping
a dumbbell in each hand. Lower your
chest to the floor before pushing
back up to the start position. Bring
one dumbbell up to your ribcage.
Maintain control and return it to the
floor. Do the same with the other
dumbbell. Repeat the three moves.
Sets 3 Reps 10
Muscles: glutes, calves, hamstrings
Muscles: quads, glutes, hamstrings
Muscles: back, abs, biceps, chest
+ BRING SPRING TO YOUR SPRINTS
ACTION Don the weighted
vest and sit on the edge of
the chair, ready to go. When
the coach calls out
a number from one to six,
explode out of the chair
to the corresponding cone,
before returning to the start
position. Then repeat.
High-protein
yoghurt with fruit
Yoghurt contains casein protein,
which coagulates in your stomach,
slowing down the digestive process.
Eating this before training will give
your bloodstream a steady level of
amino acids to help ease muscle
soreness the day after a gruelling
pre-season session. Partner the
yoghurt with any fruit. Something
sweet and fleshy will contain simple
sugars, which will help fuel your
body for an intense workout. Fruit
also has important vitamins and
minerals for improved immune
function and energy production.
POST-TRAINING
Pork steaks
with homemade
sweet potato wedges
5 YARDS
EQUIPMENT 5kg weighted
vest, a chair and six cones.
PRE-TRAINING
PROGRESSION The coach
stands behind the player
and throws a ball over their
shoulder. The player must
burst off the chair, retrieve it
and return to the coach.
SETS 3 (with a 2-minute
recovery between each set)
REPS 10 (Take off the
weighted vest before
beginning the 10th and
final repetition)
Scoffing on some pork after
training will pump your body with
zinc to boost testosterone levels as
well as giving you a protein hit,
helping your weary legs to recharge.
Vitamin B12 will fire up your energy
levels so you’re ready for training the
following day. It’s also full of iron,
which is vital for the transportation
of oxygen around the body. The
fibre-packed sweet potato will keep
you full and tiredness will be kept at
bay by the get-up-and-go packed in
the carbohydrates and antioxidants.
Performance.FourFourTwo.com September 2015 105
PERFORMANCE
PERFORMANCE
MOVE LIKE
MESSI
50
21
Goals scored in
El Clasico – more
than any other
player in history
un 30m
3 & 4: R
WEEKS
plete
m
o
C
onds.
nds
in 6 sec
se
10 co
Rest for
this
o
12 reps.
D
s.
p
en re
in betwe
week
twice a
286
The number of goals
Messi has netted in La Liga,
overtaking Telmo Zarra as
the all-time top scorer
So much praise has been heaped upon
Barcelona’s Argentine magician over
the last decade, ‘Messi’ might just
become a superlative in its own right.
He scores wonder-goals with such
bewildering regularity that he’s almost
downgraded them to the level of tap-ins.
Every goal is unique, but they all follow
a similar-yet-brilliant script: Messi
negotiates a barricade of defenders,
apparently without effort, before finding
the net with a perfectly placed finish.
Opponents always know what’s coming
– he isn’t the sort to use flashy tricks –
but they can’t stop him. Why?
Simple: because his athleticism is
superhuman. Don’t let Messi’s slight
physique deceive you, he’s a beast. His
ability to accelerate and decelerate in
the blink of an eye sets him apart.
Then there’s his agility. Messi can
change direction more sharply than
a cartoon mouse darting between the
legs of a screaming housewife.
If you were able to develop a fraction
of his powers, you would light up Sunday
league pitches like never before. And it’s
achievable, but you’ve got to be willing
to put the work in, as Messi explains:
“I always try to train and improve every
day so I can perform at my best level in
every moment,” he says. “My objective
is to arrive at each game in the best
condition to perform at my maximum.”
We want the same for you. But sorting
a training session with the best in the
world is a bit tricky, so we have the next
best thing: a training guide built around
Messi’s game to help you replicate his
moves. Just follow it. Simple.
Words Ben Welch
“I always try to train
and improve every
day so I can perform
at my best level”
106 September 2015 Performance.FourFourTwo.com
@fourfourtwoperformance
MUSCLE
FUEL
Stop tripping over your feet and become a
weaving grassroots great with this dynamic
workout inspired by the world’s best player
The number of goals
Messi scored in the
2011-12 season –
a La Liga record
YOUR AL
I
ESSENDTIO
CAR
Head to our Instagram
account to see these
exercises in action
Skater hop
Sidestep shuffle
Resisted sprint
Stand with your weight on your left
leg, bending at the knee. Tuck your
right leg behind your left, keeping it
off the floor. Drop down slightly on
your left leg, before exploding out
to your right. Land on your right foot,
bringing your left leg behind you.
Continue bounding back and forth.
Sets 3 Reps 16
Place two cones 3m apart. Position
yourself between the cones in an
athletic-ready position. On the
coach’s command, shuffle at speed
to your right and touch the cone,
then burst to your left and touch the
cone. Stay low and keep your head
up. Repeat for the prescribed time.
Sets 3 Reps Work for 15 seconds
Mark out a 20m sprinting lane.
Working with a partner, fasten
a resistance band around your waist
and have them hold it taut behind
you. Stand at one end of the lane,
and on their command sprint to
the other end. Focus on pumping
your arms and driving your legs.
Reps 8
Muscles: quads, hip adductors
Muscles: hip adductors/abductors
Muscles: hip flexors, hamstrings
+ ADD WHOOSH TO YOUR WIGGLE
2yds
PRE-TRAINING
Can of mackerel
in olive oil with crispbreads
Mackerel is a fantastic source
of muscle-building protein and
omega-3 fatty acids. Armed
with powerful anti-inflammatory
powers, this oily fish will ensure
you don’t need to call 999 to revive
your flat-lining legs. Your heart
will welcome the olive oil to help
you stave off an energy slump.
The crispbreads are light, easy to
digest and serve up a healthy slice
of complex carbohydrates and B
vitamins. You’ll be so full of beans
that you might even get called in
for a random drugs test...
POST-TRAINING
Nando’s half-chicken,
spicy rice and macho peas
2yds
EQUIPMENT 10-12 cones
and a side stepper.
ACTION Position the cones
in two lines. Fasten the
side stepper to your ankles.
On the coach’s command,
run a zig-zag the length of
the grid between the cones.
Just before arriving at each
cone, extend your last step
to increase the resistance
level. On completion, turn to
work back along the grid.
PROGRESSION Do the drill
backwards or use a ball and
dribble around the cones.
SETS 3 (plus a final set done
without the side stepper,
with 3-minute recovery
between each set)
REPS 6 (with no recovery
between each rep)
Of course, you can’t call yourself
a footballer until you’ve chowed
down a cheeky Nando’s. Cheeky
or not, order correctly and it’s a great
meal for recovery. This particular
heavyweight protein-puncher aids
muscle repair and growth, while the
essential fats soothe your aches and
pains. Rice and peas deliver complex
carbohydrates and fibre to replenish
your diminished glycogen stores,
which will stop your blood sugar
crashing. And as a bonus, the spice
increases your rate of metabolism,
helping you burn off your muffin top.
Performance.FourFourTwo.com September 2015 107
Nutritional information provided by Ben Coomber (www.bencoomber.com)
LIONEL MESSI
NATIONALITY Argentine
CLUB Barcelona
DATE OF BIRTH June 24, 1987
NICKNAME The Flea
YOUR LEGS TO TWIST
+ PRIME
AND TURN THROUGH ANY GAP
PERFORMANCE
PERFORMANCE
RAMPAGE LIKE
RONALDO
CRISTIANO RONALDO
27
Number of
hat-tricks Ronaldo
has scored in La Liga
YOUR AL
I
ESSENDTIO
CAR
un 20m
5 & 6: R
WEEKS
mplete
onds. Co
in 5 sec
seconds
est for 6
R
.
s
p
re
is
10
s. Do th
een rep
in betw
week
twice a
17
CR7’s goal tally in the
2013-14 Champions
League – a record
178
Words Ben Welch
108 September 2015 Performance.FourFourTwo.com
@fourfourtwoperformance
MUSCLE
FUEL
Terrorise full-backs and bully centre-halves with a
physique to rival Real Madrid’s goalscoring machine
by following this blueprint for on-pitch domination
NATIONALITY Portuguese
CLUB Real Madrid
DATE OF BIRTH Feb 5, 1985
NICKNAME CR7
Number of games
it took Ronaldo to
score 200 top-flight
goals in Spain
Head to our Instagram
account to see these
exercises in action
YOUR BODY TO
+ BOOST
OUT-POWER ALL-COMERS
Some players are master technicians.
Others are supreme athletes. The rest
run around a lot. Ronaldo is a hybrid of
the three. He is football’s Terminator.
Not only do those perfectly sculpted
muscles cause an epidemic of wobbly
knees; they also serve a functional
purpose on the pitch. His power-packed
legs can propel him 78cm into the air –
7cm higher than the average NBA player
– to score headers such as his towering
effort against Manchester United in 2013.
Or how about the time those legs carried
him 96m in 10 seconds? He may have
only hit the post against Atletico Madrid
after hurtling across the Bernabeu pitch,
but it’s an impressive show of speed
nonetheless. And he managed it having
already covered 7km during the game.
CR7 isn’t an Olympian masquerading
as a footballer. His knuckleball free-kicks
clock in at 80mph, helping him to score
the odd goal (491 of them for club and
country if you’re counting – he is).
He was blessed with extraordinary
talent, yes, but Ronaldo’s dedication
to training and self-improvement is
even more extraordinary.
“I’ve made the most of the talent
I’ve got,” he says. “I know what to
do. Everybody has some sort of
talent; you just have to find a way
of finding it. A lot of the time people
look for excuses. When you want
something, you can achieve it.”
Follow our specially designed
pre-season training plan to arm
yourself with defence-shattering
strength and power. As the man
himself would say: no excuses.
“I’ve made the most
of my talent… when
you want something,
it can be achieved”
Single-leg box jump
TRX sprinter start
Knee-spring into jump
Stand on one leg in front of a box
that’s 30cm high (you can increase
the size as you progress). Sink down
slightly and drive all your power
through your standing leg to propel
you up onto the box. Drop back
down to the ground, landing on
both feet, and repeat.
Sets 2 Reps 10 on each leg
Grab the TRX stirrups and start in
a standing plank position, lining up
your knees, hips and shoulders.
Engage your core and tighten your
glutes. Step back with one foot so
your feet are staggered. Drive your
back leg forward and to your chest.
Repeat the movement with intensity.
Sets 2 Reps 12 (6 on each leg)
Get on your knees, keeping your
back straight with knees, hips and
shoulders lined up. Swing your arms
back and forth to generate velocity
as you use your hips and core to
jump to your feet. Upon landing in
a squat position, jump upwards.
Kneel back down and repeat.
Sets 3 Reps 6
Muscles: quads, calves, hamstrings
Muscles: quads, abs, lower back
Muscles: quads, glutes, hamstrings
+ RISE ABOVE THE REST
PRE-TRAINING
Whey protein shake
and bag of salted popcorn
Whey protein is digested quickly so
you won’t feel bloated during your
session. The amino acids kick-start
your recovery before a single bead of
sweat drips down your face. Studies
have found a pre-workout shake can
be as effective, if not more, at aiding
recovery than chugging one after.
Popcorn provides slow release
carbohydrates, drip-feeding energy
into your system. The electrolytes
in salt improve the uptake of water,
keeping you hydrated and off the
floor grimacing with cramp after
the five-minute warm-up.
PLAYER TWO
PLAYER ONE
A
COACH
POST-TRAINING
Teriyaki chicken breast
and pineapple burger
PLAYER FOUR
PLAYER THREE
4m
B
EQUIPMENT Viper Belt,
three Flexi-Cords, two cones.
ACTION Player One puts
on the Viper Belt with the
Flexi-Cords attached and
places two cones 6m apart
in front of goal, standing
between them. Player Two
holds a Flexi-Cord on Cone A
and Player Three holds one
on Cone B. Player Four holds
a cord 4m away from Player
One, near the penalty spot.
The coach throws the ball at
different heights to Player
One, who must head or
volley the ball into the goal.
PROGRESSION A defender
to compete for the ball.
SETS 1 (3-minute recovery)
REPS 10 (plus a final, 11th
set without the Viper Belt)
SAQ International are the established leaders in speed, agility and quickness training. For more information visit www.saqinternational.com
Chicken remains one of the best
sources of lean protein available to
athletes, and coating it in teriyaki
sauce gives you a nice hit of sodium
to prevent cramping (plus it tastes
great). A large pineapple ring
contains 75 per cent of your daily
manganese, boosting bone health.
It’s also rich in an enzyme called
bromelain, which breaks down
proteins in your gut to improve
digestion. The bread will give you
all the complex carbs you need
to replace lost glycogen stores
and stop that heavy leg feeling.
Performance.FourFourTwo.com September 2015 109