Players’ training pics analysed

Ollie Harrington, Reading academy sports scientist, reviews players’ workout pics posted on Instagram

1 Gareth Bale @garethbale11

“Standing on a bosu ball with one leg is great for improving balance,” says Harrington. “It also strengthens the ankle for running and shooting.”

2 Jose Izquierdo @officialbhafc

“Gym ball roll-outs will boost core strength. The instability of the ball makes the exercise a little bit harder.”

3 Thibaut Courtois @thibautcourtois

“An anti-gravity treadmill allows injured players to run again much earlier in their rehabiltation, reducing the body weight by up to 80 per cent.”

4 Collin Quaner @htafcinstagram

“The forward lunge is a safe and easy move to bolster the legs. It mainly targets quadriceps and glutes but works lower limb muscles as well.”

5 Ben Hamer @lcfc

“The leg press machine is a good alternative to performing squats. It works your lower limbs, particularly the quadriceps, to boost leg strength.”

6 Per Mertesacker @p_mertesacker

“Repeated hurdle jumps are ideal for enhancing lower body power, so you can run faster and jump higher.”

7 Marcus Rashford @marcusrashford

“He is performing the Spider-man stretch to improve his flexibility. It stretches out your groin and hip area.”

8 Ben Davies @spursofficial

“Foam rolling is like self-massage for professional athletes. It should be used as a recovery aid – in addition to stretching – after a tough workout.”