Latest news with #athleticism
BBC News
20 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
How did Reijnders do on his City debut?
This touch map gives you an idea of what Tijjani Reijnders will bring to the Manchester City Netherlands midfielder had 82 touches against Wydad Casablanca, most of them coming between the two boxes. Covering so much space demonstrated his athleticism and he also made some vital had 67.6% possession so many of Reijnders' touches came around the halfway line and in Wydad's half. He anchored the City midfield during the first hour before moving into a more advanced role when Rodri was attempted 74 passes and completed 68 of them. The six he failed to complete were all passes in or into the final third.
The Independent
12-06-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
The science-driven training methods behind Oleksandr Usyk's training
As a fitness writer, certain sporting figures fascinate me; the sheer athleticism of Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton; the iron mindset of serial CrossFit champ Mat Fraser. Recently, I added Oleksandr Usyk to that list. He is lighter than your average heavyweight contender, coming in 10kg shy of Anthony Joshua and 25kg short of Tyson Fury in their most recent bouts. Yet he emerged victorious both times. Catch all the latest boxing action on DAZN He is also wily in the ring, growing into fights and felling more powerful opponents by subsidising any deficits in brawn with speed and brainpower. Put to this his propensity for dancing, and you have a captivating character. Now, having seen a snapshot of his training methods, it is clear his strength and conditioning sessions are far from conventional as well. These are the techniques and protocols he is using to prepare for Daniel Dubois on 19 July. Focus on rate of force production View this post on Instagram A post shared by CHYCKI (@chycki_the_brains_behind) In December last year, Usyk's strength and conditioning coach Jakub Chycki, an associate professor at The Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, shared a training montage of the fighter's work in the gym. For any fitness fan, it is an intriguing watch. The first thing I noticed was that Usyk rarely moves slowly. Instead, he can repeatedly be seen executing an explosive concentric phase (the lifting portion) of compound exercises such as the trap bar deadlift, bench press, landmine punch and leaning single-leg landmine squat. During the trap bar deadlift, he even uses a tool to monitor the velocity of his lifts. This makes sense; how often do you see a boxer throw a slow punch? Having impressive maximal strength levels is all well and good, but if you are unable to translate that to power (force times velocity) then it rarely has much application in a sporting context. Non-conventional training tools Strength and conditioning sessions are usually dominated by barbells and dumbbells. Chycki's prescriptions for Usyk are not limited by these options. During the video, Usyk frequently performs exercises with kettlebells and gymnastic rings. The positioning of the kettlebell's handle away from the weight's centre of gravity allows for more dynamic exercises like the American kettlebell swing and split stance snatch. The kneeling bottom-up kettlebell press can also develop impressive stability around the shoulder joint, which is key in boxing to reduce injury risk. Using the gymnastic rings can develop greater proprioception (awareness of the position and movement of the body) and allow your joints to follow a more natural path, again lowering injury risk. Both tools also allow you to move in a range of different ways. Exploring all planes of motion There are three planes of motion the body can move in. As a rough guide, these are the sagittal plane (up, down, forward and backward motions), frontal plane (bending and side to side movements) and transverse plane (twisting). While most strength training exercises are sagittal-dominant, most sports are not. Boxing requires an immense amount of rotational ability and torque to create a powerful punch, while landing rates would likely be far higher if opponents were unable to duck and weave to avoid shots. As such, Usyk's training involves a heavy dose of all three planes of motion. There is a single-arm ring row to reach, single-arm kettlebell press variation and landmine rainbow to meet transverse plane requirements, while kettlebell lateral lunges, Copenhagen planks and shoulder-centric resistance band exercises see him operate in the frontal plane. He also employs all three ranges of motion in his stretching, mobility and movement work. The body adheres to the SAID (specific adaptations to imposed demands) principle, so if you want to maintain strength and mobility around your joints, the best way to achieve this is to use it regularly by moving in a variety of ways. This sends a strong message to the body that you need to use these positions, so it preserves the ability to access them. Plyometrics This is linked to the rate of force production. Chycki has Usyk perform multiple plyometric exercises, which can be defined as movements that involve the rapid stretching then shortening of a muscle. The emphasis is on moving quickly to develop power, but you will also develop more robust bones, tendons and ligaments by doing so. For example, Usyk performs band-assisted plyometric press-ups and medicine ball catches into rainbow slams. Deep tier plyometrics and landings Another exercise that caught my eye saw Usyk assume the bottom position of a Bulgarian split squat, with his front foot planted and rear foot elevated, then perform multidirectional oscillations on his front foot. I cannot say for sure what he is up to here, but it reminds me of a technique I recently discussed with movement mechanics expert and The Training Stimulus founder Ash Grossmann: deep tier plyometrics. This method places the athlete in the bottom position of an exercise, where the agonist (primary working) muscle is lengthened, then tasks them with pulsing in and out of that end range. 'You're accessing long muscle lengths, then creating force and getting yourself out of them,' Grossmann told me during our interview. He explained: 'You're developing huge amounts of control and coordination in your body, alongside the long muscle lengths. Then you can build them up to bigger and bigger jumps, so you're generating more force both through the ground and the force generated from your body.' The result is improved mobility, proprioception and springiness in the working muscles. It can also build the body's confidence in accessing this deeper range of motion and improve an athlete's ability to generate power through the ground, which is pivotal in boxing. Usyk also uses deep tier landings through a safety bar lunge and lateral lunge. Here, he allows himself to quickly fall into the bottom position of the exercise, then practices safely catching himself then quickly generating enough force to exit this position. Badminton, speed, agility and quickness training Athletic training tends to operate on a spectrum between general physical preparedness (GPP) and specificity. Coaches first need to develop the general physical attributes they want from an athlete – a certain level of strength, speed, power, VO2 max, agility and mobility. This can be seen during Usyk's strength work, and conditioning snippets on a fan bike. Then, when these foundations are laid and maintained, training can taper to more sport-specific protocols that use those attributes to achieve a desired outcome. Think of it like a sculptor at work. GPP involves tearing off an appropriately sized chunk of clay; specificity involves moulding it into the exact shape you want. In Chycki's video, there are many examples of Usyk using sport-specific training, from shadow boxing to speed and reaction tests. There is also a clip of him playing what looks like badminton, developing the speed and quickness he needs to react to unpredictable stimuli in a sporting setting. Targeted hip flexor training The hip flexor muscles are those responsible for bringing your knee toward your chest; think walking, running, cycling and various scenarios in most other sports. However, unlike other joint actions, it is hard to load this movement pattern and strengthen the muscles involved. Many people use a short resistance band to achieve this, lopping it around their feet and lifting their knees in turn. But the elastic nature of the band means the resistance profile changes depending on how far it is stretched, and it is hard to progressively overload the working muscles with this approach. Instead, Chycki has Usyk stand on an elevated surface with his left foot, hook a kettlebell around his right foot, then raise his right knee. By doing this, it is easier to progress the sets, reps and weights he uses over time, strengthening the hip flexor muscles. By developing this injury-prone area, you reduce your risk of a spell on the sidelines. These muscles can also help stabilise the pelvis and aid Usyk's mobility around the ring, giving him the tools he needs for explosive forward movements. Watch the very best boxing with a DAZN subscription DAZN is the home of combat sports, broadcasting over 185 fights a year from the world's best promoters, including Matchroom, Queensberry, Golden Boy, Misfits, PFL, BKFC, GLORY and more. An Annual Saver subscription is a one-off cost of £119.99 / $224.99 (for 12 months access), that's just 64p / $1.21 per fight. There is also a Monthly Flex Pass option (cancel any time) at £24.99 / $29.99 per month. A subscription includes weekly magazine shows, comprehensive fight library, exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes documentaries, and podcasts and vodcasts.
Bloomberg
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
It's Reigning Men, That's the Problem
This is Bloomberg Opinion Today, an iron-pumping circuit of Bloomberg Opinion's opinions. Sign up here. Poland's new populist president Karol Nawrocki — a former boxer — admits to joining a free-for-all football fan melee back in 2007. That more than qualifies him for the ranks of world leaders enamored of physical strength and thuggish joys, says Adrian Wooldridge. Among them, Adrian lists Russia's Vladimir Putin, India's Narendra Modi, China's Xi Jinping, Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Belarus's Alexander Lukashenko. Lionel Laurent says the US State Department might just call them America's ' civilizational allies ' since Donald Trump shares their preoccupation with athletic prowess.
Daily Mail
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Meet the running-obsessed Liverpool cult hero who ran a marathon on a treadmill on CHRISTMAS DAY and completed a 24-hour challenge without training - as star shows off remarkable body transformation
For former Liverpool defender John Arne Riise, the unrelenting search for athletic greatness didn't end when he hung up his boots back in 2016. His drive to compete on the biggest stage in the beautiful game may have dissipated, but as an elite athlete, the motivation to challenge yourself both physically and mentally never goes away. It's not as easy as turning off the competitive switch in your brain. Yes, athletes retire, but the fire is always in their bellies to push athletic boundaries and satisfy their desires to be the best. It's a high that the cut above will always crave. That's certainly the case when it comes to Riise, at least. In football, he reached the pinnacle by winning the Champions League in 2005 in the most miraculous way possible. The sense of achievement after lifting Ol' Big Ears is simply unmatchable - it's what every professional footballer dreams of as a youngster - but 20 years on from the fateful day in Istanbul, the former Norway international has found another way to fulfill his yearning for the feeling of athletic accomplishment. Riise, who played 348 times across seven years on Merseyside, has traded his football boots for running shoes. The 44-year-old now pushes his body and brain to the limits, even more so than on the football pitch, through the means of extreme challenges. 'For me, the physical and mental toughness is harder in the running,' Riise tells Mail Sport. Believe it or not, this is Riise's response to being asked to compare 'Miracle of Istanbul' to his recent remarkable running challenge. A gruelling 120 minutes against an AC Milan team, who were widely considered unbeatable in 2005, in a Champions League final wasn't as challenging as 24 hours on a treadmill. No, you are not hallucinating. In February, Riise took part in a charity running event in which had to complete 24 hours on a treadmill, only taking short breaks to go to the toilet. It's hard to imagine that feeling of getting off it at the end of it all. What's even more impressive is that Riise was one of only four competitors to complete the challenge entirely on his own. The majority taking part were relay teams, with runners taking on segments before switching. The ex-Red notched up an incredible 172km (106 miles) across a weekend in February. That's slightly over four marathons. Imagine that, running marathon, after marathon, all in the span of 24 hours. The thought of running just one is enough to frighten 99.99 per cent of the world's population, let alone four on the bounce. It was all for a good cause. The aim of the event was to raise money for a mental health charity, with more than 250,000 Norwegian Krone (£17,850) brought together by the time it was finished. For such an extreme challenge like that, you'd expect most runners to prepare properly with a training plan over roughly 12 or 16 weeks. Surely nobody is silly enough to just run having not trained. Wrong. Riise managed to make what was already a mental challenge even harder for himself. 'I didn't train for it,' Riise continued. 'I didn't know what I went into. I just went up and ran. Walk, run, go to the toilet, break, and repeat. 'I was asked three weeks before if I wanted to join in for a couple of hours, and then I did the whole thing. The longest I [had] ran was two or three hours, so I didn't know what I was going into. 'In football, my body is used to it, I'd prepared for it, I'd trained for it, it was my thing. But running like that was not. It was so hard for my body and my muscles. 'I had a guy next to me, and we were four people who were running the whole thing, he came up to me and said, "Johnny, good news, we have run six hours now... bad news, we have 18 left". 'It was just killing me! 'If I do it again, I am going to go further because now I know what I am getting into. I know what is expected. I would like to do it again, I want to hit the 200km mark.' While Riise didn't specifically train for the event, there was a good reason why he was still in good enough shape to complete it. His base fitness is through the roof, and that's because of the treadmill running he does throughout the year. Riise was on Norwegian reality TV show '16 weeks of hell' where he was tested to the limit Many people are not fans of treadmill running. There's nothing quite like exploring the outdoors. Well, for Riise planting his feet on the tarmac doesn't quite provide as much of a mental challenge as smashing into a rubber belt for hours on end. Being at one with the running machine is something that the Norwegian does to push his limits. He does this year-round, including on days when most of us couldn't fathom doing exercise. No holidays are off-limits. 'I love running. On Christmas Day, I woke up at 6am and did a marathon on the treadmill by myself,' Riise continues. 'I want to test myself mentally. Physically, I know I can run a marathon on a treadmill, but for me, it's more about being able to stand on that treadmill for three and a half hours, it's a mental toughness that I am trying to test myself. 'I had never done a marathon before, and I finished in three hours and 27 minutes.' Riise almost looks in the same shape as he did during his glory days in red. He has always been known for his strong build - his power was what made him a star at Anfield, and these days it looks like he could still get the kit on and put in a shift. However, it hasn't always been like that for Riise following retirement. In fact, his latest extreme challenge was the culmination of a weight loss journey that he has been on over the past 18 months. Last year, Riise was one of six contestants in a Norwegian reality TV show titled '16 Weeks of Hell', which is a series where celebrities were pushed to their physical breaking point and underwent a strict diet to turn their fitness around. The result of the show for Riise was a return to the shape he had always been while on the football pitch. 'I want to become a machine again,' Riise once said, and well, a machine he now is. He has no intentions of slowing down either. The 44-year-old only wants to continue stomping, whether that be in races in which he can 'test myself', or back on the treadmill. Riise has a lot in the works, and has no intention of putting the pounds back on. 'I'm doing the Oslo Marathon in September, they asked, and I said yes again, stupidly,' he jokes.
The Independent
22-05-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
The promising signs Emma Raducanu is bridging the gap on clay ahead of French Open
Clay has never felt like a natural happy hunting ground for British players. The grass-court season on home turf, with its attendant pressures and hype, and the hard-court season that makes up the majority of each year are more familiar underfoot. That was certainly true of Emma Raducanu, who admitted in Madrid that she did not feel comfortable on the red dirt and occasionally cut a frustrated figure as she failed to get to grips with it. But on the eve of Roland-Garros, the climax of the clay season, she can reflect on a promising couple of months. She is unlikely to make a deep run at the French Open: the gulf between her and the top clay-courters like Coco Gauff was made evident in their one-sided match in Rome last week. But success for Raducanu – contrary to what Twitter's armchair experts may think – is not necessarily about that. This year has been about stringing together runs and rediscovering her natural gamestyle after some time in the wilderness. She herself called it a 'fresh start' when she arrived in Rome and said her next few tournaments were about trying to 'work on doing things differently to try and bridge the gap between where I am now and where I want to be'. Her improved athleticism and physical strength has been apparent: this time last year she was retiring from her first round appearance in the Italian capital, and she had only previously done one full clay season. Wrist and ankle surgeries kept her out of Roland Garros in 2023 and she missed the major last year to prioritise preparing for the grass-court swing. Fast-track to now and she looks a more complete athlete, and more able to sustain momentum over the long drag of the tennis tour. With that has come a rediscovered faith in her game and an increased grittiness and ability to grind out wins. This year's Rome tournament was the first time she had won three straight matches on the surface. She backed that up with an impressive scalp in the WTA 500 tournament in Strasbourg, where she accepted a wildcard, beating world No. 17 Daria Kasatkina in straight sets. Her Strasbourg tournament came to an end with a hard-fought defeat to another former top-10 player and dogged competitor in Danielle Collins. Her mental strength has been apparent too, withstanding seven straight breaks of serve in the second set against Kasatkina, and regrouping from failing to serve out the match in the second set against Maya Joint in her first-round match in Rome, before ultimately winning in three. Her planned second-round opponent in Rome, 21st Ekaterina Alexandrova, withdrew in the hours before the match and Raducanu had to adjust from preparing to face a hard-hitting ball-striker to the loopier, topspin-heavy style of lefty Jil Teichmann. She followed up a comprehensive win over the Swiss with a three-set epic over the tricky former top-10 player Veronika Kudermetova, before she was outclassed by Gauff, who went on to make the final. Both on and off the court Raducanu has cut a more relaxed figure this year, with the new regime of Jane O'Donoghue and Mark Petchey – close allies who have known her since before her US Open triumph – clearly working. Raducanu's approach has always been slightly unorthodox, from the rapid hiring and firing of different coaches, to the choice to prioritise training blocks and accepting wildcards to big tournaments over grinding on the lower-level tennis circuit and gaining match sharpness. But her choice to overlook a permanent coach in favour of this more low-key approach has paid off; she has spoken at length about playing in an 'authentic' way and rediscovering her creativity. 'I think I got very boxed in to a certain way of playing, which was aggressive. I dominate, I'm an aggressive baseliner, but I think I have more tools at my disposal. So in practice these days, I've just been messing around with the ball and seeing what I can do, and how creative I can be,' she said in Rome. All this comes in a spell when the Brits seem to be finally establishing a foothold on the clay. Raducanu's contemporary Jack Draper has to be one of the favourites for a deep run at Roland Garros, having made the final in Madrid and cemented his status in the world's top five. Katie Boulter won a maiden title on clay at the WTA 125 Trophée Clarins last week to complete the career set on all surfaces, and fight back in the intriguing battle developing between her and Raducanu for the British No. 1 spot. There remain several major areas the 22-year-old can work on to narrow the gap to the top. Windy and heavy conditions trouble her and she is still figuring out how to move and slide on clay, a skill that comes with practice and time. But her clay-court season so far has marked a significant step up and proven that her game – phenomenal when it's firing – can transfer well onto the red dirt, making her a threat on all surfaces. For a player whose career has in many ways gone back to front, winning a major title before establishing herself as a consistent force on the tour, the signs are that she is now trending in the right direction.
