Smalling: My Top Training Tips

Not everyone can train like a Manchester United player, but Chris Smalling is giving fans an invaluable insight into how he's improving his physical condition during pre-season.

The centre-back has taken great strides over the last 12 months and has become an influential figure in Louis van Gaal's evolving squad. Physical training has been important to that ascension and, in an exclusive interview with ManUtd.com, Chris reveals the wisdom behind his workouts...

What's the secret to improving your stamina so that you can play for 90 minutes?
It is just a case of working hard each day, going into each training session and giving your maximum and in the times in between you need to rest because you know that you have to go again soon. It is just a case of giving it your all and that is ultimately what this trip is all about. There are no easy sessions.

What is the key to improving your core strength and getting that six-pack?
It is important to link the core with your whole body, so it is not just about doing 50 crunches in a row. You need to do lots of planking [a particular exercise] when you are using your whole body strength because, ultimately, your abs must connect to your groin. When you are lifting weights it is all working together. I try to work my core as often as possible. I eat a lot of protein and a lot of carbs for recovery, especially after training sessions. We are really overloading on carbs and protein, especially in pre-season.

You've backed yourself to win a sprint race between the players. Are you still confident?
Yeah, I'm still backing myself. Willo [James Wilson] said I'm the fastest player and he is one of the quickest, but, yeah, I would back myself. There are obviously a lot of quick players but I'm ready for the test. Maybe not at the minute because we are training so much, but maybe during the season we can arrange that.

How much gym work have you done so far?
I'll often do a little bit like jumps, some glute bands and core work before training. We sometimes do it in the warm-up as well. It is just as important as the ball work because you need your muscles to be strong enough to withstand impact on the pitch.

When you're in the gym, which muscle groups do you like to work?
It is generally a bit of everything. We do leg sessions, core exercises, we work our hamstrings, our quads, our glutes and our calves. If I do upper body work, I will do some bench presses for my chest, some pull-ups, some single-arm rows and a few other things. The gym is important.

As a defender, is it especially important to build the legs for explosive power?
Definitely, especially in pre-season when you need to focus on your hamstrings more. You are obviously doing a lot of running after three weeks off so you need to make sure you are not sore after the first session, so the gym has its rewards.

Pre-season training is not about endless running anymore, so how do you build fitness?
It is literally all done with a ball these days. There are possession-based drills when we play five vs fives, game situations, boxes with people on the outside and interchanging, so there is a lot of running with the ball as that is obviously what we do in a game. It is physically tough. It is a lot harder than running without the ball because you don't need to concentrate when you do that.

How are you finding the double sessions?
They're difficult but in pre-season you need to get back to a high level and ultimately, later in the season, it will all pay off. But the double sessions are tough!