Fitness secrets of Lionel Messi that no one told you
You cannot think of football without thinking of Lionel Messi, for he is one of the greatest players in the history of this sport. A seven-time Ballon d'Or winner, the ace sportsman follows a disciplined lifestyle that makes him a fitness icon for many. Today, let's delve deeper into his workout and diet secrets.
Here is what our expert says
Lionel Messi is the fastest if not the fittest player amongst all of the football legends. He was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency as a child and had to take treatment for the same. Currently he enjoys a mediterranean diet, avoiding red meats. His workout sessions focus on increasing his speed, stamina and agility along with focus on legs and core muscle groups.
Messi's workouts focus on speed and agility
Messi isn't known to be as much a fitness freak as his rival Cristiano Ronaldo. However, his workouts focus on maximizing his agility and linear speed. For basic movement, he does pillar bridge-front, lunges, hamstring stretches, and pillar skips. He also does hurdle hop and split squats to strengthen his core and leg muscles. Then there are different acceleration drills.
Messi follows fitness routine at least 5 days a week
To maximize his multidirectional speed, Messi does pillar skips, squats, and jumps skipping ropes to build up his leg muscles. To improve lateral movements and maintain agility, he skips past cones, diagonal hurdles, and other obstacles. After working out, he drinks water and goes jogging for five to 10 minutes to cool off. He follows this routine at least five days a week.
The Argentine international star's food habits
Italian nutritionist Giuliano Poser has been guiding Messi's diet since 2014. Water, olive oil, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, and whole grains are the base of Messi's diet. He had also advised Messi against excessive meat consumption, which is otherwise a norm in South American countries. A fan of Milanesa (beef shallow-fried in breadcrumbs), Messi had admitted struggling to cut out meat from his diet.
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Messi's meal plan
When he was younger, Messi indulged a lot in fizzy drinks and pizza. It was reported that after losing in the 2018 World Cup, Messi adopted a vegan diet during the playing season, but he never confirmed or denied it. For breakfast, he eats whole grains, and fresh fruits and veggies. During lunch, there's beans, salad, and soup. Dinner includes brown rice and tuna.
