For those who have ever wondered exactly how it is that their favourite soccer stars start their day, then this compilation which covers the diet, lifestyle, and workout training of legendary soccer player Lionel Messi, may be an eye-opening moment. As a player who is in his thirties, this post which covers the full training and workout of Leo Messi is incredibly motivating to anyone at any stage of life that they too can perform past their peak by employing similar lifestyle changes,
Training Schedule
While many look at Cristiano Ronaldo who has a fully packed workout schedule and relentless exercise regime, Lionel Messi focuses a little less on buffing up. Instead, he seems to follow a workout which focuses a lot more on ensuring he is agile and increases his speed before each matchday. To maximise his speed effectively, the workout Lionel Messi follows is broken up into various sub-sections which focus on basic movements.
These key areas are: The pillar bridge-front, hamstring stretches, lunges, and pillar skips, in combination with focusing on hurdle hops and split squats. These movements all focus on ensuring his core and leg muscles are strengthened and can endure the often-brutal need for speed in the game.
Following on from the linear speed workout, he practices activities to improve his multi-directional speed with skipping ropes and squats, combined with diagonal hurdles and obstacles to improve lateral movements. He ends his workout with a water break and jogging session for another 5 – 10 minutes to cool down.
Food Schedule
Following the diet from Italian nutritionist Giuliano Poser, who began working with Messi in 2014, the nutritionist has highlighted the five key areas which form the basis of the star soccer player’s diet. Notably, water, olive oil, whole grains, and fresh fruits and vegetables form the basis of everything. Seeds and nuts are also allowed as a between meals snack option, while sugar has been greatly reduced since it is one of the worst things for muscles.
Uncontaminated wheat and refined flowers are a big no-no too since it’s hard to procure such items regularly. Meat consumption, while a large part of Lionel Messi’s heritage, is kept to a minimum due to its difficulty in being properly digested – as most Argentinians tend to go very meat heavy in unhealthy quantities.
Lionel Messi’s favourite dish from the menu that Giuliano Poser created for him is a roast chicken combined with root vegetables like onion, garlic, carrots, and potatoes that have been roasted in olive oil. His previous favourite dish, pizza, was regrettably taken off his regular menu as it’s not healthy for him, though Poser has noted he does occasionally give into his pizza cravings.
Other Advice
While small in stature compared to many of his fellow football players, Messi has an incredibly explosive power he brings to any game that he plays. His year-round dedication to his profession is incredibly admirable and while training and diet have a large part to play in staying in shape, his raw, natural talent is what many admire most about him.