Lionel Messi’s fitness routine will transform you into a man of steel.
Lionel Messi is one of the best footballers of all time. The winner of numerous titles and awards, the Argentine-born superstar has impressed with his incredible speed, insane possession and consistent power. With his insane power-to-weight ratio, rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo and world-renowned muscles, Lionel Messi fans have rightly asked about the secret to his physical success.
Meanwhile, Messi’s brilliant runs haven’t always been as smooth as his performance (or muscles) would suggest. Throughout his career, the athlete has overcome countless physical obstacles to get to where he is today. This included being diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency at an early age, followed by a shocking series of injuries. His right calf was also temporarily disabled with a grade 1 strain.
Despite the setbacks, Lionel Messi still dominates the domestic and international stages. So how does he not only recover from injury but retain his unparalleled skills in the process, one might ask? Enter the Lionel Messi football diet plan and workout routine. Maybe you will probably guess what his fitness regimen involves: running exercises, weightlifting, and plenty of conscious eating. If you want Lionel Messi’s muscles and his mind-blowing speed, keep reading this article.
The legendary forward hasn’t always been strict about his diet regimen. During his younger years, he frequently indulged in fast food, fizzy drinks, pizza, and Argentine dishes like Milanesa, which involves shallow-frying a breadcrumb-coated fillet of beef.
As Messi aged, he was essentially forced to rein in his eating habits. So, he started cutting down on the pizza and fried beef. Moreover, in his effort to take on a healthier lifestyle, Messi began working with Italian nutritionist Giuliano Poser in 2014 who suggested him to implement following this diet plan, which includes:
- water, olive oil, whole grains, fresh fruit, and fresh vegetables.
- nuts and seeds.
- eating as little sugar and refined flour as possible.
- when training, shied away from eating too much meat.
- reduce supplementing protein.
Nowadays, Lionel Messi retains the habits he picked up from Poser, even if he’s taking most of his diet advice from Barcelona’s nutrition team. Overseen by Dr Maria Antonia Lizarraga Dallo, the nutrition team advises players to refuel as often as possible after a match, by way of pasta salad or protein-rich sushi. Alcohol consumption is completely frowned upon, so Messi probably saves the booze for the off-season.
What’s the secret to his success?
According to most sources, Messi isn’t as rigorous about exercise as other players like Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo, but don’t take that to mean he doesn’t maintain a consistent workout routine. When training, he primarily focuses on three key factors: speed, strength, and stretching. In fact, it’s been reported that he stretches for over an hour every day. Not only does this method keep his muscles spry and optimal, but it boosts Messi’s performance during gameplay.
Otherwise, his routine is divided into different sections, each of which consists of several exercises around maximising agility and building speed. More to the point, he employs both linear speed and multi-directional speed workouts.
For a better idea of Lionel Messi’s training regimen, check out the following two workout routines. According to legend, Messi trains every day during the playing season, and you should likewise be prepared to employ this regimen for at least five days per week.
Here are the two routines:
Linear Speed Workout
Movement Preparation
- Pillar bridge (front) – 30-second reps per set for 2 sets
- Knee hug lunge – 4 reps each side per set for 1 set
- Inverted hamstring stretch – 4 reps each side per set for 1 set
- Pillar skip (linear) – 1 rep/set of 15 yards
- 2-Foot rapid response (linear) – 5-second rep per set for 2 sets
Plyometrics
- Hurdle hop – 5 hurdles per set for 2-3 sets
- Split squat jump – 4 reps each side per set for 2-3 sets
Movement Skills
- Acceleration wall drill (marching) – 5 reps each side per set for 2 sets
- Acceleration wall drill (single exchange) – 5 reps each side per set for 2 sets
- Acceleration wall drill (triple exchange) – 5 reps each side per set for 2 sets
- Acceleration (split stance) – 10 yards per rep/set for 3-5 sets
- Acceleration to base – 10 yards per rep/set for 3-5 sets
Multi-Directional Speed Workout
Movement Preparation
- Pillar bridge (front) – 30-second reps per set for 2 sets
- Knee hug lunge – 4 reps each side per set for 1 set
- Inverted hamstring stretch – 4 reps each side per set for 1 set
- Pillar skip (lateral) – 1 rep/set of 10 yards each side
- 2-Foot rapid response (linear) – 5-second rep per set for 2 sets
Plyometrics
- Hurdle hop (lateral) – 5 hurdles each side per set for 2-3 sets
- Lateral bound – 4 reps each side per set for 2-3 sets
Movement Skills
- Lateral shuffle to cut – 4 reps each side per set for 2-3 sets
- 3-hurdle drill (stabilization) – 3 reps per set for 2-3 sets
- 3-hurdle drill (continuous) – 3 reps per set for 2-3 sets
- 3-hurdle drill (to dropstep) – 3 reps each side per set for 2-3 sets
- Mirror drill – 5-10-second reps pet set for 3-4 sets
