THEY’RE not the two best players in the world for nothing.
During the coronavirus lockdown, footballers around the globe have been filling their time by hitting their home gyms.
Cristiano Ronaldo has continued his tough training regime in his home gymCredit: Instagram
Lionel Messi has also been working his core hard at his home gym in Barcelona
⚠️ Read our coronavirus in sport live blog for the latest news & updates
Leading the way are Lionel Messi, 32, and Cristiano Ronaldo, 35, who have been happy to show their strict training regimes.
From running up steep driveways to lifting heavyweights, the two are eager to stay match-fit if/when the season restarts.
But whose schedule is tougher? SunSport put on its bootcamp hat to investigate.
MESSI AT HOME
For a man who’s used to having the best training facilities a club can offer at Barcelona, working from home would’ve been tough on Messi.
But, after jovially showing he hadn’t lost his touch by doing the best toilet roll juggling of any footballer out there, he soon hit his home gym.
And as you can imagine, it is fully equipped to help him keep some muscle definition.
He gave us a brief glimpse of his gym on Instagram training with his son, Ciro.
We saw a row of treadmills that overlook his incredible garden.
There’s also a spinning machine – another extensive cardio workout.
The first glimpse we saw of Messi training at home came when he showed off his toilet-roll juggling skillsCredit: Instagram
With the help of son Ciro, Messi worked on his core on a matCredit: Instagram @leomessi
Lunges are key to building up leg muscles to work on Messi’s speed
Behind Messi is a shrine to Muhammad Ali
Like a professional gym, he has shelves for towels. They are opposite weight machines and bars.
Various mats aid him to do core exercises, like pushing up a bar with his stomach while leaning on a box.
Another exercise Messi has been seen doing involves lifting two small dumbbells above his head from his sides.
All of this is done under the watchful eye of Muhammad Ali – or in fact a mini-shrine to former heavyweight boxing champion.
HIS WORKOUT
At 32, Messi remains dedicated to his art to maintain his powers.
According to Pinata, the method behind his training regime is to work on his speed.
To build his pace up, he divides his workout into sections with different exercises, including a pillar bridge-front, lunges, hamstring stretches, and pillar skips.
To strengthen his core and leg muscles, Messi also favours hurdle hops and split squats. Then, he’ll finish off with acceleration drills.
Next, is a series of workouts designed to maximise his multi-directional speed.
Lionel Messi’s adorable son works out with dad in coronavirus lockdown before Barcelona star shows him how it’s done
Messi hasn’t been slacking while on lockdown at home
Messi uses a treadmill to warm down after various speeding drills
At 32, Messi shows no signs of slowing down thanks to his training regime
Give now to The Sun’s NHS appeal
BRITAIN’s four million NHS staff are on the frontline in the battle against coronavirus.
But while they are helping save lives, who is there to help them?
The Sun has launched an appeal to raise £1MILLION for NHS workers.
The Who Cares Wins Appeal aims to get vital support to staff in their hour of need.
We have teamed up with NHS Charities Together in their urgent Covid-19 Appeal to ensure the money gets to exactly who needs it.
The Sun is donating £50,000 and we would like YOU to help us raise a million pounds, to help THEM.
No matter how little you can spare, please donate today here
www.thesun.co.uk/whocareswinsappeal
Pillar skips, skipping ropes, and squats build his leg muscles, while skipping past diagonal cones will maintain his lateral movements.
Given he has such a mega garden with its own football pitch, these can all be done at home, until he warms down with a jog on a treadmill.
WHAT DOES MESSI EAT?
Aside from drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated, Messi follows a strict diet.
With the help of Italian nutritionalist Giuliano Poser, who helped him cure his sickness before games, he had a regime designed specifically for him – ditching meat and pizza.
Water, olive oil, whole grains, fresh fruit and fresh vegetables are the base of Messi’s diet.
“Also very good are nuts and seeds,” Poser revealed. But he was adamant Messi had to curb his sweet tooth.
“[Sugar] is the worst thing for the muscles. The farther he stays away from sugars, the better,” he continued.
“Refined flours are also a big problem as these days, it’s difficult to find uncontaminated wheat.”
Giuliano Poser is the man responsible for changing his diet
Messi ditched meat and ended his love of pizza after consulting PoserCredit: Instagram
RONALDO AT HOME
He’s the picture of health anyway, so we’re sure a few days off won’t help. But Ronaldo won’t allow it.
And any given opportunity he’s had during the coronavirus lockdown, the Juventus forward has sent his followers wild by showing off his sculpted physique.
Behind him is his home gym, filled with toys – mostly weight machines that help build muscle in his upper body and legs.
Ronaldo began his quarantine at his mansion in Madeira that also has a pool on his rooftop.
Now, he is reportedly renting another home in Madeira.
Like Messi, core work using dumbbells was key to anything he did in his indoor gym.
But it’s not all heavy-lifting that keeps Ron supple and in shape.
He loves Pilates, which he can do anywhere with a yoga mat, and helps him strengthen his core.
Ronaldo has been happy to show of his tough workouts on InstagramCredit: Instagram / @cristiano
Ronaldo has continued to sculpt his abs during the coronavirus lockdown at home
Dumbbells are key to Ronaldo’s core workoutCredit: Instagram @cristiano
WORKOUT
“Everyone has days when they are less motivated and I do too, but I know that in order to continue to play at the highest level, I must push myself even on the days I might not feel like it,” Ronaldo once told FourFourTwo.
So far, we’ve seen Ronaldo doing gruelling sprinting drills with his partner, Georgina Rodriguez.
The Portuguese legend shared an Instagram video of the pair running up a steep driveway, as quick as they could.
Ronaldo is also a big fan of swimming, often unwinding after a tough weights’ workout by doing a series of lengths.
That exercises all of his arms, core and leg muscles. But just as important as pushing himself is rest.
Ronaldo will have hot and cold baths to stimulate muscle regeneration, while jets massage his muscles as he sits in the bath.
He also sleeps eight hours a night, as well as naps throughout the day – sometimes taking as many as five naps in one day.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodriguez in brutal hill sprints as pair train together while in coronavirus lockdown
A driveway has been useful to Ronaldo who has used it to complete gruelling sprinting drillsCredit: Instagram @cristiano
Like Messi, Ronaldo isn’t taking quarantine lightlyCredit: Instagram @cristiano
Ronaldo uses straps, pulleys and resistance work to improve his core strengthCredit: Instagram @cristiano
The kids have also come in useful for Ronaldo as he lifts them with his armsCredit: Instagram / @cristiano
Ice cold baths are key for Ronaldo’s recuperationCredit: Instagram @cristiano
RONALDO’S DIET
Ronaldo is even more conscious of what he puts into his body than Messi.
“I watch my diet, eat healthily and avoid things that are bad for me like alcohol, sugary sodas and processed foods,” he revealed.
“I focus on eating simple whole foods, like fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean protein. I really like fresh fish and try to get a lot of my protein from it.”
Lisbon speciality Bacalao a la Brasa – a mixture of braised cod, onions, thinly sliced potatoes and scrambled eggs is one of his favourites.
Diet is important to Ronaldo, who mostly eats fishCredit: Instagram
Ronaldo always manages to keep it healthy and shares meals on social mediaCredit: Instagram, @cristiano
The Juventus star also eats eggs and salad, avoiding sugary foods and processed meatsCredit: Instagram
He also eats gilt-head bream, swordfish and sea bass.
Since 2005, Ronaldo has been tee-total – not only because of the effect it would have on his diet, but also after seeing his father die from alcoholic-related illness.
Ronaldo’s diet is why he believes he can play till 40.
VERDICT
Ronaldo just edges it with his all-round dedication to health and fitness.
But both Messi and Ronaldo prove it takes much more than amazing talent to become a superstar.
It requires hard work and dedication, 24/7.
Cristiano Ronaldo reunites with family amid coronavirus lockdown to celebrate niece’s 21st birthday
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
