Being strong enough to hold off defenders is not all about gym workouts, insists City's midfield powerhouse
“I always seem to get pushed off the ball by opposition players. How can I hold them off?” Kevin Lang, via email
Yaya Toure says:
“Working hard in training is crucial. I work a lot with Simon Bitcon, our head of conditioning, who has helped me a great deal.
Over a week, I’ll usually spend an hour and a half with him to prepare me in the right way to shrug off opposition defenders.
You need discipline to develop in this way. You must listen to what your body is telling you too, especially after a game.
Playing against different teams has different effects on your body – you might have had a physical battle or had to do a lot of running.
Recovery then becomes key, and Simon knows what I have to do to be strong for the next game.
Every exercise we do is geared towards something that could occur in a game – it’s important not to just lift weights for the sake of it.
Holding off defenders isn’t all about being big and powerful; it’s about understanding the mechanics of your body and the physical demands of protecting the ball.”
