Memphis Depay took some serious shit from Manchester United fans last season.
The Dutch youngster was touted as the next big thing when he made the switch to Old Trafford.
But despite glimpses of his talent, Depay only hit two goals in 29 appearances and never really got firing on all cylinders. Many fans criticised his work ethic and fitness during the debut season when he struggled to nail down a place in Louis van Gaal’s starting XI.
Depay doesn’t look like he’s about to make the same mistake twice though and while some of his teammates are still contesting Euro 2016, he’s been hitting the gym hard.
United’s pre-season hasn’t even kicked off yet but Depay seems to be laying the ground work early.
He was filmed with PSV’s Turkish-Dutch star Tufan Özbozkurt hitting some hardcore looking circuits to shape up before the new season. A pre- pre-season, if you will.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BHPWATyhfNk/
Depay has been hitting the kettlebell training hard in Miami and the training protocol is a great way to build strength, power and conditioning all in one.
He is focussing on developing an explosive hip drive with moves like the high pull and the Russian kettlebell swing which will make him a more explosive player on the pitch.
They’re also great for strengthening the posterior chain, including the hamstrings, glutes and calves, which will improve his short-burst sprinting in games.
Depay looks like he’s also working on strengthening his core – particularly with the core hammer around-the-worlds and kettlebell work in the squat position.
He’s also posted further videos on his own Instagram of his pre-season core strength work including planks, weighted crunches and one arm dumbbell rows to press ups.
Having a strong core is key to athletes like footballers because it helps with power generation, movement, balance and stability on the pitch.
The 22-year-old winger will really be looking to impress new boss Jose Mourinho when the United squad are back training in Manchester.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BHO4-GDDU6j/?taken-by=memphisdepay&hl=en
