Ings provides fitness update and training insight
Danny Ings has provided an update on his training schedule as he aims to prove his fitness and challenge for a place ahead of the 2016-17 season.
Liverpool’s No.28 has enjoyed a good pre-season so far netting excellent strikes during the friendly victories over Tranmere Rovers and Wigan Athletic.
The striker is continuing to step up his fitness during the tour of the USA after working his way back after being sidelined with an anterior cruciate ligament injury last season.
During Sunday’s light training session at Stanford University, Ings instead worked on a specific programme in the gym.
Explaining why he had a gym session instead of training, Ings told Liverpoolfc.com: “I knew it was only going to be a light session and at this stage coming back from my ACL it’s important to build up my strength work.
“We thought it was best to go in the gym and work on my strength conditioning which is squats and other things, and keep on top of things really and stay strong.
“This is something I have had to do weekly since my injury because when you have the operation you tend to lose quite a bit of muscle in your quads and other areas, so it’s one of the biggest factors in your rehab.
“During my rehab I wasn’t allowed onto the pitch until both legs were as strong as each other, so it shows how important it really is to keep your gym work up.”
During training in America so far Ings and his fellow strikers have been put through their paces during intense movement sessions from manager Jürgen Klopp.
In providing an insight into the work, he said: “It’s difficult to explain but it’s more of a tactical session more than a physical one.
“I know it looked very physical but it was very hot and it was our second session of the day.
“The key ideas with those sessions is to get our movements right, our formation right and an understanding of where everyone should be in certain moments on the pitch and in certain times of the game.
“That is one thing I’ve learned since I’ve been back is he [Klopp] is very big on tactical movements and where we should be, and it’s great for us as a learning curve as we have to do that every day.
“It’s important we get these things right and that’s what training is for, because you would prefer not to be in the right position during training than if you were playing in a game, so we have to be 100 per cent focused about what we need to do.”
During the tour so far Ings and the squad have received a wonderful welcome from the passionate Liverpool supporters in America.
The forward also received plenty of well wishes from the supporters as he celebrated his 24th birthday on Saturday.
“It was nice and a few fans made me a few birthday cards,” he revealed.
“It’s nice because obviously I am away from home and not seeing my family but it’s like that every year for me.
“It’s great seeing the fans and hopefully we can put on a show for them in these three matches over here.”
Ings and co are now getting ready for their opening game in the International Challenge Cup when they face Chelsea at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Wednesday night.
Facing an arch-rival in the USA has attracted a great deal of interest and the striker is looking forward to the tussle with Antonio Conte’s side.
“Every game is big for different reasons, even the games building up to where we are now were very important,” he said.
“I go back to the tactical side of things and we try and take [our work in training] into the games and execute those plans.
“We have still got quite a lot to learn and it’s important we take that into the game against Chelsea. It’s very important we try and get the win and we will give everything we can to try and win that game.”
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